by L'Exception, on July 17, 2023
Find out more about our ECO X CEPTION brands, which are moving the world in the right direction. We had the chance to chat with Naja MUNTHE, founder and artistic director of MUNTHE. A high-end ready-to-wear brand for women that offers free, enthusiastic and contrasting fashion.
Naja: When I was younger, I was intrigued by clothes and art, and I knew I wanted to end up on the creative side of making clothes. I had no idea what it was called, but I knew it would be my path. Before I went to fashion design school, I spent two years at an art school. It was supposed to help me learn to draw, which it did, but it also enabled me to fall in love with painting. Art is and always has been an important part of the brand from the start.
Since then, I've been working to create MUNTHE. I wanted to create clothes that focused on art, women's emancipation and that lasted more than one season. Next year, MUNTHE celebrates its 30th anniversary and I'm very proud of it.
Naja: Yes, always have. My parents were hippies, so we lived in harmony with nature and in a way that few people had tried at the time. Showing respect for nature and what the earth gives us is something that's ingrained in me and therefore in MUNTHE as a brand.
This has always been one of our main objectives and we do everything we can to harm the planet as little as possible. We design and produce clothes that are made to last as long as possible, years before the industry even mentions it. After all, I know that fashion is one of the biggest polluters of the environment, so I feel obliged to minimize the damage and have done my best to maintain this since the beginning of MUNTHE.
Naja: We interpret sustainability holistically and believe that we are on a never-ending path where we must constantly explore and evaluate how best to invest in progress. We must constantly take an honest look at all aspects of our production, from choosing the best low-impact materials to creating the best working conditions for our suppliers and employees.
At MUNTHE, we work hard to produce zero waste. By integrating a meticulous approach to our design, the materials we use and the way we produce each collection, we strive to become the most responsible version of ourselves.
Our collections are composed of at least 50 e responsible materials. As a brand, MUNTHE's criteria is that our MUNTHE MORE RESPONSIBLE models are made from at least 50 e recycled or certified low-impact materials. 50 e recycled or certified low-impact materials that have a better environmental footprint.
Naja: We constantly develop a list of preferred materials and adhere to it. We work with all our suppliers to sustainably find the best materials for each MUNTHE style in terms of aesthetics, longevity, comfort and performance.
Our production workshops are carefully selected. We've worked with most of them for many years, and we've made this journey together to ensure that they adhere to our code of conduct, which is rooted in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. This is to ensure a baseline for the ethical and environmental aspects of our collaboration.
Our aim is to minimize our impact on the environment. It's not an easy task, but we're convinced that by continually striving to do a little more, we'll be able to document tangible effects.
Naja: In many ways. MUNTHE is 100% founded, owned and managed by women. As a result, we're always thinking about how we can support women. Over 90 th of MUNTHE's workforce are women.
The support we provide is through ART MONDAY, donations to the Danish Women's Society, diversity within the company, campaigns and our shows.
With ART MONDAY, we shine a global spotlight on women artists. Women are under-represented in the art world, in galleries and museums, and thanks to ART MONDAY, we're shining the spotlight on female artists across all our platforms. We select a few of these women and pieces of their art to make a print. This print becomes part of the collection and is sold worldwide to ensure they receive as much attention as possible.
For the Danish Women's Society, we design a t-shirt each year that costs 67 euros, 20 euros of which is donated to the Danish Women's Society. The Danish Women's Society is an NGO whose aim is to ensure that equality between men and women is always on the political agenda - and it works beyond opinions and partisan considerations
Naja: Artistic prints are an integral part of MUNTHE. I've created prints as a natural part of all the collections over the years. It's become a natural part of our identity. A MUNTHE print is very recognizable.
My inspiration comes from many sources, from anywhere and anything. It could be exhibitions I've visited, women from all walks of life, nature, art or architecture, to name but a few. MUNTHE's signature is the conceptual embodiment of contradictions and contrasts: soft silhouettes with a touch of tailoring for versatile styles that adapt to multiple occasions depending on how you wear them. Timeless, expressive garments rooted in art and craftsmanship, I'm always on a mission to liberate expressions and personalities.
We work with many women artists and this is close to my heart. Art is at the heart of MUNTHE, and collaborations with female artists are recurrent every season, and therefore form an important part of every collection we create.
Naja: MUNTHE places great importance on sustainability and social responsibility. We are in the process of hiring our first CSR employee, to ensure that we can always improve and become better.
Next, we are in the process of expanding and developing our Simple Studio collection. The Simple Studio collection is an essential part of the MUNTHE universe, and it will become even more important. The collection will be more focused, and we've shot an extraordinary campaign that will launch in September 2023.
We've just moved into our new headquarters and have a stunning showroom and office space. The showroom is built like an art gallery, and we exhibit many works of art by women artists such as Sif Itona Westerberg and Josefine Winding. I intend to continue to support other women artists and exhibit more artworks in the showroom and offices in the future.
Discover our MUNTHE selection at L'Exception
The story of MUNTHE began in 1994 in Copenhagen, can you tell us how?
