Designer Mimi Plange and business partner Ibrahim Ndoye founded the eponymous fashion label in 2010. Born in Ghana and raised in California, Mimi Plange draws on her African heritage for inspiration for her designs. Michelle Obama has been seen wearing Mimi Plange designs numerous times, and other celebrity fans include Rihanna and Serena Williams.
With an influence from various African styles, Mimi Plange incorporates traditional elements into her contemporary designs. The brand is well known for their representation and celebration of the body adornment practices of West Africa. Scarification, the process of etching the skin with decorative patterns and often symbolic meaning, is replicated by Mimi Plange through an Italian embroidery technique, trapunto. With this, the brand has created beautiful patterns across dresses, skirts and bags to reference cultures in Ghana and beyond.
With inspiration taken not only from her heritage, Mimi Plange is also heavily influenced by sportswear, and so their designs are often vibrant in colour and sleek in design. Feminine silhouettes are met with clean lines and exaggerated elements to offer modern and exciting collections. Unexpected details such as beading, tassels and dramatic ruffles are signature to the brand, complimenting sharp designs perfectly.
A 2021 collaboration with Nike sees Mimi Plange create a series of new colorways for the LeBron 18 Low sneaker. Looking to celebrate diversity throughout this launch, shoes feature references to the classic Letterman jacket- a nod to the designer’s American high school experience and the identity that one carves out from a young age.
Collections from Mimi Plange can be found online through the brand’s online store.