Building an Anime Streetwear Brand From £1K | MNMLST | Nani Talks Episode 14.1

Anime merch used to mean slapping a loud character on a tee. MNMLST is rewriting that. In this episode of Nani Talks, the only anime podcast from the culture, we sit down with Jabz and Raihan, the two founders behind MNMLST: an anime-inspired streetwear brand built out of Camden, North London. They started with about a thousand pounds each, no investor, no safety net, just two anime fans who wanted to wear their love for the culture without it feeling cringe. We get into the real stuff: turning an idea into an actual clothing brand, designing faith-consciously (why their characters often have closed eyes and why iconography beats big graphics), the line between fashion and merch, what it really costs to license anime IP, how a garment is actually manufactured, and giving back through the Liberation Collection and youth workshops in Camden. If you have ever thought about starting a brand, or you just love anime fashion done properly, this one is for you. CHAPTERS  00:00 Who makes the best anime streetwear? 00:55 From idea to a real clothing brand 01:59 MNMLST origin story: two guys, a dream, £1K each 04:59 What the name means: if you know, you know 05:58 Faith and design: why the eyes stay closed 08:21 What sets MNMLST apart from cringe anime merch 10:38 Inside the design process 13:13 Fashion vs merch: "we're a brand, not merch" 13:32 Streetwear now, high fashion later 13:58 Camden roots and London style 15:55 Giving back: the Liberation Collection and youth workshop 18:19 Clothing as Nakama: community and meaning 20:46 Licensing anime IP: can you, and what does it cost? 23:38 Manufacturing: building a garment from scratch 29:52 IP clearance and copyright: what you can and can't do 32:57 The business reality, and why they do it 35:39 What's next: drops, the Varsity jacket, One Piece summer 37:08 Partners, support and the entrepreneur's lifestyle SHOP MNMLST Website: https://mnmlst.co.uk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialmnmlst Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialmnmlst/ (MNMLST = "minimalist" without the vowels) LISTEN TO NANI TALKS New episodes every Monday at 7:30pm. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Nani Talks Produced by Naniverse. #AnimeStreetwear #MNMLST #NaniTalks #AnimeFashion #ClothingBrand TC The Vision: http://instagram.com/tcthevision The Quantum One: http://instagram.com/the_quantum_one Slick: http://instagram.com/slickcrafted Junior: http://instagram.com/juniorox_ Tun3s: http://instagram.com/_stay_tun3d Jazzy: http://instagram.com/_jazmine4 Producer | Director: http://instagram.com/theblackkstar Sound Design: http://instagram.com/kayper.d.w Visual Architect: http://instagram.com/tcthevision