The Emma Sling Bag is designed for both functionality and style, ensuring you can go about your day with your hands free while keeping all your essentials secure.
Versatility: Wear the bag on your front or easily wear it on your back for a different look.
Organised Storage: Two distinct compartments for easy organization. Inside, you'll find a zipped pocket, spaces for your phone and pen, and a handy clip for your keys.
Accessible Pockets: For those items you want to access quickly, there are zippered pockets both at the front and back of the bag.
Customisable Fit: The strap is designed to adapt to your preference, allowing it to be worn on either the right or left side.
Make It Yours: Want to make a statement? Pair the Emma Sling with one of our unique fabric straps for an added touch of flair.
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The Amelie: A chic bag perfect for both nights out and daily wear as a crossbody.
Its braided strap evokes the luxury of a premium handbag, while its thoughtfully designed silhouette ensures it is super comfortable to wear.
You can easily change the strap to wear across your body or even customise it with one of our Fabric Straps.
The Amelie was inspired by my daughter Amelie who wanted a bag that she could use on a night out and have a more casual look of the day.
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With February arriving, it seems lots of us are beginning to think of the coming Spring. Garden bulbs are popping through the soil, the evenings are slowly but surely getting longer and thankfully restrictions are being lifted too! It’s certainly a time for looking forward with excitement for what is to come in 2022.
Charlotte and I are off to a trade fair next week, it’s always an incredibly busy couple of days. We hope to discover new suppliers for our Wardrobe and Homeware Collections, which means we can bring exciting new styles and colours to the website.
We’ve been thinking a lot about what Spring means to us. The first thing that springs (see what I did there?) to mind is of course a Spring clean. It isn’t just great for the home, having a good sort of your wardrobe as the new Season arrives can make you feel a sense of excitement and organisation that will also take you through to your day-to-day routine.
Fling your wardrobe doors open and take some time really looking at the clothes you have, ask yourself when was the last time you wore certain items? Did you feel good in it? Which colours do you tend to gravitate to? Pieces that you haven’t worn for ages or styles that you feel no longer give you that “I love this” feeling can always be donated to charity or sold on pre-loved sites to help you purchase new items.
We don’t need lots of different items, we need pieces that we truly love to wear and that can form a capsule collection to wear with different items for different occasions. Taking charge and organising your wardrobe is a really great way to give yourself some self-care time too. Time to look at how you want to look. Maybe you feel it’s time to completely re-evaluate your style? Or you are happy with your look but want to experiment with different colours and tones? We all need a bit of me time and concentrating on you is important for our mental health and well-being.
There are also a few ways to save time in the mornings when you are stood wondering what to wear? You can colour co-ordinate your wardrobe, so you have a rainbow effect if you are more colour driven. Or you could organise it so that all your different pieces i.e. skirts, trousers, blouses, jumpers etc.. are hung together. You know how you work best, make your wardrobe work for you too!
When your wardrobe is done, it will give you a feeling of achievement and purpose not to mention organisation which really is key to a simpler life. Don’t forget, that was the whole purpose of Charlotte’s Mia Tui journey! A bag to help you stay organised. It really does work in all aspects of our lives too. We know lots of our customers have fabulous bag storage organisation which is amazing to see. If we can do it for our bags, we must surely be able to do it for ourselves!
Spring is the ideal opportunity to give your home a Spring Clean and re style too. We aren’t just hoping to find some gorgeous new clothing at Spring Fair. We will be on the look-out for beautiful new Home and Garden pieces to help you bring a new look to your home.
Changing some furniture around in a room can sometimes give a whole new look to it, add a new rug or a vase, couple of cushions, style one of our Candles on a book or two and you’ll feel like you have a breath of fresh air in your home. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Pre-loved or re-purposed furniture is a great way to change your style without paying high end prices. As the saying goes, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure! And that is so true, most of the furniture in my home is pre-loved (the new way of saying second hand, let’s be honest!) There are bargains to be had in local charity shops, Facebook marketplace and of course EBay. It’s all about finding your style and setting a budget.
With regards to our bags, with new Spring/Summer 22 colours arriving in some styles from mid-March through until May, we’ve got both bright and neutral tones covered. Manufacturing and shipping is still proving to be harder than pre-Covid but over the last 2 years Charlotte and Van have learnt to pre-empt and understand the issues the pandemic have bought with it, and are now able to work with them to continue to bring you the fabulous bags we are known for. Fingers crossed these problems will become less and less as the year continues.
So, let’s allow ourselves to feel excited as we move into Spring, the possibilities of what we can achieve and even allow ourselves to plan some adventures to keep our spirits up. Let’s face it, we all deserve to have some fun and make happy memories this year!
With love from the Mia Tui Team x
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Well, here we are one year on and almost 2 years since the start of the Pandemic. Who would have believed that the world would still be dealing with this awful disease? The positives I can take from my words of last year are that yes, I have continued to diversify by introducing the Wardrobe Collection which has proved to be incredibly successful. The feedback we have received has all been very positive. Alongside this, we have also managed to design and produce a couple of new bag styles, the Aspen and Laura which have also been very well received.
We know from many of you who we chat to, that you are still very nervous of going out even to do the necessary food shop. To think we are a year further down the line but still in the midst of a Pandemic is very difficult for everyone to deal with. That's why we will continue to add to our range of products, to help you to shop with confidence from the comfort of your own home.
But I really don't want to be all doom and gloom! Yes, it has been another tough year for the business (as it has for most) but it's also been another year where we have seen our wonderfully loyal customers continue to support us and shout our name from the roof tops! We've also continued to gain an army of new customers too, so it's not all bad! In the Summer I took the decision to move to larger premises which was a huge decision to make during the current climate but it was the right thing to do and it has enabled us to look to the future. Not only that but we have 2 new members of the team, Kirsty and Emma who joined us in the Autumn alongside Sandra, Rebecca and Nici.
We still have to contend with shipping delays and a huge increase in shipping costs. Having our factory in Vietnam means that of course when rules have been bought into Vietnam to cope with the Pandemic we have to work around them and this is always challenging. Van and her team continue to work tirelessly to produce the very highest quality bags and accessories and for this we are very thankful.
The Mia Tui Community Facebook group that we launched at the start of the Pandemic in March 2020, has continued to grow and the love and support that members offer to each other is amazing. Seeing hundreds of women reaching out to each other and offering advice, kind words and so much support is truly humbling. Not only the Community Group but the Mia Tui Bag Collectors Group also on Facebook is growing rapidly too. This is an independent group run by die hard Mia Tui fans. The admin team work very hard just for the love of Mia Tui!
Looking to 2022, is exciting. I hope to continue to bring you fabulous clothing. I really want to expand our "Love your Curves" Collection as I feel we should all be encouraged to love our bodies whatever our shape. Our curves should be embraced! I am struggling to find manufacturers that offer me as much choice in larger sizes so this is something I really want to try to tackle moving forward.
We have a gorgeous new Backpack launching in the New Year, the Willow, which I think will become a customer favourite.
So it has been a year of contrasts, but what I really want to say is a massive thank you, to my team for their dedication and hard work and of course to you, our amazingly loyal customers for all the continued love and support Mia Tui has received in 2021.
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year.
Charlotte x
]]>You have probably seen by now that we have recently launched a whole new Collection to the website, Mia Tui Wardrobe.
This brand new collection of gorgeous clothes has been chosen carefully to give you an Autumn/Winter wardrobe that will make you feel and look amazing.
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You have probably seen by now that we have recently launched a whole new Collection to the website, Mia Tui Wardrobe.
This brand new collection of gorgeous clothes has been chosen carefully to give you an Autumn/Winter wardrobe that will make you feel and look amazing.
We have used the three words in the “strap line” throughout the process of deciding on specific pieces to include in the collection. Classic, timeless, style is what we think these pieces will give you. No fast fashion here! We want you to feel confident and chic when wearing your new clothes. We all need a boost sometimes, a gentle push to try a look you may not have had the confidence to try before.
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That’s where the Mia Tui Wardrobe Collection comes in! We have carefully chosen beautiful knitwear, tops and trousers that will give you a true capsule wardrobe. Many of the pieces have been made in Italy. Gorgeous Items that will work for future AW seasons too. Pieces that can be dressed up or down by changing your accessories. Everything we’ve chosen to include can be worn for a casual relaxed look but can also be dressed up for a more elegant chic look too.
Our wardrobes don’t need to be stuffed to bursting with lots of different pieces, it’s about creating a collection of clothes that work for you and can be paired with different items to create a totally new look.
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We have also tried our hardest to cater for real women of all different sizes. Unlike many of the high street brands who very often seem to have trouble with curvier women. Our Love your Curves collection includes some gorgeous items that will fit up to a size 24. We will continue looking for more pieces to bring to this collection because we understand how hard it can be to buy in these sizes.
So, if you haven't ventured into the Wardrobe Collection yet, why not make a cuppa get comfy and have a browse. We promise you won't be disappointed!
We are working on bringing some great accessory ideas too, for example our jewellery and scarves and which Mia Tui bag will look amazing with which outfit.
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The latest addition to the range are the Wax Melts and wow they have been so well received. We know that many of our customers use wax melts everyday around their homes, but if you are new to them then let us give you a little insight into ours.
]]>We honestly believe that our Home Fragrances are THE best you will ever buy. Now obviously we know that but selling fragrance online is not an easy job! We understand that as customers you need to be able to smell the fragrances to help you make the decision of which to buy. Last week, we launched our fragrance samples which are FREE! You will receive a wax melt segment and fragrance stick in each of the 4 fragrances for you to try.
We have been inundated with orders for the fragrance samples since launching and we hope that this will lead to more customers ordering now that they can make an informed decision.
The latest addition to the range are the Wax Melts and wow they have been so well received. We know that many of our customers use wax melts everyday around their homes, but if you are new to them then let us give you a little insight into ours.
As with the whole collection, our Wax Melts are hand poured in England using only THE purest ingredients. We use 100% Essential Oils and Organic Rapeseed & Coconut Wax that is totally organic and environmentally friendly. We don't use Soy wax because we cannot guarantee that it hasn't been genetically modified, something that is little known to the consumer!
You can rest assured that we will never use any other type of wax. For example many wax melts are made from paraffin which is made from the waste products left over from crude oil producing petroleum. Some paraffin wax products can also be disguised as "mineral wax" so always read the ingredients carefully.
Wax melts are simply a candle with no wick. A scented wax that you melt in a wax warmer with either a tea light or using an electric one. When the wax melts, it releases a stronger fragrance than a candle, due to the fact that it is melting at a higher and more consistent temperature and you are vaporising the scent.
Don't use an oil burner there is a difference between oil and wax burners. A wax burner should ideally measure 10cm from the tea light to the well/dish of the burner and the well or dish is traditionally deeper than that of an oil burner. Anything less than this means that you are using an oil burner (designed for us with water and oils) or a mini burner that is only meant to be used for short burst of times (60 mins max). Using the wrong burner, will use your wax too quickly, and even over heat the fragrance oils to a dangerous level. Most commonly it just burns off the fragrance so that you can't really smell it all and just detect an oily waxy scent.
