Michelle is a treasured friend I am so lucky to have met while working in the corporate NYC fashion industry. I am so proud to partner with her on delicately gorgeous heart "huggies" earrings Michelle created exclusively for us. These are future heirlooms to gift to yourself or pass along to a loved one. Read on to learn more about the wonderful woman and dear-to-my-heart friend, Michelle.
Tell us about your brand
Michelle Minott is a Black female owned, fine jewelry brand. I create custom healing talismans and one of a kind heirlooms. I also offer a collection of intentionally made, daily luxuries. These are pieces of wearable art that encourage you to celebrate yourself everyday. Healing jewelry you wear in this life and the1n pass it on to the next generation. At its core, this collection honors Black culture- think 14K and 10K gold bamboo earrings and diamond pendants anchored with solid gold rope and Figaro chains.
What inspired you to create it?
I spent almost 20 years as a designer in the mass market fashion industry. As I moved up the ladder, a kind of disillusion set in. Tired of the break neck speed of constant creation. The long hours. The struggle to have my expertise valued as a Black woman in a board room full of men. I had grown weary of dealing with the small insults and aggressions of corporate spaces. And my desire to make long-lasting, high-quality, handmade products grew stronger.
A love and resonance for jewelry has been running in the background of my life. The jewelry I wore or wanted or saw always seemed to cement my memories. I was a clothing designer by trade. But, I was always collecting precious stones and jewelry grade crystals. I taught myself how to make little bracelets for fun. The decision to pivot my career into creating jewelry never felt sudden. It felt natural.
I grew up playing with my grandmother's costume jewelry. I used to study the style of the women and teenaged girls coming in and out of my building as I waited for the school bus too. I am inspired by Black culture of the past. Our culture has inspired much of the current music, fashion, art, and literature scene. I grew up in NYC in the 80s and spent most of my teens in the 90s going back and forth from the Bronx to North Carolina. In my work, I am always exploring how to translate these influences. Thinking about how these ideas can inform what we'll love now and in the future.
My work is an act of love- an homage to what we have affection for and hold precious. I'm taking those styles and ideas our community loves. I'm elevating them by using high-quality, luxe materials that last. Extending and growing one's legacy with pieces that reflect them. These are pieces that will hold your story until you pass them on to a loved one.
How do you show to yourself love?
For me, self love is an on-going practice. The acts are ever changing and that’s ok. Sometimes, the best way to show myself love is to simplify my commitments and say no if it isn’t an instant yes in my gut. To rest when I am tired. On hectic weeks, just sitting to take my meds (I have a chronic autoimmune disease) is enough. I love a long deep tissue massage but honestly, as a mom and new puppy owner uninterrupted sleep or a little bit of quiet is lovely.
What is your favorite love song?
It’s so hard to just choose one! “Adore” by Prince, “I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder and “Just Because” by Nikka Costa. Gotta throw in a sad love song too - "Lover You Should Have Come Over" by Jeff Buckley soothed a young, heartbroken Michelle.
Anything else you would like to share
I am so excited to share these special pieces with the love, community! I charged each of the 9 pairs I made in a crystal grid and imbued them with Reiki energy (I’m a Reiki master). Reiki is the Japanese practice of life force energy movement. It is believed to be able to shift stagnant energies throughout the energetic body and heal etheric holes in one's aura.
The opening of this box and the discovery of its contents is meant to be an event, a ritual. My hope is that you or whoever gets these pieces sets aside time to connect with their future heirloom. These pieces are intended to be a physical representation of love for yourself or someone else.