Mimo and Garon: Sister Styles
It’s not uncommon for designers to have multiple lines, but usually they are under the umbrella of one label and have a similar vibe and aesthetic with vastly different price points. Los Angeles–based designer Lina Jelmoni, a Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising grad, is pulling double duty as the designer for both the Mimo and Garccedil;on labels. The lines are quite different aesthetically, but they target a similar audience. Though Garccedil;on and Mimo have their own distinctive looks, they both embody an easy, casually chic, Southern California spirit.
Mimo, which launched in late 2005, offers pretty, yet relaxed, tops and dresses with a tasteful hint of sex appeal in some of the styles. The line has lots of personality, and in typical Southern California fashion, the pieces can be dressed up or down. Garccedil;on, which launched shortly after Mimo, covers wardrobe essentials with ultra-comfy, super-soft tees, tanks and dresses. “I would wear Mimo to go out at night, but Garccedil;on is for every day,” said the designer of her two lines.
In a short time, Mimo has evolved from its Boho roots to a more sophisticated, yet youthful, collection of flirty frocks. The body-flattering silhouettes are an array of A-line shift dresses, tunics, empire waist dresses and tank dresses. Many of the tunics can be worn as mini dresses or over jeans or leggings. With each new collection, the designer introduces four to five new fabrics, mostly from domestic vendors that import from Italy, China and France. Jelmoni says that Mimo is “an item-oriented line, but the pieces relate in color and fabric.” For the first delivery of the Fall 2007 collection, Mimo expanded the fabrication range to include silk voile, crinkle dot chiffon, rayon/silk velvet, French printed cotton and georgette silk. Jelmoni said that most items in the new collection come with a slip, since many of the fabrics are sheer. Some of the items in this new collection feature pretty copper buttons from France. The color story includes deep plum, dark green, navy, light brown, black and white, as well as a subdued French floral print. It’s an appropriate transition from the vibrant patterns from Jelmoni’s current Spring collection. “Everything I do [in both Mimo and Garccedil;on] is garment dyed or washed; nothing is untreated. So nothing is just cut and sewn.”
Jelmoni, who previously worked in the private-label denim business, says that experience influenced her own lines in regard to fabrication. “I love jeans, so that’s why most of my stuff is treated, because jeans are always washed,” she said. “I still use the same techniques on other fabrics.”
The extreme comfort factor that denim companies strive for is also echoed in the designer T-shirt business. Garccedil;on is Jelmoni’s answer to the perfect tee, the everyday basic, the essential layering piece, but with a distinctive twist. The Garccedil;on collections are filled with great basics, but subtle details help the designs stand out among the plethora of hip T-shirt lines. When Jelmoni decided she wanted to do T-shirts, she thought about adding them to the Mimo line but decided it would be best to keep them separate.
Clean lines, understated details (like pin-tuck pleating) and stylish shapes separate Garccedil;on from a basic T-shirt line. Garccedil;on tees are luxurious, hang beautifully and have a cozy, worn-in feel without looking old or worn out. And Jelmoni, who said she doesn’t care for tight-fitting tees, makes a conscious effort to create flowing loose silhouettes. She still covers the essentials—with the popular pocket-tee, V-neck, and crew-neck styles—but also offers more specialty pieces such as the French terry “Alexis” jacket and the poly/rayon jersey “Franck” dress.
For Fall 2007, Jelmoni did away with the raw edges of her previous collections in favor of a clean edge. The designer chose a zigzag stitch instead of a plain stitch, and, like Mimo, everything in Garcon is garment dyed. The signature of the line is the label stitch outline on the upper back. The color range for Garccedil;on’s Fall collection includes soft heather gray, vibrant teal, sand, black, white, and muted tones of deep purple, yellow and teal and washed-out red. Though the line primarily focuses on solid hues, Jelmoni uses contrasting tones on some of the cuffs and necklines, and each season she’s been adding more striped pieces to the collection.
For Fall ’07’s first deliveries, wholesale prices range from $56 to $140 for Mimo and $29 to $46 for Garccedil;on.
For more information, visit www.mimowear.com and www.le-garcon.com or call the Noetic Showroom at (213) 614-7924.
—Dena Smolek
