This months Mami Mode we talked to Natalia and Aleks Miletic from Piccolini Shoes

 

NATALIA FULL INTERVIEW:

What inspired you and Aleks to create Piccolini?

We were in a children’s store one day, looking at their shoes, and I have no idea why the thought even came to us, but we both looked at each other and said, “We could do this!” Once we broke it down and talked about it, Aleks and I truly believed we could fill a hole in the market: cool shoes for kids, ethically made of sustainable, low-tox materials that were good for children’s feet and development. We were both at a time in our lives when we had no kids and wanted to start something, but weren't sure what it was, until that moment.

Can you share a bit about your process and experience building a brand?

We started with an idea and a design. For the first couple of years, it was just Aleks and me (along with our supportive family and friends). We had never run a business or built an Instagram following before, but we took it one day at a time, shot every picture ourselves, and just learned along the way. We went to trade fairs and markets to get our name out; it was a very slow and gruelling process, where the money coming in equalled the money going out for a long time. But as we grew, we outsourced different parts of our business to continue to support our growth.

In short, it's a process, and having gone through it all from the start, I feel like we have a true understanding of our brand, as we've built it from nothing by ourselves.

You are about to move from the city to the mountains! What prompted this lifestyle change and what’s your vision for your new home?

I could talk about this all day! We weren’t looking, and definitely not outside the city, but we stumbled upon this house on a weekend drive and bought it two days later! We have loved living in Albert Park, and I never thought I’d leave. It has been so much fun while the kids were little, and I have made the most amazing lifelong friends. But our eldest is three now, and we really want a home to celebrate life’s special moments with our family and friends; we felt that we just couldn’t accommodate that in our city house. The garden at our new house is really what sold it for me—the idea of being able to open our doors and have the kids play in the garden with chickens and a veggie patch is such a dream and something we could never have achieved in the city.

Any advice for women looking to build a business from scratch?

Jump in and give it a go! Take it day by day and ask for help from your friends and family. There have been countless times when I've called my girlfriends for help packing orders, and many times we call our mum looking for answers. We even had a friend generously let us store our stock in their warehouse until we could afford to move to a 3PL. You won’t know everything straight away, but many people have done it before you and are very willing to help. I do feel we are lucky to work in the childrenswear space, as it’s such a beautiful community to be a part of. We’ve experienced so much support, and sharing knowledge with each other is way more powerful than trying to do it all and figure it all out yourself.

How do you manage the juggle between mum life and work life?

Honestly, I don’t ‘juggle’ it very well. I constantly feel overwhelmed, and my to-do list is never-ending, but I take it day by day and somehow, we make it work. My intention for the year was to be more organized, as that is the area I struggle with the most. I am lucky that Aleks is VERY organized, so she helps me in this regard.

What gets you truly excited about your work/what makes you jump out of bed in the morning?

Easily the best part has been building this business with my sister. Second is the creative aspect of our job. I love design and having a vision for our brand. As our brand grows and we're able to outsource more tasks, I hope to do more of this work.

What’s something being a mum of two has taught you about yourself?

Having two kids close together has taught me so much about myself! I'm especially proud of the strength I've found since becoming a mother. Growing and birthing my babies, building a business, making the right friends along the way, and discovering the strength to be true to myself and stand up for my children—these are all things motherhood has given me.

How did you find your postpartum experience whilst creating your business?

After my first, I was completely shocked. It took me a really long time to recover. It was also Covid times, so starting a business and navigating this new life was a lot. I feel sad when I think back to that time because I had such high expectations of how becoming a mother and building this business would look and feel for me, and that simply wasn’t my reality. The second time around was a lot smoother and lighter. I knew what to expect, and I also gave myself the time I needed instead of trying to rush back to life. The support I had the second time around also played a huge role in my mental health and my ability to continue to work.

How has your style evolved over the years?

I don’t feel like my style has evolved much, to be honest. I've always been very ‘safe’ with my style (sometimes I feel too boring). I do love pushing myself creatively out of my comfort zone with fashion, but I wish I did it more often. I've always been a jeans-over-exercise gear kind of girl, though. It takes me a little while to get back to feeling good after having kids, so relying on a nice pair of jeans and an oversized tailored shirt has always been my go-to. I found, especially postpartum, that it made me feel more put together.

How do you approach shopping and building your wardrobe?

I like to invest in pieces I will wear for years, so I try to make sure they're wearable not just for special events. In general, I really try to be conscious of buying items that I feel comfortable in.

I also tend to gravitate towards timeless pieces. If an item is expensive, I will wait and sit on it for a while and see if it fits well into my wardrobe.

Statement pieces like a nice coat, handbag, and sunglasses are all items I invest in because I feel like I will get years of wear out of them. I do love a fun dress, though—always have. Before becoming a mum, I would spend a lot on them, but now I try to prioritize more wearable and practical clothes.

That being said, being the eldest of three girls, I have always loved it when a girlfriend wants to borrow something special of mine—I find it to be the biggest compliment. I'm also lucky to have very cool friends who often let me visit their wardrobes (Liv being one of them!)

ALEKS FULL INTERVIEW:

Can you share a bit about your career?

After completing my Footwear Design Bachelor's degree in Italy, I was desperate to get back to Melbourne and start my career! I studied quite a niche degree, one that you cannot study in Australia, so I definitely felt like I brought a wealth of knowledge back home and was so excited to be in this industry.

