Mimi Plange

Guided by the principle she refers to as “The Democratization of Luxury”, Mimi Plange creates clothes that are very much inspired by the modern American luxury sportswear tradition, with an infusion of dark romance and aimed at the new, international and democratically minded luxury consumer.

Mimi Plange

Interview by THomasina R. Legend
images by Mimi Plange

Africa remains a limitless font of inspiration for the Ghanaian-born designer, who constantly seeks out the unusual and the lyrical found in African traditions, landscapes and lore, and reinterprets these themes in a refreshingly modern way.

“It’s about establishing a new point of view in luxury by capturing the creativity of ancient African civilizations,” says Plange.

Mimi Plange launched her own ready-to-wear label in 2010, after a decade working in the New York fashion industry. She is a graduate of the San Francisco Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and holds a degree in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley. She has received acclaim for her work in the fashion industry, winning such accolades as International Emerging Designer of the Year in 2011 at the Mercedes-Benz Africa Fashion Week held in South Africa. The year after, she was named Designer of the Year. She was also won Mayor Bloomberg’s Design Entrepreneurs Award in New York in 2012.

Mimi Plange has collaborated with famed shoe designer, Manolo Blahnik, iconic Furniture brand, Roche Bobois, and most recently Instagram.

Last year, she took part in the Celebration of Design Event hosted by Michelle Obama at the White House. The likes of First Lady Michelle Obama, Vanessa Hudgens, Serena Williams, Rihanna, Viola Davis, Alyssa Milano, Michelle Trachtenberg, Janelle Monae, and many amazing women have worn Mimi Plange’s designs across the globe. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, T Magazine, Vogue.com, Ebony Magazine, Vogue UK, Vogue India, WWD, Harpers Bazar, Marie Claire, Essence, Glamour Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Nylon Magazine.

Please tell me about your time at the University of California, Berkeley where you studied Architecture. What inspired the decision to study architecture and what is it about architecture that intrigued you at the time? I’ve always loved school. I remember when my Mom drove me up to Berkeley with my little suitcase; I was so excited to be living on my own, in a new city. I felt like in college, I could do whatever and be whatever, and it felt exciting. When I first started, I already had the intention of majoring in Architecture, but then I loved anthropology and was also interested in Music and Business. I wanted to be a Fashion Designer from the time I was about 11 or 12, but it wasn’t encouraged. I was lucky enough to have an Uncle who would pick me up during the summers when I was in Junior High School. He was an architect and a watercolor artist, and he introduced me to an entirely new world. We watched Operas, practiced music (I have been playing the flute since I was 7 years old), and we drew and painted. I loved it all, and he influenced my ideas about art and pushed me to dream beyond what I could see in front of me. He introduced me to the idea of being an architect. Then later, when my obsession with Fashion Magazines began in my teens, I came upon a story about Gianfranco Ferre and learned that he had been an architect before he was a Fashion Designer, and I felt like that could be my path too.

What would you say are some of the merits of having studied architecture before embarking on a fashion design journey?

I’m actually so glad I studied architecture first. The design process is somewhat similar, in one way, you are finding solutions for the environment, in the other way, you are finding solutions for the body, and in both ways, you have to make it beautiful, thoughtful and useful. Architecture taught me a lot about discipline, line, structure, and foundation.

It taught me to design with reason and depth, and not just design things that I think are pretty. Design has to be more than beautiful, it must function, and it must inspire.

Some say it is easy to define the term ‘Architecture’, and I guess that is because they are only thinking about the surface of things where that word is concerned, but I know for a fact that studying architecture opens you up to various fields of human endeavour exploring and understanding deeply art, history, material science, physics, engineering to name a few that can help improve the living environment of human beings. It is the most diverse subject you can find. Would you say that this diversity in the study of architecture helped you explore various fields that have been beneficial in the definition and aesthetics of your brand from the very beginning? Yes, because when I design, though my inspiration begins in Africa, I’m also thinking about dressing many different women across the globe. I think about these different women, and what their needs are, and focus on addressing those needs in my style of design. I think about creating something that speaks my language but still, resonates across many different cultures. People are interested in things they can relate to. I don’t think you can be a great designer, if you can’t tap into the desires of a wide range of individuals. When designing for the environment, you have to think of the project, the landscape and the existing culture within that particular environment, and create a space that is welcoming to all human beings.

It is also said that architecture attracts the most creative and romantic minds in the world. Would you say that is true, your mind obviously being an example after years of proof of the power of your creative prowess? I would say that my mind is always fantasizing about something. I think about things a lot, sometimes overthinking things☺ I’m a big dreamer, and I love the initial feelings of being inspired. I like that spark and excitement you feel, when you see something, and it makes you want to go and work, or start sketching, or to look for more. I believe in fairy tales, I mean they came from somewhere right? There is beauty in everything.

Very true. After graduating from Berkeley armed with a BA in Architecture, why didn’t you pursue a career in the field of Architecture? What changed your mind? Architecture was always something that I was going to fall back on, if being a fashion designer didn’t work out. It’s a career that I respect, but Fashion was calling me.

