Inspiring Women
PORTUGAL IS MY MUSE
MEET LAURA CASTIEN
We sat down with the cofounder of the pottery brand Motel A Miio, the woman making rustic stoneware a lifestyle. A friendship, a collaboration, and five questions we had to ask…
Wouldn’t we love to bring a piece of vacation home – like rustic pottery that makes even a weekday dinner feel like a summer escape?
That’s exactly what Laura Castien (right) turned into a business. While on holiday in Portugal, she fell in love with the local stoneware, tracked down the artisans, and started bringing their pieces to Germany for pop-up stores. Together with her friend and business partner, Anna von Hellberg (left), she founded Motel à Mio. Back in 2016, their children were still tiny; today, the brand is a success story.
Perhaps Motel a Miio’s success lies in the fact that it wasn’t conceived on a marketing whiteboard but born from a quiet, personal longing – never a fast track to riches. It began as a soulful idea that struck a chord. Laura and Anna first discovered their pottery workshops in Portugal in 2016. Today, their world has grown to over 30 Motel a Miio stores.
There have been highs and lows, as there always are. And inevitably, Nicole and Laura’s paths crossed in Munich. What began with setting tables for a Nimo dinner at Becco Fino this spring has since unfolded into a friendship – and the beginnings of something more. Stay tuned…
WE ASKED…
THE VISUAL INTERVIEW WITH LAURA
What inspires you?
Fav piece of art?
Happy place?
LAURA'S WORLD
