We are Min & Mon

We are a New York City based, Colombian born fashion brand. Our hand designed products reflect a soulful human experience. Each Min & Mon creation is its own playful, whimsical story written with love by us, ready to be carried on by you.

Our Inspiration

City living inspires us. A never predictable environment, the city’s vibrance and distinction represent who we are. Originality is born here...waves of individuality intertwined with connectivity. Our logo of two octopuses reflects this. Surrounded by its own curiosities and fantastical happenings, the octopus demonstrates remarkable diversity in its ability to change color in it’s mysterious underwater home. Motivated by this ever adaptive being, we celebrate a commitment to uncommon uniqueness in every design we create. Never conforming to the standard suits us, and you. We’ve got your statement piece...

IN THE SEA OF LIFE, BE AN OCTOPUS.

Carolina, Co-Founder | CEO | Creative Director

Credited with naming the company after her two now teenage sons, it’s no wonder Carolina wishes she had some power over the passing of time. As a student of fine art and sculpture she never imagined she would fall in love with fashion, creating unexpected pieces meant to provoke a thought, a smile, a conversation. Upon seeing one of her first creations completed for Min & Mon (the Vali handbag, a best seller)...she was instantly transported, envisioning its journey from imagination to artisan to final product. When not at her drafting table creating, Carolina can be found sipping a cup of hot black tea*, even on a summer day.

*Love tea too? Check out Carolina’s Tea Diary at Min & Mon Ink.

Catherine, Co-Founder | Head of Business Operations

The musician of the group, Catherine is a trained flautist and educator. Both storied vocations in their own right, it comes as no surprise that her favorite part of the business process involves encouraging narrative around individual products and capsules. When describing Min & Mon, Catherine shares: “We pour a lot of soul into our details.” For that reason, it feels intentional to her that the All Over Eyes collection remains a fan favorite. For Catherine, no work day is complete without enjoying an unconventional pairing of coffee and bone broth, punctuated by frequent visits from her cockapoo, resident Min & Mon model Milo. In her down time (wait, what’s that!?) look for her on the streets of NYC with her children, husband and Min & Mon fanny pack.

Andrés, Co-Founder | Head Designer

There’s a growing congregation of stuffed octopuses at Min & Mon HQ and Andrés is delighted by it. Which seems fitting, as it was he who created the Min & Mon logo of two octopuses hugging. With a Masters in Architecture, traditional hand drawing remains central to his creative process. His designs purposefully show the imperfect movement of the hand, diverting from market tendencies that favor perfect computer generated prints. As a father to three (and husband to Carolina), Andrés finds motivation in younger generations' comfort with embracing individuality. Quirky is cool. His whimsically designed charms reflect that: "Our charms seem to possess a heart of their own and are fun conversation starters. There is enough cynicism in the world, we want to be a little happy."

What We Believe

“We wanted this company not to be an end, but a means.”

~ Carolina

Community and Tradition

With two Colombian born co-founders, Min & Mon remains committed to investing in the time honored artisanship of Colombia. Handcrafting does take time and although it would be cheaper to make our products in other countries, we work to make a dent in a historically rich industry at risk of being dismantled by today's highly commercialized norms. We deliberately choose to invest in our homeland communities where labor laws are well aligned with fair trade. Looking to help preserve this passion for craftsmanship by paying well and standing for fairness, we value the human connection behind the process and the enduring product that it creates. We highly regard long held techniques and traditions rooted in the Andes, thereby celebrating artisans and helping them to grow their businesses.

Meet Wendy.

“I started young. My uncle works with leather in his shop and he needed my help, so I learned with him.” Wendy now works next to her sister Julieth and helps with quality control. Sewing is a goal of hers. "You need a steady hand," she says. "I sometimes laugh at the characters I get to assemble, they are so fun and I feel they are looking at me."

Social Justice

Today, social justice is defined as justice in terms of distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. At Min & Mon we are guided by five principles to fully understand the goals of this concept: access to resources, equity, participation, diversity, and human rights. Our co-founders draw from personal experiences, having immigrated to the United States at different points in their lives. With that, we continue to listen, learn and grow. Living in the US has fueled our commitment to stay in the conversation and has impassioned us further with our work in Colombia. We’ve partnered with organizations like the Advancement Project, Be the Bridge, and other like minded operations in pursuit of this mission. In Colombia we continue to invest in our makers and support communities in need to further the cause. The work continues.

Sustainability

We’re parents. We want this planet to be the best it can be for our children and future generations. We don’t have all the answers but we’re educating ourselves and working towards sustainability where we can. It starts in our office where we make every effort to recycle. We’re continuously working towards conservation in the materials and resources we use. In Colombia we work with water preservation systems and recycled paper products. To this end, we were inspired to design a collection of products made with 100% recycled and washable paper fabric in 2020. Given our commitment in Colombia, we also have an interest in furthering sustainable development. We’ve partnered with Colombia’s Wayuu indigenous community when we became aware, through Human Rights Watch, that the Wayuu are confronting crises amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We are resolute in paying socially responsible and just wages to artisans in this region and beyond.