Meet The Mother-Daughter Duo Who Turned Their Love Of Sustainable Design Into A Business

Photo: Fiach O’Neill / Instagram @instafiach

For Mother’s Day, ShareJoy caught up with the iconic mother-daughter duo Mary Keogh and Martha O’Brien-Keogh of the sustainable lifestyle brand Mimi+Martha. They told us about their shared love of ethical design and slow fashion.

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful” is a quote from the famous textile designer William Morris that Mary O’Brien-Keogh lives by.

Her flourishing home in Limerick has been built in an environmentally friendly way. Her daughter Martha also shares her passion for cultivating a sustainable lifestyle and the simple pleasures in life. It was from these core values that the idea for ‘Mimi+Martha’ was born. It’s a lifestyle store that celebrates sparking joy within the home through ethical Irish design. The ladies agree that their business venture is simply an extension of their personal home life and values. 

Today Mary and Martha stand as business partners with a shared vision of making the transition to a sustainable way of living more appealing and accessible to the everyday consumer while embracing the beauty of Irish design. They reckon that their successful venture is written in the stars — their different personalities complement one another, giving them the balance needed to run Mimi+Martha. Mary is a typical Virgo, always paying close attention to detail, while Martha (a Gemini) fully embraces the creative role.

Mimi+Martha is a reflection of what means most to the mother-daughter duo. The business is run in a considered, authentic way and the women stand confidently behind the Mimi+Martha brand and promote Irish craft through a thoughtful method of consumption. Mimi+Martha offer a wide range of fabulous items for those hoping to make the move to the ‘sustainable sphere’.

“We want to introduce an eco-friendly way of living to others in a way that isn’t daunting.”

Grá is the Irish word for love and it is this ‘grá’ that manifests itself through Mimi+Martha’s collection. It’s carefully curated, with each piece telling a story of grá.

“Lockdown has given people a chance to be more mindful of living in the moment, accepting what can’t be controlled and appreciating the little things in life, the comforts of home,” Martha explains.

It has opened people’s eyes to embracing the joy of their surroundings in their humble abodes. The labour of love the Irish designers have for their workshop creations is evident in the intricacies of the pieces in the Mimi+Martha collection. The story of the daylight cycle intertwined with each craft brings a love that radiates throughout the home. Mary highlights the power that investment pieces can have in bringing back a moment in time, a meaningful memory.

‘When someone feels connected to a special buy, they are more likely to conserve their purchase and cherish the joy it brings for many years to come,’ notes Mary. Mimi+Martha strive to spread ‘grá’ throughout conscious homes through future generations.

“When someone feels connected to a special buy, they are more likely to conserve their purchase and cherish the joy it brings for many years to come.”

“Like two parts of a whole” is how Mary describes her close-knit relationship with her firstborn daughter, Martha (28). They admit to being close like sisters, having the craic together and sharing wardrobes. But they also say they have a bond that is a typical mother-daughter relationship. It is ever-evolving and there is no doubt that over the years Mary has shaped Martha’s way of living today, and Martha recalls her profound influence from a young age.

It’s clear that Martha inherited a taste for fashion from her mother Mary. She reflects fondly on having a unique sense of style in primary school, having been known to sport vibrantly coloured 70s knits and flouncy skirts, accessorised flamboyantly with her mam’s jewellery. “It was really not at all what the kids were all wearing at the time,” laughs Martha. 

However both ladies’ style is distinctive and they both like wearing unique, statement pieces. Mary yearns for her 80s wardrobe full of neons and denim, which she has donated to charity shops over the years. She has seen past fashion trends emerge again. Today, Mary thinks it’s important to buy high-quality, slow-fashion pieces that can be worn frequently and will last for many years to come. Martha has abstained from fast fashion for the past 3 years and prefers now to buy second-hand pieces from her favourite vintage shops.

Both Mary and Martha’s sustainable way of living stretches beyond their wardrobes and they strive to do their bit for the planet in many different ways, such as by making eco-swaps at home. “Everyday items, like plastic shampoo bottles, can be replaced with shampoo bars. Eco-friendly products are equally as beautiful as those that mightn’t be as sustainable, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.” Martha says.

“Eco-friendly products are equally as beautiful as those that mightn’t be as sustainable, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.”

“Making swaps that are doable and worthwhile” is just one example of how women are making little changes at home to help save the planet.

Mary and Martha’s relationship has flourished as mother and daughter and continues to evolve as Mimi and Martha develop. Their business partnership is just an element of their unique personal bond and they enjoy being able to see each other not only as business people but as human beings too.

Their ‘grá’ for each other as mother and daughter and their shared ‘grá’ for living sustainably is reflected in the ‘grá’ that Mimi+Martha’s curation brings to people’s homes.

Reporting by Treasa Murphy.