Milwaukee sisters launch 'Midwest Latina' clothing line, selling out fast
Sisters Gabriella and Francesca love being Midwestern, but are proud of their Peruvian heritage. When it came to finding something to capture both sides, they couldn't find anything.
Where a person grows up is often part of their identity. The same is true of a person's cultural background and family history.
Gabriella Mayca Hobbs and her sister Francesca Mayca Wegner both grew up in the Chicago area, moved to Milwaukee and love being Midwesterners. They are also proud of their Peruvian heritage.
But when it came to finding something to wear that captured both sides of them, they couldn't find anything.
“We definitely saw a void in the market for a brand that accurately represented Midwestern Latinas and the experience of being 100% Latina and 100% American,” said Mayca Hobbs, who also owns Hola Bonita Creative, a service storytelling and digital marketing.
So they decided to start their own clothing line – Midwest Latina.
“We make clothes that make you feel good about how you look, who you are and where you're from,” said Mayca Wegner, who is the president and chief capacity officer for Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee. “It was very important for us to create this fusion of ours civilizationour culture and what we would consider classic Midwest.”
The clothing line launched in December with unisex t-shirts and hoodies bearing the logo and quickly sold out. The sisters added more pastel colors to the line along with, winter hats, baseball caps, hoodies and an athletic section. t-shirt style.
More: Low riders, band music, street tacos: Milwaukee's El Grito Auto Show welcomes families
“People are really excited about the brand and what it stands for,” said Mayca Wegner. “Instantly, people connect with it because of the name, and we're excited to see where it goes.”
Starting any business, regardless of industry, takes a lot of planning and the initial clothing drop had 11 months of work behind it.
“It was very important to us from start to finish to be as ethical as possible with the production partners we use,” said Mayca Hobbs. “Our first fall we used Latin screen printers and embroideries in Milwaukee…everything that touched the business reflected our community.”
Finding these suppliers can be more expensive and the Milwaukee area does not have a strong infrastructure for fashion designers.
But the sisters want to change that and help create a “fashion house” in Milwaukee.
“There have been challenges to launching a retail fashion brand. There's an opportunity for us to be trail blazers, to build the infrastructure so it's easier for other people to follow us,” Mayca Wegner said. “Anyone can print a T-shirt with a logo, but what we're talking about is really a fashion brand, a fashion house.”
I work with the family and represent Peru
For the sisters, the business is more than just an opportunity to start and run a company. It is an opportunity for Peruvians to have something to call their own.
“We especially felt that you often saw Puerto Rican influence or Mexican influence, which is very beautiful, but not much Peruvian influence,” said Mayca Hobbs. “Well, it's this beautiful mesh, the Peruvians will get that, but Inca Cola and fried fish can exist in one. Salchipapa and Bud Light…we're Midwest to the core, we've got our Chicago dog with everything, but we're also 100% Peruvian at the heart of who we are.”
The venture is more than an opportunity to fill a need, it's an opportunity to honor their Peruvian immigrant family roots.
“Working with my sister, family is everything to us and everything I do is for my mom, but also my uncles in Peru, my aunts, they're so excited,” Mayca Hobbs said. “It's much more than just buying a T-shirt. We're trying to leave a legacy.”
Starting a business with family can be complicated, but they've found a way to come together for Midwest Latina.
“Being in business with anyone, trust is so important and I don't trust anyone more than her to make decisions or know what I'm thinking so I don't have to over explain myself,” said Mayca Hobbs.
While they are also themselves.
“What makes this business so unique is that we each have our own style, we each bring our own flavor to the business and it's the perfect recipe for Midwest Latina,” said Mayca Wegner.
