Sustainable Streetwear Brand Misemi Talks Culture And New IGTV Series ‘I-Sewlation’ [@designsbymisemi]

Founded in 2014, Misemi is a London based, sustainable clothing label: care-free, unapologetic, streetwear. Misemi specialises in sublimation printed pieces and experiments with upcycling and reworking pre-loved garments. The majority of Misemi’s collection is handmade in a London based studio by its founder and designer, Missy.

During her years studying architecture, Missy turned a hobby into a passion project that has sparked the London scene. At the start of June 2019, Misemi opened its first concession in Atika on Brick Lane. Soon followed by a second concession in Bidhaar, Peckham. Recently, Misemi released a mini fashion film ‘Culture’. Its intention was to explore culture, drawing out its relevance and importance in today’s world. Featuring BAME voices and representations of London’s urban youth scene, together with pieces from Misemi’s recent ‘Ice Collection’, the mini-film captures a conversation around the phrase: ‘Love the culture but they don’t love us’. Since Missy started designing her own prints in 2016, this phrase has been a recurring theme in her work; she revisits it four years later to explore why conversations around representation and culture are still worth engaging with: “No matter how lost you feel you know you still belong.” One to watch, Misemi’s clothes have been featured on stars including Mahalia, Julie Adenuga, Lethal Bizzle, Mr Eazi, Raye, Alicai Harley, Vicky Pasion and many more.

In quarantine, she has started an IGTV Series ‘I-Sewlation’ to document and share her process of keeping creative whilst staying home.

“I define Misemi as care-free, unapologetic, streetwear. We specialise in sublimation printed pieces that have been handmade in my studio in London. Sustainability is something that I’m conscious of, which is why I’ve incorporated upcycled and reworked pieces of clothing in my previous collections.” – Missy

During quarantine, Missy has been taking time to reset: “I’ve had time to design and make new garments for Misemi without any pressure to replenish stock. It’s been a welcomed blessing in disguise. I can create a lot more one-off pieces, which I like doing, and that sparked my idea for an IGTV series: ‘Self-Isewlation’. I wanted to share purposeful and personal stories behind Misemi, so I’ve created ‘behind the scenes’ style videos that show people that are staying at home how I’m sewing from my makeshift studio at home.”

“Beyond quarantine, I’m working towards a new collection, which will be experimental, featuring some new shapes and silhouettes, and using different print techniques. With all the uncertainty, I’m also learning to stay in the moment, literally trying to take it one day at a time.”