Toronto-based handmade parent & tot apparel line --inviting families to bond, connect & grow together. íha MíA
(ee-ha mee-ha)
A Filipino term of endearment, meaning "my darling" or "my little girl". Often said from mother to child or grandmother to grandchild.
íha MíA is where families come together. Founded in 2021 by Victoria Mendoza, íha MíA is a Toronto-based parent and tot apparel line th
at invites families into deeper belonging and connection. Family has always been at the center of íha MíA. When Victoria's mom was diagnosed with dementia, it motivated her to find new ways to connect. And the idea for íha MíA was born. Growing up, my mom was a talented seamstress. I remember when I was 6, we couldn't afford to buy doll dresses, so my mom taught me how to cut fabric and use a needle and thread to make my own. We would sit, side by side, as she sewed her newest piece and I'd take the scraps to make clothing for my dolls. As I got older, doll dresses turned into girl dresses, but our tradition of sewing together remained. My mother has always been my best friend. And when she was diagnosed with dementia, it was a very difficult time for all of us. Not long after that, COVID hit, and everything changed once again. I found myself consumed with worry for my mom (as her dementia quickly advanced to stage 6), and both my parents were considered "high risk" for COVID. My two toddlers were now home with me full time, and my 13 years in the residential construction design industry came to a standstill as my city was urged to stay home. I needed a creative lifeline to find my way back to myself. So, I took out the old sewing machine to see what would happen. What I didn't know at the time was just how completely immersed I'd become - exploring different designs, hunting down new fabrics, spending hours creating new pieces. Sewing reignited a happiness I had lost inside the worry and the stress. The more time I spent tinkering with the sewing machine, the more I regained a sense of connection to my mom. One night, when I was late putting my kids to bed, my eldest came down and asked me what I was doing. I showed her my sewing machine and the fabrics - and explained to her how this process worked. She then picked up the chalk and started tracing the pattern I was working on. It was in that moment I saw how all those beautiful experiences I had as a child could now be shared with my daughter. Where I was once tracing the pattern for my mom, she was now tracing the pattern for hers.
íha MíA was created as a way to strengthen my connection with my mom and keep those happy memories alive. It grew into an experience that I've been passing on to my children, so they can share in that same joy too. And now, the spirit of íha MíA is being shared with you. All the pieces we design are for making memorable moments. It's not just about the cute aprons or matching accessories, but creating a new era of family tradition - a way you can bond, connect, and grow together.
íha MíA is happy laughter in the home. It's finding joy in making messes and in cleaning them up. It's wearing matching clothes or accessories with your sister, brother, mother or father and feeling a sense of belonging. It's passing on old traditions and making new memories. It's about growing, exploring, and playing together - as a family. Made by my family, for your family