Our Wax Melt starter kits are an easy way to begin using them, simply choose which kit works best for you and the fragrances you want. They also make great gifts for friends and family. You can even choose from a tea light or electric burner.
Wax melts work by releasing the fragrance oil in the wax once the wax is melted. Just put 2-3 segments into your chosen wax melt into the well of your wax burner and put a tea light underneath or use an electric wax burner if preferred. When you've had enough you simply turn off or blow out the tea light and you can allow the wax to harden and use again. Once the wax starts to lose it's scent you simply remove and replace with fresh wax. Once hardened we find our wax is easy to remove from the burner when you wish to replace.
Certain fragrances will evoke specific memories, this is known at "The Proust Effect" and is due to how close the olfactory processing system is to the memory hub in the brain. The amygdala, the almond-shaped brain structure that processes sensory information, and the hippocampus, the area responsible for storing episodic memories for later access, sit close together in the brain. This is why the smell of say freshly mown grass takes you back to childhood Summer days or baby powder which gives a feeling of security and joy from maybe childhood memories or being a new parent.
We have four amazing fragrances available in our Wax Melts (coming soon to our Candles and Reed Diffusers too!) These are:
OAK & CEDARWOOD
Oak & Cedarwood is the fragrance men notice! With gentle woody undertones, we believe this scent is perfect for you if you prefer a more earthy aroma. It fills the room without being overly heavy.
HONEYSUCKLE & VETIVER
Think of walking through the garden in the Sunshine with the heady aroma of a Honeysuckle filling the air. Add to that the gentle more earthy grass tones that Vetiver brings to the mix and we think you will agree that this fragrance will fill your home with a fresh yet floral scent.
SUMMER DAYS
This fragrance is reminiscent of a carefree Summer Day, hence the name. Imagine a garden full of beautiful Summer flowers in bloom, filled with a light mix of soft floral tones drifting gently through the air.
TUBEROSE & SEA SALT
Think of an explosion of white flowers reminiscent of Gardenia and Jasmine combined with the gentle saltiness that fills the air on a coastal walk. This scent may not be easy to describe but it is a very different fragrance that will envelop the senses.
I hope you have found this blog post helpful, don't forget you can order a FREE fragrance sample here if you are curious as to which scent is "you"
]]>Part of me thinks it is sad that we even need to label a day as a "Women's Day" but there is also another part of me, the Mother part I guess that feels we should indeed shout about it from the roof tops. And maybe therein lies the problem? We want to be equal but we want to celebrate amazing women as if being ground breakers is something that women have to celebrate? We don't celebrate ground breaking men do we?
I have to be honest, I don't think I have ever looked at a woman and thought "Wow look what she has achieved and she's a woman!" I'm 51 this year and although when I was growing up, many of my friends' mums didn't work outside of looking after the family I really don't think that I ever put them in categories, you know, never thought of them as more or less because of their careers or lack of. I wonder whether my way of looking at this was typical? Or whether without even knowing it, my Mum installed a positive outlook that being a woman didn't mean I had to question whether I was able to achieve certain things or not?
My Mum went back to work when I was 5. She had worked in London before I was born and commuted in everyday. This didn't work after my arrival and so she found a job as a PA to a woman who was probably at the time quiet a rarity. A single woman who had made her fortune in building and property. My Mum was her "right hand woman" ... that sounds familiar ;-)
Mum was simply Mum, I never questioned her job, or why she had to, or chose to work. Looking back as an adult now with a grown up family of my own and grandchildren, I think my Mum couldn't ever have been a stay at home mum. She was gregarious, the life and soul of any party and all my friends adored her. She smoked and drank plenty and was certainly never a pushover or someone to be taken lightly. My Mum was a contrary Mary, loving and kind, soft and cuddly but also never to be taken for a fool. She was an organiser, family leader, juggler of life and everyone loved her. I feel that without knowing it, she certainly challenged what at the time was the "norm" for women.
She would embarrass me mercilessly as a teenager and I used to get so cross with her for that. Of course, when my children were teens I did exactly the same thing. She knew me like no one else, even though I didn't think she did at the time. She taught me so much without ever making me realise I was being taught.
So, on this International Women's Day, I love to read about all the famous groundbreaking women that have gone before me but I also want to celebrate the ordinary women, who just like my mum and other mums' simply led the life they managed to carve out any which way they could. The women who, maybe like me didn't feel the need or desire to have to be groundbreaking, to achieve more than was expected of us but just got on with things and were happy with our lot.
So, lets see who the rest of the team want to talk about on International Women's Day ....
Charlotte has also chosen her Mum as the woman to inspire her and look up to, she says "My Mum gave me THE best childhood, full of security and love which I believe is what gives me the confidence to be who I am today. When I think back to my time growing up, my Mum gave up so much of herself for her family. There was nothing I couldn't discuss with her and she brings that to all of her grandchildren too. Thank you Mum for just being you."
Emily looked to someone rather more famous, she says "A woman who has inspired me is Audrey Hepburn. I have always loved her movies and how she can captivate a whole audience, Sabrina is the best movie! Not only is she a famous actress but during the Second World War she was part of the Dutch resistance and performed ballet shows to raise money for the effort. This inspires me because she was only a teenager during the war so to be able to take a stand and put herself at risk for the greater good is very inspiring. She is not just the classy 1950’s and 60’s movie star that we all know and love."
Rebecca chose Michelle Obama as she finds her an inspiration because she didn't come from a privileged background but had a determination to work hard and succeed in her career. Becca says that Michelle once said “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them.” Rebecca feels that this is something that every young woman can relate to and the knowledge that from an ordinary childhood, simple hard work can bring a life that helps make a difference to others.
Of course, I can't go without mentioning all the amazing women who we have come to meet and talk to through being customers of Mia Tui and from our Facebook Community group. Women who all have trials and tribulations to face and overcome and who do this with strength and determination but also a loving kind heart for others. Women who always have time to cheer one another on and who know that to build each other up is the greatest gift you can give. So thank you to each and everyone of you for being the kind of women who share your kindness and love.
We hope you have a positive and happy International Women's Day!
The Mia Tui Team x
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Blues are going to be everywhere this Season, so let's start with a brand new blue tone for the coming months. We have chosen a Petrol Blue, to make transitioning from the deeper Winter colours easy. Blue is a joy to wear, it makes the perfect accessory colour and brings with it thoughts of clear blue skies and fresh air. Wear with creams, denims, classic tans and neutrals or go for a nautical red and blue this Season.
Pebble is returning as a fabulous neutral tone for 2021, another very easy to wear colour and a joy to add to any outfit to give a classic, timeless look. It works with most colours and even gives white linen or white Summer jeans a softer more paired down tone.
Our third Spring Summer 21 colour choice is also a stunning gentle tone to carry you through 2021. Dove Grey is a soft grey that has a slight lilac hue reminiscent of heather landscapes and again can be worn with many colours whether vibrant or pastel.
Although we only released a few styles in the new Spring Summer colours yesterday, never fear we will be slowly releasing them in all styles. Including our popular travel range and of course backpacks in these gorgeous tones, all by mid March.
During the past year we have seen more interest in our Backpacks and Across Body styles, due to the pandemic and all our lives changing so dramatically. Both of these styles are easy to wear and versatile for a quick trip to do the weekly shop or for getting much needed exercise when out walking.
Imagine a Petrol Blue backpack slung on one shoulder with a denim jacket and cropped white jeans and trainers. The perfect casual weekend look. Or a Pebble Rebecca worn on the shoulder with a little black dress for evenings when we can once more venture out. The classic Audrey Hepburn timeless look of elegance and easy to wear chic.
We are excited for the coming months, when travel and days out will return. An excuse to experiment with colour again and enjoy the little things that we may have taken for granted prior to the pandemic.
The three colours we are introducing give a clear direction to the coming Spring Summer months and we hope you will love them just as much as we do.
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For us as a business we have of course seen a drop in sales. We’ve been pretty open and honest during the pandemic, the lockdowns, restrictions etc... and we have at times felt despondent and struggled to see light at the end of the tunnel as I’m sure many of us have.
Travel all but disappeared and with that so did sales of our travel range! But it’s almost February and if you think of what we’ve already got through and overcome then now is the time to look forward and get our positive vibes back!
We are sure that if we can’t wait to travel again, then it must be the same for many of us. You may be new to Mia Tui, maybe you found us during lockdown 1, 2 or more recently! So you won’t have seen much talk of our travel range. But it is at the core of our business (Charlotte started the business by designing her perfect travel bag.)
There wasn’t much point focusing on our travel range during much of last year due to the circumstances, and we still aren’t prioritising this collection but as the months move on in 2021 travel will slowly return.
Our travel range of bags and accessories give you not only the perfect way to stay organised for your holidays and travel, but will also keep you looking and feeling on trend but classically stylish too.
What’s so special about our bags? Well, let’s start with the fact that they are designed by a woman for women. Who better to design a handbag! For example, why do most bags have dark interiors? Talk about making it hard to find anything. So, our signature bright blue interior fabric makes everything easy to find whilst en route to your destination. We then have the little extras that are unique to Mia Tui bags like our travel sleeve making it easy to sit your bag over your suitcase handle. There’s an elasticated key clip, coordinating clutch bag for evenings and days when you don’t need to take the world with you, and an insulated bottle holder. You really will never find a better bag to travel with.
Not only that, but they lend themselves to other uses too, don’t just holiday with them then put them away until next year. The versatility of our range means our larger travel styles are also perfect as work bags, baby bags, gym bags. You name it ... it’ll work for it.
Mia Tui isn’t just about the look. Practicality, versatility and organisation in our range means you get amazing value for money when you purchase from us. You may ask how we can honestly make this statement. Well the answer is easily!
For example, our Travel Bag Bundle offer gives £32 worth of products FREE (no catch, no buts, no ifs!) when you purchase a bag from the Travel Collection.
Not only are you getting an extremely high quality bag made by our skilled craftsmen and women at our own factory, we then give you a set of FREE Packing Cubes (one word ... AMAZING!) and the choice of either a folding travel bag the Alex or a folding Backpack the Oxford. Meaning you get 3 fantastic travel items for the price of your choice of travel bag.
So, why not explore the Travel range if you haven’t already had a look. Remember, travel will return. We have to stay positive and look to the future. No doubt you’ll want to be one step ahead of the game when it does and with one of our bags you certainly will be. For more information and to take a look at the range you’ll find them here.
https://miatui.com/collections/the-ultimate-travel-bundle
We would love to see your pics on your social media platforms, we have started running a monthly competition and the winner will receive a £50 Mia Tui voucher. To be in with a chance, make sure you use #miatuimoment when you post a pic of you and your Mia Tui bags and accessories.
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We were very excited earlier this week to find out that we have won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences, as rated by real customers.
]]>We know from the messages, emails and comments on social media that our Customers feel we offer exemplary customer service, but to win this award really does help boost team moral and help us to continue to strive to offer THE very best service possible.
At our Buckinghamshire offices we love to take your calls and emails. Our team will always be here to help with any questions, queries or feedback you want to leave us. That's part of what our customers say sets us apart. No automated responses just a genuine team passionate about our products and ready to help at the end of the phone.
