WHY YOU NEED A MYAEMADE PIECE NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
“Just don’t be a bitch,” a piece of advice Mia of @Myaemade has for up-and-coming designers. A great mantra for just about everything though, right?
Bristol-born and London-living, Mia’s instantly recognisable designs have become every cool girl's go-to when you just need to
KILL IT. And this cult following is down to a few things:
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It’s the anti-high street flex of everyone bloody has it
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They’re made to order and therefore sustainable
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They stretch to fit
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It's about backing a small business
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Fuck me, it’s sick
Defined by the designer’s signature overstitching detail, everything is created with an overlocker machine in her Camberwell studio. "At first I was using a domestic one for five-six hours a day and it started fucking up. Now I have this industrial one. Then I got busier, so I bought another one to keep up the momentum, ‘cos if one goes down then it’s long."
That's not something you can risk as an emerging designer, nuh uh. Especially when some of the most boss bishes are rocking your stuff – Maya Jama, Jordyn Woods and Jorja Smith are just a few of her fans. So, how did the brand first start?
"I grew up in Bristol but I didn’t like it. My dad was from London and I had an older group of mates here growing up. For me, there was no question: I was moving to London. I told my mum I wanted to move at 14 and she said, ‘you’re absolutely not.’ So, I made a proper plan and moved in 2014." After her initial move to the London, Mia moved back home to save up and go travelling, and this eventually resulted in the founding of her eponymous label. "I went to New York and that’s when I knew what I wanted to do."
And with that new-found direction, Mia got into the highly reputable Central St. Martin’s. "I deferred though; I couldn’t study and do Myaemade. I knew I would fuck one up, so I had to choose. And I went with the label. No regrets."
To look at the typical Myaemade aesthetic it’s bold and colourful, which is quite the opposite of Mia’s personal style. "Although I’m really loud, outspoken and confident, deep down I’m shy. People probably think that’s bullshit. But genuinely, I want to be able to blend in and that’s why I don’t wear too much colour."
Naturally drawn to the subtle beauties of everyday life, Mia gets inspiration from, as she says, the most random things. "Like the other day I drove past this doorway and the colours of it, the way the fence went across the door, all the placements…I think people underestimate the proportion of colour, shade, texture. But it’s something that draws me." Spoken like a true artist.
It would make sense then that she considers Jacquemus and Ottolinger amongst her favourite designers. "I like minimal stuff with a twist," she says. But, what are her fashion no-nos? "Trainer heels: they’re disgusting. I have a big thing for trainers. I look at someone and then I check their shoes. And any shoes where I can see the shape of your toes is a no. Like a sock fit."
LOL
However, beyond fashion, the self-confessed 'typical Leo' is all about energies and positive affirmations.
"You know if you wish well for people it does actually benefit them? It’s good to think positively, because why not?
If I had to give anyone advice in life it would be: let everything go. Start your day well if you can and if something really annoying happens then let it go, because if you hold onto it, more annoying shit is gonna happen.
I think words are really powerful. For me, you shouldn’t say things like ‘I’m so broke,’ because you’re gonna speak them into existence. I believe it so much that if someone was to say that to me I’d be like: ‘Ohhh no, why did you say that? You’ve made it happen.’ Really, it’s all about being nice and kind and not being an arsehole."
TELL 'EM.
And for Mia, these tips are also relevant for people looking to start their own brand. "People will help you and you should help people, and your karma will come around. You get what you put in and your instinct is what makes you unique. It’s the same as anything really.
Also, don’t watch what everyone else is doing. Comparison will steal your life. Instagram is dangerous for that and it’s so easy to get sucked in. But really, what is the point?"
Selling her pieces exclusively on Instagram and Depop while she works on her new website, you can get your very own bespoke design made to suit your style, shape and taste. And for those who haven't yet snapped up one of her designs, be quick, as they may not be around for much longer…
"I’ve been doing this since April 2018, and although that’s not a big period, I’m doing the same thing every day and I do need a switch up. None of it was planned. It’s been a natural evolution but one day I'll need a change.
There are a lot of people who want a Myaemade piece who haven’t got one, so I just wanna make sure all those people who don’t have one yet finally do. But I’m not wishing this away. I want it to live as long as it can live but on the flip: I’m not attached to it. I can’t ever think too far ahead, but I’d like that whatever I do next for people to be like 'oh she was the one who did that.'"
So, what’s next for Mia and Myaemade?
"I can’t tell you what’s next but it’ll be in fashion – I just don’t know what yet. Whatever it is, I want it to be more muted, with more considered pieces and sustainability is also important for me. Maybe something in prints. But maybe bags or shoes."
Until then, Mia has something exciting coming up this summer. WATCH THIS SPACE, HUNNYS.
