BNS Exclusive: All You Need To Know About Mimi Onalaja’s “The Mimi Collective”

What do you get when an effortlessly cool media IT girl decides to go into fashion? Stylish pieces that will likely sell out fast!

Mimi Onalaja has officially launched her new ready-to-wear collective, and we already want every item from the latest collection tagged Tumilara. The new brand, The Mimi Collective has a range of loungewear pieces including simple rompers,  and stylish shorts sets for the everyday woman. Although the official lookbook hasn’t been released, trust us to scour through Instagram to get a sneak peek of the new pieces.

In an interview with BellaNaija Style, Mimi talks about the inspiration behind the new brand and her favourites from the debut collection.

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BNS: What inspired the Mimi Collective and why did you decide to break into this aspect of the fashion industry?
Mimi: The Mimi Onalaja Collective was inspired by my desire to do more with my love for wearing Nigerian. I’ve actively engaged with a number of brands in the Nigerian fashion industry over the last few years, evident by 90% of my wardrobe being made up of Nigerian-made pieces and have always sought to create some value out of it. This, plus my interest in identifying a creative outlet for myself led me to the collective. I believe in going farther together and that’s what I aim to do with this; periodic collaborations with Nigerian brands where we co-create and pool our resources to reach and give our consumers what they truly want/need. My very first collaboration with Hamster & Co is the perfect example; we created a loungewear line we’ve called ‘Tumilara, a collection of affordable, comfortable yet versatile pieces that can take you from the couch to errands and even work on a Friday.

BNS: Who is the Mimi Collective for?
Mimi: It’s for everyone that loves to look and feel good and the proudly Nigerian creatives behind the items/pieces that help to achieve that. The target audience might slightly change with every new collaboration and according to personal tastes & needs but it’ll always remain people that truly support buying and wearing Nigerian.

BNS: What are your favorites from this debut collection?
Mimi: Honestly, I have a new fave everyday! It started out as the Kaftan 2-piece (which we aptly named ‘Mimi’ and has continually changed. Right now, it’s the ‘Lala’ set. I guess that’s what happens when you’re truly invested in the creation of a collection; an attachment to each and every one of the pieces!

BNS: What are some future plans for the Mimi Collective
Mimi: So many more collaborations! I want to be able to partner with a diverse range of Nigerian brands on a diverse range of products, from clothing to footwear to beauty items and everything in between! More specifically though, expect two more collaborations from us before the year runs out!

Keep scrolling to see some of our top picks from the collection below

Visit www.bellanaijastyle.com to stay up to date with the latest in African fashion and lifestyle

All photos from @themimicollective

Connect with Mimi and The Mimi Collective on Instagram
@mimionalaja and @themimicollective