behind the brand: kat starr from mad about mini

I first noticed Mad About Mini when I saw a toddler trotting down King Street, Newtown wearing the classic Up In The Air tee. Soon after, I found Mad About Mini on Instagram and asked Kat Starr, the woman behind the brand, a few questions about her sustainable Sydney label for kids and women.

What was the design process you went through to come up with your latest collection?

You absorb the things that surround you. Even if I’m not necessarily looking for design inspiration, I usually find myself finding inspiration while reading magazines at the hairdresser, looking at architecture and interior designs, graphics and interpretive sketches. I also look at runway fashion and couture.

I collect all my inspiration, create mood boards and adapt all the pictures and sketches I create to fit my target market and brand image. Ultimately I come up with a collection where each piece flows with one another.

How does your background in women’s fashion influence your designs for children?

Through womens’s fashion I learned a lot, especially working with prints. The importance of fit and shape influences everything. Women’s fashion works all around proportions of the female body. Taking my knowledge of women’s fashion I’m able to design appropriately for my target market and incorporate patterns to flatter the shape of the garment.

Why did you decide to start the women’s range?

Literally all my friends and family were asking! Customers were asking too. I guess we have a more “grown-up” approach to prints, rather than comical prints, that appeal to womens and kids designs. A lot of mums are into matchy-matchy with their kids which is so sweet to see.

How did you decide what age range Mad About Mini would cover? Do you think you’ll expand the range for older children as your own children grow?

I started Mad About Mini when my eldest son was one. We started with a size range from newborn to age three years. So yes, I’ve expanded the size range as my kids have grown up. Currently we range from newborn to age seven and next summer we are going up to age nine.

Do you think organic is the only responsible option for clothing?

I originally chose to use organic cotton because I design clothing for children and babies. It’s beautiful, breathable and soft on the skin. Perfect for kids.

I don’t necessarily think it’s the only responsible option though. It really depends on your manufacturing process. I have worked with our manufacturers for over seven years now and I know that their practices and quality control are up to the highest of standards. Ethically, the organic cotton we source is beautiful quality and the manufacturing process is transparent, therefore we trust that our processes are environmentally responsible and ethical.