You've definitely seen Pew Pew Patches around – be it on a stranger’s denim jacket, at various pop-up markets, or your friend’s backpack. With adorable designs and witty phrases, the colourful iron-on patches are were first made by local designer Dawn Bey when she was studying fashion design in Hong Kong.
Now, the entrepreneur has another exciting project on the horizon. She’s set up shop in a quaint studio on the first floor of her home near Holland Village. Called Minor Miracles, the print and textile label merges her love for fashion, prints, and art.
Photo: Minor Miracles
Congrats on the launch of Minor Miracles! How did it come about?
Minor Miracles was born out of my love for fashion and prints. The idea first came about when I created an exclusive print for my bridesmaids’ outfits and it received such a great response. This studio space is where I create prints which go onto textiles, paper, plastic... basically anything that can be printed! My team and I create our fashion collection in-house, from the designing and patternmaking to sampling. We love keeping the craft alive. Every season, we come up with fresh prints and a new range of clothes.
How do you combine your love for art and fashion with Minor Miracles?
Art has a beautiful way of telling a story, usually in an indirect way through metaphors. You can read a scene and infer the mood from the expressions, the colours and the scale. The version of fashion that I subscribe to, on the other hand, is more wearable and practical. Prints are a special way I can make art and fashion meet in my language. I am able to take a story and depict it visually through a range of prints that then go onto the body in different shapes and sizes.
Beyond just paintings on the wall, interactive moving art forms like performance art and dance inspire me. In a similar way, fashion turns the body into a walking interactive art form.
Photo: Minor Miracles
What’s one thing you look for when you’re translating your prints to fabric?
I always look for a theme or a story that strings everything together. It can be something simple like a visual line, but it needs a reason for its being. Fashion can be too superficial or transactional sometimes in its approach to creation and I want to be more intentional with my work.
Tell us about your favourite item from the collection.
Currently, it’s the No Scrubs Kimono Jacket. Function wise, we made this with a combination of features the team really wanted – a hood, big pockets, a cool silhouette and we made it reversible. It’s a knockout!
Why did you decide to convert the first floor of your home into a print and textile studio?
Our friends were looking for someone to take over their lease and with such a good location, we couldn’t turn it down. We want to be prudent with the way we accelerate the business. Converting the first floor of our new place into a print and textile studio just made sense.
Minor Miracles is open for walk-ins on weekdays between 10am-1pm and 3pm-7pm. On weekends or after hours, email hello@minormiracles.shop to make an appointment.