Our amazing Customer Service team is made up of Becca and Emily, in the office Monday-Friday 8.30 - 4.30 to answer your calls and messages. If me (Nici) or Charlotte (the boss lady!) are in the office, we will always pick up the phone or reply to emails too.
If you would like to know more about how we gained this award please have a read of how we achieved this amazing accreditation.
Created by Feefo, Trusted Service is awarded only to businesses that use Feefo to collect genuine reviews and insights. Businesses who meet the high standard, based on the number of reviews they have collected and their average rating, receive the award. A highly valued badge of approval, this accreditation remains unique, as it is based purely on interactions with real customers. As all reviews are verified as genuine, the accreditation is a true reflection of a business’s commitment to outstanding service.
Feefo gives Platinum Trusted Service awards to businesses that have achieved the Feefo Gold standard for three consecutive years or more. In normal times, the Feefo Gold Trusted Service award recognises organisations that have collected at least 50 Feefo reviews in a year and have achieved a service rating of at least 4.5. This year, to avoid penalising businesses suffering unduly from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the criteria has been adjusted. Organisations that won a Gold Trusted Service award last year but struggled to achieve the required number of reviews this year, have been assessed on an average rating over the 24-month period covering 2020 and 2019.
Charlotte, founder of Mia Tui said “We’re very excited to receive this award from Feefo because it’s based on the feedback of real customers, who are the most important judges of all. It recognises how hard we work to give all our customers the best possible experience, even in a year as tough as 2020. Everyone at Mia Tui is fully committed to the highest quality of service, so it’s important for us to listen, understand and respond to all our customers. The beauty of Feefo is that it enables us to consistently improve, so we’re looking forward to another successful year. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave us feedback.”
Congratulating Mia Tui on winning this year’s award, Steph Heasman, Director of Customer Success at Feefo, commented: “The Trusted Service award has always been about recognising companies that are outstanding in customer experience and generate great feedback from happy customers.
“This year, despite the incredible challenges of a global pandemic, so many companies using Feefo have continued to provide remarkably high levels of service and they deserve a huge amount of credit for what they have achieved. It’s why we have changed our criteria to be fair to the organisations that have struggled in such difficult circumstances. At Feefo we help our clients give their customers the best experiences possible.
“I’m confident that throughout 2021 we’ll see even greater customer experience achievements from our partners as we return to something like business-as-usual.”
A huge thank you to all our customers for your continued support, custom and feedback. It really does mean the world.
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I saw something on social media the other day saying "2020 - so bad they named it twice!" which I thought was quite apt.
As a small independent family owned British business, 2020 has certainly been a rollercoaster of a ride for us. Being an online retailer, you may think we would have no need to worry, after-all shops shut in the first lockdown countrywide, so surely that meant sales would increase for us? Sadly not, if you aren't allowed to go out then who needs a new handbag? Not just that but travel all but died and of course our travel bags are our biggest seller!
We entered lockdown at the end of March and for the whole country it was a frightening time when none of us knew what to expect or how it would affect our lives. We all had friends and family who were struggling, furlough was tough and the worry of what was still to come made everyone cautious (rightly so). With this mood of uncertainty came a visible drop in sales for the business. In fact during this quarter we were down a massive 50% from the previous year.
The thing is, it's not just about continuing to need customers to buy in these very strange times, it's also about all the behind the scenes stuff that needs to happen to enable us to get product to the website. Our bags are made in Vietnam at our factory and so we were in the hands of Van and her amazingly dedicated team to continue to produce when they were able to.
Moving from production, we are then reliant on shipping, ports across the world have struggled with the pandemic. British ports are no different and we have had delays in docking and transporting our containers throughout the year. It's certainly been a fly by the seat of our pants kinda year for us!
As Summer turned to Autumn we realised that although during this quarter we were only down 25% instead of the previous 50% things were not going to return to "normal" any time soon. With that in mind, we started looking at the business from an outside perspective. What did we want when shopping online?
We know our customers trust us as a brand, we give exceptional customer service and our products are made to the highest quality and exacting standards that we are very proud of. We decided that being a brand name that gives customers peace of mind leant itself to expanding our product range. Of course, Mia Tui will always be about the bags. But with a trusted name we knew we could offer customers a wider range of items to order from the comfort of home.
No one particularly enjoys going "out out" to the shops any more, so now was the time to look at what we could bring to the website to help with gift shopping for the upcoming Christmas shopping period.
We had many requests over the first few months asking us to make face masks. It wasn't something Charlotte felt would work for us to manufacture but after doing a lot of research, we found a supplier of a range of masks that after trialling we had confidence in. So they were the first step to strengthen the business moving forward.
What started as a test to see if we could indeed sell other products to our customers soon became something we knew worked! We expanded our accessories collections, with more gorgeous jewellery and a range of luxury scarves, gloves and hats. Not just that, we bought Noble Isle on board with their luxury Bath & Body fragrances and then we ventured into stationery and rounded the year off with our very own bespoke collection of Home Fragrance Candles and Reed Diffusers.
To give you a little insight into how bringing these new products on line have helped our October - December quarter was still down on last year 27% but imagine what we would have been looking at if we hadn't thought outside the box and looked at our products!
During 2020, sales of our Travel Bag range which was once our hero collection have been down 60%! That shows exactly how tough this year has been for Mia Tui. Charlotte has climbed what must seem like a multitude of mountains this year. She has led the business through unprecedented times and with foresight has managed to continue to steer Mia Tui through the storm.
So what does this mean for the brand in 2021? Well we don't see things changing overnight and so Charlotte has decided to continue to diversify and bring customers a wider range of top quality products for your home and garden.
Alongside this, we have plans to continue with our Home Fragrance range and develop further fragrances and products in the collection. We will always be predominately "about the bags" but we understand offering you, our wonderful customers a larger range means you can shop with confidence from the safety and comfort of home.
So let's look forward to 2021, Mia Tui will continue to be THE best independent brand there is and have THE best customers a business could ask for.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for your continued support not just with the orders you place but with the emails, messages and comments on our social media platforms.
* On a positive note - Charlotte managed to build her new house in lockdown (in which she discovered new skills in navigating Wicks website and getting daily collection slots! After her house sale falling through weeks before completion she actually managed to sell and complete in November with the help of www.homesonweb.co.uk who managed to keep her calm (no mean feat!)
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Well it's been just over a week since the Autumn Winter 20 photo shoot took place and I have only just had a chance to sit down and write this!
As usual when we have a Seasonal photo shoot, we thought you would like to have a little look at what goes on behind the scenes and hear more about the day.
]]>As usual when we have a Seasonal photo shoot, we thought you would like to have a little look at what goes on behind the scenes and hear more about the day.
This season we wanted a very sharp minimalist edge to the images, something that felt very now. With Charlotte having just moved into the house she has almost re built it worked perfectly as our location for the shoot. This in turn also cut down the time we spend finding a location that is exactly what we are looking for.
Our photographer Noel, along with the two fabulous models Laura and Christine made the day easy and we are so very happy with the images which are exactly what we were looking for.
As usual on photo shoot day, we ask the models to do their own hair and make up this being that we want a natural feel and look and as you know when you do your own hair and make up, you know best what works for you! It's the same with our gorgeous models, they know how best to get the natural look we want.
Setting up the first location within the house was soon done and it is then straight into the first image we are looking for. We have a plan that we work to, essentially we are after the main collections on the website front page and then from those initial images we can then change bags in and out for other uses for example our social media channels and ads.
It's always hard for the first few shots to agree on "the look" although we have it in our minds, transferring this to a photographer isn't always easy. Noel worked with us and had patience with us though and slowly we got there.
When we mention to friends or family that we are working on planning the photo shoot, everyone usually says what fun it must be and working? Really? And yes, it is a-lot of fun but the planning and detail that it takes is pretty hard to understand until you have had to do it.
We have to think of styles, colours, model looks, complexions, heights and so much more and that's just the planning. We thoroughly work through each shot that we need for the website and from that original plan we then have to shop for the models outfits and co-ordinate these with the bag colours. Not forgetting trying not to duplicate colours and styles for different collections.
It's an unknown quantity working with new models and photographer and there is no rehearsal day so it's now or never to get the right look and vibe.
Laura and Christine didn't know each other before the shoot but it was great to find that they just clicked straight away and worked so well together it was a dream! They loved the brand and were so enthusiastic which can be seen in the amazing pictures Noel took.
As well as using Charlotte's home, we went out into the village and Noel got some stunning images in the local area, the look and feel of this years Autumn Winter shoot is exactly what we had in our minds eye.
It takes time to get any shot as we have to check the bags are being held/worn correctly, zips are in the right place, the colour is right, models look comfortable and natural. It isn't as easy as it looks!
We broke for a quick lunch in the sun and chatted about what we were looking for from the afternoon shots and locations and then it was straight back to work.
It's always a full on day that starts early and finishes around 6 but to see all we achieve in just one day is pretty amazing.
As you may have seen Charlotte went live on FB a few times throughout the day to show you all some of the behind the scenes goings on and there was a lot of laughter throughout the day.
We hope you love the new pictures, look and feel as much as we do!
Thank you to Laura and Christine for being absolute stars and to Noel www.readphotography.co.uk our photographer for "getting us" and what we were looking for!
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Who knew when we launched our Spring Summer 20 collection in early March what the year had in store for us? In what is the 10th Anniversary year of Charlotte launching Mia Tui it really has been a year to remember!
]]>Who knew when we launched our Spring Summer 20 collection in early March what the year had in store for us? In what is the 10th Anniversary year of Charlotte launching Mia Tui it really has been a year to remember!
We were super excited about the four new colours, classy, somewhat understated, but truly a range of colours that can carry you throughout the Seasons.
Due to what happened next, Covid-19 which sent us into lockdown in late March and the fallout of that which meant furlough for the team, we haven't really had the opportunity to really shout from the rooftops about our stunning Summer range! But there is still opportunity to purchase these stunning colours in many of your favourite styles. Whether you love a classic neutral (Pebble) a gentle grey (Whisper Grey) or subtle pink (Blush) or maybe the need for a little glitz and glamour with Gold!
As a family owned and run business, Mia Tui has of course, along with thousands of other businesses not just in the UK but around the world had to adapt to the "new normal" It's certainly been a sharp learning curve and every aspect of the business has had to undergo changes.
Charlotte's understanding of both her business and her customers has been the key to surviving this terrible time. Her positive leadership has helped keep team spirits up and we are now fortunate to be back in the office (part-time, but it's a start!) as a team, doing what we do best ... sending out stunning bags and making Mia Tui customers happy!
Yes, times have changed, sadly we know many of our customers have had very difficult times to contend with. Going into lockdown initially, we questioned if we should continue to post pictures of our range on our social media platforms and to send our newsletters out to our customers? Was this the right thing to do? Would our customers think us insensitive to the current situation? But if we didn't would Mia Tui survive?
So with the usual honesty you will find from Mia Tui, we asked what you wanted? What should we do? And we were totally overwhelmed with replies saying you wanted to hear from us, that pretty pictures of our range weren't insensitive but helped to keep some form of normality alive in these unprecedented times.
Not only did we adapt as a business to survive, it has been your adaption as our wonderful customers too that has really kept us going.
