A Look Behind Mimi Designs

Some may say that Mimi Designs began when our founder, Miriam Michael, fell in love with the artisan culture of Oaxaca, Mexico. Her creative passion and interest in sustainable fashion, coupled with her admiration for the vibrant designs from Oaxaca, all came together and inspired the launch of Mimi Designs.

But the underlying story to Mimi Designs dates back thousands of generations. We credit the artistry within each Mimi Design dress, called a huipil, to the line of men and women weavers who spent their lives perfecting their skills. For them, the art of designing and weaving is more than just their business; it is their livelihood. At Mimi Designs, our goal is simple: to combine this rich cultural experience with wearable fashion to deliver something worthwhile to the world.

What We Stand For

Clothing has the power to make us feel special while allowing us to express ourselves to those around us. At Mimi Design, we recognize that our brand goes beyond fashion and clothing.

Beyond stylish wear, here are our three core values as a company:

Sustainability

Fast fashion contributes to nearly 10% of all carbon emissions each year. The manufacturing of billions of clothing items depletes the world's natural water supply and pollutes our oceans and land.

At Mimi Designs, we are slow fashion producers. We continuously develop small-batch collections with zero-waste designs. This means that our artisan weavers handcraft a few pieces at a time and take around 4-6 weeks to carefully collect cotton, spin the thread, hand-dye and weave our clothing pieces. Since we spend the necessary time and care for each dress, we prevent unnecessary textile waste.

Preservation of Culture

The men and women who weave each dress have spent years honing and perfecting their craft. It's a craft that many weavers inherited from their mothers, fathers, and extended family. The ability to design and weave a dress purely by hand is a unique skill in Oaxaca and a treasured talent among the community. Days and weeks go into tightening each string of yarn and preparing the fabric; a lot of love and work goes into every dress. As such, each weaver takes immense pride and joy with their craft to see their pieces worn represents a huge part of their culture.

Beyond the weavers, we also source our cotton from local farmers in Oaxaca. At Mimi Designs, we want to shed light on the history and story of the people who handcrafted each dress.

Timeless Designs

Since all of our pieces are hand-woven and designed, no two dresses are ever alike. This is because the weavers incorporate their moods and their changing ideas within each piece. Vibrant colors, intricate designs, and iconic patterns, the dresses will make you feel joyful and stunning in every way. 

At Mimi Designs, we strive to make a difference in the world of fashion. At the core, we strive to combine sustainability with timeless dresses while paying homage to a rich and beautiful culture. Feel free to stay around to look for our designs and learn more about our story.