BRAND STORY

2014 - WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

In 2014, Mother and daughter team, Michelle, Madeleine, and Morgan noticed a gap in the formal and prom industry. Dresses were either old and dated, resembling something from a bridesmaid’s worst nightmare or completely over the top, covered in tacky jewels, and resembling something more like a fancy dress costume.

Where was the young, but elegant, and A-lister aligned evening wear?

With this observation, sparked a dream and we set out to transform the formal and prom industry.
Michelle, Madeleine, and Morgan joined forces to create ‘M’ incorporated, which shortened to MINC, and the special occasion wear brand, STUDIO MINC was born.

To get started, we travelled the world in search of unique and inspiring fabrics, striving to make international connections with fabric manufactures and suppliers in different corners of the globe. Travelling annually for inspiration and new fabrics has become an integral part of our design process to ensure our designs remain fresh, inspired, and uniquely STUDIO MINC.

As a mother and daughter team, we understood that formal and prom shopping is a unique and special experience for both mother and daughter. Formal and prom is a representation and celebration of 12 years of schooling, an important milestone and a debut into womanhood. For parents, it’s an emotional time, watching their little girl turn into a young woman. An experience that brings many parents to tears when they find ‘The One’. Understanding this dynamic, has been crucial to building our brand, developing our designs and our in store experience. Our designs found a mix between youthful edginess and classic elegance. We wanted our customers to feel empowered and sexy, whilst remaining timeless and classic. This is a balance we try to achieve with all our designs.

2014 - PRESENT - AUSTRALIAN MANIFACTURING

Since the beginning, we have felt strongly about quality, and ethical manufacturing, which is why all our designs are handcrafted in-house by our all-female team in Australia.

Michelle, our co- founder and Head Designer has over 25 years experience in fashion design, pattern making, and garment construction. After winning numerous awards in the Australian fashion industry in her early 20’s and turning down Head Designer positions for some of Australia’s leading fashion labels, Michelle’s dream has always been to create her own brand and fashion house. STUDIO MINC pride’s itself in designs that are high quality, unique, fashion forward, comfortable, and above all FIT, which has been achieved by Michelle’s lifetime of knowledge, skill, and experience.

2019 - BRANCHING INTO BRIDE & BRIDESMAIDS

After gaining organic success and a standing in the formal and prom industry, it didn’t take long for our clientele to request our dresses in white. STUDIO MINC began receiving requests from modern day brides on the hunt for modern and chic, yet simply glamorous wedding dresses designed and suited to location weddings, elopements, and brides that don’t fit the traditional mould or theme - boho, rustic, or traditional. Carried through all our designs, STUDIO MINC wedding dresses strike a balance between modern sexiness and female empowerment and classical elegance. Our designs are made to dance, party, and wear all night long, which is why comfort and fit remain our priority.

2020 - GLOBAL BRAND 

Starting out of a small bedroom with nothing but a sewing machine and Facebook page, fast forward 6 years, STUDIO MINC is now one of Australia’s leading brands in the formal industry. Through our targeted marketing and unique content creation, STUDIO MINC has grown into a global brand, selling to countries all over the world via our e-commerce store. STUDIO MINC owes its global recognition to the effects of our viral imagery and social media presence. With a suitcase full of dresses and a camera, co-founder’s and Creative Director’s Michelle and Madeleine have travelled to Greece, Italy, Paris, Thailand, Bali, Dubai and Cuba, to capture photos that have now become some of the most recognisable images in the formal, prom, and bridal scene. Through our imagery we aim to bring our designs to life with carefully chosen locations to create a fantasy, and answer a girl’s dream. 

2020 - ONLINE GROWTH

Combining our unique and high quality designs with modern and magical marketing, STUDIO MINC’s online growth has gained serious momentum in the last few years. Due to the acceleration in worldwide demand and online growth, our goal and focus for the future is to translate our reputable in store experience to online, so that girls all around the world can feel connected to the brand, showroom experience, and feel confident purchasing STUDIO MINC worldwide.

PRESENT - FUTURE - OUR FOREVER HOME     

Now, in 2020 STUDIO MINC has purchased their flagship location, and forever home, boasting a beautiful 300m2 showroom with polished concrete floors and individual rooms to showcase different collections, colours, and individual designs. Our stunning showroom features a dedicated bridal space, ‘The White Room’ which showcases a modern, clean, and white aesthetic to host a modern bride and bridesmaid’s dream wedding dress shopping experience.    

Our flagship property is home to a 200m2 design room and atelier, where every STUDIO MINC dress is designed and handcrafted. STUDIO MINC’s flagship location offers 200m2 of offices, a photo studio, staff lounge room, fully equipped kitchen, and beautiful sunlit patio.

Being a family owned and operated business, it is important to us that we find a balance between business and family. Being an all-female team, our property is even home to a nursery to support our growing family whilst running the business.

OUR TEAM

MICHELLE

Co-founder
Creative Director
Head Designer

MADELEINE

Co-founder
Creative Director
Head of Marketing

MORGAN

Head of Sales & logistics

OUR GOWING AND ALL- FEMALE TEAM

We thank our growing and all-female team of skilled, talented, and passionate women. Our team is small and close, and we work alongside each other as equally important contributors to a bigger vision.

OUR CUSTOMERS

We thank all our customers for buying STUDIO MINC. Your purchase is an act of support for women in business, ethical Australian manufacturing, a thriving Australian Fashion Industry, and a unique and integral brand that prides itself on originality.