Mimi Disain
Mimi Disain is a young and exciting Estonian kids’ clothes brand and it’s run by two mums – Merilin and Irene, Irene being responsible for design and production and Merilin looking after marketing and sales. Merilin and Irene have three kids between them and of course Mimi Disain is regarded as the mutual fourth one.
But it’s not just Merilin and Irene that make up Mimi Disain – they also have two helpers Marietta and Merike, without whom they say they wouldn’t be able to be where they are today. One of the biggest helpers of all is Irene’s partner Ott – he has done everything from being their driver, logistic and and even a cleaner. He is always there to offer his advice, help and support.
From recycling old shirts to a thriving business
None of the people involved in Mimi Disain and it’s wonderful creations had any experience with the design and manufacturing of kids’ clothes before the business came to be – it was a leap into the unknown for each and every one of them. And what a leap it has been! In only 3 short years Mimi Disain has definitely become one of the most popular new kids’ brands in Estonia. So the story of how it all got started, is even more astonishing.
Merilin and Irene were friends long before they started the business and it all actually begun out of a basic necessity: it was when they both had their first babies that they realised – finding cool clothes for their kids was actually harder than it first seemed. The biggest struggle was finding high quality and yet good looking boys’ clothes – so it wasn’t long before they started making their own.
The growth of Mimi Disain has always been a very natural one – in fact, when the girls first started they were just recycling their partner’s old jumpers and shirts and turning them into smart and definitely very unique jumpsuits for their babies Rasmus and Elisabet. But before they knew it, their friends and family all wanted one for their own kids – and just like that, a simple DIY project had grown into a thriving business.
These days they have moved on from recycling and now create brand new clothes for kids starting from newborns all the way to early teenagers. Every now and then they release an occasional dress or jumper for the mums – so they too can match the outfit of their little ones.
“I just want to grab them by the sleeve and say “I made this!!”
Merilin and Irene say that having Mimi Disain has taught them to be patient and flexible – running a business does sometimes mean late nights and weekends away from their families, but in the end it’s all worth it. An interesting side of running a business is the wide variety of things that one has to learn – everything from bookkeeping, logistics, sales and so forth. “Learning something simply because of the need to know is far more satisfying than learning something just because you have to,” say the girls.
Most rewarding are the moments when the girls see someone wearing Mimi Disain clothes in public: “I am still like a little excited kid who doesn’t know how to contain her excitement – I just want to grab them by the sleeve and say “I made this!!” Luckily, I’ve been able to stop myself from doing it,” says Irene jokingly.
Balance and support is what makes it work
Irene and Merilin say that what makes Mimi Disain work is the fact that they are the exact opposites of each other – Irene is a free soul who doesn’t worry about much whereas Merilin is the practical one – they balance and support each other and that’s what makes Mimi Disain a success.
Merilin enjoys spending time in the nature, with her friends and family. But it doesn’t end there: she also says she is comfortable whether it’s rollerskating, waterskiing, driving a go-cart or mountain skiing – she loves being outdoors, be it sports or a quiet walk.
Irene is a bit of a foodie – she loves both cooking and eating, and she is not even quite sure which one trumps the other, they are both that good. Besides being a kids clothes designer and a hobby cook she also doubles as a hairdresser. Boy are these people active!
Irene and Merilin are constantly coming out with new designs and lines and their stock seems to be ever growing. Having Mimi Disain and these lovely ladies on board with us is a treat and we can’t wait to be adding more of their creations to our shop in the future.
Mimi Disain’s clothing range
In Mimi Disain’s range you will find everything from sleepwear and bibs to pretty party dresses, jackets and winter coats. The clothes are mostly in simple, clean colours and cuts – every item has been carefully designed to keep in mind the needs of a growing child and the aesthetical preferences of the parent as well.
Estonian Design
Estonia might not be world renowned for it’s design (yet!), but the small country by the Baltic Sea definitely has come out with some awesome things in the last couple of years. The design that comes from Estonia is often an eclectic mix of Nordic, Slavic and Central European characteristics, but it almost always has one thing in common – it’s earthy, uncomplicated, no-fuss, simple design that is just so easy to wear.