Tell me about your interest and desire to pursue a career in fashion. At what point in your life did you unearth this need and love for fashion and design? I grew up with a family who loved fashion. My mom had done some modeling in Ghana as a teen and I loved seeing her old photos. We used to watch a show called “Fashion Television” I think together, and I remember watching a fashion show on MTV with Cindy Crawford. We were obsessed with these shows - I even remember a station called Fashion TV, and I remember falling in love with a show where Valentino actually had some guests crying because it was so beautiful! And I thought to myself, I want to do that - touch people through design! I was amazed at how clothes could really affect people, how they could be used to express a story and how they could even change people.

After making the decision to study fashion design, you soon enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California. Can you tell me why you chose FIDM? What is it about the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise that appealed to you at the time you enrolled? I made the decision to go to Fashion School on my own. No one thought it was a good idea, especially after getting my degree in Architecture and Minor in Dramatic Art. I wanted to move to New York, but I didn’t think I was prepared at all, and I didn’t know anyone there. So I decided to stay in the Bay Area, and FIDM was a great choice.

As a student at FIDM, what would you say were some of the challenges you were faced with and how did you overcome them? The main challenges at FIDM were receiving assignments and having to complete them in a very short time frame. This working style does prepare you for the real world of fashion, especially if you follow the fashion calendar. We would be given a tremendous amount of work, and then have to finish and be ready to present. Going to Architecture school gave me a leg up on this kind of work process, because we also had to complete loads of work in short time spans. You just had to force yourself to think quickly, be confident in your work, and be able to explain it. I love challenges, so just facing it head on, is how I overcame the stress of it. I knew what I wanted wasn’t going to be easy, and I remind myself of that all the time, especially today.

A month after graduating from FIDM, you moved to New York. Why New York and what was going through your mind when you made that decision? When I graduated from FIDM, there were a few brands operating out of California, from the likes of Guess, BCBG, Levis, and some others. I wanted more opportunities and more of a variety of brands to work for, so New York was it at the time. I was also juggling the idea of going to Europe, but I made my decision based off of the resources I had. It was one thing to move to New York with only $400 but something completely different to move to Europe with $400 and not know anyone there. I’m adventurous, but not crazy!

A lot of us get that urge to do spontaneous things that we know would inherently be beneficial to our careers but we allow fear cripple us whilst others are scared but do it anyway. Were you terrified about the move to New York and how did you combat that fear? I was terrified; I’m always terrified, but just knew I had to do it! I’m living out my story and working to reach the goals I set before me as a little girl. I had been thinking about these steps since I was a teenager. I don’t believe in not taking the risk. Big Risks = Big Rewards, and there is nothing wrong with failing. So what? At least you tried, and you can try again-and if you want, you can try something different. You have to do what you believe in, you have to live YOUR life, and I believe you are the only person that can keep you from getting what you want. I believe that to the core. Fear is always going to be there, you have to work through it. There is no other way.

Tell me about the early days/weeks/months even years in New York. During the times of working odd jobs, how did you keep the flames and desire burning in chasing your dreams of working in the fashion industry? Because I grew up in a household where my mother raised 5 kids on her own with very little resources, I’m aware of real hard work and perseverance. I did what I had to do. I didn’t have a job when I arrived, but I had set up some interviews. I looked up every fashion house, printed out my resume and walked around to different companies on 7th Avenue and dropped them off. I sent emails, and read the paper, and looked for job openings everywhere, not just in design. I was 22 living in New York by myself, so I learned to depend on myself quickly. The 3rd week I was in New York, I was offered a job as a Merchandiser at a Jewelry Company. It wasn’t my first choice, but it was a foot in the door. After a year there, I finally got a job as an Assistant Designer. Focus, is what will take you there. I wanted it more than anything.

You soon landed a position at a major urban wear label, an opportunity that opened many doors. Tell me about that period in your life. What that meant to you, how it challenged you, what you learnt along the way and the positive impacts that opened the doors wider. I initially had big dreams of working for a major Luxury Brand, but that wasn’t my path. I found a job opening at Rocawear, and it was for a menswear Assistant Designer. I hadn’t done menswear before and wasn’t really interested, but I’ve always felt that if you are a true designer, you can design anything, if you do the research. I sent my resume, and they responded, so I quickly put together a menswear presentation in my portfolio and was offered the position! It was an exciting time, Hip Hop was amazing, Rocawear was in its early stages, and urban wear was an entirely new genre of clothing. To influence a whole new way to dress is the ultimate thing any designer can do, its making history and it’s contributing to culture. I grew quickly there, moving from Assistant Designer, to Designer, and eventually becoming the Design Director for the Women’s Division at 25. It was there, where I began traveling to many different countries in Europe for inspiration and to oversee our products in various factories in India, China, Hong Kong, Korea and Pakistan.

I later went on to become the Vice President of Design for a few other design labels including Beyonce’s ‘Dereon’ Brand.

After working in fashion & menswear for 11 years, what made you decide to start your own label? I always wanted to have my own line. That was always my goal. I needed to work in the industry and learn it. I got a chance to work at amazing companies that were very new and in their launching stages, so I got to see what worked and what didn’t. These steps were part of the plan I laid out as a teenager. I had to become a Fashion Executive so I could learn about the business of fashion and move beyond just designing clothes. Working in the industry and climbing to the top allowed me to save money in order to make my dream become a reality.

