For the latest episode of Vibe Check, we had the pleasure of speaking with the founder and CMO of Miilkiina, Nadia Azmi and Maria Alia. Miilkiina is a new digital media space and creative agency that spotlights global tastemakers and trailblazers and focuses on underrepresented identities.
Azmi and Alia have a renewed appreciation for the internet and social media during a time when physical interaction has been drastically reduced due to the pandemic. During the podcast, they discuss the power of the internet and how their reach has been able to expand amid the coronavirus crisis. Now more than ever, Miilkiina is bringing in creatives from all over the world to have specific conversations that may not have been previously possible.
Miilkiina is a space for everybody, something Azmi and Alia wish they had access to earlier on in their careers. Here, they also delve into how they broke into the creative industry and what it takes to follow similar pursuits.
The episode comes to a close as Azmi and Alia touch on getting 'fits off at home and the future of fashion in general. Press play above to listen to this new installment of Vibe Check.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.
Noah: As fashion lovers, right? What have you all been doing? Have you guys been like getting dressed, going out, have you been shopping? What's been going on?
Nadia: I've been wearing the same shit since March, and anyone else that has been wearing anything else is not accepting the fact that this is our reality for a minute.
Maria: I disagree. As a lover of fashion, even though I have nowhere really to go these days, it makes me happy to put on a fit and to just, even if I'm just literally staying in my apartment and taking a mirror pic, it makes me feel good and happy and creative. In Nadia's defensive though, she's also been away from her wardrobe for the past four months. Yeah, but no sweats definitely have taken a precedence in my wardrobe for sure, but I'm not shopping. I'm more just looking, maybe stalking a few sales, but also just rediscovering the stuff that's already in my wardrobe. It's been fun.
Noah: And the world is like changing. The whole fashion landscape is changing literally right before our eyes, just with representation, inclusivity, but also just calling out everyone that's doing terrible things, trends are changing. Is there anything that you're seeing that you're really excited about and optimistic about the future of fashion in a time when it seems like everything is just going down the drains.
Maria: I mean, I'm excited about, I mean, even just personally I've always, or not always, but in the past few years have been more conscious of sustainability and maybe just cutting down on consumerism. And I think that if anything, this pandemic has taught a lot of people, well, I don't know if it's taught a lot of people, but some people are starting to understand the horrors of capitalism. And like, I think that's nice. And even for myself just rethinking the way that I consume and why I consume. And even just the brands that I work with, all of that has shifted, but I'm excited because I feel now more than ever, more content with less and with experimenting with what I have more than just like, "Oh, let me just get the next newest thing." Which is also good for my bank account, so that's a bit thing.
Nadia: I'm in agreement with Maria.
Maria: Yeah, and also just like the shift away from the tradition of fashion weeks and even just publications. I feel like it's just been the same thing for so long, and I feel like we're finally seeing it change a bit with digital shows because at the end of the day, we actually don't need it in person fashion shows. That's outdated. Everything is accessible online. I mean, of course, it's beautiful to see in person, but it's also extremely unsustainable and wasteful and expensive. So I think that's definitely another positive that has come of this interesting year.
Noah: And you think it's over forever, no more shows.
Maria: No, I don't think it's dead. I mean, there still are shows for sure, but I think it's less rigid. I think more brands are looking outside the box and doing things differently, not just doing it because this is the way it was always done.
Nadia: Yeah, and I think it's a good opportunity to just cut the bullshit. Do we really need 10 events a week? I'm tired, and I don't feel like going.
Maria: Yeah, and the fact that seasons are obsolete too. I mean, these are things that have been brewing for the past decade, but it's really sped up this year, so that's what I think.
