Sydney label Muma World creates non-conformist designs inspired by Australia’s native flora

“An abstract, ostentatious and colourful perception of a world in bloom.”

For Sydney-based creative director Saskia Wotton, the birth of her label, Muma World, came from her desire to meld fashion and beauty with Australia’s unique landscapes. The label, founded in collaboration with Saskia’s partner, Dave Frim, initially began as a beauty brand, producing a range of vegan lip glosses created from recycled plastics.

Having now expanded its range to include garments, the vibrant label creates versatile and gender-neutral designs. Its first collection, Verdant, is inspired by the interconnectedness between humans and our habitats’ seasonal phases. 

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Each piece reflects the sensualities of nature and the changing seasons. The innovative collection is made using cupro-blend vegan silk, a fabric derived from cotton waste. Below, Saskia shares more about the growth and evolution of Muma World. 

Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?

My name is Saskia, and I am the Co-Founder and Director of Muma World, a new brand creating luxurious cupro-based garments in Australia. I live and breathe fashion, it’s been part of my life since I was born. I was fortunate to have my grandmother ‘Mumma’, who was my fashion icon when growing up… Spending a few years in the US when I was younger, I was introduced to the most incredible designer pieces from a young age. My eyes lit up and I became obsessed.

Since I could remember, I’ve always worked in fashion and am now fortunate enough to know the ins and outs of the industry. Like everyone, I started as a casual retail assistant when I was 15 and worked my way up through national retail sales, and then global sales director positions until I came [to create] Muma.

How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges. 

It’s hard to believe Muma’s fashion collection came about almost by mistake… looking to innovate in an alternative industry… demanding change. Muma initially created a range of natural, vegan lip glosses, using recycled plastic… focused around native, seasonal flora to be released concurrently with the season of bloom.

The glosses [needed] collateral to assist their shoot, beyond styling the fruits of the flavours… so we created additional illustrated elements and created crests for each flavour, placed on cupro scarves. The feedback was overwhelming that these needed to be released as garments – the prints were too beautiful to not – and so we expanded the range into signature looks that became Season 01, Verdant.

What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved, and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now? 

Muma was created as a multi-dimensional, multi-sensory experience of place. The evolution of Muma has kept its founding idea and concept central to it’s growth and development as a brand. The stories of the flora and fauna that exist within these regions, each flavour-way [exploring] its own unique story that expands into its own features or range. We believe that by coincidentally connecting fashion and beauty, as per S01, we’re now intentionally creating a new and exciting way to explore and discover the meaning of seasons.

[Muma] will continue to highlight particular flora and fauna from a featured region during a specific season, allowing the wearer to transcend and travel via their garments. Where S01 explores the East Coast of Australia, S02 moves outward toward Australia’s coastal fringe… Muma World continues to expand and highlight the unusual and important moments we so often look over, and is created as a reminder of this incredible and beautiful place that is the world.

Where did the name come from? 

Muma is a play on the name Mumma, which is what I called my grandmother. She was the most graceful woman. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her, and she is my biggest inspiration and muse.

How would you describe Muma World to someone who’s never seen it before?

Muma is an abstract, ostentatious and colourful perception of a world in bloom. Our styles are based [on] historical motifs, and we are led by purposeful brand and story and intentionally-placed, hand-drawn and hand-crafted, limited edition collections. Muma’s philosophy ‘Turn yourself toward the world,’ is born of who we are – bright, bold and daring, asking the wearer to be bold with their styling.

What are you most proud of in your work on your brand? 

We worked extensively on our brand’s story and vision, before turning ourselves toward the world and asking others to do the same. We are based in love and connection to people and place. I am so proud of our vision, our team, our garments, and the response we’ve had so far. Muma is confident, self-assured, assertive, and playful and I’m so proud that vision has translated and we’re the embodiment of what we hoped to be.

What do you wish you knew when you started? 

How successful S01 was going to be so we could better plan, though it was always going to be a testing ground for new lessons, ideas and concepts for S02.

Who do you think is most exciting in the Australian/NZ fashion scene right now? 

Muma feels like it is demanding maximalist and bold styling in colour, and this is complemented by numerous brands offering maximalist and bold looks [and] edgy garment fabrication and cut-outs.

Dream Australian/NZ collaborators? 

We wouldn’t say one in particular, though Muma finds its strength, endurance and innovation in the realm of imagination and culture, artistry and creation. We’d love to co-brand with artists and industry leaders in places and moments beyond fashion to create moments for installations and play [and] to inspire imagination and innovation in others.

Who is in your wardrobe right now? 

My wardrobe [is actually] filled with a lot of printed and…very colourful designer vintage pieces. I feel like those pieces are always timeless, and I wear them year on year, as Muma is intended to be worn. I’m currently rotating S02 samples.

How can we buy one of your pieces? 

We do have a stockist in each state of Australia [and] the range was quite a success for my stockists… Right now, the main place to buy Muma is on our online website.

Anything else to add?

For our US consumers, keep an eye out for us this year in LA and beyond.

Start browsing the Muma World collection here.