In the heart of our latest feature, we sit down with Mahalia Taal, she's a Gemini, a 28-year-old with a story that's as unique as her creations. Born in Byron Bay and raised by a dad who's a jeweller and painter, Mahalia was always around creativity but never quite felt at home in school—unless it was for Visual Arts & Photography. Instead, you'd often find her at the beach, wagging classes and dreaming of something more. Fashion always intrigued her, even though she wasn't sure where that passion came from (her dad's still rocking skinny jeans, by the way).
Without any formal fashion education, Mahalia cut her teeth at F+H Studios, an iconic Australian costume jewellery brand. Starting as an intern, she spent her Tuesdays making Pinterest boards in exchange for a pair of earrings each month and working her way up to a full-time marketing gig. It was fun, sure, but running her own brand? That seemed too daunting. However, life had other plans. Moving to a small coastal town for love meant fewer job options, pushing her to finally chase her own creative dreams.
Meremere Diaries was born out of necessity—a quest for the perfect headband led to her moment, and suddenly, Mahalia was sampling products without any design background. Two years in, she's just launched her brand.
1 March, 2024
Stumbling upon your brand was a surprise, Mahalia. It struck me as more than just a collection of hair accessories—it felt like an invitation into a certain way of life. Your presentation made each piece seem essential, not just as an accessory, but as a key to a desired lifestyle. How do you achieve this effect?
A strong creative vision based on the emotion I want the audience to feel.
How does the concept of being "soft on your soul" translate into your day-to-day life outside of work?
Soft on your soul is about going deep within yourself and tapping into what gives you the most joy and satisfaction in this life. If you can understand what pleases you, you can be in control of living a pretty fulfilling life. And as lame as this quote is, live life to its fullest.
Can you share an example?
For me fulfilment in life comes from simple concepts; Music, food, connection, design, comfort. I place a lot of importance on prioritising these experiences and genuinely practice gratitude for them.
So, diving deeper, how do your personal beliefs on sustainability influence your brand's operations?
I look at it this way. If there’s resources out there to be used, why not use them? The easier option may be quicker, but you’ll most likely be compromising quality.
When I have shopped fast fashion I have never felt anything towards the product, there is no sense of connection. The clothes I wear to death have come from brands where I know the story or who is behind the brand.
One of my first investment pieces was a pair of $450 Danielle Guizio black trousers, I have worn them 2-4 x a week for 3 years straight and I am still just as obsessed. 3 years on and I’ve only just lost a button... some fast fashion pieces are falling apart before they get to your doorstep.
You've mentioned working with skilled Nepalese artisans and Italian mills that operate slow and ethical processes. Can you share more about how these collaborations came to be and the impact they've had on your products?
When I first started sampling my product in China I was met with a lot of frustration. The knitting quality wasn’t great, not many factories could source recycled cashmere, and if they could I could not afford the MOQ’s.
Thankfully a friend threw an idea out to try find a manufacturer in India, and that’s when I found an incredible team in Nepal. Because they have been working with cashmere for 20+ years they have the most experienced craftsman that are so experienced working with such a delicate fibre. Comparing the first samples to my final product makes the 2 years of sampling worth it.
I love being able to celebrate the Italian mill I use for my fabrics. They have dedicated their whole mill to sustainable practices in the textile sector, committing to quality and product innovation. Pre loved sweaters are collected and divided for colour, linkings and other materials are cut away by hand, they are then cut into smaller pieces by machine, and then combined to be fibre again ready to be spun into new yarn.
I don’t think I could sleep at night if my products weren't consciously led by sustainability and quality.
We live in a world where fashion trends come and go in the blink of an eye, your brand stands out by sticking to timeless staples. How do you keep things fresh and exciting without chasing the latest trends?
My goal is not to drop new product each week to keep that kind of consumer happy. We live in an age where we can get over a shoe thats been released just weeks ago if we’ve already seen it on multiple people. I’m passionate about designing product that can stand the test of time, I don’t have routinely planned drops and maybe that won’t feel fresh and exciting to some people but for longevity sake I’m focusing on keeping the brand authentic to my values and I know that is going to attract the exact type of person I want as my customer.
And what's the one product you always reach for from your collection?
It changes depending on my mood, but right now our signature recycled cashmere headband in Natural. This colour was actually made by mistake, but I surprisingly loved it so decided to keep them!
What moment in your life sparked the passion for starting a brand focused on such meaningful principles?
A combination of a desire to be more in more control of my day to day and a creative outlet to pour my energy into.
Before we wrap up, what piece of advice changed the game for you, in life and in business?