Hope&Plum, a women-owned baby carrier brand, has unveiled a new public mural at its St. Paul warehouse as part of the 2026 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival. Titled Important Moments, the mosaic was created by Minnesota artist Daniela Bianchini and centers on connections between women, friendship, community, and the importance of slowing down to be present with one another. The mural's installation on the exterior wall of the hope&plum building marks a full-circle moment for the brand: a women-owned business, operating in a women-owned building, with a woman artist behind the work.
As a public piece, the mural comes from one of the few independently owned, women-led, and women-funded brands in the baby carrier industry, a sector that is increasingly influenced by private equity. The mosaic form visually reinforces this message, illustrating how individual pieces can come together to form a more coherent and meaningful whole. For Hope&Plum, the mural is a public expression of values the company has followed since its founding: putting people and parents before profit, paying artists for original work, providing employment with benefits for women, and building a business without private equity or outside investors.
"Being a women-owned, women-led, women-funded business in this space is not easy," said Skye Amundsen, co-founder of Hope&Plum. "We are in an industry where many brands have private equity backing, and that pressure can flatten the humanity, creativity, and responsibility a company has to the families it serves. This mural is a public reminder that women don't have to shrink themselves to build something lasting."
The company's purchase of its St. Paul building was part of a long-term commitment to grow intentionally and independently, an extension of its mission to create more women-owned spaces and resist the consolidation of creative, community-centered businesses into anonymous portfolios. From artist collaborations and hiring practices to ethical production and property ownership, decisions across the company are based on the stance that women-owned businesses should not have to become smaller or less distinctive in order to sustain themselves.
Through Important Moments, Daniela Bianchini seeks to capture the ordinary but significant act of gathering. The mural depicts women coming together in connection, surrounded by color, warmth, and movement. Its message reflects the view that care, creativity, and community are central to building a business in the baby industry. The mural is both a celebration and a statement of direction as Hope&Plum continues to build a baby carrier brand rooted in art, people, and women's empowerment.
The public can view Important Moments at the Hope&Plum warehouse in St. Paul's Creative Enterprise Zone as part of the 2026 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival. The project also highlights the brand's ongoing commitment to ethical production, including partnerships with independent seamstresses and a women-owned manufacturer. For more information, visit hopeandplum.co. Additional images of the mural are available at this link and this link.