What were some of the struggles and challenges that came with setting up and running your own label and how did you overcome them? Sorry to say this, but the struggles and Challenges never stop, you just get better at dealing with them. Fashion is a very, very difficult industry. You have to make product and show it to people and get them excited and you probably will have to do it several times over a period of years, before it starts to grow. Most brands don’t survive because it’s the type of business that requires a lot of capital up front, and it cannot survive without the constant infusion of capital. Just because you are a great designer, will not ensure you will be successful. You have to build relationships with factories, stylists, editors, and fabric mills, and this takes time when you don’t know anyone in the industry. The biggest struggle was that even though I had worked in design for many years, I worked in the fast fashion world, and that is a completely different world than the high-end designer world. So it was like starting from scratch again. I had to make new contacts, find new fabric suppliers, meet new magazine editors, the biggest challenge was just getting yourself running and in front of the right people. When you are new, many people are not that interested because they know so many designers go out of business, so you have to prove yourself, and that takes time. People often look at brands like Chanel and Dior, but forget they have been around for decades. Fashion takes time. Essentially, you have to build peoples trust for your brand and your products, and it doesn’t happen over night. Most of the time when it does, it also vanishes over night as well.

You have stated in previous interviews that you are inspired by historic Victorian fashion and pre-colonial African fashion. What is it about Victorian and pre-colonial African fashion that intrigue and fascinates you? I’m interested in how Africans decorated their bodies before colonialism with flowers, scarification, and nature. I love their thought process and the way every single person strived to be different. There was beauty in uniqueness. I’m interested in the evolution of those techniques being translated into clothes. The Victorian period is interesting to me because that was the specific time period when some Africans began changing their style of dress and adopting a more European style. The influence of Victorian style fashions in African fashion has roots in the Kaba and Slit from Ghana, and the dress of the Herero Women of Namibia and some other tribes. I find it fascinating how this influence has shaped the style of dress today, and wonder what the style of dress could have been had it evolved more so from the traditional body decoration into clothes. That is what I am exploring, but from a modern and forward point of view.

When it comes to design formulas, would you say you have one and if you do, how would you describe your design formula? I don’t believe in a precise formula for design. What I do believe is that you have to be aware of the world around you and dress people for the way they need to move within this environment we live in. Politics play a role. Economics plays a role, and the overall awareness of your place in the world is playing a role. As an example, right now, it seems to me that the stresses of the world and social media are calling for people to think more about health and inner/outer beauty, that is why there has been such a surge in the popularity of athleisure wear. On a grander scale, it also signifies this desire for people to be more comfortable. As a designer, I’m thinking about my woman, and how I can incorporate this desire for comfort within my own style. Since the inception of your label, you have received great accolades and reputation from the top media houses.

What would you say are some of the most important factors that have earned you your position at the top? Having a distinctive voice/style of design in the industry and a relentless appetite to keep growing and learning.

What is your stand on sustainable fashion and would you say your brand is sustainable? I believe sustainability in fashion is very important and that there is a movement for brands to be more transparent. However, it’s more important for your brand to be made beautifully and with quality. People have to want to purchase your products because they love them, before they learn that your brand is sustainable. That cannot be the only reason to buy. We are a very sustainable brand. We make all of our garments in New York’s garment district, with amazing artisans, and we also use fabrics made in Burkina Faso, Kenya and Ethiopia. We would eventually love to produce in Africa as well.

When it comes to expanding the Mimi Plange brand, do you have plans of expanding back home to Africa? Definitely! I would love to contribute to the overall business of Fashion all over the continent by producing some of our products there. I’d love to see Mimi Plange in every continent.

What would you say ‘VISION’, the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom means to you and how important is it for creative talents at the beginning of their careers? Vision and Focus will keep you on track. It’s ok to change your mind - not too often though, but you can change and evolve, but the ultimate goal has to be focused on. Like most athletes, I think it’s important to see it in your head, and reflect on it daily. I think about the end goal, but I also know its one-day at a time. This is not a race. Everyone’s path will be different.

What vital lessons would you say you learnt that has helped immensely in the success of the brand? You just have to understand that if you are trying to do something new, you may not have seen ‘it’ before, and other people may not have seen ‘it’ before. Often times, when people are not familiar with things and they don’t know its going to work, they may tell you that they think it’s not going to work. You are the only one, who has to know that it will. The vital lesson is the life old lesson - believe in yourself. It’s that simple, yet it’s that hard.

When it comes to legacies, what fashion legacy would you want to leave behind? That we built a strong and lasting brand that touched people on many levels and inspired people. We hope to build something that will remain and continue to grow stronger when we are long gone.

What advice would you give an emerging designer about beginning a label and the fundamentals of fashion as a business? Learn the business of fashion. Think about your customer, what kind of person do you want to dress? Get to know them. Will they actually wear the clothes that you design? Know that today Fashion is beyond just clothes. Work for someone to see what works and what doesn’t work for them and see how you can apply it to your journey.