PROFILE
NURSERY NECESSITIES Mini nursing pillow, £39.95
froKee high chair, From £169
Sleepy bag, £39.95
Muslin squares, £9
The Woolchair, £249.95
Mini Cot £79, mokke.eu
74 | baby-magazine.co.uk
explains. “Karolina [his wife] and I run the business, and I think if we were working and living together all the time, seeing each other constantly, it’d become too much. Our current set-up works really well. It also means that every day is different, even when I stay in the same place! That’s what I love about my working life now; it gives me such diversity.” In its mission to transform the hum-drum nursery into a baby’s ‘very first kingdom’, Mokee has proven a hit with parents from day one, offering practical, simple and stylish products that are “neither dull and cheap nor premium designer”. What makes it unique is its guarantee to deliver safe and well-made furniture that appeals to the masses, not just those who can afford it. The co-founder’s frustrations began when he became a father for the first time in 2008, following the birth of his daughter, Amelie. “We struggled at the time to find products that weren’t too expensive, but still of a high quality. These days there seems to be plenty happening in the baby industry, but 10 years ago I think it was a lot worse. We just never knew where to buy anything from, and the nursery was our biggest issue.” The couple had their second child, Alexander, in 2010, but it wasn’t until December 2012 that they seriously considered addressing this gap in the market. In partnership with Samuel’s mother, they began developing the Mini Cot: a simple, Scandinavian-style baby bed that boasts a compact, space-saving design, but would be sold at half the cost of those produced by more premium brands. “We initially did a quick test on eBay, to validate the need for the product. I commissioned a freelancer to produce the design, got 250 of them made, and the first batch of cots sold in about three weeks. From there I was like, ‘great, let’s keep going!’”. Five years on, Mokee has expanded rapidly, adding not just developments to its Mini Cot, but a whole new product range that currently includes the WoolNest – a soft, natural felt moses basket – tipiz, a high chair, nursery accessories and more. Research by the brand also revealed that five per cent of babies living in the capital are now sleeping in a Mokee cot. Storage, caster wheels, changing areas and teething rails are just some of the extra features that have been added to the Mini Cot, but Samuel still very much considers it a work in progress. “We’re constantly
be a r y should se r u n e th believes kin do Samuel ver rs s b a b
developing it because we want it to be the very best in the market – the kind of product that can fulfil pretty much every need a parent faces when they have a baby.” And the creative process? Samuel admits he’s still very hands-on when it comes to design and generating new ideas. “I’m no product designer, but I’ve learned a lot over the last five years,” Samuel says. “I really enjoy it actually, and I think because the Mini Cot worked so well from day one, it really gave me the confidence to keep developing other products. I’d love to be able to do all the technical drawings, but I think my cot would end up looking a bit strange!” The co-founders are also heavily influenced by Scandinavian design, crediting the style for inspiring Mokee’s “simple, stylish and economically manufactured” pieces, and making it a good price point for the customer. Mokee’s direct-to-consumer approach does them plenty of favours, too. “We don’t sell our furniture via big retailers, which really helps