BETHANY OAKEY FASHION DESIGN AND MARKETING NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY
Miko is a heavily print and knitwear-based menswear brand that was born out of admiration for Grandpa O, a man who ‘made do and mended’ before he ever thought to replace. Repairing and creating were second nature to Grandpa, from fixing light switches to making handcrafted furniture, his skills were limitless. With longevity and restoration in mind, Miko aims to celebrate life; from Grandpa O’s lifelong career to the unique products that we create. The collection, ‘All Our Yesterdays’, looks back at ‘Grandpa O’s’ past, delving into his life-long career as an electrician which is illustrated through abstract screen prints and vibrant knitwear. Our aim was to design and take inspiration from the people and things that mean the most to us, shedding light on the everyday tasks that may often be overlooked in our everyday lives; aiming to create a unique story with each collection.
Make Do and Mend is inspired by my Grandpa’s love for mending and making things throughout his life, never wanting to create waste. Grandpa had his favourite sandals that he wore all day, every day; mending them throughout the years. He also wore crocs that he referred to as his ‘dress crocs’, as he liked to keep them for best. For this collection, I wanted to create a shoe for a younger target market that educated and celebrated the importance of mending and repairing through decorative darning. The ‘Make Do’ shoe is practical, comfortable and adjustable, taking inspiration from my Grandpa’s two favourite pairs of shoes.
My FMP menswear brand, Miko, was born out of admiration for my Grandpa O, a man who ‘made do and mended’ before he ever thought to replace. I took design inspiration from ‘Grandpa O’s’ past, delving into his life-long career as an electrician. This collection was part of my FMP where we were given the opportunity to enter a live competition with Sage Brown, a family-run company that specialises in leather goods with the chance of having your bag design professionally manufactured. It was a great experience working closely with Sage Brown and I was fortunate enough to have my bag design made. The collaboration collection draws inspiration from vintage tool bags that my Grandpa would have been familiar with as an electrician, as well as taking inspiration from traditional leather bags. I aimed to create a new and practical bag for the everyday commuter.