Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Mia Zotos, the founder of Melbourne label Mode Mischief
IMAGE VIA @MODEMISCHIEF/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“I don’t always feel the need to categorise my style.”
We know personal style is a journey (I’m looking at you, Tumblr years) and our series Hey, I Like Your Style! dives into the fashion psyche of our favourite creatives. We’re talking the good, the bad and the 2007.
While the internet has made our fashion icons feel closer than ever before, even the most effortless of outfits came from a closet with some (well-dressed) skeletons. Clickable product tags, photo archives and lives chronicled in 30-second clips just don’t tell the full story.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
These are the stories behind the wardrobes, exploring how we develop our personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story. For this instalment of Hey, I Like Your Style!, we enter the wardrobe of Mia Zotos.
As the designer of Melbourne-based womenswear label Mode Mischief, Mia’s wardrobe is a mix of her own designs, hand-me-down vintage and designer investment pieces. Inspired by ’90s-era film and TV (Sex and the City is one of her favourites), Mia’s style is playful, feminine and experimental, and her outfits are always punctuated by a great pair of shoes. Read on to hear about her style journey so far.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
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My name is Mia, I’m the founder and creative director of Mode Mischief Studios. I like to wear anything that makes me happy. I love a pop of colour – usually blue or red. I [also] enjoy layering and experimenting with ways of wear, and I adore a good oversized jacket!
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
I’ve always found happiness in styling outfits and have always liked the way I dress. Over the last few years, as I’ve focused more on my full-time work, I’ve become less experimental and daring in my style. However, I’d love to get back into experimenting with different styles and silhouettes more.
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It would be a dream to have Law Roach style me in an archival Mugler or McQueen look – that would be my peak confidence. Currently, I feel confident and comfortable in my style, but I know there is so much potential to explore.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
Growing up, I was always encouraged to express myself and never feel pressured to fit in. While I’ve always felt the pressure to put on a great outfit, I don’t always feel the need to categorise my style. I really admire Bella Hadid’s approach to fashion, exploring different genres without a definitive ‘look’. I would say I do often opt for ’90s or vintage style looks as a broad category, but I love adding my twist on things!
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
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Back in the day, I dabbled in the galaxy print legging trend and went through an unfortunate moustache phase. But I honestly don’t regret wearing those. Knowing my younger self was so content and confident in those pieces, I wouldn’t change a thing – although I wouldn’t wear them now!
What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
The cheapest item in my wardrobe is a ’90s beaded bolero I got as a hand-me-down from my mum – it was free (as it is a hand-me-down), but has so much sentimental value to me beyond a cost. The most expensive (and bank-breaking) piece in my wardrobe is my Bottega small Andiamo Bag, which is my first designer bag purchase.
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I saved up for over a year to buy it and really rationalised if I needed it but I am so in love with the versatility, multi-wear and classic look of the bag. A great hack of mine for not spending too much on designer items is the app Vestiare Collective – I have bought a few designer items from there and they are very reasonably priced!
Who or what influences your style?
I feel like fashion is an art form that represents emotion, personality, culture and so much more… I find I draw inspiration from various sources such as art, music, and TV shows and movies from the ’90s and 2000s – Sex and the City is one of my go-tos. Staying on top of runways and new collections also helps me see whhappeninground and inspires me to adapt my style or try out new outfits.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
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Currently, I’m on a spending ban after buying my dream bag, but no complaints! With colder weather approaching, I’m considering investing in some new jumpers and coats. I particularly love the faux fur coats from Unreal Fur.
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
My biggest obsession at the moment and over the past six months is our new ’90s workwear-inspired collection that we have just released. You will always find me wearing my Mode Mischief Studios Neu Classic Pants on repeat. I’m a sucker for a pair of ’90s-style suit pants because they are so easy to wear casually, to work or for a night out. A piece I couldn’t live without at the moment is the new Mode Mischief Studios Rib Cummerbund. It is the ultimate layering piece that adds detail and texture to any outfit.
Who are your favourite local designers?
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I really admire Christopher Esber for his perfectly architectural and elevated staples or formal pieces. For accessories, Sage Avenue is my fav for essential and everyday handbags. I love Cultira Swim for their gorgeous, perfectly detailed and elevated swim pieces, and Blinc1000 for a super fun going-out piece. These local designers each bring something unique to the fashion landscape.
For more of Mia’s outfits, head here.
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