Meet the Brisbane designer behind the babydoll dresses loved by Addison Rae and Clairo
IMAGE VIA @MYMUM_MADEIT/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY ARIANA RIGAZZI
“Dressing for your inner child, but in a cool way.”
Brisbane-based Nyree Leckenby got her start in fashion by sewing dresses out of old curtains and bedsheets she scored at op-shops. She began selling them at her local market and one day, one of her early designs caught the attention of a boutique that wanted to stock more.
This early commercial interest inspired her to turn her hobby into a brand, and My Mum Made It (MMMI) was born. That’s when she ditched her interior design course to study fashion full-time. “I honestly hated sewing,” Nyree admits, “but I saw the vision.”
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A little over a decade later, MMMI has grown far beyond its roots in repurposed dresses and into a globally-celebrated label worn by pop stars like Addison Rae, Olivia Rodrigo and Clairo.
The brand is known for its quaint babydoll silhouettes, with an aesthetic described as ‘nostalgic-meets-modern It-girl’. Nyree says the heart of the brand is to help you “dress for your inner child, but in a cool way.” Since 2022, all collections have been made exclusively from natural or recycled fabrics, including cotton, hemp, and linen.
Contrary to the name My Mum Made It, self-taught Nyree has always been the visionary behind the label. The name was her playful attempt to dodge the awkwardness of admitting she made her clothes herself. “When people asked where my dress was from, I dreaded having to say, ‘I made it.’… I thought it would be funny for customers to give that same response,” she tells me.
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Fashion Journal: Hi Nyree! Tell me about how your label started.
Nyree: I started My Mum Made It after making my first dress and having a retailer ask if I could make more to sell in her store. The first dress was made from a bed sheet I found at a thrift store. I loved the print on it and gave myself a project to make it into a dress. I honestly hated sewing but I saw the vision, I eventually found my team of seamstresses and the rest was history.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time, and how has this evolved?
When I started, I was trying to create clothing for people like myself who struggled to find innovative and cute designs within their budget. I had so many design ideas and it seemed like the people buying them really appreciated how special the designs made them feel. I honestly feel like our mission has stayed the same, although sustainability is also a top priority.
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What is your approach to sustainability, in terms of your materials and supply chain?
Over the years, we’ve built up a hefty library of certified sustainable materials from organic cotton, tencel and linen, to recycled polyesters and cottons. After battling with an auto-immune disease over the years, it’s become deeply important to me, to make sure the composition of our fabrics include as minimal pesticides and plastics as possible.
It’s been a mix of me travelling to source materials with my team and the team hunting down these suppliers on request. It’s super important to be able to trace all our materials and have that reassurance.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
Dressing for your inner child, but in a cool way.
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What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
I’m so proud that we’ve never prioritised profit over product. The way our product developed over time, from design to sustainability to quality, we’re at the point where I confidently love our product over anything I’ve ever purchased from another label. I think for someone who loves fashion to be able to love their own product the most is such a big deal.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
Honestly nothing. I think the process of learning and discovering is so beautiful.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian fashion right now?
I think there’s something in the water over this side of the world when it comes to design and innovation. Every time I find a cool new label, it seems to be from here and I love that for us.
What about the local fashion industry needs to change?
I really wish there were more opportunities to produce locally.
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Who would be your dream Australian collaborators?
A festival collab with Zimmerman would be insane. I would also love to collab with Deiji Studios, as we use a lot of the same fabrics and I love their mission for sustainability.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
A lot of Deiji Studios, Margiela and Sandy Liang.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
On our website at mymum-madeit.com!
Do you have any advice for budding fashion designers?
You have everything you need deep within yourself. Be true to yourself and allow yourself to flourish.
You can follow My Mum Made It here.
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