So what have we been up to during lockdown? Well, we launched a Mia Tui Community page on Facebook, it's not all about using it as a sales platform for the brand. It's simply a group of like minded people who feel they are in a safe community where we can let off steam occasionally, post uplifting positive comments and pictures. From the feedback we have received, although the idea of the Community group was to help during lockdown, it seems those of you who are members really want us to keep it open and so we will as long as it's wanted and needed.
Although production had to stop for a few months, we are now back on track and excitedly awaiting our next container from Van in early September. But before then we have to plan and action our Autumn/Winter 20 photoshoot and launch.
It's great to be back, and as sales continue to grow (fingers crossed) the team will hopefully get back to a normal full-time working week. Things may be a little different going forward but it's all positive and the team are very excited for the coming months and what they will bring.
Charlotte has been working hard in the background to bring some new designs and ideas to the range and these will gradually be launched later in the year.
We also have an old favourite making a comeback in September, so if you've been with Mia Tui from the early years keep your eyes peeled for its return!
So thank you, once again to all our loyal customers who have continued to order and support an independent UK brand. We couldn't do this without you!
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With four brand new colours in the Collection, we have had a lot to do prior to launch day. This includes reorganising the unit where we pack all orders. It may only seem like four new colours but we have around 22 product styles that are having new colours added to, this means finding space for all these new items!
As well as this, we had to plan the Photoshoot to the most finite detail. We had two lovely customers Barbara and Gianna who have modelled for us for AW18 and two gorgeous professional models Emily and Aleesha who joined us for the day.
Planning a photo shoot is a very detailed task. It may from the outside seem just like a few images but there are an awful lot of elements that need to be planned.
Firstly, we have to plan the "Collection Shots" for the front page of the website. From those main images, we have to make sure they will sit well with the other images once on the website. Then we plan the colour of bags to use, style of bags, not doubling up too much, then we move on to plan the clothes for each model to wear in each shot that works with each style and colour of bag.
We worked with a new local photographer for this shoot, Justin came to our studio and took new product images a couple of weeks before the SS20 shoot for each style. This gave us all a chance to get the hang of working together and for Justin to get to grips with what we need from each shot.
We were very lucky that Taylor Wimpey allowed us to use their stunning Showhomes at Newton Leys which is not too far from our offices. For last year's Spring Summer photoshoot, you may remember that we went to Spain for 3 days which gave us the perfect weather for images. This year, we didn't have time to do this so using the show homes with their beautiful interiors really made the project easier to execute as it kept us close to the office and we were able to shoot everything in just one day!
So a couple of weeks ago, we spent the Sunday afternoon getting all the bags (over 50!) to the venue along with all the clothes/shoes for our models. Gianna came up to Milton Keynes and helped us which was very kind of her. Once again, Taylor Wimpey were great and let us set up just before they closed for the day. This meant Monday morning was far easier as everything was all ready for our models.
We were hoping Monday morning may bring us a little sunshine so that we could move outside for some of the shots, sadly it was not to be, the wind was blowing a gale and it rained almost all day! Onwards and upwards! The Mia Tui team are not easily defeated ... as they say "The show must go on!"
Charlotte picked up Emily and Barbara from MK station, whilst I collected Gianna and headed over to meet Aleesha and Justin at the show homes. By 10am we were ready to start, models all ready for their first shots and luckily all the fabulous looks we had put together for them all fitted and worked well with the new colours.
Once Justin had got the lighting right we started working our way through all the main Collection shots we needed and then did close-ups and individual shots after each main image was taken.
Our four lovely models were great fun and worked really well together, there was an awful lot of laughter and chat and poor Justin was very patient. Although I am sure after a whole day with 6 wittering women he was probably ready to open a bottle of wine!
Three of the new Spring Summer colours are stunning pastels, perfect for transitioning into the new Season. Whisper Grey, Pebble and Blush are sure to be some of our most popular ever colours. The softness of the colour palette is stunning and will work with occasion wear for Weddings, Christenings, Proms or for everyday, paired with more casual looks.
Gold is the fourth new colour and it really is a stunner of a Gold! Nothing brash here! Although it has a gentle hue, it is a gorgeous Gold that will be a great addition to your accessories collection.
So, that's a little snippet of what goes on behind the scenes on shoot day! We really do hope you love the new Spring Summer 20 colours as much as we do. Charlotte wanted to create a truly timeless collection for this Season and these gentle pastels really will add a touch of understated chic to any outfit whilst still being very "on-trend"
Here are a few of the fantastic images from the shoot. A huge thank you to our models, Barbara, Aleesha, Gianna and Emily, our photographer Justin and of course Taylor Wimpey Homes.
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It's not the first time Charlotte has won this award, in fact, it's the 5th time and the 4th consecutive year that Mia Tui changing bags have won!
For the last few years, the awards ceremony has been held at the Westminster Park Plaza overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament. It's a stunning backdrop and the Hotel is wonderful. Every year, there is a stunning Christmas display in the foyer which really sets the scene for a fabulous evening.
This year, we arrived at the Hotel in time for a light lunch and an afternoon of pampering! It was our Christmas treat and we had both been looking forward to a little downtime prior to the awards evening.
We had a wonderful afternoon and I have to say, Charlotte must have been very relaxed as her laptop was nowhere to be seen (even though it was with her!) So relaxed in fact that we suddenly realised that time was getting on and we really should be getting ready for the awards dinner.
Charlotte wore a beautiful LBD and to compliment her look, she chose a Silver Rebecca. Rebecca really is such a stunning bag, it works perfectly for day or evening wear with the choice of strap length to carry you through any occasion, day or evening.
When we got downstairs, there was just enough time to do a quick FB Live and we had many of you watching and wishing us luck for the awards. We went on to the Ballroom where the awards are held, there are 37 awards so as you can imagine, it is a fairly long evening. We had a great host the actress Sally Philips who some of you may know from Miranda and Bridget Jones Diary. She really kept the room in great spirits all evening with lots of laughter.
The award for Best Changing Bag was fairly late on in the evening, in fact, award 35! But with good company and great food, the evening flew by. Soon it was approaching the time for our category.
Even though Charlotte has won previously, it doesn't get any easier waiting for the Gold Award Winner to be announced. We were a little thrown when it appeared that the winner had previously won the award twice .... Charlotte has in fact one 4 times before! But then Sally announced the Gold Award was for the Jennie and we realised it was, in fact, Mia Tui. Charlotte had picked up the award for the 5th time!
Charlotte was absolutely thrilled and a little shocked to have won once again! After accepting the award, Charlotte was whisked off to film a short video for Mother & Baby about what winning the Mother and Baby Award means to the brand and to her customers, how it gives parents trust in a product at what really can be an overwhelming time with so many new products to choose from and buy.
If you aren't familiar with the Mia Tui range of Changing Bags, have a look here at the collection. They make amazing gifts for expectant parents and with Christmas fast approaching and a celebratory 20% off using code MBA20 off until 11th December 2019 it's a great time to buy for yourself or as a gift.
I am sure you will all join me in congratulating Charlotte and the team on the win once again this year.
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So here are just a few ideas that we hope may help inspire you and make what can become a stressful time a little easier.
GIFTS FOR MEN
As I mentioned above, my difficult to buy for man is my Father! I know he really doesn't want anything new and parents never want us spending lots, do they? So this year I have had a lightbulb moment! My dad maybe 85 years old, but he still goes out walking his dog twice a day and goes all over the country caravanning during the Summer months. What could he possibly use in the Mia Tui range you may be thinking .... Well this year, I am buying him an Oxford folding Backpack for when he goes out walking at home or on holiday, a Gem toiletry bag to keep his iPad cable (yes he has an iPad and uses it) and phone charger in when he is off on his hols and a Stainless Steel Water Bottle for taking when he walks.
As well as these great smaller gifts that are really handy to have, the Sydney backpack makes a great gift for men who commute to work or need a bag for the Gym. Team this with a glasses case and Gem organiser, plain Winter scarf in Black or Grey and you have got a great gift set!
GIFTS FOR TEENS
In some cases, teens can be even harder to buy for than men! Backpacks are very on-trend at the moment for teens and we haven't let this go unnoticed! Jess and the more recent addition the Emily backpack are a great size for teens as well as adults. Or maybe if your teen is looking for a school bag they may like the Maya backpack or Zoe shoulder bag.
As well as bags, we have some great winter scarves which you won't go wrong with as they may never want to wear a coat but give them a scarf and they are happy! Add in a Coin Purse, Beau Makeup bag. bracelet and glasses case and Hey Presto there's a fab collection of gifts right there.
STOCKING FILLERS
We do a Secret Santa at Mia Tui HQ, a budget is set and then it's just having to come up with ideas to suit your recipient! Not always easy is it?
Have a look at our Stocking Fillers Collection, we have put together some really great little gift ideas that work well when on a strict budget. From Sue folding shoppers (everyone needs one of these in their life surely?) to the really handy Alex folding travel bag, or Lily clutch/crossbody we really think you will find that perfect gift.
GIFTS FOR HER
We couldn't ignore gifts for us in this little roundup, could we!
I mentioned at the start that Charlotte finds it hard to buy for her Mum, as of course she can pick and choose from the range. But this year Charlotte is going to be wrapping her namesake bag up for her as she knows her Mum loves the fact that the Charlotte's 2 different styles of the strap give it a really versatile look for all occasions, day or evening.
Why not send your wish list to a loved one who may be in need of some inspiration on what to buy you? We had requests for a wish list and so Charlotte has added this to the website. You may be longing for a travel bag for next year's holiday or would love to find one of our newly launched Rebecca bundles under your tree this year.
There are some great offers on the website to help with your gift-buying this Christmas, such as the Samantha with 20% off or the Annabelle bundle giving a FREE Megan worth £26.50!
Don't forget you can also purchase Gift vouchers on the website that are sent via email, they are available in denominations of £10, £25, £50 and £100.
We really hope this post may help with a little inspiration this Christmas. But whatever you buy or receive this year we wish you a joyous time with family and friends.
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Let’s start with the Sarah, purposely designed as a work bag, Sarah has an internal padded laptop compartment that can fit up to a 13.5cm tablet/laptop meaning if you prefer not to carry your device in a sleeve then it will still be protected.
Sarah comes with all the normal Mia Tui internal features and has a detachable longer length shoulder strap. This strap can be attached diagonally to the handle harware of the rolled handles. Our newer Sarah’s also have the added benefit of the travel sleeve on the back, enabling it to slip smoothly over standard suitcase handles. If you travel regularly for work then Sarah is a great choice.
Maybe you like to carry a smaller handbag to work but need to carry files and a laptop? Then the Windsor is for you. Windsor is a more traditional style laptop bag rather than a handbag. It is an incredibly functional, stylish laptop bag but with just short handles for carrying as you would a briefcase. Laptops up to 13" fit into the padded compartment inside. Pair it with a smaller Mia Tui handbag to keep your stylish work look. Windsor also has the travel sleeve for use on roller cases/suitcases.
Let’s move onto a few of our other bags that whilst not designed specifically as work bags work really well for this use. Jennie and Mini Jen are known predominantly as our Travel bags, however, their size can functionality can lean to being a great alternative as a work bag. In fact, the Mia Tui team use Jennie and Mini Jen as work bags. We carry laptops, files, and all the usual paraphernalia with us for a day in the office and we find Jennie is a real workhorse!
