Our Story
Chapter 1: it all started with the love for quality sunhats
Hello there,
My name is Kim, COE (Chief of Everything) of Sole Mio Designs
I am a Melbourne dweller of Vietnamese heritage so naturally I enjoy good coffee and food.
I started Sole Mio Designs at the end of 2019 after various failed attempts to find a good sun hat for my little daughter Audrey and myself. Surprisingly, albeit the abundance of decent choices for clothes and shoes there are very little options when it comes to hats. Most of the hats that are available are either not well fitted, made of poor quality material or there is not much ‘character’ to them.
I recalled as a child I used to have an enviable collection of hats custom made by my Mum (who is a milliner) to match my outfits. So one day I asked Mum if she could make some hats for me and Audrey to do ‘matchy matchy’ (mums with daughters would sympathise with me on this addiction) which she gladly did. These hats arrived and they exceeded my expectations. They fit well, the brim does not flop on our eyes and they are so colourful, funky and comfortable.
My inner mum-preneur immediately convinced me to bring these hats to the wider Australian market, where mums like me might find them just what they need.
After various discussions my parents agreed to make exclusive hats for my brand.
The fabrics are curated by me; some are from quality fabric traders, some are custom-designed and printed. And they are transformed into the coolest hats by my parents in their home studio in Saigon.
Browse through our online store, give our hats a try! I am sure you will give them as much love as what they are created with.
Enjoy the sun, the fun and be sun safe!
xo
Kim
Chapter 2: our expansion from sunhats to streetwear
The love we received for our hats has confirmed our core belief: people want quality products that are made to last.
With a focus on style, comfort and functionality, in 2021 we expanded our business to include streetwear (mainly jumpers/sweatshirt). Just like our Happy Hats TM, our Jolly Jumpers TM are funky, stylish yet very comfortable. They are manufactured locally in Melbourne to the highest quality. We also collaborate with Australian and international artists to create limited run capsule collections.
We are so humbled by your support and always reminded to keep improving. We are grateful you are with us on this journey and cannot wait to see what the next chapters brings.