Upcycled Fashion Brand Development & Product Line Management – Mimalho

INDUSTRY ➡️ Sustainable Fashion & Accessories

ROLE ➡️ Founder & Brand Manager

PERIOD ➡️ Jul 2008 – Dec 2011

Mimalho was my passion project. Fresh out of design school, I wanted to create, driven by a lifelong habit of making things by hand (I learned to sew before I learned to write). My region had a strong textile industry and a lot of wasted fabric, so I launched a brand that turned those discarded materials into unique, sustainable bags.

🔹 Launched an accessories brand that transformed waste fabrics into limited-edition bags.

🔹 Developed several product lines, from concept and production to brand communication.

🔹 Standardised production methods, making external manufacturing and growth possible.

🔹 Built the brand identity, including logo, website and visual language.

🔹 Managed sales and distribution through partnerships with local retailers.

The brand closed during the economic crisis, but it taught me lessons about resilience, creativity and purpose that I still carry today.