So, let’s move away from having to carry laptops to work, of course not all of us need to work at home and in the office and so here is where we bring in Eleanor as a great stylish alternative.
Eleanor is the epitome of Chic, with rolled handles, double zip closure (meaning a very wide opening) Eleanor is a tardis of a bag. The structured look means a smart look for office/corporate use. Eleanor will give you confidence in your work look.
I also, on occasion use my Zoe and Elise for the office. If I am out and about and don’t need to take too many files and a laptop then Zoe is another great alternative. With no hardware, like the Elise both these styles are slightly lighter and give a different look.
“Don’t forget the Sydney” I hear some of you calling! I won’t of course. Sydney is the largest backpack style and really is a great choice for the working day if you are a backpack fan.
With padded shoulder straps, an insulated front pocket (great for lunches) and padded inside compartment, Sydney works in many different guises. Work, travel, days out with the family.
We know many of our customers also use some of the smaller shoulder bags such as Olivia, Samantha, Matilda Mae. You’ll be hard-pressed not to find a bag that will suit your needs for work, so do please have a look at all the different styles and videos we show to help you make the right choice for you. We are always more than happy to help if you are unsure and want to have a chat before purchasing.
I hope this gives a little insight/inspiration and help if you are trying to choose the right bag for work.
Nici x
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We get a lot of questions about our travel bag range, mainly asking if they comply with airline requirements? Airlines do of course state their individual bag sizing policy on their websites but I have put together a list of some of the bigger airlines with their guidelines which I hope may help you find the information you need. (All listed at the end of this post).
]]>Of course, we both travelled with Mia Tui bags and accessories and so with that in mind, we thought it may be helpful to put together a blog post about travel with a few of our favourites included.
We get a lot of questions about our travel bag range, mainly asking if they comply with airline requirements? Airlines do of course state their individual bag sizing policy on their websites but I have put together a list of some of the bigger airlines with their guidelines which I hope may help you find the information you need. (All listed at the end of this post).
Whilst doing this, I found that EasyJet has a really helpful tool on their app for you to check your bag sizing against their policy. Just download their app and go to Cabin Bag Sizer where you can use your camera to check your bag size for both Cabin Bag and Under Seat Bag. I tested it with a Jennie which was allowed.
What we do know, is that the size guidelines really don't stop Mia Tui bags from being compliant, our fabric is soft and supple, not rigid so even if for example, the Jennie may measure slightly larger than an airline may give as their guide, it is malleable and so can fit under the seat on aircraft. This is the major point that airlines wish to make, and maybe with some brands only producing rigid bags that's a problem, not so with Mia Tui!
I said we would talk a little about our own favourite travel choices, obviously, everyone has different needs when travelling as do Charlotte and I.
Charlotte always travels with her Matt Silver Jennie, (the largest of the range) because Charlotte has 2 teens and husband she often ends up carrying "stuff" for everyone, although Phillipe does use a Sydney backpack (see pic above). For long haul, it's often a great idea to carry a change of clothes or leisurewear for the plane. So Charlotte's tip is to use one of the middle size packing cubes for this inside the Jennie. She uses a Beau organiser for cables/chargers which she also keeps with her in the Jennie. Both Charlotte and I used the new RFID travel wallets for the first time and we both loved them. Charlotte also used the Falmouth every day along with the water bottles and PVCs'. She also took her trusty Maya for days out and again found all of these products to be brilliant for organisation during her holiday.
My choice is the Zoe, as I only have myself to think about when travelling (my husband like Charlotte's uses a Sydney to travel with and now says he loves it!) I find Zoe is perfect for me to fit a book, small packing cube for my medication, an Isobel for popping to Duty Free or to freshen up without taking Zoe, my RFID travel wallet (which should not be ignored as it was an absolute godsend for us keeping all our travel documents, EHIC cards, driving licenses, currency and insurance documents organised and in one place) and a water bottle. I use the clear PVC pouch for 100ml bits for security and the matching clutch holds, wet wipes, tissues, and my glasses case.
I do also have a mini Jen which I used to travel with when we went to Spain for our SS18 photoshoot as I also took my laptop and work files. If I fly long haul and want to take a change of clothes, I may choose Mini Jen, but for my short-haul travel, Zoe is my go-to bag.
Sydney is proving to be a big hit with the Mia Tui men! I will be giving Sydney's for Christmas to my daughters' partners as I think it also means us girls can then concentrate on ourselves rather than having to think about what the men want to take to travel with! Let them sort themselves out, there's no excuse with a Sydney!
Let me touch on what I also found to be a revelation! Packing cubes.... who knew? I can honestly say, I will always travel using them now. I rolled everything which meant far less creasing and except for dresses, which I hung up, I simply transferred each cube with its contents into the Hotel drawers rather than having to unpack everything. More time for fun I say!
Like Charlotte, I also used the Falmouth for the first time as a beach/pool bag. It was perfect for us. It held both our water bottles and of course towels, books, phones, change of swimming costume, and all the other usual paraphernalia we all take to the pool and beach. It looked great and was easy to use.
So that's a little insight from us into how we use our Mia Tui bags when travelling, and the items we used daily whilst away. I also popped a couple of Sues' into my luggage for any time we were out shopping. There is really no reason not to always have a Sue shopper to hand. You never know when they may come in handy...sometimes when least expected!
Below is a little more information as I mentioned at the start of this post, with some airline guidelines. As I mentioned, the Easy Jet app now has a camera tool for checking sizing and don't forget Mia Tui bags are not rigid meaning they do all fit under the airline seats.
We hope you find this guide helpful.
JET 2
Hand Luggage Allowances
You may carry on board one piece of hand luggage free of charge, as long as it weighs no more than 10kg and is no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including any wheels and handles. If your hand luggage weighs more or is larger than this, it will need to be checked into the aircraft hold, and you may have to pay an additional charge.
You can also bring a small, personal item onboard (such as a handbag, laptop bag or airport purchase), as long as it is placed underneath the seat in front of you. Please note that you cannot drink any alcohol purchased at the airport during the flight.
All hand luggage is carried in the cabin at our discretion, and we reserve the right to check it into the aircraft hold for operational or capacity reasons. If this is the case, you must ensure that you remove all valuable items (including travel documents, money, medication, keys, spare lithium batteries, as well as any electronic items containing lithium batteries) and carry these with you in the cabin
RYAN AIR
Hand Luggage Allowances
All passengers are entitled to bring 1 small personal bag on board which must fit under the seat in front of you (40cm x 20cm x 25cm). Examples include handbag, laptop bag, and a small backpack.
Duty-free bags are also permitted in the cabin along with your cabin baggage.
Priority & 2 Cabin Bags
Passengers with Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, Plus/Flexi ticket or a connecting flight ticket can bring 1 small cabin bag which must fit under the seat in front of them (40cm x 20cm x 25cm). Priority customers can also bring an additional 10kg bag on board which must fit into the baggage sizer (not exceeding 10kg and dimensions 55cm x 40cm x 20cm) and will be stored in the overhead locker.
Duty-free bags are also permitted in the cabin along with your cabin baggage.
EASYJET
Get the EasyJet app to size your bag!
Maximum size 56x45x25cm, including handles and wheels. Cabin bags should be placed in the overhead lockers or if small enough under the seat in front of you.
Flexi, Upfront, Extra Legroom customers and easyJet Plus cardholders
You can bring an additional under seat bag like a laptop bag or handbag. Maximum size 45x36x20cm. Bags must be placed under the seat in front of you.
TUI PACKAGE HOLIDAYS CABIN BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE
Hand luggage
You can take 1 piece of hand luggage per person (excluding infants) weighing up to 10kg and with maximum dimensions of 55x40x20cm on a TUI Airways flight. Things like laptops, handbags, and items bought at the airport must fit within your 1 piece of hand luggage. You must be able to lift your hand luggage in to the overhead storage compartments yourself.
FLIGHT ONLY BOOKINGS
Hand luggage
If you’re just booking a TUI Airways flight, you can carry 1 piece of hand luggage of up to 10kg for free. The maximum dimensions of your hand luggage can be 55x40x20cm and you must be able to lift your hand luggage in to the overhead storage compartments yourself. Things like laptops, handbags, and items bought at the airport must fit within your 1 piece of hand luggage.
British Airways Hand Baggage
All customers are permitted to carry one piece of hand luggage and one small item (handbag, laptop) on board.
Hand luggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm and the small item must be no bigger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. Both items can weigh up to 23kg each.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES CABIN BAGGAGE
Economy Class Up to 7kg each, sum of length width and height of each piece should not exceed 115cm.
Additional items allowed on board
You may carry ONE of these items with you on flights, free of charge, in addition to your cabin baggage allowance (subject to country restrictions where applicable)
Ladies Handbag
Camera
Document Bag
Overcoat
Umbrella
Laptop Bag
The maximum dimensions for these bags are 40x30x10cm each. If your item exceeds the total dimension of 80cm (the length, width, and height combined), it will be counted as part of your standard cabin baggage allowance. You will then be required to check-in either your cabin bag or the additional item.
UNITED AIRLINES
Your personal item like a purse or small handbag must fit under the seat in front of you. Dimensions should not exceed 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm).
Diaper bags (1 per child), soft-sided cooler bags with breast milk, child safety seats, strollers and medical or mobility devices don’t count as your personal item or carry-on.
We hope this helps with some of the major airline guidelines, but please don't forget that ALL Mia Tui travel bags can fit under the seat of the aircraft.
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Charlotte and I had already had the pleasure of meeting two of the group moderators, Shellie and Tina which is how the open day came about. We spent last week finalising the preparations for Saturday, ordering food and drink, reorganising the shop and unit, making a quiz, sorting a charity raffle, decorating the shop, sorting the photography area for selfies! And loads more of little things that need to be sorted when holding an event! Sadly Rachel another of the group moderators' was unable to make the open day but fingers crossed she will make it to the next one!
Saturday dawned, and we were blessed with brilliant sunshine! Which was a real blessing as we had planned for tables and chairs to be outside the front of the shop. Of course, a couple of our Cambridge picnic blankets doubled as wipe clean party table cloths (who knew!) Food and drink were picked up, tables and chairs set out, a quick last minute tidy and of course Saturday morning packing done by Becca and Emily and then we had early arrivals!
By 12 we had well over 20 ladies here, we asked everyone to write their own name badge as these ladies chat within the group but had actually never met. It was absolutely lovely to hear the warm greetings and see the hugs when people met for the first time!
We had 2 visitors who had flown over from Northern Ireland just for the day. That really is a dedication to a brand! Joanne and her cousin were absolutely lovely and even though they had to leave before the quiz and raffle was drawn they told us what a wonderful time they had even with the 4am start.
By 1pm, the shop was absolutely full and drinks were flowing (Phillipe was looking after drinks for everyone) Everyone was excited to see behind the scenes as well as the shop. So the unit where our offices are and where all the packing is done was also busy with ladies looking around. Neil was assigned to sell the raffle tickets for our charity raffle raising money for Willen Hospice which is an amazing place very close to us here in Newport Pagnell.
