About a month ago now, my good friend from the US came over to my house with her son for a playdate. She flew through the door in a flash of colour and style, wearing an off-the-shoulder shirt I instantly admired and commented on. “I know,” she said, “Don’t you love it?” Then she started talking about Meijile.
Bamboo Shirt Collection
Meijile has been around in Beijing as a small clothing brand for the past three years but I hadn’t really explored their work. I’d heard of them and seen their displays at a few craft sales, but I admittedly haven’t taken enough time with my wardrobe in the past four years thanks to kids and/or the convenience of a favourite pair of jeans and a hoodie. But when my friend breezed through my door with those wide eyes of self-love, I thought: “I need some of that!”
The Founders: Dani & Kicki
美极了－ “meijile” — So Beautiful! or How Beautiful! — is a great name for a clothing shop. Maybe it seems rather confident, but if you’ve actually seen these clothes and judged them for yourself, you can tell that they’re made with great care and quality control. The fabrics are beautiful, the stitching is solid, their styles are fun and unique.
When I looked into it further, I discovered that the owners, Kicki and Dani, have been exploring the environmental impacts of the fashion industry and have committed to using leftover fabrics for things like interesting jewelry, covering buttons, creating unique linings on children’s pants, etc. They also don’t use plastic packaging, which in itself is a miracle here in China where even the smallest of products suffer in their individually wrapped, smothering plastic.
Last Lined Pants Collection for Kids
I asked my friend for the designer’s WeChat contact and she passed it on. Then I texted and asked them about the style of shirt I had set my eye on. I got a response right away. Then she even sent me a garment by courier and I sent her the money through WeChat wallet. What a treat to put on this gorgeous shirt today. I feel fancy and pampered: by me!
For more information about Meijile and their wide array of kids and adult clothes, please visit their website (needs VPN!).
Photos Courtesy of Kicki of Meijile and Ember Swift
