by Sara Caspi
"Luxury is not about screaming at the top of your lungs, it’s a whisper, a delicate sensation." - Josefine Wing
Interview
Company: Mint Siren
Owner/Creative Director: Josefine Wing
Category: Lingerie & Accessories Brand
Location: England
Website: http://www.mintsiren.com
Social Networking: Twitter, Facebook, Myspace
SC: Hi Josefine, thank you for taking the time to chat with me about Mint Siren. I’ve been curious about this for a while now, as I love the brand name. Can you explain what a “mint siren” is?
JW: It’s funny, everybody asks that. The brand name is synonymous with “perfect temptress”, kind of. It’s what I would like my customers to feel like I guess. It also had a vague reference to my surname as sirens are often depicted with wings… so there you go.
SC: Who is the Mint Siren woman and what is special about her attitude towards lingerie?
JW: Well, I think that whoever wears our products is quite a confident person. I would hope that those who buy our lingerie and accessories are fashionable ladies who seek pieces that reflect and compliment the rest of their fashion style. We strive to offer garments that can be used in different ways, as lingerie, but perhaps also as fashion wear, so I would go so far as to say that our customers are clever. Not to boast or anything… haha.
SC: I love how your collection involves high-end sultry and feminine fabrics mixed with the hardness of leather accessories. I even loved your blog post about how to tell the difference between manmade silk and the real deal. How would you describe your design aesthetic?
JW: I think everything goes as long as you keep it high quality. I love mixing materials that are a bit unexpected. There will be much more of that, I’m planning to push the boundaries progressively with each collection. As the brand grows and becomes more well known I think there will be more and more room for experimentation and people will accept it because they trust the brand.
That blog post that you mentioned gets so much web traffic, it’s fantastic. I know I’m a bit of a fabric snob, but I think it’s important that people know what a luxurious shine is all about. I think that the way silk looks and feels in relation to imitation fabrics captures what luxury is all about… it’s a bit of sparkle, but it’s an understated sheen. Luxury is not about screaming at the top of your lungs, it’s a whisper, a delicate sensation. Nice fabrics don’t just look sensational, they also feel amazing towards your skin. I believe that quality fabrics are vital to top end design, maybe especially with lingerie as it’s sits closest to your body. Wearing luxury goods should speak to more than one of your senses, I try to keep that in mind when designing for Mint Siren. Also, I’ve never understood how any designer would want to devalue their work by choosing cheap fabrics. So much effort goes into the creative process, why fall at the last hurdle to brilliance?
SC: Being born in Sweden, and now living in England, what do you miss about Sweden and why do you prefer living in London?
JW: I miss my family of course and as far as the country goes I miss the order, cleanliness and morals of the people. I feel that most Swedish people are very proper and respectful towards each other, and without it being thrust upon them via religion at that. It’s not about polite phrases or pasted on smiles, just common sense and every day courtesy. Not having grown up in the UK I sometimes feel that it can be a bit… Dickensian should we say. This does make sense of course, the every man for himself attitude is tradition here. It took a while for me to get used to it, but in a way it is also why I’ve ended up staying. I believe that this social climate sparks a greater drive to succeed and to create something extraordinary. Perhaps it is something in this solo strife tradition that makes London this place of vibrant artistic passion. Conformity and abiding to a well behaved way of life is comfort, but art and fashion is an act of passion, irrational and selfish... so it makes sense that more daring and adventurous things are likely to be created in the UK. Sweden is know for style, but it’s hardly lavish or daring, Swedish design is known for it’s simplicity if not just for it’s functionality, at best for it’s amazingly clean lines. However much I’d love for streets in London to be clean, to not worry so much about my things being stolen and for politicians to have a good conversation instead of heckling each other in parliament, I have to accept that this is the environment that inspires the greatness I’m striving for. I love it here, for better or for worse. Sweden will still be there when I need piece and quiet, when my days of adventure and creativity are over.
SC: Quick-Fire Round: Favorite songs on your current playlist? Current Mood? Favorite piece in your AW10 collection? Best place to eat in London? Favorite knicker style in your lingerie drawer?
JW:
Favorite songs: If the creek don’t rise – Dylan LeBlanc
Current mood: impatient and slightly anxious (so much happening the coming weeks)
Favorite piece in AW10 collection: Strap body
Best place to eat in London: Hmmm, besides my own kitchen, Loco Mojito – Brick Lane (I’m a sucker for Mexican food)
Favorite knicker style in your lingerie drawer: Low cut brief I think, as long as it has the right shape in the back, too many knickers cut my bum cheeks in two, very unflattering look.
SC: What should every woman be aware of about Mint Siren?
JW: Hmm… maybe that our style might change at any given time, so if you’re not ready to change with us then don’t become too attached. But if you take the plunge and pledge allegiance we promise to always keep you intrigued and fashionable.
SC: A lot of your pieces have a sophisticated simplicity about them. What inspires you?
JW: Well, the AW10 collection is a lot about simplicity, I felt that the lingerie world was in need of something a bit clean and more streamlined. I think the underwear industry has been obsessed with frills and laces for a long time, earlier collections of ours have been everything from sweet to decadent. I got tired of it and felt the need to go in the opposite direction. But I’m sure the frills will come back at some point, when the time is right, that’s how it works.
I find inspiration in everything that is around me, moods I am in, music I listen to and the London fashion scene. I think it’s important to listen to the winds, to what is whispered around you, that is how you come to understand thee mood of the world at any particular time and then you can use that to create designs that are current. Something will only become a trend if it fits in with what ever else is happening in the world, be it politics, art, nature, technology or anything else.
SC: Where can women outside the UK buy Mint Siren lingerie and accessories?
JW: We have a few stockist in Italy, Germany, Netherlands and the US. A current list can always be found on our website, www.mintsiren.com , we also have a web shop on our website that ships to the entire world.
SC: It seems Mint Siren is growing rapidly. You’re stocked in major retailers, doing fashion shows, The Lingerie Collective shows, a pop-up shop and regularly blogging in addition to the rest of life. How do you find time to balance everything?
JW: I don’t sleep much. A lot of people think I’m absolutely crazy, and maybe I am. But this is how you succeed. There is success out there for anyone who wants it, it is all down to how much work you put in. Some might get lucky and fast tracked to the top, but if you sit around waiting for that you are unlikely to ever get there. If you work hard it might take you a while to get to your destination, but you will arrive at it eventually. It is inevitable. I don’t balance anything to be honest, I do as much as I can of everything in one chaotic string of events it seems, I am lucky that it seems to be falling into place now.
SC: Last one, what advice would you like to tell to the woman discovering your lingerie for the first time?
JW: I would just say I’m so happy that you’ve discovered us and I hope we’ll be able to live up to your expectations for many seasons to come. I hope whatever you choose to purchase makes you feel absolutely fabulous.
Delcious and Daring, Check out these lingerie and accessories collections and more at www.mintsiren.com or to go directly to their web shop http://www.mintsiren.com/closet/index.htm
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