Minna is a queer-led brand that was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 2013 by Sara Berks. Berks, who studied graphic design at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, gave up her career in digital design in 2013 to concentrate on her creative passions like weaving and painting. Berks herself wove every Minna piece until 2015, having learned to weave on her own. Named after Berks' grandmother, the Minna patterns, colors, and textures are designed to be combined, layered, and mixed for today's contemporary home aesthetics. Vintage textiles, traditional processes, the Bauhaus, and feminist art all influence and inspire designs across each collection.
The brand’s guiding principles are producing beautiful, ethically made goods, and using their business to bring good to the world. The idea that design may have a beneficial impact and that commerce can be used for good led to the creation of the artisan collection, which was inspired by two of her journeys to Mexico and Guatemala to learn more about traditional production. By collaborating with skilled artisans in Central and South America, the brand aims to facilitate the survival of traditional craftsmanship, and the creation of jobs in these areas. Minna’s core principles are humanity, intentionality, and honesty. They focus on being a transparent and responsible brand, where all decisions are made with the intention of prioritizing people and the environment alike.
