STYLE SESSIONS | MINI & MAXIMUS

Welcome to the third round of STYLE SESSIONS WITH! This time around I had the opportunity to have a chat with the creators behind the Californian label Mini & Maximus. Megan Villa and Sophie St-Onge put their creative heads together and created a brand of kids clothing that would celebrate kids in all their amazing, dirty and wonderful glory! Sit back, grab a cup of something and tag along on a interesting journey behind the brand that so many kids an parents love today...

Can you tell us a little about how Mini & Maximus got started? I am curious to hear about the spark of inspiration that started it, and how did you come up with the name?

Sophie: I've wanted to start something that would have to do with graphics. I had no idea it would of been clothing and home goods specifically for kids. Originally Megan approached me for some graphic design help she need it for a bedding company she had in mind. Turns out one late night while I was feeding Sasha my 1st child I though of asking Megan if she would start "something" or some creative company with me. And yay! she said yes... At the time I had worked with Megan for few years and I liked her work ethic, personality and her energy. 

I knew I needed a business partner to get on this journey, so much more fun that way. Now I know it actually was necessary. No way I could do all of it myself. NO WAY.  We've been working really well together, I think we have the right personalities to complete each other in the the business world. We both let each other win or loose on some decisions but never any hard feelings. It's just like if we were married. HAH!

Megan and I did ton of research and came up with a million names. Until I heard the name Maximus for a little boy... I was thinking I could call my son Maximus if I ever had a boy. Megan and I loved that name in general but we were not 100% sure until Megan suggested to add Mini. We felt that Mini and Maximus was perfect for us. We love things to be balanced and equal: Mini and Maximus: Boys and girls, young and old, big and small. Mini represent: the small, the girl, the little dream where Maximus is the opposite; the big, the boy, the big dream. On and one... 

  


What is the hardest/most rewarding with having your own label?

Megan: The hardest part of having our label is not having enough time to do everything we want to do.  We wear many hats as it is pretty much just the two of us, so we have our hands in everything.  If we could have more time in the day, I think that would help a lot.  The most rewarding part is when I speak to people that have actually heard of us or see someone wearing our products.  There have been some very unexpected times, when random people will say-I bought one of your posters, or we own several of your tees.  That is very gratifying for me.

Sophie: Certainly not having enough time in the day and all the money we wish we could spend. We run a very tight ship and every penny counts.The most rewarding thing is just like what Megan answered. Seeing random people telling us how much they love our brand, seeing cute photos of kids wearing our clothes. WE LOVE THAT.
And of course we love seeing Gwen Stefani's kids rock our clothes, we love her style and we are flattered that she has her kids in our clothes.
 

What makes Mini & Maximus different from other kids fashion labels?

Megan: Mini & Maximus is different from other kids labels for a number of reasons.  We have a story behind our brand.  Sophie and I have both worked for a major surf company for the past ten years, so having a story to tell is just second nature to us as that is what sets you apart from brands that just churn out apparel.  We partner each season with artists young and old, so we always have new stories to tell about our collaborators and it keeps the line looking fresh.  We also strive to use eco-friendly materials whenever possible.  We do not claim to be organic, but when we can we like to leave a lighter footprint if possible.

Sophie: Megan said it all up here. I would add that we design the line for kids but keeping in mind that we would actually love to wear most of the pieces ourselves. Almost like adult clothing but in a mini format.

Your latest collection, Animal Collective is your forth collection so far. Since starting out and growing in popularity for each collection has there been any valuable lessons learned along the way? 

Megan:  Yes, there have been many learning lessons.  We learn something new everyday, we are learning from our mistakes and hopefully each season, we are getting better and better at what we do. 

Sophie: We've learn that the most reliable people are Megan and I, handing things over has not proven to be very successful so we like to control everything we do, from design to production!  : )

Most of us know that your biggest inspiration for Mini & Maximus is kids, but what gets your creative juices going? Can you take us a little bit behind the process of how a collection is created?

Sophie: Well well, it often starts with graphic in minds. It can be from a graffiti in the street, to a drawing my daughter did, to artwork I see on a school wall, to artists friends of mine that keep inspiring me day after day. For clothing it self, we don't feel like we follow trends too much, if there is a piece I like wearing myself, I'll find a way to translate the idea into kids clothing. Eache season we make this big wall of inspiration mainly taken from our iphones. Put it all up in one place and go from there. Colors can be hard to pic, we can't afford having too many colors so making the right decision is NOT EASY.

 
Can you take us through how a MIMA tee is born? How do you decide what goes on it, what color to choose, and is the screen printing something you do yourself?

Sophie: MIMA (Cut and sew) tee was born cause we just could not find a label where we could buy blanks in the full size range and fit we liked. So we went on a big journey of making our own pattern and all of the above. Now we have it dialed, we love our fit; long and fitted (more of a contemporary look).  SCREEN PRINTING!!!! I took screen printing classes years ago just for fun and felt in love with the process. We print our tees and all our clothes locally at my friend's screenprinting shop.