(Photo shows Carolyn and her husband who had come all the way from the North of Scotland for the open day)
In the photography studio we had pictures and selfies being taken with groups and of course everyone wanted a selfie with Charlotte too!
As a team, we were all doing our best to keep up with customer questions and orders, we had Charlotte, Nici, Becca, Emily, Sheila, the "hot husbands" Mia, Lottie and Nathan all helping out and even then we were pushed!
The atmosphere was just brilliant, all day we heard so much laughter, everyone was on top form. We watched as "virtual" friendships turned to physical friendships. It . was really humbling and I know Charlotte was slightly overwhelmed with the amount of Mia Tui love that was so obvious to see.
During the afternoon, after the initial furore had subsided we eventually got round to the quiz. Emily volunteered to be quiz master and the hardcore Mia Tui fans were eager to take part. It was a very serious affair! Carolyn was our overall winner and won herself a Jackie in the process!
We went live on facebook a couple of times through the day for those who had been unable to attend it was a lovely way of including them. Charlotte made a lovely speech thanking everyone for coming and for the continued support and love for Mia Tui. Tina also made an impromptu speech thanking Charlotte for putting on such a wonderful event for the group and of course Shellie for starting the group and working hard behind the scenes.
We drew the charity raffle and in the process raised £132 for the hospice which was all down to the generosity of those who bought tickets. 1st prize was a Samantha won by Joanne, 2nd prize a Jess won by Rachel and 3rd prize a Megan won by Jo. So congratulations to them!
By 4pm we were starting to tidy everything away and only a handful of ladies remained enjoying the sunshine and having a good old natter!
It was a really amazing day and I know from all the lovely messages we have received that everyone had THE best day.
We are starting to plan the next open day for maybe November time, so watch this space for more information a little nearer the time.
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Our current travel bundle lets you choose from a Jennie, Mini Jen, Zoe or Sydney and pick a set of packing cubes and either an Alex folding travel bag or Oxford folding backpack FREE! Just use code Travel2 here
https://miatui.com/collections/the-ultimate-travel-bundle
If you are flying, our entire travel bag range are compliant with the major airline hand baggage guidelines, airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet, Jet 2, BA and Tui. (We will list the size guidelines at the end of this blog post so you can rest assured that you are buying with peace of mind).
We understand the needs of women, all our bags are designed by brand founder Charlotte, who actually started Mia Tui from her own search for a travel bag that kept her organised traveling with children. Since then our range has grown and we now have 4 travel bags plus a range of accessories too.
Mia Tui is all about blending organisation with style; our range of travel handbags and accessories mean you can this Summer. With our signature bright blue interior water proof lining, we’ve put an end to scrabbling around in your bag at the airport for passports, boarding passes etc..
All our bags are made in ultra-soft faux-leather which is supple to touch but very hard waring.
As well as this, The Jennie, Mini Jen and Zoe have a pocket on the back that can slip seamlessly over a standard suitcase handle 18cm wide, allowing the bag to sit comfortably on your suitcase making your travel journey easier.
So, let’s start with our largest travel style the Jennie, whether you are a mum traveling with babies and children, you are in charge of your partners travel necessities, you need plenty of space for all your bits and pieces or you like to take a change of clothes when traveling, Jennie is your bag!
Inside the bag you have pockets which come with their own accessory bags, there are clips for your keys, insulated bottle holders, and phone & pen pockets. Our pockets are big enough for iPad, Kindles and Tablets.
Jennie is a large travel bag, if you are under 5ft 5" you may want to consider either the Mini Jen or Zoe which are both still a good sized travel bag.
All our travel range of handbags, Jennie, Mini Jen and Zoe come with the following included:
As I mentioned at the start of this post, all our travel bags are compliant with major airline size requirements. Jennie measures W40cm, D15cm, H25cm (width is taken from the base of the bag) Our bag measurements are taken when the bag is empty and lying flat, once packed you will see the bag looks smaller.
We suggest that if you are under 5 ft 5” Jennie may be a little large and you may be more suited to one of our smaller
The Jennie weighs 917g with the detachable Strap, clutch & PVC weighing 267g
Not only is Jennie functional, as with all Mia Tui bags this goes without saying, it is a stylish on-trend style to suit your travel needs.
Next in the range is Mini Jen, Jen has the same features as Jennie with the exception of having 1 insulated bottle holder and being slightly smaller than her big sister. Mini Jen weighs 850g plus Strap, Clutch & PVC 267g
Mini Jen measures W35cm, D14cm, H25cm
Lastly in our travel handbag range, but by no means least is the Zoe, although still designed as a travel bag with the pocket at the back to slip over suitcase handles and with all the items included (except detachable shoulder strap) as in the Jennie and Mini Jen, Zoe is a simpler design. With no hardware and no gusset meaning her width is narrower than her bigger sisters. Zoe works really well if you are traveling as a couple or an individual rather than as a family. She is a sleek and elegant tote style that also works very well as an everyday bag.
Zoe measures W45cm the widest point at the top: W32cm at the base of the bag, D13cm, H30cm and weighs 600g plus Clutch & PVC 150g
Away from travel handbags, we have the Sydney backpack which is the largest of our range of backpacks. Sydney works as a unisex bag, it’s lightweight with padded shoulder straps, an insulated front pocket (perfect for pack lunches) as well as the main compartment which has the following inside:
There are two side pockets, and the back and straps are fully padded making it a really comfortable bag to use.
Once again, Sydney is compliant to major airline cabin baggage guidelines being H40cm W32cm D12cm. When empty, Sydney weighs 620g.
We all have our own favourite bags to travel within the Mia Tui team, Charlotte favours her Jennie (in Matt Silver) as she travels with her children and husband. I, on the other hand, love Mini Jen and now Zoe is here I will be traveling with my Zoe in the next few weeks. I only travel with my husband and he takes a Sydney so I only have to think of myself (a treat as I am sure you can imagine!)
The younger members of the team here tend to favour a Maya, although not specifically designed for travel, Maya is a great alternative if you are not too worried about having a bag that can sit on your case or carry as much. Another favourite for them is Olivia as they tend to travel lighter and not take everything and think of every eventuality as we do!
We really hope this post is helpful when choosing the right Mia Tui travel bag to suit your own needs.
Below is a list of a few of the major airlines' cabin baggage guidelines so that you can make an informed purchase and not worry.
AIRLINE SIZE GUIDELINES
RYAN AIR 40x20x25cm – to fit under the seat
EASYJET 56x45x25cm – to fit under the seat
JET 2 56x45x25cm – 10kg weight restriction
BA 40x30x15cm – to fit under the seat
TUI 55x40x20cm – 10kg weight restriction
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As many of you who regularly follow Mia Tui on our social media channels will know, the much anticipated Spring Summer colours arrived on our largest ever container (40 foot) last Wednesday. I had planned to write a blog post straight away but it was a completely manic week and I simply didn't have time to sit down and write until now!
If you follow us on FB and Instagram you may well have followed our stories of "Container Day" but for those who haven't seen what goes on, I thought a little blog post would be of interest.
Charlotte starts "Container Watch" around a week before the date a container is due to dock at Southampton. Usually, there is no hold-up and we receive the container on the expected date. Occasionally, however due to circumstances beyond our control a container may be delayed. Which is what happened last week. Originally, we expected the container to dock on the 18th, this gradually moved back and by Monday last week, Charlotte knew that due to the extreme weather conditions it wouldn't dock until Tuesday which meant we wouldn't receive it at our warehouse until sometime on Wednesday.
Our pre-order date was marked as the 20th to be on the safe side so that wasn't too much of a problem. However, Charlotte usually arranged for the container to be with us at 8 am to give the team time to unload from the lorry into the warehouse.
On Tuesday afternoon, Charlotte got the news that it would be the usual 8 am arrival the next day and so put our usual plan into action for the team. Then on Tuesday evening, everything changed and the container was booked to arrive later the next day. Usually not too much of an issue but this was Spring Summer collection stock and we had around 800 pre-orders due to be shipped the next day!
Wednesday morning came and the team received a text to say that thank goodness, the container would be with us at 10.30am rather than lunchtime. That extra hour and a half was a little miracle for us!
As you can see from the pictures, that I shared on our Instagram and fb stories, the double size container was huge! It held just under 800 boxes and each one has to be manually unloaded and put in the warehouse. It's hard going and we literally don't stop walking and lifting until the last box is done and the lorry is empty!
Being larger than any previous container we have had we weren't sure how it would work or how long it would take us. Remember, we were on a very tight deadline to unload, load into the warehouse and bring all the new stock needed to facilitate packing the 800 pre-orders and get them out before Royal Mail arrive at our usual 4pm pick up time.
Unloading the container is probably the easiest part of the day when we have pre-orders waiting to go out. We filled the Mia Tui transit to capacity twice to get the stock needed back to the unit. Then, of course, it all needs unloading once again in an organised fashion ready for packing orders.
On top of all this going on, the phones are still ringing and emails, messages still coming in, the shop is, of course, open and normal everyday orders are still coming in on tp of the pre-orders. You can imagine just how busy Container Day is for the whole team.
Sarah stays at the unit to man the phone, shop and emails whilst the rest of the team are unloading. We emptied the container in just under 2 hours! But there was no time to rest on our laurels. Straight back to the unit to unload and get the packing rhythm going. Emily and Rebecca were already there having gone back with the first van load with Charlotte's Dad. Charlotte then joined them with the packing while Sheila and I started stock replenishing and being runners for the packers. If you saw our quick fb live you will have seen the organised chaos!
Charlotte had a backup plan in case we couldn't get the pre-orders ready by 4 pm for Royal Mail, she had spoken to our local depot and they were waiting for us to deliver in the van to them up until 6 pm. But we were all on a mission to get things wrapped up by 4pm! No one said anything but we all knew we were up against the clock!
3.50pm came and we were quite literally running around, so close to achieving our goal! The Royal Mail lorry pulled up on the dot of 4 pm and we had done it! All the orders that had the 20th March pre-order date had been packed! Umpteen Royal Mail sacks and 12 yorks were put on the lorry ready to reach our customers.
We waved the Royal Mail lorry off and simply looked at each other in stunned silence. Our achievement hadn't quite sunk in.
There is no team quite like the Mia Tui team! x
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As you know, we launched our Spring Summer 19 collection this week, so once again, we have asked Helena to write a guest blog to help inspire us all with our Spring Summer 19 colour choices.
Once again, a huge thank you to Helena for this great post.
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As you know, we launched our Spring Summer 19 collection this week, so once again, we have asked Helena from Radiance by Helena to write a guest blog to help inspire us all with our Spring Summer 19 colour choices.
Helena works with colour every day and so it's great to get some tips from her. Do have a look at her website for more colour inspiration. So a huge thank you to Helena for this great blog post, please have a read and let us know how it helps you make the right colour choice.