Naja: When I was younger, I was intrigued by clothes and art, and I knew I wanted to end up on the creative side of making clothes. I had no idea what it was called, but I knew it would be my path. Before I went to fashion design school, I spent two years at an art school. It was supposed to help me learn to draw, which it did, but it also enabled me to fall in love with painting. Art is and always has been an important part of the brand from the start.
Since then, I've been working to create MUNTHE. I wanted to create clothes that focused on art, women's emancipation and that lasted more than one season. Next year, MUNTHE celebrates its 30th anniversary and I'm very proud of it.
Did MUNTHE have this ambition to be an eco-responsible brand right from the start?
Naja: Yes, always have. My parents were hippies, so we lived in harmony with nature and in a way that few people had tried at the time. Showing respect for nature and what the earth gives us is something that's ingrained in me and therefore in MUNTHE as a brand.
This has always been one of our main objectives and we do everything we can to harm the planet as little as possible. We design and produce clothes that are made to last as long as possible, years before the industry even mentions it. After all, I know that fashion is one of the biggest polluters of the environment, so I feel obliged to minimize the damage and have done my best to maintain this since the beginning of MUNTHE.
Can you tell us more about what MUNTHE is doing for a more sustainable and conscious fashion industry?
Naja: We interpret sustainability holistically and believe that we are on a never-ending path where we must constantly explore and evaluate how best to invest in progress. We must constantly take an honest look at all aspects of our production, from choosing the best low-impact materials to creating the best working conditions for our suppliers and employees.
At MUNTHE, we work hard to produce zero waste. By integrating a meticulous approach to our design, the materials we use and the way we produce each collection, we strive to become the most responsible version of ourselves.
Our collections are composed of at least 50 e responsible materials. As a brand, MUNTHE's criteria is that our MUNTHE MORE RESPONSIBLE models are made from at least 50 e recycled or certified low-impact materials. 50 e recycled or certified low-impact materials that have a better environmental footprint.
Your production is low-impact, how do you choose your raw materials, as well as your production workshops?
Naja: We constantly develop a list of preferred materials and adhere to it. We work with all our suppliers to sustainably find the best materials for each MUNTHE style in terms of aesthetics, longevity, comfort and performance.
Our production workshops are carefully selected. We've worked with most of them for many years, and we've made this journey together to ensure that they adhere to our code of conduct, which is rooted in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. This is to ensure a baseline for the ethical and environmental aspects of our collaboration.
Our aim is to minimize our impact on the environment. It's not an easy task, but we're convinced that by continually striving to do a little more, we'll be able to document tangible effects.
One of your commitments is the emancipation of women, how is this reflected in the brand and its collections?
Naja: In many ways. MUNTHE is 100% founded, owned and managed by women. As a result, we're always thinking about how we can support women. Over 90 th of MUNTHE's workforce are women.
The support we provide is through ART MONDAY, donations to the Danish Women's Society, diversity within the company, campaigns and our shows.
With ART MONDAY, we shine a global spotlight on women artists. Women are under-represented in the art world, in galleries and museums, and thanks to ART MONDAY, we're shining the spotlight on female artists across all our platforms. We select a few of these women and pieces of their art to make a print. This print becomes part of the collection and is sold worldwide to ensure they receive as much attention as possible.
For the Danish Women's Society, we design a t-shirt each year that costs 67 euros, 20 euros of which is donated to the Danish Women's Society. The Danish Women's Society is an NGO whose aim is to ensure that equality between men and women is always on the political agenda - and it works beyond opinions and partisan considerations
We find a lot of artistic prints on MUNTHE pieces, what are your different inspirations for creating strong collections?
Naja: Artistic prints are an integral part of MUNTHE. I've created prints as a natural part of all the collections over the years. It's become a natural part of our identity. A MUNTHE print is very recognizable.
My inspiration comes from many sources, from anywhere and anything. It could be exhibitions I've visited, women from all walks of life, nature, art or architecture, to name but a few. MUNTHE's signature is the conceptual embodiment of contradictions and contrasts: soft silhouettes with a touch of tailoring for versatile styles that adapt to multiple occasions depending on how you wear them. Timeless, expressive garments rooted in art and craftsmanship, I'm always on a mission to liberate expressions and personalities.
We work with many women artists and this is close to my heart. Art is at the heart of MUNTHE, and collaborations with female artists are recurrent every season, and therefore form an important part of every collection we create.
Do you have any future projects for MUNTHE to share with us?
Naja: MUNTHE places great importance on sustainability and social responsibility. We are in the process of hiring our first CSR employee, to ensure that we can always improve and become better.
Next, we are in the process of expanding and developing our Simple Studio collection. The Simple Studio collection is an essential part of the MUNTHE universe, and it will become even more important. The collection will be more focused, and we've shot an extraordinary campaign that will launch in September 2023.
We've just moved into our new headquarters and have a stunning showroom and office space. The showroom is built like an art gallery, and we exhibit many works of art by women artists such as Sif Itona Westerberg and Josefine Winding. I intend to continue to support other women artists and exhibit more artworks in the showroom and offices in the future.
Discover our MUNTHE selection at L'Exception