I like it cause I have full control of the printing as I personally stand there the whole time we print to make sure it looks perfect. Not the most glamourous part of my job but it's worth it to get it down right. We are also proud to be supporting American jobs.

Your artist collabs are always very intriguing choices to me, what sort of artists inspires you? Anybody out there that you would really like to work with

Sophie: Thanks! We like to work with talented artists, young and old or should I say older than kids... Lots of them are friends of mine or friends of friends and in some cases artists I'm obsessed with.

For example, we did a collab with Mike Perry for a previous collection. I've admired his work over the years... I contacted him and he accepted. I was overjoyed to work with him. I'm really inspired by artists that have a bit of a darker side. I don't love the too sweet artwork, that's just me.
 
If I could, I would love to work with.... Ha, I can't tell you cause what if it happens, it won't be a surprise.  : )

Your initiative Kids Will Have Their Say, is a beautiful way of letting kids art speak for itself. We were of course very proud to see our daughters drawings in this collection, and the sense of pride kids get from showing others their art is nothing but inspiring. I am imagining you are being sent young art from all over the world, how do you go about choosing what ends up on a Mini and Maximus tee? 

Sophie: Well, Mika is one of the most talented artist I know. No one believe me when I tell them her age. She is truly gifted.
 

Yes, we get parents submitting artwork for their kids from all over the world. Thank you to the internet. Choosing is just next to impossible, it takes us weeks to choose to make sure we make the best decisions. My 5 year old daughter HAS HER SAY in the process. I value her opinion since kids her age will actually be wearing it. 

 

I love your eco friendly awareness with your label, I have myself been in the fashion industry and know how much cheaper it is to not go down that route - what made you decide you wanted to be a label that focused on eco-friendly clothes even though it might be a more costly path? - Sharon from UK. 

Megan:  I read Yvon Chouinards (the founder of Patagonia) book “Let My People Go Surfing” and it was a huge inspiration to me how he runs Patagonia.  We do not claim to be 100% organic, but we do try to take steps to leave a lighter footprint, some of our product are organic.  All of our posters are printed on recycled paper with water-based ink, a portion of our line uses organic cotton.  We try to do what we can.

Sophie: After all, "kids will have their say" and the future is theirs so let's be responsible parents and business owner for the kids future. There is a lot more we want to do as far as being eco- friendly, we will keep on  challenging ourselves to make sure we have a responsible successful business.

Most countries are heading into winter, but of course over here in Australia we are heading towards summer, any hints on what we can expect from your next summer collection?

Megan:  Our Spg/Sum 13 collection is inspired by Southern California.  We introduced several new styles and also linen fabric.  We have added some linen blankets and pillows as well as some new accessories.  We also did a really cool collaboration this season with two brothers from Santa Cruz that surf and skate and are uber-talented artists, so we can’t wait to share them with the world!

Sophie: We always keep Australia in mind when we design our lines. We love you guys and want to make sure there are some style you guys will be able to wear or decorate your house with.A big thanks to Megan & Sophie for taking the time to do an Q&A with us, and for taking us on a nice little tour behind the scenes of Mini & Maximus. Today more items from their current collection Animal Collective is hitting their online webshop shelves, so make sure you visit them for a chance to purchase some truly original clothes for your little rebels. 

VISIT MINI & MAXIMUS.

STYLE SESSIONS | PAUL & PAULA

Welcome to the second round of Style Session With! I feel like I am just getting warmed up, and time around I have gotten the chance to ask a couple of question to a designer who I have admired for a while now. Based right here in Melbourne, Australia, Paul & Paula is a completely handmade label created by talented seamstress Kerstin Steger. Having a great love for fabric, it didn't take long until Kerstin started falling in love with making her own tiny fashion. With a great eye for detail and a love for all things fun and stylish, Kerstin is well on her way in the small fashion world, here she shares a few answers on how it all started and where she is heading towards...

Can you tell us a little about how Paul & Paula got started? What is the inspiration behind it and how did you come up with the name? 

Paul & Paula pretty much started from using up fabric scraps. I used to run a small label when I was living and studying back home in Berlin making womenswear. I'm a bit of a fabric hoarder and find it hard to throw out offcuts. At that time a few of my close friends had babies and one thing led to the other and I started making teeny tiny little things for babies.

Paul & Paula is named after a popular east German movie which I watched way too many times in my youth.

What is the hardest/most rewarding with having your own label?

I absolutely love what I'm doing... cutting, sewing, drawing, printing and playing around with fabrics. So pretty much - I feel really lucky to have turned my passion into a job.  The most rewarding thing is probably to be able to dress my little man in my favorite things. AND - I hardly ever have to buy clothes for him! Seeing other kids wearing my things is also pretty special I must admit.

The hardest thing about having your own label is finding time for everything. On top of designing, pattern making and sewing there are also many hours spend in front of my computer emailing,  ordering fabric, updating website/online shop.....my 'To Do' list is never ending! Sometime I wish I had 10 arms and legs. Leading up to markets things get very chaotic around here.
I am loving your bat hoodie and your lovely warm stylish vest in your collection, can you share some other new items you have been adding in your shop lately?