We are saying goodbye to the ‘inventive & imaginative’ Ultraviolet of 2018 and welcoming Living Coral as Pantone’s colour of the year 2019 – ‘an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energises and enlivens.’ And thanks to the new collection at MiaTui the trend has never been easier to wear. Although Coral is best suited to those with ‘warm tones’ and cooler toned ladies are better off wearing it away from their face, this colour is going to be super popular as this gorgeous hue in the form of a bag can be worn by us all! In fact, it’s a fabulous way to give a nod to the Living Coral trend for us cool-toned Peeps! (And why not match your manicure to your bag too!) Try colour clashing it with cool pinks – the coral and pink combo is a match made in heaven! Mia Tui are introducing Coral a little later in their Spring Collection but having seen their sample it is going to be bang on trend!
Our love affair with animal print continues this season (Yaasss!) and for the ‘warms’ amongst us, a coral bag is a perfect pop of colour against the traditional leopard print. Being a romantic style personality and a chronic flower lover, I’d also love to see a coral bag styled with some warm toned florals and a gorgeous bright coral lippy! Take clues from nature too – picture a holiday sunset, the burning sky glowing against the clear blue sea, - coral/orange and blue are opposite one another on the colour wheel which means they are the perfect match!
If you are planning on wearing Pantone’s colour of the year this season but you’re not up for head-to-toe coral, then add a pop of teal, with a bag in another of Mia Tui’s new season colours.
Teal is great as it’s a universal colour, which means it’s good-to-go for everyone. Again, think teal waters, fine white sand between your toes….I’d pair teal with ivories and creams by day and swap velvety chocolate brown for an evening out. Add some gold for an expensive look.
Cool season ladies, try teaming it with bubble-gum pink or purple for a funky bold statement look.
If bold and funky is your thing you are going to love Mia Tui’s new Hot Pink hue. There is a riot of 90’s vibes out there right now as there is comfort to be found in revisiting familiar shapes and ideas. ‘Retro rebels’ is one of the season’s biggest catwalk trends. Mia Tui has taken this 90’s colour and pumped it up with style and luxe texture to give a shining example of how this vibe can be carried off both day and night. Adding a bold and vibrant shot of colour looks fresh and directional and can elevate any outfit. Crank up a navy blue office look with a hot pink bag and matching scarf and show everyone you mean business. Then at the weekend it’s time to turn heads and to give that LBD a pop of WOW!
If you’re not a ‘pretty in pink’ kinda girl you can easily add edge by layering with a statement leather or denim jacket or pairing some simple statement jewellery with your outfit to toughen up the gorgeously girly bag.
If hot pink isn’t your bag (excuse the pun!) let me introduce you to Lilac, an endearing grey-infused lavender, Lilac’s easy and gentle manner is quietly charming. Get ready to leave the darkness of winter behind and step into the light! For the new season we are seeing an array of soft, spring shades to brighten up the dreariest of days. Add a flash of lovely lilac and be sure to make an instant impact. Being a summer season girl, this fabulous tone has my name all over it. As most of the colours in my palette contain a hint of grey, this will work with almost everything in my wardrobe – yay! (Gotta love a capsule wardrobe!) And this is where I’d bring tonal dressing into play! (A top dressing tip for ‘Summers’) Pair it with sky blues, baby pinks, lavenders and violets for an effortlessly elegant vibe. Or bring in the leaves from the lilac bush for a cute contrast – green and lilac are complementary hues on the colour wheel, making them the perfect colour couple. Another big trend for 2019 is playing with unique colour combinations like lilac teamed with camel…or tan. Give it a go!
And finally, one for the ladies who luxe. If you’re looking for serenity and understated chic, then Airforce Blue is here for you. Pair with some timeless tailoring for a classic outfit ideal for the office then add silver sliders and a crisp white dress for that perfect summer vibe. With modern military one of the must-have trends for SS19, Airforce Blue is a brilliant way to work this look. Wear it with army greens and navy blues. Or for a more gentle, fun-filled look, try combining Airforce Blue with hues of blue-grey and candy pink. I just love how versatile this fabulous blue is!
Neutral colours are set to be huge news for the spring and a Mia Tui bag in Matte Silver or Metallic Grey is a great place to start. Keep the rest of the outfit simple to accentuate your gorgeous bag.
The SS19 runways were packed with soft beiges, rusty reds and warm camel colours, so stay ahead of the fashion pack with a fabulous Mia Tui in Chestnut or Berry. The gorgeous natural tones make these colours ideal to wear with both your winter and spring looks.
New season outfits are only as good as their accessories and finding the perfect hue is the key to creating the most flattering and fabulous on-trend look. It’s easy to see why Mia Tui is a firm favourite of those with a love of colour, practical understated glamour, and a passion for doing things their own way.
When I use a Mia Tui bag I feel so excited to be part of the world they are shaping through their colourful and animal-friendly designs.
Join the ride with MiaTui’s SS19 colourful collection!
]]>Last Wednesday 5 of us flew out to Malaga in Spain to spend 2 days shooting for our Spring Summer 2019 collection.
The motley crew consisted of the boss (obviously) Charlotte, Barbara who modelled for us in our Autumn/Winter 2018 collection, Sheila (Mia Tui Planner) and AnnMarie who is an actress and model. Oh and me!
When we shot our SS18 collection in the UK last year, we had to wait until May to get the right light, sunny day, no rain etc… the shoot last year was great but having to take a chance on when we have the right weather just doesn’t work.
Our Spring Summer collection is set to launch mid-March and so after last year, Charlotte made the decision that this year we would have to go abroad to a hotter climate. So, as soon as we had completed the Autumn/Winter 18 shoot in September, we started to organise this trip.
As many of our families and friends have made jokes about “work? Really? … you won’t be working, you’re all off on a girls’ holiday.” Maybe I can try to explain the behind the scenes organisation that such a trip demands.
There were so many aspects that had to be researched. The location, accommodation, models, travel planning, photographer and of course most importantly the Spring Summer colour range that we needed to photograph.
If you read our blogs, you may remember I wrote about the organisation our last photo shoot required, so I won’t delve into the intricate details again, suffice to say it was a planning nightmare in the UK, so you can imagine that moving it to Spain didn’t make it any easier!
Charlotte is great at organisational spreadsheets, and so armed with these we knew exactly what colour and style bags we were taking with us. From this, we then needed to ensure all models had coordinating outfits for each location shoot.
I think we took around 40 different bags out with us, as you can see from some of the pictures, add those to luggage for 5 women and yes we looked like we were emigrating for good!
We arrived at Luton airport last Wednesday morning purposely early so that we had time to get some travel shots at the airport prior to checking in. We got some odd looks but the shots we got around the airport really help us to sell the Jennie, Mini Jen and Zoe travel handbags
https://miatui.com/collections/travel-bags Seeing how these bags are designed for travel with honest imagery, we feel really helps you as customers to see what bag is best for you.
We boarded our Easy Jet flight and of course made sure we got some images of our Jennie and Mini Jen “placed under the seat in front of us” of course!
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We arrived in Spain early evening and after being met by our driver from Blackpool of all places, a short drive followed and we reached the villa which was home for the next three nights. If you watched our FB live last Thursday you may have seen part of it.
After settling in, we made our way to La Sala Restaurant where we were going to start the shoot the next day. After a quick recce and a chance meeting with the Wolves football team (which included Barbara’s neighbour!) who were having dinner there, we retired to bed ready for the next day.
First thing the next morning, Charlotte and I were up early for a walk around the resort to check for the best locations and what the lighting would be like. The beach was literally a two-minute walk from the villa and we happened to chance upon the Marina. The boats moored up were amazing! What a way to start the day, walking along the promenade, watching the sunrise
Naomi the photographer was due to meet with us at midday. Charlotte found Naomi via her website https://www.naomimaya.com/ and although they had spoken and corresponded prior to our arrival, we had not all met before the shoot began. Following our introductions, the first port of call was as I mentioned above https://lasalabanus.com/ The management had kindly agreed to let us use part of the Restaurant for the shoot.
Behind the scenes of the shoot, we had suitcases full of different outfits and of course all our different bags! We must have looked like we were expecting to move in when we arrived.
The backdrop of the mountains was great and after a little time for our models (us!) to warm up to the camera, the shoot began. Natalie being the official photographer was using her professional camera, Charlotte and I both also take lots of pictures on our iphones as the cameras on these phones are really great. I am definitely not a natural in front of the camera, unlike the others. I much prefer to be behind the camera taking my own pictures for Instagram and our blogs etc..
From La Sala we had a quick change of clothes and moved on to a stunning area called La Virginia, where private little cobblestone pathways and squares are lined with beautifully styled Andalusian ‘village houses’ tastefully dabbed in white, blue, cream, ochre and peach. Adding to this palette of colours are creepers, flowers and the rich hue of bougainvillea. This all made for a stunning second location for us to get some great shots.
Photo shoots may sound pretty glamourous, but it’s exhausting making sure we get enough shots of each style, colour, and with that different outfits are worn for the different images along with different models. We wanted group shots as well as individual images so poor Naomi also had to get 5 women to stop talking and look in the same direction at the same time!
We spent a couple of hours at La Virginia before heading back to our villa for a pretty swift lunch of crisps, cheese, and olives (no posh nosh for us!) and then with another change of look for everyone we were back out on location. This time a two minute walk from the villa to the promenade and beaches of Puerto Banus.
We were so lucky with the weather, although we were in Spain, the previous few days had at times been cloudy but there was not a cloud in the sky all day for us! We got some great images down at the beach and with early evening drawing in and the air getting chilly we decided at around 7pm that it was a wrap! Our day with Naomi had been full on but with her patience and expertise, we had managed to get what we had expected to take 2 days done in 1 day!
Back at the villa, I will admit a glass or 2 of wine was poured by some pretty tired women! But for Charlotte and I there was no time to chill, our Facebook live was due at 7pm UK time (8pm Spanish time).
So we sent Sheila, Barbara and Ann off to find some dinner whilst we went live from the villa. It was a great FB live and when the 50 minutes were over we had had over 250 comments and one and a half thousand views! Obviously, Spain is a winner with our live viewers…
After the live, the others returned with takeaway noodles, and maybe another bottle of wine ;-) but we were all shattered so a relatively early night was in order.
Friday arrived with another stunning sunrise and a cloudless sky, it seemed we were again to be blessed with a beautifully sunny day. Charlotte and I were feeling slightly more relaxed as we had managed to get so much done yesterday, which we hadn’t expected. This meant the day could be far more chilled for the group.
After a lovely leisurely breakfast it was off to the beach for Barbara, Charlotte and I. We needed a few more close ups of the Alex, Newport and Cambridge and where better than a perfectly stunning and very quiet beach for this last few images?
And finally after we were happy with these, our Spring Summer 19 photo shoot was officially A WRAP!! In celebration, we all met up for lunch at a stunning location between the Marina and beach. Our view, the midday sun glistening over shimmering gentle waves lapping at our feet. Our toast was to a successful Spring Summer 19 Campaign!
Everything was going swimmingly, until the boss dropped a lid and I leant over the arm of my chair to pick it up for her. At the sound of a crack, I realised I may have leant a little too far doing my good deed! Whether cracked or bruised, there was a little pain and so a detour to a pharmacy was on the cards before returning home.
And that lucky detour was how we managed to bump into Natalie Richardson, owner of www.thebardou.com a beauty salon in Puerto Banus. Natalie was having her photograph taken, she looked great and we really couldn’t miss the opportunity of getting a few images of her with some Mia Tuis’. (We hadn’t a clue she was a well followed Instagrammer @natalierichmarbella at this stage!) We simply launched at her asking if she wouldn’t mind us taking some images!
