TALK/THE/TALK WITH Anette Miwa Dimmen
Q&A
Who is Anette Miwa Dimmen?
AMD: I am a dreamer and a doer in equal measures. I am the founder, CEO and designer of AWAN – a tech enabled and mission driven fashion brand based on circular principles. I am a mother to Leo and Mila.
Tell us your story and journey with AWAN
AMD: The AWAN journey began because I was constantly searching for sustainable clothing that combined the comfort for homewear with the style of occasion wear. Frustrated by the lack of options in the market, I decided to take matters into my own hands and design this for myself.
However, as I dived deeper into my research, I couldn't ignore the glaring issues plaguing the fashion industry. The limited representation for women, the lack of diversity, the wastefulness, and the broken supply chains—all interconnected and in desperate need of change
To bring my vision to life, I launched AWAN with a Kickstarter campaign. Instead of seeking advice solely within the fashion industry, I chose to engage with the tech startup community. After all, I wanted to create a fashion brand that was radically different, almost anti-fashion, yet proudly carrying the fashion label. My goal was not only to solve my personal fashion dilemma but also to build a fashion brand that could be part of the solution rather than the problem on a larger level.
This journey led me to receive grants from Innovation Norway, win a regional startup pitch competition, become a Norwegian finalist for Founder of the Year and Startup of the Year at the Nordic Startup Awards, and get into the Antler accelerator in Stockholm, where we secured our first investment from a global venture capital fund.
Now, five years into this journey, I feel like we're just scratching the surface of creating a disruptive fashion brand anchored in wellness and circularity.
What is your vision with AWAN?
AMW: We want to be a pioneering brand in a new category which we have coined wellness fashion, which is fashion with personal wellness and wellness of our planet as core foundation. We also want to build a blueprint platform for circular growth. Using our own brand as an example to inspire others to adopt circular principles, thereby reducing waste and overproduction.
How is your creative process?
AMW: It begins by allowing myself the space and time to access my own creative thoughts and ideas, after having gathered all the necessary data points, reflections, and inspirations. If I feel lit up by a direction, I move on to organizing and structuring my creative flows to see how they align. The next step involves presenting these ideas to the team and initiating testing with our community.
How do you see the future with sustainability in fashion?
AMW: In the near future, adopting sustainable practices in the fashion industry will become standard requirement, not just a choice. Customers' expectations are shifting, and government sustainability regulations will become stricter. What sets AWAN apart is our commitment to going beyond using sustainable fabrics; we're disrupting the fashion supply chain through data-driven, on-demand shopping, while connecting the dots between fashion, wellness and sustainability with the help of technology.
Do you have any upcoming projects? Can you reveal any secrets?
AMW: We just launched our Equity Crowdfunding Campaign allowing more people to become investors in our company, as we expand our collection and take our concept to larger markets. You can check out our campaign HERE (ADD LINK)
How can the fashion industry grow with the changes?
AMW: Every disruption in an industry presents an opportunity for innovation and transformation. Currently, the fashion industry ranks as the third most polluting globally, and it's evident that the traditional fashion landscape has become outdated, characterized by obsolete supply chains and categorizations. However, this very fact makes it an incredibly exciting and intriguing arena for brand like AWAN driving positive change.
Why is human touch so important when it comes to tech?
AMW: In our rapidly evolving world marked by constant technological advancements and an insatiable appetite for innovation, it's more important than ever to anchor ourselves in our fundamental humanity with all our flaws intact. It's through this connection that we are reminded of the experiences and stories that define us and unite us as a global community.
