MULU is a solution to a lot of problems that plus-size women are facing
MULU, a lifestyle fashion brand exclusively dedicated to plus-size women, recently announced the opening of a new office in Dubai as part of its MEA expansion plans. The fashion brand, formerly known as Kanessa, was previously based in The Netherlands where it began its e-commerce operations in 2018. The brand is sold globally and has been successful in the European and North American markets. MULU has now replanted its roots to Dubai to meet increased demand for plus-size fashion across the Middle East and Africa. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, MULU Founder Kanessa Muluneh discusses the plus-size fashion for women.
How do you see the fashion industry evolving in the next decade, particularly in terms of sustainability and ethical production practices?
Since the market is quite oversaturated and consumers have a lot of choices and options, brands will have to niche in order to ‘stand out’. People are more and more aware of the production process of their garments and prefer to support a brand that is transparent about its manufacturing process.
I believe that in 10 years from now, more and more brands will be more environmentally friendly, whether they manufacture sustainable clothes or they work/deliver in a more environmentally friendly way.
However, for consumers, it will always be a battle between what they can (or want to) afford and their ethical standards. The next 10 years will show us how far consumers are willing to support sustainable fashion, as sustainability comes with a higher price tag.
How has the rise of e-commerce and social media affected the fashion industry, and what opportunities or challenges does this present for brands?
It has never been so easy to reach your target audience; not only to sell but also to connect and listen to what they want. For example, MULU is a plus-size brand for women. I managed to do proper research before I started the brand, share my thoughts directly with my audience, connect with them for feedback, build my own community, and sell them my products without ever leaving my house. All this would have taken so much more time if I did not have access to social media and e-commerce.
Social media allows brands to offer products to a specific niche without spending large amounts on marketing. On the downside, when something becomes so accessible, it also means that the competition will be huge. It will be harder to stand out from ‘the crowd’ and stay up-to-date with all the constant change.
In your opinion, what role do fashion and personal style play in self-expression and identity?
Back in the day, I would say that your fashion choice reflects who you are. Now, I would say that it reflects how you feel. Especially how you feel about yourself. Fashion can be art, but it can also be used to cover who you really are or hide your true personality.
What inspired you to create MULU and focus exclusively on plus-size fashion for women?
My own struggles as a plus-size woman inspired me. I had no clothes to go to the gym anymore at some point (unless I wore my husband’s sweatpants) and that affected my confidence. To break that circle, I started designing with zero fashion knowledge and created my own leggings. When people around me started to notice my clothes, I asked my seamstress to make more samples and that’s how it slowly turned into a brand.
How has the brand evolved since its inception in 2018, and what led to the decision to expand to the Middle East and Africa?
We never had to use traditional commercial methods, we just grew our community on- and offline. With community growth comes a lot of feedback. I noticed that our community was diverse and they were from all over the world. During the pandemic, I did some research on what the plus-size market is like in some parts of the world and found out that there the options were very limited (in some areas even non-existing). I saw a huge opportunity!
Africa and Asia are forgotten continents for some reason. A lot of industries assume that people are not willing to spend money on luxury items but that is absolutely not the case. Both continents have seen immense growth and people’s mentalities are so different now. The time to invest in Africa and Asia is NOW.
What sets MULU apart from other plus-size fashion brands in terms of style and design?
I started MULU from my own struggles. I did not just make the clothes bigger, I solved the problems I was facing. For example, my old leggings were very saggy and see-through so I added drawstrings and an extra layer of fabric on the buttocks area. Another example is that we reinforced stitches to prevent damage from rubbing thighs.
So, it is not just bigger clothes, but also a solution to a lot of problems that plus-size women are facing on a daily basis.
Can you tell us about your plans for opening a retail store in Dubai, and how it fits into your overall strategy for growth?
Although the UAE is adapting to e-commerce rapidly, there’s also a large audience that likes to visit stores (tourists for example). And since there is a lot of diversity here, it would be the best place strategically to introduce the brand to new people/markets.
We hope to open the store in Q4 of 2023.
How do you approach sustainability and ethical production practices in clothing manufacturing?
I have full control of the whole manufacturing process. I know exactly where the fabrics come from, I have my own factory in Pakistan, and I choose the people that work for me personally. I even know their families and what kind of lifestyle they live.
The way you treat the people that work in your company will reflect in the quality of your end product. It is impossible to create a great product without a great team and staying in touch with them on a personal level. Paying them fairly is my way of creating an ethical work environment.
Sustainability has always been a topic that concerned us. We were always on a mission to limit waste in not only the manufacturing process but also in sales. We never throw away our products. We even sell our used items (from photoshoots for example) as second-hand products on our webshop at a discounted price.
How does MULU educate women about the future of fashion and the role of technology, particularly in the Web3 era?
This is actually not the easiest task as many do not know about the existence of Web3 in general. We teach by spreading the message through our community on social media, and we offer them free weekly knowledge on a separate Discord/WhatsApp group that is fully dedicated to this topic. I noticed that many are ashamed to ask questions as it is not the easiest subject to understand. Soon we will launch our own digital fitting tool in the metaverse where customers can digitally fit their clothes. I think when consumers have the opportunity to see the technology with their own eyes, all the information we have provided will make more sense.
Can you describe the MULU community and the role it plays in the brand’s mission and values?
The opinions of our customers are valuable and even scary at times, but it helps the brand grow. Some of my customers have been there since the start and even know me personally. That doesn’t mean I take things personally, but hearing their stories made me understand what I am really dealing with. My struggles helped me start the brand, but the community helped me build it into the brand it is today.
What challenges have you faced in building a successful plus-size fashion brand, and how have you overcome them?
The most heard accusation is by far that people assume I support obesity and encourage people to be unhealthy.
For some reason, the plus-size industry is not socially accepted although almost 50 per cent of the world population is above size M/L. There are many factors that I can state as a reason, but shame is the biggest one, especially with the accusations that we received on a daily basis.
The hardest challenge was (and is) understanding the psychology of my audience. I am dealing with people who are being judged and therefore can be fragile when it comes to their bodies/mindset. If you understand what goes on in their head, it will be easier to connect with them on a deeper level.
How has the concept of ‘fast fashion’ affected the industry, and what steps are being taken to address its negative environmental and social impact?
My take on why ‘fast fashion’ is such a big industry is a little different than others. The biggest influence here is social media. Celebrities and influencers give the impression that life has to be or look a certain way and people want to live up to that but cannot necessarily afford it. Fast fashion is feeding into this newly created ‘need’. Most consumers are not looking at the negative impact at all, they are convinced that they need to purchase nice clothes every month in order to not post/share/be seen in the same clothes a couple of times.
From the psychological side... there is a much bigger problem than just the environmental side to fast fashion.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for MULU’s continued growth and impact in the fashion industry?
I cannot deny that it is very tempting to get investors on board and build it into a large international brand, but I also know that the moment I allow that, the brand will lose all its authenticity.
For now, I just focus on growth in regions where I see potential and a need. MULU is self-sustaining, and I am very proud of that. It is not the easy way out, and I have felt like giving up many times, but I am happy I never stopped believing. My target audience keeps growing, so it is now or never!
