Meeting Mimi and Lu, the Jewelry Designer
Mimi and Lu first came into my life through a ring...... Sounds like a pretty good introduction, right? Let me back up and give you a little more detail into this love story. I was having my engagement ring adjusted, which was taking a bit of time, and my temporarily empty ring finger felt a bit lonely and out of place. So I paid a visit to Vocabulary Boutique, where Mimi and Lu sells some of her jewelry, to try on a few delicate and pretty gold rings.
The Thursday Gold Ring- The ring that introduced me to Mimi & Lu
One of her collections, the Days of the Week rings, caught my wandering eye. These adorable, stackable rings were the perfect balance of femininity and charm. There were seven different styles to choose from, they were affordable, and they looked great! Even after I got my engagement ring back, I continued to wear the Thursday ring I loved it so much.
Then it just so happened a few months later that I joined my friend Cecelia, of Vocabulary Boutique, out for dinner with some gals and but who doth appeared? Why, it was Mrs. Mimi and Lu herself! (Whose name happens to be Michelle.) Oh, what a treat to meet this talented lady! We got to talking and I realized there was a whole lot more loveliness where that Thursday ring came from. Well, I'm taking it upon myself to introduce the darling lady behind the business of Mimi & Lu to you.
Peyton Ring - Featured on my Wednesday style post this week! ($75.00)
Chevron Necklace- Gold with mixed metals ($58-78.00)
The name Mimi and Lu comes from a combination of her and her husband's names (MI-chelle & MI-chael) and their adorable great dane (LU-cca). Michelle's business tale can be foretold from reading the signs of her childhood. She loved colors, and textures, and had you a time machine, you would have found her exploring her creative energy, whipping up something fancy on her sewing machine. This love of creativity followed her all the way through college, where she received an Art Studio degree. Adding to her creative resume, Michelle even worked in the wardrobe department for Cirque du Soleil! (Dreamy, right!?)
While living in Boston, jewelry become somewhat of a hobby for Michelle, which turned out to be a great decision. Because it was during her time with Cirque du Soleil that the inspiration for Mimi & Lu came to be. One of the performers saw Michelle's jewelry, asked about it, and purchased a piece. Thus, the spark was ignited and the evolution of Mimi & Lu came to be.
Today, Michelle finds the inspiration in her jewelry from the materials themselves. She views the process of her jewelry-making as a transformation; taking the raw materials from which her inspiration is drawn, and turning that into a final piece. Her finished pieces reflect sculpted designs that have a fine art perspective and can often be translations of life experiences. What a innovative way to communicate, no?
Dakota Necklace- Featured in this Wednesday's style post! ($84.00)
Michelle attributes part of her success in business to her father's advice. He told her, find something you like doing and make money doing it. Seeing that advice to fruition gave her all the inspiration she needed.
As an artist, the most wonderful thing about her work is that she has chosen to do something each day that brings her a tremendous amount of motivation, inspiration, and happiness. If you've run into Michelle a time or two, it's evident that her work brings her great joy. That big, light-hearted smile says it all.
Ethel Necklace- Fun to layer! ($66.00)
In the last few years, Michelle has collaborated with over 100 stores, both nationally and internationally, as far away as Japan! Just think how cool it would be for someone in Japan to be wearing a piece of your jewelry?! Kinda like being an international super-star, right? Michelle would love to collaborate with the likes of Kate Spade one day. How amazing would merging those styles together be?!
Carter Cuffs- Great statement pieces! ($79.00)
Stella Cuff- Love this piece! ($104.00)
After getting to know Michelle and all about her dreamy jewelry, I'm kinda smitten. All of these pieces are available on her online shop to peruse for your own visual pleasure and find something you can swoon over too!
Don't forget to check out my Wednesday style post which will feature some darling Mimi and Lu jewelry and pieces from J. Crew. A fantastic pairing, indeed. It'll be a good one!
A P.S. Getting to Know Michelle, In Her Own Words
I love San Diego because: It's a young city with so much potential. It's fun to watch it grow and it's exciting to think of what it might be like in 10 to 20 years.
San Diego has great: views (weather is a given...)
Three adjectives to describe my style: Playful, functional, stylish
Favorite places to shop: Vocabulary for something special, Zara for something eccentric, and Nordstrom Rack because I love the hunt!