Go back to the store
I Find A Solution To Every Problem
Hi! I'm Kanesa Muluneh, founder of MULU (formerly known as Kanessa). At the age of three, my parents fled from my birth country Ethiopia to The Netherlands (Holland), and my life was transformed forever!
:: Meet The Founder ::
I’ve never been afraid to take risks or try new things—and that’s why MULU was born!
I’ll admit that it wasn’t easy starting this company. I had all kinds of doubts and fears about whether I could do it, whether I’d be successful, and whether my idea would work. But in the end, I just went for it because I believed in myself and my vision.
:: My Weight Loss Journey ::
I used to be a powerlifter—5x a week, I hit the weights, and my goal was to get bigger and stronger. But then I got pregnant and quit weightlifting. Still, I kept gaining (baby) weight—and fast! After my second baby I weighed over 140kg (308 lbs) and decided to do weight loss surgery (gastric bypass) in March 2021.
But why? Well, because I was developing serious health issues. My parents have diabetes and I saw how that affected their lives. It was getting harder and harder for me to keep up with my normal routine—and that’s when it hit me: if I didn’t do something fast, I’d be in serious trouble for my long-term health.
I started exercising again one month after the surgery. The weight started coming off fast!… but so did all of my muscles! I had to rebuilt my strength for scratch. Even though I will never be as strong as I used to be physically, I am much healthier and learned how to appreciate the new me.
*ps. I lost 67kg (145 lbs) in 1,5 year!
:: How I Found My Brand Voice ::
I knew I needed a name that was easy to pronounce and represented my brand mission and I found the perfect name in MULU—which means “full” in Amharic, the official language of my home country, Ethiopia. It represents my roots, culture, and my values: to represent full-figured women around the world.
With MULU, I want to take it a step further. I want this brand to help plus-size women not care what other people think about their bodies. Because at the end of the day, why should anyone care?
That’s what MULU is all about now—being judgmental-free and breaking down the toxic standards that are set on us by society. Don’t follow trends; make them (or not)! I know what works best for my customers, and I don’t care if they fit into the mold or not. I believe in individuality, freedom from judgment, and self-expression.
I don't like to call myself a fashion designer. I am a problem solver. In fact, that's the main reason why I created my own clothing line in the first place: because I knew I had a "problem" finding comfortable sportswear in my size as a plus-size woman. I figured out that it wasn't just me just me who struggled with this problem; it was every plus size woman who has ever had to shop for comfortable clothes in a store. How can this even be a "problem" in world where majority of the people is plus size? It was time for change! It's was time for MULU!
