Minkie designer, Sally Burne's, rural Welsh background growing up surrounded by animals and nature may not have pointed towards an obvious career in fashion. Serendipitously, an idyllic weekend with John Galliano on a photoshoot changed the course of her life as a teenager, resulting with her graduating from the RCA in London only to be quickly snapped up by Topshop at the height of their popularity. This is where she began her fashion label Minkie.
There it became one of the first brands to push the sustainable message in the store resisting the urge to mass produce in factories and keeping the business small and local using only dead stock fabrics already in existence. The sole use of dead stock was to not add to the fashion industries relentless churning out of wasteful parrot fashion.
At Minkie, we strive for a point of difference in design using vintage as a reference for longevity and ensuring great quality. All our sought-after pieces are designed and handmade in our London studio and have been worn by many celebrity clients over the years including Paris Hilton and Dua Lipa to name a few.
With Topshop now gone its a new start for Minkie. With time to enjoy the design process again away from the fast turnover of the high street, Sally feels everyone should be slowing down and choosing wisely if we are serious about helping the planet.
Now Sally, her son Milo and husband, music producer Fred Ball flit between their eco retreat project in Herefordshire also a new inspiration for whimsical self portraits in her dresses and the Camden studio. Let the next chapter begin.