Mina’s Natalie Procter set out to change the way we consume fashion fresh out of university at the age of 22. Six years and countless collections later, she’s closing her beloved store doors to focus on a more personal journey. The designer looks back at her time in New Zealand’s fashion industry, reflecting on five important lessons Mina taught her over the years.

Naivety can be a blessing

When I reflect on starting Mina at age 22, I wasn’t thinking about the long term; all I was thinking about was the impact I wanted to make right then and there. I had a ‘world is your oyster’ mindset.

I say in almost every interview, ‘I was young and naive, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way’. I say that because if I had known what having my own business would entail, I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to make the jump. Starting something without knowing all the challenges meant I led Mina optimistically. I tackled things as they came.

I learnt a lot in those early days. Not only was I starting a business but also navigating my life in my 20’s. It forced me to be independent and to ask questions, but most importantly, it pushed me to be brave and fearlessly confident in every decision I make.

The power of community - don’t be afraid to lean on others

At the start, Mina was run by just Mum and me. We had control and were always across every single part of the business. I always thought that as long as it’s just Mum and me running Mina, it’s easy and less complicated - if we fail, it’s fine; we’d just look back on it as a fun wee project we started together. I’m proud of how long Mum and I lasted, just the two of us running an established business. However as I look back, I realise we were burnt out far before we accepted we were actually burnt out. That’s when we knew Mina had outgrown the two of us, and we needed to grow the team.

While I was initially reluctant to relinquish control, I’ve come to realise how important it is to have support around you; bringing different skills and perspectives into a business is crucial for growth.

Trust your gut - your instinct is (almost) always right

A pivotal moment for me was being confronted with a few big life decisions all at once. After a surgery in May last year, my partner and I went to Europe for a holiday. While we were there, we were given some results from my doctor, forcing us to think about our future with a family sooner than we had thought. At this point, we were five years into running Mina, but it still felt like my baby. The thought of bringing an actual baby into the mix and juggling both felt impossible. Life felt unfair, I was 28 and having to make decisions that would change the direction of my life. The decisions were permanent, no going back. It was all-consuming.

When life throws you a curveball, it makes you think about the bigger picture. And that’s what I did. To say it was that simple is a wild understatement, but that’s what kept me focused on what I had to do. Business-wise, shutting Mina felt like the worst timing ever - we’d navigated through Covid, and although it wasn’t a straight bounce-back, we’d come out the other side stronger. NZ-made clothing comes with a price tag, and understandably, people were prioritising other things in their lives at the time. But after a while, things felt easier and more positive, and our community was back supporting us.

The decision to take an indefinite pause took all of me. I knew deep down I had to make it on my own, but I wanted someone to make it for me. I will always remember the two weeks I was alone at home; the time just went so slowly. It was such an uncomfortable space to sit in. I reached out to my closest friends and family and talked them through my situation. I carried a little notebook with me and wrote down anything they said that resonated with me. I would look through the notebook every night to see if there was something in there that would make my decision for me. It wasn't until someone close to me said, “Maybe it’s the universe telling you it’s the end of this chapter and the start of a more exciting one”. It was the first time I didn’t feel scared or upset. I felt at peace, in control, and that I was doing this on my terms by trusting my instinct.

Know your WHY

Looking back, I’m proud that I’ve always stayed true to my ‘why’, why I started Mina. I never set out to start a clothing label, for me it was a desire to share the story behind our clothes and celebrate our local industry. I’ve actually never been much of a shopper myself, I lacked self confidence as a child and hated the idea of trying clothes on. It’s only now that I reflect on that; I think that’s part of the reason I worked so hard to create an environment for my customers to feel comfortable in. I wanted to make women feel confident when they wore Mina.

I also think it’s okay for your ‘why’ to evolve. I was 22 when I started Mina, and as the brand has grown and evolved, I have, too. I’ve become more confident in myself and Mina. My why almost became rooted in my business—yes, we championed our local industry and were always transparent about our production, but I also held true to my why when times got tough.

Conversations about moving production offshore to make things more streamline or more cost effective were always weighed up against our why. And we never waivered.

The end of one chapter can be the start of another

It’s a full-circle moment ending Mina’s journey with a pop-up sale this weekend. It takes me back to the overwhelming feeling of my first sample sale, nervously hoping people were going to show up. I remember the anxiety I felt leading up to the event. It was just me and one of my staff rostered to work; we’d spent weeks prepping for it. Half an hour before it started I was out the back changing into another outfit. I’d taken my bra off to wear a certain dress when someone said, “Nat, there's a decent line outside already”. I quickly chucked a top and wool jacket on (it was February) and walked out to see for myself. I was overwhelmed with the amount of people lining up for the sale. Everyone was so smiley and warm, eagerly waiting to come in. I opened the doors immediately. I was a hot and flustered mess that day, like a rookie I didn’t test the Eftpos terminal beforehand, so everyone was having to bank transfer for the first hour. And I could never take my wool jacket off because I had no bra on! But what I remember most from the day was how lovely and kind everyone was. I felt really proud of the brand that day as I felt like our customers were a reflection of Mina. You never know how your brand is perceived from the outside, but I felt like that day I could see it.

As I prepare to close the business, I’m starting to think beyond what was once a future with Mina guaranteed in it. Mina has always been a huge part of who I am, it’s been with me through almost my entire 20’s. Sometimes, it’s been my entire personality. When you're giving everything to your business, you start to ask yourself who you are outside of your business. In the last few years, there's been a lot of pressure on females to have our shit together, knowing the perfect time to ‘settle down’, or push forwards in our career, or travel the world. We're trying to do it all, but there's a feeling of running out of time. What I’ve learnt is that you can’t plan everything. You might have your shit together, and then something comes out of nowhere that wasn’t in the plan.

Life is really precious, and I think this ‘break’ will allow me the headspace to try and navigate and prepare for the next chapter.

It does feel scary, but I’m learning to embrace and lean into the change and this new chapter.

Mina will always be my first baby and my biggest teacher. Although Mina may no longer be here in the physical, l can take parts of Mina into my future, not only the community it has created but the amazing memories I have shared with my Mum. Mina has been there to help me navigate through my 20’s and I will always reflect on those years with so much happiness and love.

Natalie x