Madia & Matilda is a developing business and has been established for 3 and a bit years, employing one to ten people. Working as a team, each one specializing in a different area bringing out the best of each of their skills individually to achieve their goal of growing the brand. Madia & Matilda which is a brainchild of the founder and designer Shalize Nicholas and we sat down with Shalize to learn more.
AG: What drove you to set up Madia & Matilda?
Passion!
AG: From where do you source your raw materials – the upcycled and sustainable fabrics?
I source them locally from end of line outlets, charity shops, anything really. Its that instant desire and love for a fabric that I look for and just have to buy, it’s hard to plan but when I find something I love, I just have to buy it in bulk and get creative. I look for sustainable fabrics that will be easily recycled and made into something beautiful. The challenges are just part of the fun and intrigue.
AG: How do you develop a line of products? Is it per season?
One per season with around 50+ pieces. If a product is particularly successful then we will think about including it into the next season if it is appropriate.
AG: Are there particular products that have sold better than others?
Yes we have had a lot of people interested in our Gabrielle and Greta pieces which are made out of crepe and opaque shear which are very on trend fabrics that we love using. The drape of them hangs on the wearer in a very flattering way which is possibly why (ooop name drop) Molly King from the Saturdays asked specifically for Greta our blouse.
AG: Who is your primary customer?
Our target market is ‘Youthful adolescents’ and ‘Sustainable mums’ this is quite a wide range spanning from 16-48. We value our customers highly and any chance we get to talk to them face to face at our shop in Stroud Gloucestershire is gladly received, we want to know what our customers think of our brand and what they like but also just how they’re doing. We have several social media platforms that we like to show our progress on and interact with our followers on. We have a surprisingly large following from the US which is exciting.
AG: Sustainability in fashion is very much on trend at the moment. How receptive are your customers to sustainability?
We are very actively trying to spread the word about sustainability. We have a whole page on our website dedicated to the education behind sustainability. When customers visit our shop it’s the first thing we tell them about!
AG: Could you share with us, what in your estimation is the value of handmade and sustainable clothing?
When it’s handmade and sustainable we hope it’s a lot more personal and special to the customer because it is not only about the one person behind the making of the garment making it in small batches specially for you, it is also about the impersonalized mass production which wastes so many materials and electricity which we believe is so unnecessarily.
AG: What are your plans for entering the North American market? What can we expect to see from Madia & Matilda in the year ahead?
The plans for Madia & Matilda in the future with North America is to be stocked in shops. This is also the general plan for the future all over the world with the company thriving.
For more information about Madia & Matilda visit: http://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/