By Cesar Ocampo

When I sat down with Melissa Greenwood and her mother, Lauren Jarrett—founders of the First Nations brand Miimi & Jiinda—I knew this wasn’t going to be your standard fashion interview. And thankfully, it wasn’t. There were no stiff question-answer formats or PR-polished soundbites. Just a raw, honest, flowing conversation—like family sitting around sharing stories after dinner.

That’s the magic of Miimi & Jiinda. It’s not just a fashion label; it’s a lineage. It’s storytelling woven into fabric. It’s art that walks the runway, sure—but it also walks through time, memory, land, and love.

From Skirts to Storytelling

Melissa looked over at her mum and smiled as I asked where it all began. Lauren—whom Melissa lovingly calls “Miimi,” meaning “mother” in Gumbaynggirr—didn’t need a script. She just started talking about little Melissa: a joyful, nature-loving child who adored dressing up, peeking at her mother’s paintings, and always trailing behind her skirts.

“She was always curious and creative,” Lauren said with a soft chuckle. “She loved dressing up and would hang on to my skirts. She was shy back then—but so full of life.”

That image stayed with me—Melissa, quiet and wide-eyed, watching her mum weave, paint, create. It’s a full-circle kind of story. Because now, those same hands—one generation apart—create together.

The Painting That Started It All

The moment the brand really began? It wasn’t some grand business plan or a sleek product launch. It was in a small home in Melbourne where Melissa was living at the time, where Lauren had traveled to meet her first grandson—Melissa’s baby boy.

“I encouraged her to paint,” Lauren said. “And I told her, whatever you do, just finish the painting.”

Melissa nodded. “I’d been painting with Mum my whole life, but I never really finished anything. That day, I did. I finished the painting.”

She said it like a revelation. And it was. That painting became more than a canvas. It was proof. A spark. A beginning.

From Market Stalls to Sold-Out Shows

They started with local markets and a small exhibition at a café in Seaford. Their work sold out on the first day. They rushed home, grabbed more art off their walls—and it sold out again. “That was seven years ago,” Melissa said, “and we haven’t stopped since.”

Their art evolved into textiles. Textiles into garments. Garments into full collections. And now—onto the runway at Australian Fashion Week 2025.

Return to Country: The Runway Collection

Their latest collection, Bambuuda Garlaawir (“Morning Light” in Gumbaynggirr), is more than just beautiful clothing—it’s ceremony, it’s heritage, it’s a return to Country.

The show opened with pieces made from natural, sustainable fabrics like linen and silk, printed with their original artwork. But it was the handwoven pieces—crafted by Lauren from grasses she gathered herself on Gumbaynggirr Country—that brought a hush over the room.

A standout piece? A skirt woven from pandanus, lomandra, and native palm fibres, painstakingly gathered and shaped over days. Lauren held it up for me to see. “This is royalty,” I said, without even thinking.

Melissa’s own showpiece—a hand-painted calico dress—was equally powerful. It was inspired by the Gumbaynggirr dreaming story of the two sisters who made the sea. Painted in soft blues, rich pinks, and earthy browns, it’s titled Saltwater Nyami (Saltwater Woman). To see it is to see a story come to life.

More Than Fashion—It’s Family

Every thread of Miimi & Jiinda is sewn with connection—between mother and daughter, between community and Country. There’s reverence here, but also joy. These pieces aren’t relics—they’re alive. They dance, they breathe, they speak.

When I asked them how it felt to bring this collection to Australian Fashion Week, their response was simple: “We’re excited to share our stories. To invite people in.”

And that’s what Miimi & Jiinda always does. It invites you in—not just to admire their designs, but to learn, to feel, to remember.

An Invitation to Join the Story

On Friday, May 16 at 10AM, Miimi & Jiinda will walk the AFW runway with their new collection Bambuuda Garlaawir. But even if you’re not front row, you’re still part of it.

You can shop the full ready-to-wear collection—except for a few one-of-a-kind showpieces—online at miimiandjiinda.com. The runway will also be livestreamed on their website, so no matter where you are, you can witness the stories unfold in real time.

A Final Word From Miimi & Melissa

“This collection was made for you all to enjoy,” Melissa says, beaming. “Every fibre, every brushstroke, carries our love and passion for our stories and passing down of knowledge & language to the next generations. 

“Come celebrate Gumbaynggirr culture,” Lauren adds. “Come share in the first light.”