Today we’d like to introduce you to Naomi Mishkin. They and their team shared their story with us below:
NAOMI NOMI was founded in 2018 by Naomi (Nomi) Mishkin, an artist and designer currently making things in Brooklyn, NY. Trained as a glassblower, she spent a decade making sculptures before looking around her studio and realizing that all of her sculptures had sleeves and hemlines and were meant to be worn and worked in, not just looked at. As the granddaughter of a wedding dress manufacturer and the great-granddaughter of a pattern cutter, the schmatte life was apparently hard to shake. So, after years of sewing for herself (and for too many friends who begged for more), in 2018 she officially launched NAOMI NOMI. The conceptual themes of her sculpture ring true in her clothes: love your materials and put meaning in the making.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When Covid hit New York in March 2020, we were forced to pivot our entire spring collection overnight. We became one of the first five brands making masks in the city. Owing in large part to our made-to-order model, we were able to pivot our entire production in a matter of days to deliver over 10,000 masks to both clients and medical workers in need.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At my core, I am a maker. If I want a table, I build one. If I want a dress, I sew one. Trained as an artist, I spent two decades making sculptures before realizing that all my sculptures had sleeves and hemlines. So, after years of sewing for myself and friends who begged for more, I launched NAOMI NOMI in 2018.
I strive to cultivate my clients’ attachment and respect for their everyday dress so that daily moments feel just as celebrated as big ones. Operating with this client-honoring ethos, we support a growing size range of XXS-3XL, featuring models of diverse ages, sizes, and gender presentations. We regularly speak with prospective customers for weeks, advising on fit, providing free fabric swatches, and giving styling advice so they know we are committed to their happiness, not just our bottom line. Furthermore, it is non-negotiable for me, from a sustainability, ethics, and quality perspective, to produce in NYC with local partners.
The loyal community we’ve cultivated has been proof positive that people are craving a more meaningful relationship with clothes and don’t want to be ignored by the industry. I’ve lost count of the messages from older women thanking us for featuring models in their age group, and from gender-nonconforming people and clients in the extended size range thanking us for making quality clothes that honor their bodies. Messages like these push my team and me to go even further.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I started NAOMI NOMI on my kitchen table. Then, we worked for years out of the second bedroom in my apartment. Only six months ago did we move into our own dedicated studio. I think most people don’t realize that when they buy from a small brand, it can be this personal!
Contact Info:
- Website: naominomi.com
- Instagram: @_naominomi_
Image Credits
Photography courtesy of Midge Wattles and Shana Trajanoska
