Alyssa

Yalimar

Mariana

Jeanne

Tatiana

me at the Plaza

finally open

We're finally open! Visit us to see the Mimi Vert collections at Hellenis Jewelry store and showroom in The Olympic Tower Atrium, 645 Fifth Avenue (51st Street) New York, NY 10022 Phone (212) 207-3976

The Lap Chair

I have shared my ambiguous thoughts on necessity (and accessories) here previously. Don't be alarmed, I still love designing jewelry but it is nice for a change to create something with an actual and useful purpose. The Lap chair is my first furniture piece and made me appreciate the beauty of when necessity becomes the inspiration.
There are always a lot of people in the Parsons lobby working on their laptops, they sit or lie on the benches or sofas over their computers, taking the weirdest positions for hours.
I wanted to design a versatile and ergonomic chair that is specifically intentioned for laptop use. I wanted it to be simple in construction for easier shipping and storage. Also crucial for me was material efficiency; all three pieces are cut from the same sheet of veneer with minimal waste. The positive and negative cut-outs also define the visually poetic forms of the chair.

back view

top view

ways of storage

different positions of table and feet

I look forward to sitting on the fullscale prototype soon!

preview

Here a few behind the scenes pics I took at a recent editorial shoot: all jewelry used was from the new store and the images were taken in the area around.
model Julia Robazzi wearing a Mimi Vert Crest ring in black silver from the Jeanne d'Arc collection

Jeanne d'Arc Ring Pendants

Rockefeller Center

5th Avenue

The Olympic Tower

Julia and I during the shoot

Mariana in NYC

I enjoyed very much my great friend Mariana Vicente's visit last week. I am actually now in bed with a bad cold, recovering from all the fun we had.Mariana is wearing a Crest Necklace in black silver from Mimi Vert's Jeanne d'Arc Collection (how complicated does this sound!) and I'm wearing the Crest Ring and Fleur de Lys Ring Pendant in goldplated silver. I love Mariana's new dark hair, I'm thinking she would be the perfect face for our next campaign. What do you think?

NYC impressions

2011 brought major change concerning my daily routine. Many years of self-employment (and maybe sometimes overindulging myself in its independence) made me desire a new challenge. I decided to move to New York City where my business partner Ilias is opening a jewelry store which is representing Mimi Vert. I also applied at Parsons and was offered a scholarship to continue my studies at my favorite Design College. My new life includes a tight schedule, fixed deadlines and lots of exciting new projects. Some can be viewed here (thank you Timo)
The first months of going back to university were pretty tough and I had serious doubts about managing it next to my other ventures. However I slowly got used to it -how boring would it be if it was easy anyways- and I successfully finished my first semester. My recent experiences and commuting from Brooklyn to Manhattan made me discover and even appreciate a less glamorous (compared to my numerous previous visits) but more real side of the city. Ok, I still dislike riding a crowded subway but this is just one among few negative side effects of living in NYC. And it is worth it. I'm not only learning useful design tools next to lovely and talented people, I'm also in the heart of the most inspiring place of the world. The new versatile tasks take a great amount of my time and they might slow down the current growth of Mimi Vert. Yet I'm convinced that all these new inputs will eventually benefit our line. For the close future my studies, a new collection and the store will be keeping me busy and hopefully excited. My plans about moving back to Switzerland though are postponed, but just for a few years..
front of St. Patrick's Cathedral, opposite to the store in the Olympic Tower on 645 Fifth Ave (opening next month)

Happy New Year!

Look what I just discovered: Mimi Vert featured on Vogue China

alternative self defense device

Wasp Spray Necklace
Pepper spay is restricted in New York. But a little research shows that wasp spray is an efficient alternative.
This gave me the idea for this perfume bottle necklace. The bottle's shape is inspired by the form of a wasp nest, plus carrying it around your neck makes it fast and easy to reach and use.
The function of a piece of jewelry has been transformed from the traditional ornamentation to the useful purpose of self protection.

These are only a sketch model and some drawings, the final piece would be in ceramic and gold.
What do you think?

Angela Chang, Product Design Sophomore at Parsons the New School for Design
This sweet and talented young lady is originally from Taiwan, but used to live in China and Vancouver before moving to New York City.
Angela is an amazing drawer - I had the chance to see some of her recent drawings. She enjoys walking around her NYC neighborhood, going for groceries with her little Lumix and cooking. Angela loves the city she lives in, food from any culture and Mimi Vert. <3
I wish her all the best in her career and I can't wait to see more of her designs..

Angela wears the Fleur de Lys Ring Pendant from the Jeanne D'Arc Collection

Notes on a Notebook Pt 3

I don’t like to get rid of the past. Especially I get attached to things where I have put thought or invested time. Usually I end up storing them in a drawer or finally after years throwing them away.
So I asked myself what are the possibilities to recycle my old Moleskine notebook?
I wanted to transform it into a new item that allows me to keep carrying around my beloved companion. Since jewelry is my business the first that came in my mind was to convert it into a necklace.
I only used (except for some water and starch paste) the properties of my 2010 Moleskine. Each bead of the necklace represents one random day of my past year. While I was creating them some names, events and places appeared repetitively others surprisingly. Either way -and even just as simple notes- they awoke emotions and memories. I experienced it as a therapeutic process that made me aware of what moved and dominated my daily life throughout that year. For next January I plan to do a new piece with this year’s diary instead of making New Year's resolutions.
Out of a notebook (that due to technological advance is an unnecessary object) I made a piece of jewelry (that by nature is unnecessary), but ultimately an accessory that is truly one of a kind.