One of my new favourite styles at the moment are the stretchy denim leggings..they are getting a bit of a work out in our house....that's for sure!  The woolen vest are pretty ace too...so warm and toasty.

One of the things about Paul & Paula that is so wonderful to me is that you hand make everything in your collection. How do you puzzle the time between being a busy mum and a clothing designer? (I am sure a lot of readers would like to know.)

I'm a night owl, once the little man is in bed I make myself a coffee and get working. That's the great thing of having your studio at home. I never go to bed before midnight. I also have two full days where my boy is at childcare and I try to get as much done as possible.....those day are always full steam ahead. While screen printing in the laundry, I'll be answering emails, cutting, sewing and checking the garments, off to the post office run, cooking, washing until its pick up time again.

Most of the time I forget to have breakfast or lunch!  For the rest of the week, the little man is my priority. His daily naptime = quick sewing sessions. Last but not least I've got a very supportive partner who also runs his own business and is flexible most days to lend an extra set of hands.


What is coming up next for Paul & Paula? Any future plans or inspirations you can share with us?

Some new summer pieces! Once I get time to sit down and do some designing. I would love to do more screen printing and maybe even start printing my own fabric....that's the plan anyway.

A big thanks to Kerstin Steger for taking the time to do an Q&A with us, and for taking us on a tour on the life behind Paul & Paula. I always find it a huge inspiration to read about all the efforts that goes into making your own label and it makes it so much more special when you are dressing your little ones in threads that have this much love put into them! For more great designs from Paul & Paula please visit their shop and website!

VISIT PAUL & PAULA.

Coming Up!

I am getting very excited to show you the next Style Session With interview. This time it is somebody that I have admired for a while now. Down here in Australia there is a children's market called Mathilda's Market a couple of times each year in the major cities across Australia. Handcrafted little gems and lovely stalls to visit. Every time I go by this designer I feel the urge to spend some money. Soon I will share my little Q&A with Kerstin from Paul & Paula, and I can't wait to show you some of her amazing handmade pieces!

STYLE SESSIONS | BEAU LOVES

Welcome to the first Style Session! There are so many interesting labels out there in the kids fashion industry that I and I am sure you would like to know more about, so I decided to start something called Style Sessions With. This is the place where you get to find out more about some of my favorite clothing designers and first out is the lovely Faye Wilde from the exciting British label Beau Loves! Finding endless inspiration from her little boy Beau this is a label that mixes playful designs with incredible comfortable clothes for the little ones. The design is clean and lets the stripes, dots and the famous super hero mask speak for itself! I am in love with so many of the items from this seasons collection and I think I am in trouble for the next as well. Think harlequin, mustaches, masks, stars and animals! Let's start shall we? 

What is the story behind Beau Loves (i.e history)?
What feels like my previous life, post Beau Loves...I had a career in women's wear and styling. Children's fashion was never the aim of the game when Beau my little boy arrived and everything changed. I was fed up with what was on offer so I got my sewing machine out and started making bibs for Beau and never looked back. I swiftly moved on to a quirky collection of clothes and within a year Beau Loves... now have +50 stockists worldwide. It is all very exciting, there is nothing like doing something you love, that other people love too!


What makes Beau Loves different from other kids fashion labels?
We're a British brand that uses British craftsmanship and expertise. And we are very proud that all of our products are designed, printed and manufactured in the UK... or as we like to call it - Made with LOVE in the UK.

What inspired your design?
I am inspired by my fearless, fun loving, little boy Beau and the stuff he loves, it is that simple really! His personality is stamped on every inch on each collection. He models and test drives almost everything.  He is not afraid to stand out from the crowd which I adore.

Any hints to what we can expect from the next collection?
The Beau Loves brief this season is called 'Me and my Adventure' meaning Beau and his adventures. It is a fun quirky collection of unisex clothes (where possible) that's adventurous, stylish yet creative and full of colour and prints. 

What has been your most exciting/fulfilling/wonderful moment since starting Beau Loves?
The first time I saw a little boy I didn't know running about London wearing Beau Loves. It was priceless and I was dying to go and hug his mummy but thought it may look a bit weird. So instead I just smiled from ear to ear!!
How would you describe your own personal style?
A mix of Martin Margiela, Vintage, Cos and Converse

What can't you live without?
Beau and my Blackberry.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Unsure, but I knew it had to be something creative as all I did was to draw and make things.

What movie/book have you recently enjoyed and what food can't you get enough of right now?
The book I love and always go back to is called ' It's Not How Good you Are, It's How Good You Want to Be', By Paul Arden. It's genius and a whitty take on making the un-thinkable thinkable and the impossible possible. The food I can't live without is fizzy shoe laces (which I am unsure if that is classed as food though).

A massive thanks to creator, Faye Wilde for an interesting look into the world of Beau Loves!
Stay tuned for more Style Sessions and make sure you visit the links below for more Beau Loves goodness...

BEAU LOVES website/shop