Fashion

Getting To Know Naja Munthe | Founder of MUNTHE

Founded in Copenhagen circa 1994, Danish fashion brand MUNTHE is our latest fashion obsession here at Coggles HQ. As stockists and even longer-time fans of the brand, we were so excited to catch up with the woman of the moment, Naja Munthe herself.

Since its inception, the company has blossomed into a women’s lifestyle brand whilst remaining to keep its distinct and effortlessly cool, casual-Scandi DNA firmly intact.

naja munthe coggles

A firm favourite at Copenhagen Fashion Week and beyond, the brand’s signature style undoubtedly reflects many of Naja’s wonderful characteristics.

Designed with cues from art, nature, music, and photography – MUNTHE encapsulates true Nordic style. Made for the women who work, run a family, navigate the streets by bicycle, and everyone in between, here’s why we love MUNTHE…

Hey Naja! Thanks for taking the time to speak with Coggles today.

Such a pleasure!

So, tell us about MUNTHE…

MUNTHE is all about empowering women, from the makers to the wearers. And MUNTHE is all about getting that balance between sexy and playful, which it does just right.

What does being a MUNTHE woman mean?

The MUNTHE woman finds harmony in herself, allowing her to become a confident woman. There are so many roles in a woman’s life; family, experience, sex and more. But these cannot characterize the depth and complexity of a woman’s life.

naja munthe coggles

@muntheofficial

Tell us about yourself Naja…

I grew up in a small community in Jutland, Denmark. We had to walk a mile to go to school, and there were no shops at all. I spent a lot of time playing outside with my siblings, I rode my bike around and I used to ride to go to visit my friends. It was kind of lonely there, especially when I became a teenager.

I didn’t have a clue what money was until I was about five and I completely misunderstood what it was about: I noticed the checkout lady packed our bags, gave my mom the bags of shopping and gave her a load of metal thingies and we left. I have no memories of doing anything that required money, with my parents.

If anything, growing up poor meant not having a TV when most of my peers did – and that didn’t harm me, to the contrary, I learnt to take initiative and find creative ways of entertaining myself as a kid. I spent hours as a young child, just digging and if I hit clay, I’d make things with it and leave it in the sun to dry.

So, I love nature, I love the natural world and exploring and finding materials that I can play with or be creative with. I doubt I’d feel such a strong bond to the “creative”, if it weren’t for the fact that I was left to be free more than I ever was stuck inside, plugged into a TV. And if I’d gone on loads of “fancy holidays” I would never have been bothered to immerse myself in learning about local history.

munthe at coggles

Where do you live now?

I live in Copenhagen but love to spend some time in my summer house too! Copenhagen is wonderful, I just love my city and here in Copenhagen everybody loves biking, including me.

I’m a big consumer of the city and all it has to offer. I love events, exhibitions, restaurants, nature, shopping, art fairs and everything else our chill capital has to offer.

naja munthe coggles

@najamunthe

What does a typical day look like for you?

Finding a suitable balance between work and daily living is a challenge that we all face.

The ability to successfully combine work, family commitments and personal life is important for the well-being of all members in a household – also mine. Having hobbies and interests outside of my workplace allows me to explore my other passions and to become a more well-rounded person.

I typically try to balance my work with my hobbies. I might not be able to do that every time, and some days are more hectic than others. In general, though, I try to plan my time as effectively as possible to ensure I can manage my personal life with my work. I spend some quality time reading a good book, spend time with my kiddos, family, and friends and do some exercise.

If you could play us a song today, what would it be?

What does being sustainable mean to you?

Sustainability is an increasingly important issue for MUNTHE. Climate change continues to affect our lives. For business owners, leaders, and administrators, sustainable business practices are becoming imperatives.

The Fashion industry is a big part of the climate change picture because of its reliance on land, resources, production, and consumption. Every individual can take steps to live and work more sustainably, but when it comes to improving sustainability in business, there are some people who are in a unique position to effect change.

MUNTHE views sustainability as a plus and we think that companies with green values are willing to showcase them because of that fact. Going green shows the world you care about more than just making fashion and money. Becoming more sustainable in an effective way may not be easy at first, but the challenge is well worth the reward.

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2022-07-08 11:03:13By Ciara Martin

Exclusive interview with Naja Munthe | Words by Ciara Martin



Ciara Martin

Ciara Martin

Writer and expert