Words on JEWELRY: fine fashion jewelry by Mimi et Toi
Meet Mimi. Founder and creative brain of jewelry brand Mimi et Toi.
Mother of Mick. Lover of leggings. Bohemian by nature.
It has been a long time since I saw Mirjam, as Mimi is called when people don’t use her nickname. The last time she was still working as an assistant manager in a store that sells beads and stuff like that. During that job she learned all ins & outs about the jewelry making process.
“After that,” Mimi tells me, “I started my own studio at a jeans store, and Mimi et Toi – French for Mimi and you – was born. In the beginning I created pieces by request, mostly for friends. But soon my designs got more popular after being promoted online and in fashion glossies. So I started also selling my collections to Dutch boutiques. I realized that I had to make a new step to answer the demand for Mimi et Toi in future as well. So I went to Bali and via my network I found a small factory to produce the handcrafted elements of my jewelry. I still assemble the parts manually after arrival in Amsterdam.”
Mimi has just finished a challenging episode in her life. After splitting up with her sons father and searching for a new home for her and Mick, she has just moved in a beautiful apartment in the Amsterdam South Area. And… as good luck also never comes alone: cupid is flying around and has introduced Mimi to a French fellow. Mimi et Toi, aha!
Mimi: “I am very pleased with this new chapter in my life. It has been a struggle for a long time, but that has also led to great new things. Like my newest collection in brass, silver and gold-plated material. Compared to my previous collections this line has more of a raw edge. It’s not that sweet and romantic as most previous designs. All my work is a reflection of my personal life and my emotions and feelings. The last collection symbolizes the soul search and also the fight I had to deliver to arrive where I am right now. Like the arrow pendant that shows me what direction to follow. Or the necklace with the 3 teeth that stands for how I had to fight tooth and nail to stand up for myself, but also how I got my teeth into Mimi et Toi. It’s quite a powerful collection and I am really proud that designer heaven SPRMRKT in Amsterdam will sell the line from September.”
What will the future bring for Mimi et Toi? “I am now focussing on increasing the number of points of sale as that is something that I didn’t have much time for before. Furthermore it’s my dream to expand the Mimi et Toi collection with other designs like leggings, which I am a huge fan of, and more bags. When you visit my webshop you can already see one type of bag, but the future will bring more.”
When saying goodbye Mimi tells me how happy she is by getting back her inner peace and is looking forward to make the new house a real new home for her and her son. I am curious how all these positive influences will come alive in her upcoming work!
Kiki's Collage 