St. Paul, MN – Hope&Plum, a women-owned baby carrier brand known for inclusive sizing and artist-designed prints, has unveiled a new public mosaic at its St. Paul warehouse as part of the 2026 Chroma Zone Mural and Art Festival. The mural, titled Matters of the Moment, was created by Minnesota mosaic artist Daniela Bianchini and explores themes of connection, friendship, community, and the importance of slowing down to be present with one another.
The artwork is installed on the exterior wall of the hope&plum building, marking a full-circle moment for the brand: a women-owned business, operating in a women-owned building, with the artist behind the work also being a woman. As a public piece, it comes from one of the few independently owned, women-led, and women-funded brands in an industry 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 the values the company has followed since its founding: putting people and parents over profit, paying artists for original work, providing employment with benefits for women, and building a business without private equity or outside investors. “Being women-owned, women-led, and women-funded in this space is not easy,” said Skye Amundsen, co-founder of Hope&Plum. “We’re 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 that lasts.”
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 creativity- and community-centered businesses into anonymous portfolios. From artist collaborations and hiring practices to ethical production and property ownership, decisions across the company are made from a stance that women-owned businesses should not have to become smaller or less distinctive in order to sustain themselves.
Through Matters of the Moment, 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 idea that care, creativity, and community are central to building a business in the baby industry. The mural serves as 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 Matters of the Moment at the Hope&Plum warehouse in St. Paul’s Creative Enterprise Zone as part of the 2026 Chroma Zone Mural and Art Festival. The installation underscores a growing conversation about ownership and values in the juvenile products market, where independent, women-led brands are increasingly rare. For readers, it highlights how consumer choices can support businesses that prioritize community and ethical practices over investor returns. For the industry, it signals that alternative models—those that center people and art—can thrive without private equity. As Hope&Plum demonstrates, public art can be more than decoration; it can be a declaration of how business can be done differently.
