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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Beth Lindop

Designer quit her job to build fashion brand from her garage

A fashion designer who started a business from her garage says her LFC legend dad is her ‘number one fan’.

Karina Molby, daughter of former Liverpool and Denmark midfielder Jan Molby, started making and selling clothes six years ago whilst working for a well-known fashion retailer. After demand for her designs started to soar during lockdown, Karina quit her job to focus on the brand full-time.

Molby the Label, renowned for its signature colourful and mixed print designs, now has more than 102k followers on Instagram and Karina’s collections have been modelled by a number of celebrities and influencers.

READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk international team-mate would join Liverpool for '£200,000 per week'

Karina, 29, from Heswall, told the ECHO: “When we went into lockdown, the business just took off and got bigger and bigger. It’s amazing.

"I was on 5,000 followers for about five years but then a style blogger called Megan Ellaby, who I’d been trying to get in touch with for years, wore my dress and I got about 5,000 followers in a day. From there, other influencers got in touch and people really started to see the brand.”

Wirral-based designer Karina Molby, 29, of Molby The Label (Karina Molby)

Celebrities such as actress Catherine Tyldesley and Love Island host Laura Whitmore have also worn Karina’s eye-catching pieces. The 29-year-old originally started creating her designs from her garage at home, but now has her own studio and a strong team of seamstresses behind her making each item by hand.











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With an emphasis on sustainable fashion, Karina’s pieces can sell out online in minutes and the brand has gained customers from all around the world. Karina, a Liverpool John Moores University alum, has now received special recognition for her work, being named a finalist in this year's Merseyside Women of the Year Awards.

The awards, which celebrate the achievements of exceptional women from across the region, return to Liverpool’s Crowne Plaza hotel on Friday, July 1 following a two-year hiatus owing to the pandemic.

Speaking about her nomination, Karina said: “When we found out we were shortlisted we were absolutely buzzing because the brand has never been nominated for an award before, so it’s really exciting.”

The news has been welcomed by Karina’s dad, Jan, who became a firm favourite amongst Liverpool fans during his 12 year stint at Anfield.

Karina with dad, Jan, and older brother, Kingsley (Karina Molby)

She told the ECHO: “It’s amazing to be chosen for this. Dad is like my number fan, so is mum, so they’re both really proud. Obviously with using our surname for the business as well, all my family in Denmark are so happy that their name is being used in England!”

Molby the Label continues to go from strength to strength with a new collection launching next week and plans to open a sister brand specialising in Plus Size fashion in the new year.

To find out more about the brand, click here.

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