Getting to know Joanne - The brains behind Kids Fashion House Minihaha Hiawatha
A big welcome to Joanne, the creative mind behind Australian children's fashion staple Minihaha.
Joanne has an inspiring story of humble beginnings back in 1993 with an idea for a range of children's clothing. Since then, Minihaha has grown to include children's clothing labels Bebe, Bebe White Label, Fox & Finch and Minihaha Swim.
These labels are now children's fashion brands synonymous with quality and style, offering Aussie kids clothing to suit all areas of their busy little lives!
How did you get started?
Hi, My name is Joanne Sackville and I started Minihaha and Hiawatha in 1993 when I moved to Australia. Having lived the previous 5 years in Bali. I had been designing and manufacturing womenswear for large English fashion companies as well as co-owing and running a factory of my own over there.
I met my ex-husband who was on holiday and moved to Australia to be with him. Hiawatha commenced shortly after when I saw a gap in the kids wear ranges for a European look, fashion forward range of clothing and shoes.
Where did your business name come from?
The first collection I presented was made from exquisite beige suede and was fringed American Indian style pants, shirts and jackets. The name Hiawatha came from the fact the collection was so inspired from the American Indian/Pocahontas genre.
The Collection has grown and morphed over the years and is now a blend of classical traditional pieces to on trend, directional fashion forward styles which cater to every taste from young mums to Grandma's!
Favourite piece in your current collection…
Its is very hard to pick just on favourite piece in the W21 Collection we are currently selling but I would say in Bebe it would be the Elena Print bodysuit. (I can visualise this teamed back with the Nutmeg cardigan and bonnet and some of our pointelle cream tights and little boots to make the perfect outfit!)
In Fox and Finch, the Winter Garden Navy Stripe embroidered romper would be my favourite piece and in fact I love this story as a whole!
Your favourite quote…
My favourite Quote would be have to be "Never give up!" and "Don't sweat the small stuff".
On the weekend you’ll find me…
In the Summer on the weekend you'll find me on our boat or at the beach with friends sailing in the bay, soaking up the sun and enjoying the tranquility of the ocean.
Summer or Winter?
I am very much a summer girl though I love a week of skiiing in the winter!
I admire…
I admire the Victorian families with young children who have managed to get through these last few months of home schooling as well and working full time with out completely losing the plot!
Every morning I…
Every morning I start my day with a 25km bike ride along the river being inspired by the nature all around me or taking our Belgian Shepherd puppy up to the park to play.
My dream dinner party guest list…
Due to Covid, after a year and a half of not seeing my son, Jamie who lives in the States and nearly a year of not seeing my mum, brother and family living in London, my dream dinner party would be having them all under one roof and being able to lap up the sheer pleasure of being able to give them a big hug.
Dream holiday destination...
Right now as we are in ISO and not allowed to venture more than 25km from home, my dream holiday destination would be anywhere warm, sunny and with a quiet beach! The Maldives would be the absolute dream when the day comes that we can travel again!
Thank you so much Joanne for taking the time to join us here at Knee High Agencies.
All of the wholesale children's fashion labels featured here under Minihaha Hiawatha are available to stock at your store.
I'd love the opportunity to meet with you and walk you through the gorgeous children's fashion pieces from each of these ranges at your convenience. In the meantime you can scroll through the images below for a little taste of the gorgeous wholesale kids clothing labels offered here at Knee High Agencies.
Note - Questions answered in this blog were answered during the Victorian Lockdown in October.
Bebe
The Bébé brand offers garments that are lovingly made using a mix of colour palettes that will appeal to parents who value quality, classic style, and superb attention to detail. These wardrobe favourites and Special Occasion pieces have been designed to be both beautiful and comfortable. They have taken care of all the finer details to make our garments practical and easy for parents, enabling them to focus on the important little people in their life.
Bebe White Label
White Label by Bebe is a go-to essential, it is a curated collection of long & short sleeve rompers, matching beanies & bunny rugs designed for premmi to size 1, available all year round. This range is designed especially for nap-time, and being made in 100% cotton, is particularly comfortable, tran-seasonal & also affordable.
Special Occasion by Bébé
This collection is for all those events that require an outfit that’s extra special. Bebe Special Occasion collection for girls and boys comprises of the perfect outfits for your next party, christening, or wedding. Girls dresses are created using lace, tulle and embroideries, and Boys outfits are tailored using premium fabrics and modern dressy styling
Fox and Finch
The Fox&Finch brand offers a range of directional fashion forward styles and playful pieces for children. The design team have put together a collection based on their favourite influences to create distinctive clothing that will resonate with parents looking for something original, modern and fun. A unique mix of contemporary graphics and on-trend detailing is what sets Fox&Finch apart and will make your little one feel like the special, unique individual he or she is. This brand has sizing available from 0000 – 7 yrs old for girls & boys.
Bebe and Minihaha Swim
Bebe and Minihaha Swim is a fun & vibrant collection for babies, toddlers and older girls is designed to cater to children of all shapes and sizes.
Bébé by Minihaha Swimwear has been designed for girls & boys in sizes 000 – 2. Many of these styles including long sleeve swimsuits, board shorts, rash vests and sunsuits offer the ultimate protection during Summer. Many of these also come with a removable aqua nappy.
Minihaha Swimwear caters to girls in sizes 3 – 10 and boys in sizes 3 – 7. These styles include zip front swimsuits, rash vests, hooded towels, kaftans and sun dresses.
Minihaha Girls Swimwear is specifically designed with older girls in mind. This collection is available in sizes 8-14, in a variety of styles and designs to appeal to the varying tastes of girls in this age group.
All of their Swimwear has been created with SPF50 & Chlorine Resistant fabrics to provide protection against the sun’s rays and swimming pool chemicals.
