In the fall of 2016, an assemblage between Millicent Dunstan and Ben Lucas Jones was formed under the kaleidoscopic gaze of fashion and uninhibited artistic-expression. Ben, who had recently moved from Australia to New York, was working at the Carhartt WIP Store NYC for a month when Millicent entered the brand’s flagship in search of a job that he soon hired her for. During this period of serendipitous events, the artistic duo bonded over their unwavering passion for alternative music, a shared ethos of unabashed individuality, and a rejection of societal norms — thus paving the way for the birth of MINDBLOWN in 2019.
Fueled by predecessors that defined the punk lifestyle, the sustainability-focused streetwear brand has ignited an anti-fashion, fashion movement founded on the principles of individual freedom and upholding the true origins of slow fashion. Embedding their creations with a devout sense of ethical awareness, the community-oriented brand aims to inspire and welcome all individuals to participate in a conscious wave of expressionistic-dressing that opposes anti-establishment views.
Adopting DIY techniques such as upcycling thrifted finds, reinventing discarded materials and transforming deadstock fabrics into custom, wearable garments — that remain rooted in alternative ideologies — the virtuosos behind MINDBLOWN have architected a neoteric fashion structure. One, that spreads positivity with joyous, electric colors and playful, unorthodox designs like signature patchwork-pants stitched with hand-sourced materials and emblazoned with radical graphics along with one-of-a-kind baby tees that poetically blend prints, patterns and shapes.
To get to the know the designers, Hypebae sat down with Millicent Dunstan and Ben Lucas Jones to discuss how their designs serve as commentary on the state of the industry, why breaking the rules in unprecedented ways remains at the brand’s core, and how creating accessible handmade garments through an anti-conservatism lens has positioned MINDBLOWN at the forefront of a fashion rebellion sparked by artistic freedom to be one’s self.
