How to Hustle in the City: Milanese to Londoner

For those who don’t know me, I’m Federica - a Milanese in London. Crazy to think I’ve been here for almost 10 years now.

By Federica Labanca, Co-Founder & Creative Director of FFLOW

October 16, 2025

Little me always dreamt of a career in fashion, but I never quite knew what exactly I wanted to do. So I started from the bottom and tried it all - stockroom, shop floor, visual merchandising - until I realised I loved visual arts and art direction the most. I moved to London at 18 and hustled from day one. London isn’t for the weak, but it rewards the hardworking. New language, new city, no friends, no family - definitely the hardest, but also the best decision I’ve ever made.

I always say London is to me what NYC is to Carrie Bradshaw. I worked hard, and the city gave me a lot of love back. But it was never easy - and I definitely wasn’t living in the Upper East Side with a closet full of Manolos. Quite the opposite! I wish I could show you my first London studio: three tiny drawers and half a rail. Not exactly “Sex and the City”.

My first big-girl job was at Prada. I guess starting young and working hard has its perks, because just six months later I was officially a visual merchandiser. Prada was the best school I could’ve asked for - it taught me what it means to work tirelessly and handle real responsibility.

After five and a half years, it was time to do my own thing. Terrifying, yes - but in life you have to take risks to build the life you want. So I lined up a couple of gigs, took the leap, and went freelance. Oh man, the beginning was rough: late payments, cracking open the piggy bank to cover rent, waiting on invoices. But you have to start somewhere. I learned as I went, got my first accountant (a real “growing up” moment), and set myself up as a sole trader.

Can I just clarify - I was still barely surviving in London at this point!

But after seven years, the hard work started to pay off. 2023 was the real turning point. Brands, clients, and industry peers started recognising my work, which pushed me to go even harder. I got my first press trips, my first high-end gig with Dior, hosted events (my absolute favourite thing), and built an incredible network.

It’s hard to sum up eight years of hustle into one pager, but one thing I’ll say is this: London itself is a huge inspiration. Yes, I’ve met amazing people along the way, but the city is the one that keeps you moving. If you don’t keep up, you’ll fall behind. I wake up every morning wanting to hustle - it’s like a drug. And with a long list of goals to hit before I turn 30, you definitely won’t catch me chilling anytime soon.

Which brings me to FFLOW - my baby.

I’ve been in the creator space on and off for as long as I can remember. I’ve had Instagram forever, but it wasn’t until lockdown that I started to see it as more than just fun. Suddenly, jobs were coming in, people liked my silly little outfits, and my inbox was overflowing. I always thought there had to be one platform that gave creators everything they needed - but nothing like that existed.

Then one day, an old friend called me with an idea: digital boutiques for creators. A new way to link and monetise content, easier and smarter. He asked, “Do you want to get involved?” Hell yes. So we started building - coding, testing, shaping it around what creators and brands actually need.

A more streamlined shopping experience with no redirects? Check.

A platform for brands to manage gifting, partnerships, and loans without endless email chains? Check.

Built-in data and analytics at no extra cost? Check.

FFLOW gives creators, stylists, and creatives their own digital boutique - something they can curate just like their socials. Any look they post can be linked directly for followers to shop. And as a lazy shopper myself, I love that it only takes five clicks from link to checkout, with zero redirects.

For brands, it simplifies everything: agreeing on rates, signing contracts, sharing briefs, approving drafts, reshoots, insights. FFLOW keeps it all in one place, making campaigns easier than ever.

And to those who still think being a content creator isn’t a “real job” - the influencer market is worth trillions. We’re clearly doing something right. FFLOW just makes it easier to run that business.

But more than that, I wanted FFLOW to reflect a piece of me. That’s why I started the Supper Club Series. I love hosting and connecting people, and building community and loyalty around the platform is a top priority. In such a fast-paced industry, people often lose the sense of real connection. My whole career has been built on relationships, so I wanted to bring that to others. And it’s working - brands are realising how important community truly is. In just five months live, we’ve had the chance to work with some of the most exciting names in the industry.

Seeing this baby grow from an idea to a full-fledged platform is wild. I’m so grateful to everyone who trusted us from the very beginning - even just taking a call meant the world.