Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie McClure, Co-Founder of MIRTH
Katie, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Our story is a slow one that took shape over many trips and experiences. My sister Erin Breen and I were both at a point in life where we were looking for what to do next, determined to find something fulfilling and meaningful.
The journey started when I was traveling in Bali admiring the batik and ikat textiles. It was then that I started daydreaming about launching a company that would merge two things I loved – easy caftan silhouettes and beautiful heritage textiles from around the world.
It wasn’t until a year later that the signs really started to come together. I was on a volunteer trip to Nepal and a two-week tour of India. Erin had just closed her clinic for children with autism and decided to join me in India. We spent a day together in Jaipur visiting incredible architectural sights pouring through basements full of textiles. We spoke with locals who were in the textiles industry, and we kept saying to each other how amazing it would be to launch a clothing line in collaboration with these wonderful artisans and their beautiful fabrics. We had both been looking for an opportunity to create something of our own, and this idea really resonated with both of us. The day ended with an elephant ride in the desert outside of the city, and we were elated with our new sense of purpose and our newly formed path that felt so right. We couldn’t stop laughing, and it felt as if years of puzzle pieces just came together– pure “mirth.” We’ve both always had a similar aesthetic and style and working together creatively made sense, so we decided to combine our backgrounds to form a company with a backbone of creativity, travel and a larger purpose.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Our brand MIRTH is a line of women’s resort wear and caftans designed with ethically-made artisan textiles from India. We travel to India twice each year to collaborate with our artisan partners and to develop the collections. It’s a very collaborative process that is often done through hand signals and nodding of heads because of the language barrier. It’s always so inspiring to visit our weavers and block printers and to see their craft firsthand, which is often passed down from generation to generation. The social impact of what we do is very important to us. We are able to provide a dignified income to our artisan partners which in turn impacts their communities as a whole. We also donate a percentage of each sale to a child welfare initiative in Jaipur called Taabar.
We hope that our customers feel effortlessly chic when wearing MIRTH. Our pieces are created with very soft, luxe fabrics that transition well from the beach to dinner and everywhere in between. Each style tells a story of heritage craftsmanship and the talented artisans behind them, and we hope our pieces connect our customers with these traditions and places.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
It’s easy to doubt yourself and to question if what you’re creating is on the “right path” or sellable, but at the end of the day, it’s important to stick to your aesthetic. I also find that our collections are constantly improving. Sometimes I look back at past collections and wonder why we designed certain pieces, but I think that’s part of the process — it takes time and trial and error to create a product that you are proud of.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Our pieces are sold on our website, mirthcaftans.com, as well as at around 60 stores across the country and internationally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mirthcaftans.com/
- Email: info@mirthcaftans.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirthcaftans/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MirthCaftans/
Image Credit:
Jenny Antill
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