I have been working as a designer in the industry for seven years now, and boy, have I changed! Reality hit hard coming back to Australia and being thrown into the world of commercial fashion. To be honest, it was a little disheartening when my boss said to me, "Look at what the majority of people in the world wear—those are our customers." This is when I knew I needed to do something on my own; otherwise, my creative energy would just deplete!

What inspires your designs?

I am inspired by new technologies and sustainability—functionality has also recently slipped into the mix!

What’s it like being in business with your sister?

We have our different strengths and weaknesses. I would say that I am more of a direct/blunt personality, and Natalia is very nurturing and emotional. So, these can definitely clash, but they can also provide a good balance in business.

The benefit of working with your sister is that no one knows you like your sister. Plus, we can argue with one another but know we have to be friends again, as we are stuck together for life!

What’s one piece of advice you’ve gotten that’s stuck with you?

I think about something my Dad said to me as a teenager when I was being bratty and complaining about my casual waitressing job. He said, more or less: “This is your life; if you don’t want to do something, don’t do it.”

Obviously, I wanted the money, so I rolled my eyes at him, as a teenage daughter does.

But now that I am older, I think back to when he said that and definitely implement that in my life where I can. That is why our business is so important to me; it allows me to work for me, for us, and for something I am passionate about and so very proud of. I know in life, sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do, but when you look at the bigger picture, it has to make sense.

You moved to Italy with your little one and husband. Can you share a bit more about that experience? How did it impact you personally and professionally?

My partner is from Italy, and that is actually where we met. When I was pregnant with Stella, I said to him, “Why don’t we go back to Italy, stay with your parents, travel around, and spend this time together as a family?”

Stella is their first grandchild and number six in my family, so it hits a little different!

I also wanted to give that to my partner—he has given so much to me by living in my country away from his family.

Having our first baby together, it was so important to me that all three of us could be together as much as possible and really bond. I didn’t want Michele to have to go back to work two weeks later and miss out on that bonding experience.

The timing was right, so I thought, why not?

It was emotionally challenging for me, dealing with anxiety for the very first time in my life and not being around any of my friends or family. But my partner's family are amazing, and I would do it all again if I get the opportunity to. We made some pretty incredible memories, and I am forever grateful for that time.

Professionally, it was great! I had full-time babysitters, so I could jump on a Zoom call and work for a couple of hours while they played with her. It was very easy to work remotely, although a little hard to connect with Natalia when I needed to, due to the time difference.

How would you describe your style?

I would say my style is pretty simple…I definitely have a few out-there pieces, but I have always invested in accessories and shoes to make an outfit more interesting.

That’s the great thing about Natalia; she is the clothes buyer, so whenever I need anything for an event, I always raid her closet. She has such a good eye for clothes, so I rarely buy anything without her approval.

I obviously LOVE shoes—funnily enough, I don’t care if they are uncomfortable. I also love to buy sunglasses. Those are the two easiest things for me to purchase!

Clothing-wise, jeans are my go-to—so boring, but I love how a good pair of jeans can make you feel.

What are three pieces in your wardrobe you’re reaching for the most right now?

The first is my wide-leg denim jeans from Kookai, they are just the best fit and length. The second is a red Gant button cardigan, so easy to wear as I wear a lot of black, white and denim, so a good way to add some colour (stolen from Natalia’s wardrobe!). The third is these RSF black sunglasses that have brown/yellow lenses that I bought when I was overseas.

How do you juggle your creative practice with motherhood?

I think I have become a mother at the best time within this business. The first few years, it really needed a lot of time, effort, and mistakes to be made. Don’t get me wrong, as we grow, the business always needs more and more attention, but I at least had 2.5 years to get myself into a routine with it all before Stella came along. Now it is SO fun because she can finally fit the shoes, so as we design new products, I can take inspiration from what she needs, and what is missing in her wardrobe. What is a necessity for me is:

1. A family calendar on the fridge
2. Meetings scheduled in my phone calendar that send me reminders
3. A To-Do list that I make in the morning every day that I can tackle on my days at home with her whilst she naps OR in the evenings on the days I am in the office
4. Flagging emails!

A piece of advice for mums wanting to pursue their passions?

Definitely pursue your passions! I find organisation works best for me.

You also need to be okay with not being able to do it all—you need to be willing to perhaps sacrifice something (for me, it was personal time, not saying that is a good thing), and then create a schedule, one for yourself and one including your family.

I LOVE to work and always have—I feel like if I didn’t work, I wouldn’t be the mum I want to be.

What is a personal goal that you are working towards?

Going back to my Pilates gym—that was my New Year’s resolution, but it still hasn’t happened! (That’s what I mean about being able to do it all, it’s HARD!)

What’s been your biggest learning as a businesswoman?

How important profit margins are; there are SO many costs other than just the product cost, so to include all of the extra costs such as freight charges, insurance, rent, ad spend, subscriptions, website costs, packaging, wages, etc. It adds up very quickly!

What are you most passionate about right now?

We are currently in the midst of a rebrand due to a trademark dispute, so defying the odds and coming out of this bigger, better, and stronger is truly my passion and focus right now.

Your biggest style inspirations?

Haaaaaaaaard question! I’m going to sound cheesy, but probably Natalia, as I have looked up to her and stolen her clothes for YEARS, so it would be rude not to say her… I also love Victoria Beckham, so chic.

No one asked—but fave shoe brands would be ESSEN (such a cool, timeless women's footwear brand for everyday styles), AQUAZZURA for something sexy and fun, and I also love DOF for chic sneakers and sandals (since I'm not normally a sneakers girl!)