Ones To Watch: Designers Cammy & Cologne
BACKSTORY
Names: Cammy Hebert & Cologne Schmidt ~ Age: Both 29 ~ Company Name: Show Me Your Mumu ~ Type of Business: Women’s Apparel
Proving that necessity is the mother of invention, design duo Cammy Hebert and Cologne Schmidt reinvented the classic mumu after a weekend vacation in Miami- and the rest is modern fashion history!
Cammy grew up in Atlanta and New Orleans, where her mom owned an amazing boutique in which Cammy spent a lot of her time. Football was also a big part of her life – her dad was the quarterback for the Saints. Meanwhile, 2500 miles west in sunny Southern California, Cologne was raised in the tony enclave of Newport Beach, where she wound up interning for a fashion magazine and was a contestant on the reality show “Stylista.” She interned for a fashion public relations firm in San Francisco, where her interwoven creative and business skills nurtured her destiny in the fashion industry.
They started their adventure together when they met at UC Berkeley and instantly became best friends. Cammy graduated with a B.S. in film theory, Cologne with a B.S. in business. After college the friends relocated to New York City, settled into a little apartment in Nolita and immersed themselves in the fashion industry. Cammy worked at the showrooms of Patterson J. Kincaid, LaRok and Elizabeth and James, Cologne at the corporate showroom of Calvin Klein. In the summer of 2009, they left the city for a weekend vacation in Miami, where they shared an epiphany. Cammy and Cologne always felt their wardrobes were missing something.
They consistently purchased shirts and tops in sizes much larger than they wore, stretched out the neck and threw over vintage slips to become the ideal, comfy yet cute mumu-esque dress. As they stretched out and cut many of these tops and dresses, it seemed they couldn’t ever find the perfect fit. They wanted something baggy and short, flattering & girly, but not so much as to swallow you whole. So they thought why not create this must-have staple themselves. Alas, Show Me Your Mumu was born!
Cammy and Cologne left NYC and moved to Venice Beach, California to build their brand. SMYM showcases the true Mumu lifestyle of Venice and draws inspiration from Cammy and Cologne’s world travels. Show Me Your Mumu is proudly made in downtown Los Angeles. Their eclectic and eccentric brand has since been embraced by celebs such as Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, and Beyoncé, and worn by women everywhere who can find it online and in more than 300 stores nationwide.
AHA MOMENT:
Cammy – Aha moment for me would be the first time we saw a complete stranger wearing
a mumu out and about. It was super exciting and felt very surreal. That’s when we knew our “mu-vement” was starting to spread further than just our inner circle. It happens more often now and we always try to make sure to appreciate an organic “stranger in a mumu sighting” because it’s still pretty cool.
Cologne – When we could look around the office, see a team of mumu girls working hard, and living the mumu dream. We have created such a positive and busy place to work. It makes us smile every day that we all get to work together.
2 CENTS:
Days are long, but the years are short. Have fun and love what you do! Enjoy the big AND small things in life!
DIGITAL AGE:
Facebook: /showmeyourmumu
Instagram: @showmeyourmumu
Twitter: @showmeyourmumu
Website: showmeyourmumu.com
Photo Credits: Ryan Hebert
