Who are the creative geniuses behind your brand?
My manager and photographer: Deej; Financial Planner: Khalia; Photographer: Riq. My mom provides my second set of hands when I am getting close to a deadline and I need the extra help. I also pull in my brother and best friends when I need to bounce design and event ideas.
Let’s discuss the history of your brand. When and why were you created?
Looking back, I can see how my childhood experiences (arts and crafts with my mom, for example) and different things that I thought and said merged together over the years to create this moment. The big pieces of MielE, however, didn’t begin to form until the summer after my freshman year of college. I randomly decided one day to sew myself some skirts for church. After making the first two, I found that I enjoyed sewing for myself: the fit was better; I could make whatever I wanted; No one else had it. My family and friends were impressed and gave me the confidence to “see where this went.” When I went back to school in the Fall, I requested to be a part of the annual fashion show. And, the rest is history.
What is the objective of your brand?
I love this question! While I was thinking about turning my hobby in a business and a brand, I realized that in order to stay on track, I needed to build a mission statement for my brand. Not only would it help me stay on track and stay true to who I was, but it would allow my clients to know what I stand for through MielE. My mission statement reads:
“It is our mission to provide each client with an uplifting experience that leads to ownership of a unique, effortless and well-made garment. With each piece, clients will be breaking cultural and stylistic barriers with us. It is our hope that through MielE, we can give testimony to the Giver of Life and Gifts.”
What does your brand offer to your consumers and customers?
There are two reasons my clients come to me: 1) Custom pieces 2) Reasonable prices. I believe that well-made clothes do not need to be expensive. I really take into consideration the garment that I am making, my client’s budget and how I can make both of those work together. I also believe that everyone deserves to have something unique sitting in their closet – a piece that they can pull out and say, “This was made specifically for me” or “No one else has this.”
How are you able to distinguish your brand from others?
Pieces that I design feature interesting patterns and/or interesting pattern mixing and bright colors. I design clothes for the people who, like myself, do not put a lot of effort into picking out their clothes in the morning. Keep in mind however, that these same people want their outfit to stand out. I do that by creating statement garments that can carry an outfit by themselves. By doing this, I also bring in another crowd – the people who love to dress up and excel in styling themselves and others in new and intriguing ways. My pieces are enough of me to stand out as a MielE piece, while allowing my clients to make an outfit with my piece(s) their own.
What are your long term goals for your brand?
I see my business being a part of my larger goal to create a safe space for women and homeless youth. The complete vision as to what that space would look like is still in the works, but I see MielE helping to raise money and awareness for this space.
Where do you see your band in the next five years?
My goal is for my brand’s mission to be far reaching within the next five years – touching different people in many countries across the world. I hope to be dressing many people from up and coming singers, to artists, to lawyers headed into court. Overall, I believe that the brand’s mission will open doors for the business itself and make room for opportunities that I cannot even dream of.
Ready to make some new puchases. Head over to www.mieleclothingco.com and take a closer look!
Thanks for reading!
