MIAO
200 hand-drawn illustrations | ONE illustrator
MIAO | The name Made In Art and Originality stands for design with personality, for products with character, beyond mainstream and mass production, directly from Austria, in the heart of Europe.
In 2016, Vanessa Sonnewend had an idea and still had space for a small postcard rack in her own yoga studio. Soon the small idea grew, the yoga studio had to make way, and MIAO became a company.
Today, our collections have been sold in over 500 selected stores in Europe, including concept stores, bookstores, design shops, and curated lifestyle stores that value individuality and quality.
Production and Environment
ALL our products are manufactured in Europe. Fair conditions, a focus on quality and durability are a matter of course for us.
A large part of our paper products are produced in a printing company in South Tyrol that operates 100% on solar energy and produces more electricity than it consumes. We think that's pretty great.
Materials such as apple paper, which is made in South Tyrol from the waste products of apple juice production, fascinate us, and our "carta mela" products are a hit! We simply have responsible customers.
AND who draws the designs?
The illustrations are created from the creative work of Vanessa Sonnewend, whose unmistakable style makes each piece a special companion. Vanessa has drawn around 200 designs for MIAO in the last 10 years, and there are sure to be more to come!
Previously created with watercolor and gouache, most designs are now created on the iPad. You have to keep up with the times! Even if some of Vanessa's (aka Grandma's) drawings look like they're from another century.
Who is Vanessa's twin sister?
Martha has been an unwavering supporter since the first fair in Munich in 2019. Unmistakably cheerful and full of energy, she greets our trade fair visitors. She chats, sells, informs, always with a touch of Austrian charm, but she is actually extremely serious about her work. This is simply the perfect mix that not everyone has. And if she ever calls you, you can look forward to an interesting conversation.
By the way: Martha and Vanessa are not sisters, believe it or not.
What about the fox?
Tito, aka the fox, aka Vanessa's husband, always believed in the small idea and ensured that the aesthetics were right. Not only does he build almost every trade fair stand up and down, but literally: exhibition walls, presentation cubes, tables, all disassemblable. No, he is not a carpenter, he is a small miracle. In addition, he packs many of your packages, takes them by cargo bike to the post office... that's certainly not all he does, but there's not enough space...
P.S. He actually draws even better than Vanessa and is an excellent graphic designer. www.madeinheaven.at
We also have a representative:
Heidi Fehling is making waves up in northern Germany. I'm pretty sure you've heard of her if you're in the 2 and 3 postal code areas; otherwise, it won't be long!
If you can't wait any longer, then write to her: heidi@natur-handelsagentur.de