Door of Maai || Upcycled Minimalism
There's nothing I admire more than one-woman shows (if you caught yesterday's post, you know that already), and it seems that the ethical fashion industry is the perfect place to discover them. Whether it's women who want to create their own business to support their family in a sustainable way, or a fashion designer who branches out on her own to pave the way for more ethically-minded production, my journey into ethical fashion has introduced me to more independent, creative, trail blazing women than I ever imagined.
When Pooja, the founder (and, yes, designer, marketer, seamstress, and visionary) of Door of Maai introduced herself to me, I knew I was speaking to someone special. At young age, Pooja founded a brand that not only allows her to support herself but uses sustainable practices that are both better for the environment and the hands who make her designs.
Door of Maai was founded in 2015 and has already been nominated for Grazia Fashion Awards in India and has been singled out as a brand to watch for conscious consumers and designers alike - no small feat for a brand only two years in the making.
Even though we live on separate ends of the globe, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Pooja (over Skype, of course) about DOM's background and her goals for the brand's future.
When our trans-global connection was established, I was instantly struck by how warm and kind Pooja seemed. First impressions, they say, are rarely wrong, and my first impression was that this was a woman who cared about the work she was doing and knew that the steps she was taking was actually making the world a better place.
We chatted one morning (late, late evening on her side of the world) and she graciously told me about her story as I simultaneously took notes and chased grumpy toddlers- feigning my full attention to the best of my ability.
Her passion was contagious and as she told me more about her first line- inspired by the phrase "upcycled minimalism"- I learned more about the crisp white button up shirt and the gorgeously hand-knit grey sweater that had arrived a few days before.
Pooja uses only GOTS certified cotton for her pieces and the quality is unlike any other shirt I've owned. It's soft but firm, retaining it's shape without wrinkling or dropping. The crossed lapels give the shirt a hint of uniqueness that makes me more excited about the idea of a plain white button-up, and makes the pairing options limitless.
The grey sweater (which will make it's blog debut when the weather on this side of the world decides to cool down), is one of many made with surplus yarn from an elderly woman in Kolkata that Pooja was acquainted with. These sweaters provided the woman with a way to support herself in a community that makes it difficult for her to get by.
Door of Maai takes the term "slow fashion" and strips it down, analyzing what fair, sustainable fashion truly is and incorporates that into each and every piece. Wearing such a beautiful story is an inspiring piece ethical fashion that will never cease to excite me.
*This post is in partnership with Door of Maai. As always, all sponsored posts are authentic and hand selected by me. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Simply Liv & Co. possible! #sponsored*
