We wrote about the Maison Mimi Spring 16 collection and how it is a huge come up from their last collection ‘Dark Forest,’ but that isn’t the only collection the brand has put out thus far. Maison Mimi actually put out three collections concurrently, an approach we suspect is in response to the new retailing opportunities that have been afforded to the brand thanks to it’s new concessionary deals with retailers in Lagos and Abuja.
In all honesty, this resort collection should have been folded into the Spring 16 collection (which was sparse with only nine looks) the five look resort collection is weak on its own, featuring the most basic of silhouettes, shorts, tunic shirts, a kaftan and high waist pant combo that seems to be one of Mimi Habibah (Maison Mimi’s creative director)’s staple silhouettes. There is only one standout piece, a midi-sleeve shift dress done in ombre animal print art silk that is visually interesting because of the print and not the construction or silhouette.
Folded into the bigger Spring collection, this ‘Resort’ collection would have bulked up the offering, while providing much need staple separates to the more experimental pieces of that collection.
A five look collection, is ultimately not a good look for a designer, any designer. It isn’t hard to come to the conclusion that Mimi Habibah is spreading herself too thin, trying to follow a calendar that only works for brands with a much bigger capital base instead of condensing her resources into smaller, more precise projects that differentiate the brand from the myriad of other emerging designer labels.
