Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonella De Giuda.
Hi Antonella, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I´m a fashion designer and co-founder of MILØ store. MILØ was born in 2017 from the union of two friends Marina and I, in the small beach town of Punta del Este, Uruguay, out of a shared passion for beautiful beaches, warm weather, and stylish swimwear.
After 6 years of selling in Uruguay and working on achieving the best quality for our products, we decided it was time to take the brand abroad. Starting in the US and now selling in Chile too we are proud of what we’ve achieved up to now and where we are heading.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We always had really good acceptance from the public, because people value how we work in detail and how much we put of ourselves into the brand, so we rapidly got to the top of mind of buyers in Uruguay, but this is a small country where its easy to get known fast.
Taking the brand abroad where nobody knows you is not that easy, but we are working on it, investing a lot of time in reaching out to people and learning in each step, to get the best out of this experience!
As you know, we’re big fans of MILØ Swim & Knitwear. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our mission is to provide our customers with high-quality, fashionable swimwear that is both comfortable and functional.
We believe that everyone deserves to feel confident and beautiful in their swimwear, and we strive to create pieces that make our customers feel just that. MILØ’s collections include a range of styles, from classic one-pieces to sexy bikinis. We are always on the lookout for the latest trends and work hard to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of swimwear fashion.
Milø’s knitwear collection is a testament to the brand’s commitment to sustainability and responsible production methods. Each piece of clothing is made entirely from scratch, using a process called full fashion. This means that the fabric is knitted into shape by a knitting machine, and then sewn together, leaving no waste in the production process.
We are dedicated to producing high-quality, stylish womenswear in a socially and environmentally responsible way. The brand’s production is based in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, a region known for its vibrant industry and commitment to social responsibility, also chosen for its proximity to Uruguay where the company is based, reducing carbon emissions in transportation.
At the heart of Milø’s production philosophy is a commitment to fair labor practices and responsible production methods. The brand is dedicated to transparency and encourages freedom of speech and collaboration between all members of its production team. Also, all of the workers live close to the factory or in neighboring cities in suitable housing that is not owned by the company.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
We started this brand as a hobby but investing all our earnings while each of us had our job apart and always dreamt about the day we could live from it – design bikinis for a living- sounds good, as they say, do what you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.
Now this is the day when we are dedicating full time to this dream that became our project and we couldn’t be more excited about it, but we know each decision we make every day, from choosing a color to choosing the right words for this interview contribute to the future of our brand and we still have a lot of risks to take to get where we want.
Pricing:
- Bikini pieces go from $80 to 120
- Knitted clothes go from $120 to 220
Contact Info:
- Website: https://us.storemilo.
com/ - Instagram: @storemilo and @storemilo.us
