Maria Karimi has survived a war, a transatlantic move and a global pandemic. But despite everything, the creator of Mindful Pigs keeps smiling.

Negativity is not common practice in the world of Mindful Pigs, a Montreal label with an aptitude for unabashed joy and positivity. It offers clothes that bring smiles – pieces that radiate happiness, whether it’s colorful bandanas, matching mesh sets or heart-shaped backpacks.

“I realized pretty early on that optimism is a choice,” says founder Maria Karimi. “When things get tough, I think, ‘I’ve been through worse; I can tackle anything.’ And, indeed, she did, and she can.

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Karimi was born in Afghanistan but spent her early years in India after the outbreak of war in her native country. “As a child, I regularly saw soldiers, rockets and bombs,” she shares. “When you leave an environment like this, you have to count your blessings.”

The designer admits that she never had much interest in the arts when she was younger because it seemed too impractical to her. However, after her family moved to Canada and she discovered fashion, everything changed. “I was always in my head, so fashion gave me the freedom to feel,” she says. In 2017, Karimi launched MAR, a ready-to-wear brand specializing in modern classics, followed in 2022 by cruelty-free, sustainable and gender-free Mindful Pigs.

“My goal is simply to inspire other souls to practice a gentler way of consuming and to have a little more love and empathy for the planet as a whole,” shares Karimi, who describes herself as a “gentle activist”. “Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can use fashion as a way to speak without words. Clothing should allow you to be whoever you want.

Here, the designer shares the influences that inspire her work, in particular her mixed background, her need to travel and her joie de vivre.

To like

“Everything I do comes from a place of love, and I always hope my work inspires that feeling in someone else. When you do everything with sincerity and purpose, it makes life easier.

Veganism

“I’ve been vegan for about six years and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Mindful Pigs aims to make cruelty-free clothing more fashion-forward.

Journey

“I have to go somewhere at least once a year; otherwise I have this itch under my skin. I need to breathe new air. I love discovering new people, food and art. It satisfies my curiosity and my thirst to learn, to observe and to be inspired.

South Asia

“Having grown up and been around so many different cultures, I find it all blurry – but also inspiring. The mix of textures, colors and embroidery in my work is heavily influenced by my Afghan and Indian background.

western culture

“Every time I do a structured piece, it draws inspiration from Western culture. In North America, people have to dress a certain way to exude power, and a lot of my clients have a business background, so a mix of emotions and psychology is always at play.”

Gender fluidity

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make single-gender clothes. At two years old, I decided I was a boy. I gave myself a boy’s name and only wore boy’s clothes until my early teens. I have since made peace with my gender as a woman, but my early gender fluidity has translated into my work.

This article first appeared in FASHION’s Summer 2023 issue. Read more here.