INTERVIEW: MOLO

Where does the name ‘Molo’ derive from? It sounds very Scandinavian to us (however when translated from English to Italian, it has nautical references, meaning ‘jetty’), is this intentional?
The brand name was actually established more than 15 years ago when I started the company together with a former colleague, a designer called Louise Frederiksen. Molo is a composition of the two first letters in each of our names.

What was the catalyst behind the birth of Molo in 2003?
The idea for Molo came from a desire to spice up kids’ fashion. We wanted to create kids wear with an edge and a playful expression. We started from complete scratch in an apartment in Copenhagen with only two sets of hands to do everything from designing, purchasing, sales, marketing, administration and logistics.

We heard you once tell the adorable story of how your staff created a baby wear line as a surprise to mark the birth of your second child. Subsequently, this was the inspiration behind the launch of a new 0-2 year old collection in 2005. How significant was it to the brand to launch a baby wear line?
Molo’s journey sprang out of curiosity and a drive to radically change the existing children’s fashion world, which was, in 2003, less than vibrant and colourful. It was time for a change. We wanted to show that babies could also wear strong colours and prints that add personality to the little ones and feed their imagination.

You are renowned for your signature bright, kid-friendly patterns and digital prints. Do you follow trends or is the design process wholly organic?
I think childrenswear has become more complex in the last few years. When we shop for our children we are much more aware of the products we buy, it’s not only about the look. We are more practical - can they climb and run and dance? How is it made? We think about chemicals in the garments and our carbon footprint. Molo has become a worldwide brand, so we think about climate as well as - the weather in Hong Kong is very different than say, Finland. It’s a great challenge to meet all these points but it’s also what makes it fun and complex to produce childrenswear.

What inspires the individual ‘stories’ within each and every collection?
It always begins with an inspirational trip to some of the fashion capitals of the world: London, Paris and New York. Our designers find their inspiration in everything from music, postcards, travels and museums to people on the street, buildings and flea markets. When the mood and theme is set they will look into shapes, materials, trends, colours etc. in order to create an innovative collection with lots of new twists - but without compromising on quality.

Your philosophy is ‘Children’s designs on children’s terms’. Has this proven to be the key to your success as a brand?
Our customers are asking for childrenswear that is fashionable and different, yet still commercial. Kids want cool and unique clothing and parents praise our high quality - the designs that have a story to tell or contain surprising details are very popular these days. Molo’s design allows the children to express their creativity and personality through their clothes.

How do you feel when you see children wearing Molo?
What counts the most are all the little stories that you hear about children that love their clothes so much that they want to wear them 24/7, because our biggest ambition is to design clothes that are the child’s own favourite.

The Danish concept of Hygge - meaning the ritual of enjoying life’s simple pleasures, such as friends and family - is a trending concept worldwide. What is your favourite thing to do with your family?
Sunday evenings are devoted to family time where we gather around the fireplace with the kids and relax, talk about the week to come and just enjoy each other’s company. This is really important for us as a family with a very busy work week.

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