Paris Fashion Week might be winding down, but London-based brand Miista is opening its doors on March 9 for a monthlong pop-up to celebrate its latest collection.
“We wanted to connect with our followers and friends of the brand that are passing through the city,” said founder Laura Villasenin. One of Instagram’s buzziest brands, Miista boasts an influential friend list indeed, and counts Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Maria Bernad among its fans.
The event kicks off Tuesday with a livestreamed panel discussion in honor of International Women’s Day with four female artists at the intersection of creativity. Villasenin will speak with painter and mixed media artist Johanna Tordjman; musician and DJ Flore Benguigui; stylist and creative director Jamie Maree Shipton, and food photographer Alix Lacloche on risk-taking, navigating the business, and the importance of collaboration as female artists to push ideas forward.
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And in a world of Instargam’s ephemeral images, the brand is bringing back the indelible indie spirit of the ’90s zine with the first issue of “Their Gaze.” The print edition, billed as “part zine, part book, part manifesto,” seeks to burst the fashion bubble, and brings together the subversive works of Shipton with Mayan Toledano, Ruth Ossai and Julie Poly.
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The four female photographers were tasked with taking the Miista collection into the wild, featuring locations in Kyiv, Mexico and East London, and they’re profiled by writer Grace Banks. All proceeds from the zine will go to organizations supporting Ukraine relief efforts.
“The interest of not only Miista, but our customers as well, is not only fashion but everything around it. We feel that the women that we dress, they are varied but all have something in common — they are interested in culture, music, art, politics,” said Villasenin. “We always like to have something else to offer than a beautiful product.”
Villasenin launched Miista’s ready-to-wear earlier this year after a decade as a shoe and accessories brand with denim, silk dresses and knotted bikini tops and bustiers. It was a big risk for the brand, said Villasenin. She not only launched a new product line but also opened a fully-vertical factory in her home country of Spain as well.
To keep everything local and sustainable, textiles are sourced from southern Europe and Villasenin works with the same team of artisans to develop collaborative and equitable production.
The full collection will be available for fittings at the pop-up, and shipped internationally or messengered to a local address within 24 hours. “We invite them to try the pieces then they can continue on their day with ease,” she said of the delivery concept. No one wants to be bogged down with bags.
The Paris pop-up at 22 rue Debelleyme will be followed by Barcelona in April and New York City in May, with a styling event held in London during the summer.