Meet Our Summit Sponsor: Mignonne Gavigan
In 2014, Mignonne Gavigan founded her eponymous brand. She was working in the apparel industry, experimenting with a beaded couture vintage gown, when an embellished piece of fabric fell to the floor. She picked it up and fastened it around her neck. While on her walk home through downtown Manhattan, she received a number of compliments about the necklace. It was then that her design idea was born.
The collection began with unique scarf necklaces and has expanded into a broader range of statement jewelry. Signature styles include embroidered and beaded scarf necklaces, meaningful charms, decadent statement earrings, intricately detailed brooches, and bracelets. Her design approach stems from her love of art, nature, architecture, and textiles, and her pieces are informed by 100-year-old heritage techniques.
How did you get started?
After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill, I moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne and Parsons. I then always wanted to move to New York City, after Paris, I picked up and moved back to the states and completed my studies at Parsons in NYC. In the early days of my career, I landed roles at Marc Jacobs, Loeffler Randall and Rachel Roy. The decision to go on my own was a happy accident, I always wanted to create a brand, something that was different from the typical fashion houses at that time and I was thrilled to have found my niche. There was a lot of work ahead of me but a few short years later, we were a team of eight women in NYC, picked up by retailers such as Neiman Marcus, and adored by celebrities and influencers.
What are your tips on building a successful jewelry brand?
The best tip I can give to someone wanting to start their own brand is to keep on going. There were many times I felt the pressure and was questioning myself. When times get tough, and they will get tough, especially in this economy, the best skill is to adapt and be flexible. I still feel like I wake up every day and feel there is SO MUCH MORE TO DO but I keep myself focused on my to-do list and have meetings with the team to stay organized and focus on our priorities. Some days it will feel like we’ve conquered the world and some days it will feel like we are drowning, but we keep going!
What do you enjoy most about running your own company?
Building a community of diverse and kind women both in the office and with our customer base. At MG headquarters in NYC, we are an all-female led and run team. It is so inspiring to work with such hard working and great people that just want to take the company to the next level. I am so proud of our team and all that we accomplish together. We have made MG a positive work environment, full of teamwork, collaboration, and fun with a goal to build a community of confident and joy-filled women. I launched the brand in hopes that each piece would bring joy and happiness to the wearer and I found that women really do develop a significant amount of confidence when wearing one of our pieces.
You travel so much; can you share some tips?
Travel has always been a big part of the inspiration for me. I love being outside and experiencing nature, which I weave into each collection!
My biggest piece of travel advice is: Only pack what you need. Traveling light is the best and easiest way to go. Pack just a carry-on bag so that you don’t run the risk of losing baggage. Lay out your outfits beforehand. See if you can re-wear a pair of jeans and maybe just bring a couple different tops. I have a set of toiletries that stay in my suitcase so I don’t forget anything.
I also prefer to get dressed for the day so that as soon as I land, I can run straight into meetings. My travel uniform is Levi’s, a belt I got from a trip to Guatemala, Ulla Johnson boots, and a bespoke Mignonne Gavigan jacket our old intern made for me when we launched.
What are the pieces you take everywhere?
This is such a hard question. I would say mini Delfina hoop earrings, Odyssey necklace, Mini Madelines – especially in fun seasonal colors, Lola earrings, and our new Herringbone and Georgie necklaces!
A Special Thank You!
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* valid through 11/19 *
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