Mii Collection establishes a 10,000-square-meter production facility in India
Mii Collection - recipient of the Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris in 2020 - is opening a new production workshop in the Indian region of West Bengal, close to the Bangladesh border. The brand aims to employ local artisans and preserve their remarkable textile expertise. This initiative is driven by a commitment to social responsibility and eco-conscious practices.
Lucie Bourreau and Bapan Dutta, who met at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, are at the helm of Mii Collection. They introduced their accessories and women's ready-to-wear label, Mii Collection, in 2013, emphasizing its made-in-India identity (hence the acronym "Mii"). From haute couture, with Dior's Mumbai fashion show at the end of March, to designers such as Kartik Kumra and Runa Ray, the fashion industry celebrates the craftsmanship of Indian communities.
Honouring ancient Indian techniques
Mii Collection offers a casual-chic wardrobe featuring intricate traditional embroideries like Aari (crochet) and needlework, vibrant screen-printed and block-printed patterns, and meticulously handwoven fabrics. Dutta stated, "Our goal is to bring India's ancestral craftsmanship into the spotlight, as it is a textile heritage that has suffered through two centuries of colonization and is now threatened by the mechanized overproduction of fast fashion."
Bourreau added, "Initially, we collaborated with around 20 artisans, but now we work with over 250 people, including 100 skilled embroiderers. It is creatively inspiring to collaborate directly with them, and with our new dedicated workshop that we will inaugurate in September, we will have complete control over our production chain."
The seed for this idea was planted during Talents, the support program of the French Federation of Women's Ready-to-Wear, in which Mii Collection participated in the 2020/2021 cycle (fourth promotion). In the same year, the brand successfully raised funds and attracted two business angels who collectively acquired a 20% stake in the company. Lucie Bourreau also notes, "We received a generous grant of €400,000 from the Institut pour le financement du cinéma et des industries culturelles (Institut to finance the cinema and cultural industries)."
The new workshop, situated in the Bardhaman district in the northeast of the country, spans a vast area of 10,000 square meters, three times larger than its previous location in Baidyabati. This state-of-the-art facility integrates both design and manufacturing processes. The workshop was designed together with Laurent Fournier, a French architect based in Calcutta specialising in eco-friendly habitats.
Bourreau explained, "It is an eco-friendly building adorned with abundant greenery, four stories high, featuring a brick dome, solar panels, and a rainwater treatment system. We wanted to be close to the villages where our weavers reside and proactively address the challenges posed by climate change."
Currently, the premium brand focuses primarily on wholesale distribution, which accounts for 90% of its revenue. Mii Collection collaborates with a network of 7 agents. Their refined collection of khadi cotton shirts, silk dresses embellished with mosaic prints, and lemon yellow linen pants are distributed through a global network of 220 retailers.
While exports constitute 60% of their business, the brand proudly showcases its presence in prestigious concept stores such as Merci in Paris, Solis in Lyon, Axsym in Bordeaux, and Coppelia in Avignon.
Based in Brest, France, Mii Collection has experienced a remarkable growth rate of 30%, generating €2.6 million in revenue last year (fiscal year ending March 31, 2023). The Franco-Indian duo of Lucie Bourreau and Bapan Dutta plan to further expand the brand in India next year and open a boutique in Paris. Their sights are set on the trendy neighbourhood of Saint-Germain.
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