Our Story

MEET THE FOUNDERS

POlina Ē MAriam

POĒMA Munich is a new German brand founded by Mariam Kantariya and Polina Zavalina in 2020. Polina and Mariam are designers with passion for elegant clothing in colorful palettes. They’ve been growing the label gently with respect to nature and sustainability. 

Mariam is originally from Georgia, grew up in Moscow and then moved to Munich. Polina is a true Muscovite and French at heart. 

HOW EVERYTHING STARTED

Polina and Mariam met during their international relations studies at the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow in 2006. Both being passionate about fashion, as students they enjoyed experimenting with their outfits and encouraged each other to explore different fashion styles.

By coincidence they got their first jobs at the same building in Moscow City. Back in 2011 during their usual lunch break talk they came up with an idea to launch their own clothing brand and put this business idea on paper... There it stayed for the next 9 years. Lack of initial investment, fear to quit their jobs, financial crisis in Russia, Mariam’s move to Munich in 2015 - there was never a perfect time to make their dream come true.

POEMA co-founders

THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN STARTING SOMETHING AND FAILING ...IS NOT STARTING SOMETHING 

Putting their idea on the back burner, Polina and Mariam continued to pursue their careers in large international companies; however, in 2020 they finally decided it was time. They did not quit their corporate life but agreed to test out their own entrepreneurial legs by diving into the idea they had been talking and dreaming about for ages.

In January 2020 during Mariam’s pattern making and sewing courses in Moscow, girls met up at their favorite café in Moscow and made a pact that they would work hard to launch their company but make sure their friendship would not be compromised. While their family and friends warned them against going into business with a close friend, with their example they want to prove it can work.