The Client: Mimi and Maggie
This adorable boutique line of “free spirited clothing for free spirited babies and girls” is the masterpiece creation of Jo Anne Yamamoto. Based in Los Angeles for over 30 years, but sold globally, Jo Anne needed a serious make over for her successful brand. It needed to be brought up to date. The old website looked a little like Grandma had knitted it. The website needed to look as dang cute and hip and cool as the clothes themselves. The site needed to be playful, and we saw the opportunity to marry technology with technique and craftsmanship.
The Challenge: Complete Brand Overhaul
This project was a biggie. Not gonna lie. It required a complete new brand identity, as well as total restructuring of how wholesalers would navigate and submit orders. It required a new way of presenting what we called “warehouse treasures,” in a politically sensitive way that wouldn’t threaten retailers. And, it needed to build brand awareness to cool, hip, moms everywhere, integrating with social media and creating some super fun video, photography and marketing assets.
The attention to detail would be meticulous. From the hand-sketched cherry blossom with seven symbolic pistils in the logo, to the intricate navigation secretly presenting each season’s featured collection to approved wholesalers only, we would not rest until everything was absolutely perfect.
Solution: Minimal with Playful Explosions
I was immediately inspired by a Japanese painting that contained only three colors: black, white, and poppy red. I wanted the site to look hand-painted, almost like calligraphy. The clothing would provide additional bursts of colors, but the container would be crisp, clean, rich, vibrant. I imagined a samurai swordsman making precise diagonal slices followed by a humble bow.
Jo Anne’s story is beautiful. She has a strong mission, and I wanted it to be clear. We chiseled this down to three statements:
celebrate spirit
We believe that each girl on this planet has a unique spirit that deserves room to explore, play, make her own rules of what is truly beautiful, both inside and out. Our clothes are designed to nurture and support this spirit.
honor craftsmanship
We believe there is a bounty of extraordinary talent around the world which deserves to be honored and shared with each other. Our clothes are filled with handmade gifts and treasures collected from every corner of the world, for you to enjoy and take pride in.
never waste
We believe in the beauty of re-purposing! We love hearing stories of how our clothes are shared and passed down with love from big sister to little sister. Our mission is to avoid waste, to find a way to use every little piece and remnant and morsel of fabric and material.