Jason Wu

Check out NYC based designer Jason Wu's beautiful work. Michelle Obama is one of the many women that love to wear his sophisticated and feminine dresses.
My sister and I had a great time with the designer and his friends last month in New York. Becca and Jason found out that they are twins from different parents, born same time, day and year :)

Daniel, Jason and Rebecca at boom boom room

altered

A few weeks ago a friend I haven`t seen for long mentioned that she saw my picture at an exhibition. Later I found out that she was talking about the image from the NZZ article altered by Swiss artist Beni Bischof. Now the best part, yesterday my sisters boyfriend, who knows the artist personally, got me the original for my birthday!

My friend and last year's Miss Puerto Rico Universe Mariana Vicente asked me for my personal summer tips to share them with her fans. Check them out on her new blog a life w/out mofongo

Notes on a Notebook Pt 2: Necessary, Accessory or Luxury?

As already mentioned some useless objects in our daily life were preserved and gained new value. The fact that a wristwatch is not really needed anymore helped to take it to another level converting it into a status symbol. Such objects that lost their original purpose are now charged with a new, more emotional value. The Moleskine notebook’s subtle marketing concept supports that bond, makes it part of each owners personal identity. It becomes a cult object.
I like to see a person next to me in a cafe having his notebook on the table instead of (or in addition to) his blackberry or iphone. For me it’s like seeing a women with an exquisite handbag or piece of jewelry, it makes someone more interesting. This addition to one’s personality is what an accessory should do.
The iconic Moleskine, almost a synonym for notebook, may be inexpensive and produced in masses but could be perceived as a luxury product in many ways. Something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort, it is a brand focused on a history that represents a lifestyle and evokes emotion, inspiration and satisfaction. Just as other traditional products Moleskine was forced to connect to the digital world and like some luxury brands they did it impressively. Moleskine makes successful use of social media, holds an interactive website, e-commerce, online marketing and people all over the net are uploading and sharing scans of their notebooks.
In our times of iPhones, iPads, facebook and Google calendar, drawing or writing down things in a notebook sure may seem unnecessary and time consuming. But isn’t having and especially taking time priceless and the ultimate definition of luxury?

Mimi Vert in Friday Magazine

Open publication - Free publishing - More beauty

Photo by Juventino Mateo, Model: Miriam Maina, Hair & Makeup by Mia Bregar

Notes on a Notebook

Why am I drawing this notebook? I could just take its picture and in a matter of seconds I would have a much more realistic image of it. Nevertheless photography wasn’t able to completely replace drawing like the computer didn’t push aside the book or notebook. Sure technology made them less needful, but so how did the notebook prevail in today’s digitized society?
For people like me -who got familiar with the internet at a young age but still grew up drawing, tinkering their own toys- writing down things by hand is a nostalgic act and can be a cleansing process. Compared to the technologically advanced alternatives, a notebook doesn’t require electricity nor updates, which makes it much more reliable on a long term.
Although the laptop -not surprisingly also called notebook today- took over the original function of a notebook, the book of blank pages persisted as a primary venue for notes, drawings, organizing and brainstorming because it offers a more direct, simple and authentic way of visual thinking. It continues to be a flexible and individualized tool to create ideas and becomes in this manner an essential part of our personality.I’m not sure how the new generation is going to experience this but somehow I think that the physical will always feel more real than the virtual.
I believe the sensory experience of paper, the process of sketching or a distinct handwriting- even barely readable- are irreplaceable.

Mimi Loves

Spotlighted in the past edition of MV zine. Stylist and fashion editor Davis Carrasquillo did these pictures of me for the latest issue last march in NYC. We have worked together so many times and in every occasion we have a blast.
Check out his work and blog
skirt: Vena Cava, top: Ecliptica, lace body: American Apparel, bag: Mulberry, sunglasses: Balenciaga, ring & necklace: Mimi Vert, shoes: Ash

MV zine third issue

Open publication - Free publishing - More design

Z - Die schönen Seiten

NZZ's current Magazine "Z" is dedicated to timepieces and jewels- just on time for the watch and jewelry show Baselworld. I was portrayed together with four other young Swiss designers in an article that comments on what Switzerland has to offer between the big brands of the industry and the traditional goldsmiths. pages 34-37

Open publication - Free publishing - More fashion

New Collection preview

Last week in NYC I had the chance to lend the first samples of my new “Jeanne D’Arc” Collection to an editorial shot by photographer Yulia Gorbachenko.Ring and necklace in one: Model Britt is wearing some of the Jeanne D'Arc black silver rings as pendants. Get them on mimivert.net

The title of this January’s Annabelle cover story reads
“40 years of women’s right to vote” (only! unbelievable I know... but true) The front page shows Switzerland’s four female federal councils, who form for the first time in history a female majority of our government.
Find Mimi Vert's Organic Cross ID Bracelet on page 90.

Shared Closet

Valentina and Paula are two lovely sisters from Bilbao, Spain. They are the creators of the popular blog Shared Closet, where these pictures originate from.
I love how Valentina combines her new Mimi Vert organic cross necklace!

Also check out the post they recently wrote about me: Mimi, una joya.