With the cold weather here, what is better than some warm mittens? How about a mitten that is both warm and functional? Mittenberry is a company designed with just that in mind. Designer and founder of Mittenberry, Vivian Weng, has come up with a modern twist on the mitten by creating a mitten for the technological savvy, fashion-conscience woman. With a quick flip of the thumb flaps, these mittens allow you to text while still keeping your hands toasty! These supersoft wool mittens “keep your hands warm and your relationships warmer.”
I have to say, I have a pair of them myself and they really do come in handy! It saves you the trouble of having to take off your gloves or mittens when doing tedious things with your digits. The rest of your hands stay completely warm in the mittens and you just pop your thumbs out of the flap when you need to use your iPhone, Blackberry or “device du jour.” They come in three colors (grey, blush and snow) and run $25 a pair.
I caught up with Mittenberry designer/founder, Vivian Weng, to talk more about these ingenious mittens!
How was Mittenberry started?
I started the company this summer before starting business school (I’m at Harvard Business School now). My background is in consumer products and fashion, and my business partner (my brother) has experience in start-ups and technology, so our backgrounds really complemented each other. I created a prototype with the help of a designer, and we started production in late August, in time for the winter/holiday season.
What was your inspiration for the mittens?
After 4 winters in New York, I saw a definite market need for the Mittenberry! I remember seeing women standing outside with their mittens in their mouths, furiously typing away on their iPhones or BlackBerrys. The original inspiration was actually a Wall Street Journal article from last year (“Keeping your hands warm and texting, too”). I remember being shocked that there were no fashionable options for women – all the styles featured in the article were for men!
Do you plan on making more styles/colors of mittens?
Yes, we are planning to expand the line next season. We’ll definitely do more colors and are starting to think about different products (e.g., gloves, men’s handwear).
What are your future plans for Mittenberry?
What excites us about Mittenberry is that we combine function and fashion. We are thinking about creating other products for the tech-savvy, fashion-conscious woman – such as laptop bags for women.
Mittenberry is currently looking for “Mittenberry Ambassadors” at different college campuses to help them spread the word about their product. Internships would be unpaid, but would provide students with the opportunity to learn about marketing and to tap into the Harvard Business School network. There is also a chance that the internship turns into a paid summer opportunity, as they prepare for next season. Interested applicants should e-mail Vivian Weng at Vivian@mittenberry.com to learn more about the role and the application process.
