Fashion brand Epimonia and artistic appareldesigner Denimani have launched a collaborative pop-up installation at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) Store, running today through Sunday, to support refugees. All proceeds from sales of their products will go to the Karen Organization of Minnesota.
Epimonia is a Minneapolis-based company founded by Somali-American Mohamed Malim that uses recycled life jackets to create bracelets and other apparel, such as T-shirts and beanies. Proceeds from their general sales go to support refugees through employment, housing and scholarships, as well as other assistance. The company has donated $45,000 to refugees since 2018 and has recycled over 500 lifejackets, according to its website.
Epimonia has previously partnered with Minnesota United to create two cap designs and with Star Youth Development of Minnesota (SYDOM), a basketball team and mentorship program for Somali youth in Minneapolis, to design apparel for the team. Epimonia also debuted at New York Fashion Week on Feb. 18, 2021. All of the firm's designs feature an iconic orange stripe or patch that is made from the life jackets they recycle.
Denimani — full name Denimani Livingstone — is a Ghanaian-born artist and designer who moved to Minneapolis when he was four. His artistry primarily surrounds apparel design. Denimani's most recent design collection, META-ISM, is apparel that focuses on his "process of seeking a more comprehensible understanding of the concept of self-awareness," according to the collection's website description.
The collaborative pop-up collection, a partnership between Epimonia and Denimani and Mia, will include tote bags and enamel pins that are designed by both brands. These items, on sale as part of the collection, are presented alongside an installation with the purpose of raising awareness about the global refugee crisis.
Minneapolis refugees of the Karen ethnic group from Burma founded the Karen Organization of Minnesota, which provides interpretation, business and learning services to over 5,000 refugees in the Twin Cities. More than 20,000 Karen people currently live in Minnesota, according to the organization's website.
The Mia pop-up store comes in recognition of June as Refugee Awareness Month. The Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution last June recognizing June 20 as World Refugee Day, and over 63,000 immigrants and refugees currently live in Minnesota.
