Andrea Dotzauer and Michelle Lopez have helped dress the children of an impressive roster of celebrities, including the sons and daughters of Kourtney Kardashian, Mario Lopez, Beverly Mitchell and Tori Spelling.
What might be surprising is Dotzauer and Lopez, co-owners of 4-year-old apparel startup the MINI classy, operate their business from Milwaukee—far from the bright lights and glitz of the east and west coasts.
While New York City and Los Angeles are often associated with the best and brightest minds in the fashion world, Dotzauer and Lopez said they are proof an apparel business can thrive anywhere, with robust determination factored into the equation.
Dotzauer and Lopez led parallel lives before brainstorming a business plan for the MINI classy in 2013. Each attended Mount Mary College’s fashion design program, though they attended at different times and met post-graduation through their spouses.
The fashionistas also had children around the same time, which sparked the idea for the MINI classy, which they describe as a “high-end kids’ streetwear clothing brand.”
“We were looking at doing cool and unique clothing—something that’s durable and comfortable,” Lopez said. “There just wasn’t a lot of that out there.”
As they were developing their brand, Dotzauer and Lopez said they had a specific message in mind—one that resonates with many members of the millennial generation.
“We’re trying to say to kids, ‘Be yourself, and have confidence,’” Dotzauer said. “It’s all about being an individual.”
From the get-go, Dotzauer and Lopez said social media and branding played an important role in bringing the MINI classy to the masses. The company’s Instagram channel, which has 25,000 followers, has been an important tool in sharing the ever-evolving apparel line, which is geared toward newborn to 12-year-old children.
“Everything we’ve done has been guerilla marketing,” Lopez said. “Instagram was just getting popular when we started out, so we knew it was important to go there.”
Dotzauer and Lopez, both native Wisconsinites, said they are proud and remain committed to their stomping grounds, though they’ve frequently ventured outside the Dairy State to share their brand. For example, they have attended trade shows and other junkets in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York.
They also hired a public relations and marketing firm in Los Angeles—a maneuver that helped get their clothing line on the backs of celebrity children, plus mentions on “The Ellen Show” and in such publications as the Huffington Post.
“We’ve put ourselves out there, and we’ve created really good relationships,” Dotzauer said.
The company’s apparel line can be purchased online, through the company’s website. Dotzauer and Lopez also have struck up deals to sell their apparel in select bricks-and-mortar retailers, including exclusive collections with Barneys New York and Ron Robinson.
“There’s a lot of forward motion going on right now—a lot of good things,” Lopez said. “We’re proud of ourselves and how we’ve gotten to where we are.”
Which isn’t to say they are resting on their laurels. Dotzauer and Lopez adamantly said they are committed to taking their brand to new heights.
“Our goal is to be a household name,” Dotzauer said. “We want to be a lifestyle brand, and we want to figure out how to get into more people’s homes.”
