Earlier this year we launched the MIMCO Design Project. In a MIMCO first, we handed over the reigns and asked YOU to redesign our iconic Button Bag. Nikki Flux, the winning designer, visited MIMCO HQ to meet our design team and tell us more about what inspired her entry.

Nikki Flux with MIMCO Managing & Creative Director, Cathryn Wills

MIMCO: Congratulations, Nikki! The “State of Flux Bag” is launching as part of MIMCO’s 20th birthday collection in 2016. What was your reaction when you first realised you had won the MIMCO Design Project?

NF:Thank you so much! I was completely shocked - I think I might actually have sworn down the phone! I mean of course I was proud of my design, but I was just so excited and flattered that MIMCO liked it, too.

MIMCO: The MIMCO Design Project was all about celebrating creativity and our eclectic heritage. What inspired you enter your design?

NF:I’ve always admired MIMCO’s spirit. It’s a brand that truly embraces creativity, with designs that offer something unique to set them apart from other brands.

MIMCO: Can you tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind your design?

NF: I didn’t have a “go to” bag. I guess it’s like the Goldilocks thing - I needed something just right and was excited by the idea of creating a design that not only suited my aesthetic but was easy to wear from day to night. With nods to the goth and punk scenes, I wanted to inject a little bit of “daring” into everyday wears.

Nikki's original sketch of the State of Flux Bag

A snippet of Nikki's inspiration: Kylie Minogue wearing John Paul Gaultier. Image via NGV

MIMCO: Do you have a design background?

NF:I do! I completed a Bachelor of Applied Design (Communications) at Billy Blue College of Design in Melbourne in 2014. I also come from a visual arts background, specifically illustration.

MIMCO: You recently visited MIMCO HQ and met with our design and editorial teams. What was it like learning about the processes behind a MIMCO collection?

NF: It was amazing. I’ve always be intrigued about how things work, the processes and thinking. It’s so much more than I thought, but every step is important and considered and ensures that the final product is the absolute best it can be.

MIMCO: You also saw the first sample of your bag. Are you pleased with how your sketch has come to life so far?

NF:It’s so cool! It’s also completely surreal and I’m still pinching myself. I’m so excited to see the final product and can’t wait for everyone else to see it, too!

MIMCO: At MIMCO we love all women and love celebrating their diversity. Do you have any women in your life that have inspired or continue to inspire you?

NF: Oh, there are so many….. Floria Sigismondi, Bjork, Milla Jovovich, Vivienne Westwood, Grace Jones, Kylie Minogue, Shirley Manson, Jenna Marbles, Courtney Love, Siouxsie Sioux, Tori Amos, MIA, my mother, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, girlfriends, my lecturers and art teachers from high school and uni... I could almost go on forever! Each and every one inspires me in one way or another. They’ve helped shape me as a woman, from my soul through to my creativity.