Natalie was very sweet and accommodating and agreed to some shots with a Nici, Megan and Matilda Mae (eerily, all the bags we had with us for lunch just happened to work really well with her look!) We strolled home along the promenade, getting our last look of the stunning beaches before going back to the villa to do some work and of course get packed ready for going home the following morning.
Our time in Spain was drawing to a close, we had a stressful, exhausting but brilliant time. We had laughed until we quite literally were crying …. Even with my shouts of “Don’t make me laugh – my ribs!!”
At Malaga airport as we were sat having a coffee, I spotted a Mia Tui, the opportunity couldn't be missed so I chased after the lady and had a chat. Lorraine was happy for me to take a photo of her with her Matilda Mae! What a great way to end our trip!
I’ve put together some outtake photos …. Nothing we will use but you may like to see just for fun! .....
Our Spring Summer 19 collection has been delayed, we are now expecting it around 18th March. We will, of course, keep you updated when we know more.
Thanks for reading :-)
Nici
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It's almost here.....Christmas 2018 and so as a team, we would like to thank you all for your continued custom and support.
It has been a phenomenal year for Mia Tui which has seen us move premises 3 times due to outgrowing our space and the team has grown from 3 of us at the start of 2018 to a team of 7 going into 2019!
Charlotte, as ever has been incredibly busy designing new styles and we are all very excited for the year ahead.
Some of the highlights of 2018 include winning the Mother and Baby Best Baby Changing Bag for the third consecutive year (and 4th time!), Charlotte reaching the final 3 in the Athena category of the Everywoman Awards, and of course our inclusive design collaboration with actress and disability rights campaigner Samantha Renke. The Samantha is proving to be a real hit with you all and we really want to thank Samantha for her design ideas.
The other big news this year was that the Mia Tui Boutique opened at our premises in Newport Pagnell in October. If you live in the local area or even if you fancy a day out, we would love to see you at the shop in 2019. We are also looking at opening for evening shopping events. All the bags are displayed, it's a lovely environment to shop in, and of course, there's always a tea/coffee to hand for our customers.
As we move into the new year, we hope you will continue to follow Mia Tui's journey and also tune into our now regular FB live streams on Thursdays at 7pm. We have had really positive feedback from those of you who watch and we feel it is a great way to interact and help with any questions you may have.
So from Charlotte and the team in the UK and Van and her team in Vietnam, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy 2019!
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For the third consecutive year, we won Best Changing Bag. To say that the team is bursting with pride is a little bit of an understatement.
Mother and Baby Editor Emma Bailey who hosted the evening used quotes from the parent testers such as "NOTHING SHORT OF FANTASTIC" "I CAN FIND EVERYTHING IN ALL THE COMPARTMENTS" "CHANGING BAGS FOR THE BETTER."
]]>We donned our glad rags and off we went to the Mother & Baby Awards at the Park Plaza Westminster. Charlotte, as always didn't think we had won but with two consecutive wins in the previous 2 years and a win prior to those, we had our fingers crossed for another great night.
The Hotel was wonderful (you may remember our pictures from last year - when Paddington Bear took centre stage in the hotel's Christmas display. This year Shrek and Donkey took the role, with Shrek taking a liking to our brand new Nici bag!
There was, of course, a pre-dinner drinks reception with delicious canapes and it has to be said a glass or two of bubbly. We even managed a very quick FB Live stream so that those of you who follow us on could be included in our evening.
We also had the pleasure of meeting probably THE best magician any of us have ever seen. I have to give a little shout out to Ashley Turner aka http://thetrixta.com Ashley came to our table and absolutely wowed all of us with amazing tricks that none of us could explain.
As we were called through to Dinner, we were still trying to work out how a prawn ended up in my hand whilst an entire deck of cards landed in the palm of Charlotte's hand!
The food was superb and we were seated on a table with Emma's Diary which was a lovely surprise. Sarah came into her own chatting about why Mia Tui bags are so loved by our customers to our dinner companions. We even showed them a little conversation that was going on on our FB page between customers who were helping each other with suggestions of their favourite Mia Tui bags! Honestly, you are all just the best customers a business could ask for! To say that the guys from Emma's Diary were impressed is a bit of an understatement.
Our category of Best Changing Bag 2019 was the last but one of something like 37 different awards. So I am sure you can imagine just how nervous we were.
Finally, it was our turn and as you have already heard on our social media platforms, we won!!! For the third consecutive year, we won Best Changing Bag. To say that the team is bursting with pride is a little bit of an understatement.
Mother and Baby Editor Emma Bailey who hosted the evening used quotes from the parent testers such as "NOTHING SHORT OF FANTASTIC" "I CAN FIND EVERYTHING IN ALL THE COMPARTMENTS" "CHANGING BAGS FOR THE BETTER."
After we all went on stage to collect the award, Charlotte was interviewed and as you can see from her picture, she was just beaming with happiness, as were the whole team.
The live band after the awards had finished was Scouting for Girls and we all had a really good "dance around your Mia Tui handbags ;-)"
What we really want to say to you all, is thank you so much for your continued custom and support. Without all of you, Mia Tui really wouldn't be the brand it is today. The team absolutely love the positive comments and support we have received from our posts of last night and of course all our FB live streams and posts.
I couldn't write this blog post without giving the boss a mention. As a team, we are so very proud of what Charlotte has achieved for her brand since she founded Mia Tui in 2010. Her strength, determination, passion and pure hard work shine through every single day in what she has created. And whilst I am on the subject of commitment and passion, many of you will have spoken to our Customer Service Oricle, Sarah, she really is just amazing and on behalf of Charlotte, the team and I am sure, our customers we would love to thank her for her hard work!
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Today, we are launching the Samantha handbag to add to the ever-growing Mia Tui range just in time for Black Friday!
]]>I was given Samantha's name after we worked with Shona Louise, a 21-year-old disability, lifestyle and theatre blogger earlier this year. Shona was gifted a Mini Jen handbag and mobility clips. She wrote a great piece on her blog shonalouise.com about using her Mia Tui bag with her wheelchair. Shona loved the design and gave me Samantha's name as she felt she would be a great champion of Mia Tui as there isn't a fashion accessory brand producing a handbag that works really well for people who have a disability.
We met with Samantha earlier this year and from that initial meeting, Charlotte and Samantha have worked together to design a handbag that works for everyone. Fashion shouldn't have boundaries and with the Samantha handbag, we really feel this has been achieved. Samantha really is a bag for everyone, by using our mobility aid clips it can attach it to a wheelchair or mobility walker.
Last week, we went to London to meet up with Samantha again. Taking with us the finished range, we spent the day taking promo photos. Samantha is such a positive woman, it was a real pleasure to get to know her and learning about her life and some of the daily battles she faces. As well as being an actress (if you are thinking I recognise her - think Malteasers Ad on TV, Loose Women guest panelist, the Matthew Wright Show and the Jeremy Vine Show), Samantha is also an Ambassador for Scope and a columnist for the Metro. To say she is a busy woman is somewhat of an understatement! If you live in the London News area, you may well have seen Samantha reporting on various London issues for ITV.
So, that's a little of the behind the scenes of how we have come up with the new Samantha bag. We are launching it tonight with a Facebook Live at 7 pm as a fabulous Black Friday Bundle offer! When you order the Samantha Black Friday Bundle, you will receive your choice of FREE Beau organiser bag and 260ml Stainless Steel Water Bottle. Add all 3 items to your basket then use code SamX at checkout. Don't forget to add mobility clips to your basket should these be needed.
We hope you love the Samantha as much as we do!
]]>If you follow our social media platforms, you will probably have seen we launched our brand new shop last Friday evening. Charlotte decided in September to extend our current premises and so it has been a busy few weeks of planning and designing how the new unit should look.
]]>The original reason was just that we needed more space for unit stock, offices that were not separate from our existing space and a bigger photographic studio as we take all our product images in-house.
Charlotte then had a bit of a lightbulb moment and with that, the Mia Tui shop plan was born! We have many requests from customers asking if they can come and look at the bags and we have always said yes, of course, come along and see us. But the unit wasn't really conducive to a great shopping experience as it was purely an operational unit for packing. So the opportunity to open to the general public to display the complete Mia Tui range was something Charlotte felt strongly about. She wanted to create a positive shopping experience, one that gave customers space to browse and try different bags on without feeling rushed or pressured to purchase.
We put the last touches to the shop on Friday, just a few hours before the launch evening. We had no idea whether people would come out on a very wet Friday night (even with the enticement of wine and nibbles!) so it was all a little nerve racking as 6 pm drew closer.
We should, however, have trusted our loyal Mia Tui customers! It turned out to be a very busy evening with lots of lovely customers (old and new) popping in to browse and purchase!
We were all on hand to welcome and help with suggestions and advice and I even managed to sneak in a quick facebook live in the midst of the madness. (If you haven't yet seen it, you can still watch on our facebook page).
It was lovely to meet customers face to face as usually we only get to chat on the phone or by messenger and email. So a huge thank you to all the lovely ladies (and gents!) who ventured out on a very rainy Friday night to show their support.
We know many of you don't live close enough to have made it for the evening, but as we will now be open on Saturdays 11-3pm it would be lovely to see more of you. We are in the market town of Newport Pagnell, Bucks. It's a lovely little town, close to Milton Keynes and just off Junction 14 of the M1 so easily accessible by car.
Why not have a day out on a Saturday, grab some friends and take a road trip! We really would love to see you. We are also available for shopping evenings and private events if you fancy getting a group of friends together for a shopping experience. Just get in touch and we can give you more details of what we can offer.
Our full address is:
Unit 73, Interchange House, Interchange Business Park, Howard Way, Newport Pagnell, Bucks, MK16 9PY.
Have a great week!
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October arrived in a flurry of far more Autumnal weather, the team are slowly but surely breaking out the Winter jumpers and transitioning onto our Autumn/Winter colour collection. We do want to make a little apology at this stage, we knew Mustard may well be a popular colour but we felt it may be our Winter "marmite" colour .... you either love it or hate it! Well, it appears everyone rather loves it! So, we do apologise for selling out of Mustard in some styles before the next container of new stock arrives this Friday. We simply underestimated the love you would all have for it!
As ever, life at Mia Tui is never dull. Charlotte made the decision in September to extend our premises and so we have now moved into the unit next to our existing one and have almost finished getting this organised. We will have a larger photographic studio where we can always have our backdrops and professional lights set up which will make everything so much easier for us. Not only that but we have a dedicated space for our Facebook and Instagram Lives! We currently have to do a bit of furniture moving to set up for a live so having a separate space that is always ready means we are going to be able to do more lives as we know they help you get the feel of our bags and for the business itself.
You may have seen our Facebook Live feed earlier this week, with a rather exciting piece of news that we will be opening the new unit as a shop! We receive many messages asking where we are based and whether we are open for visits from the general public. We do currently see customers in our existing unit during the working week, but hours are limited and weekdays are difficult for many of you to come and visit us. So with this in mind, October so far, has been all about getting the shop fitted out, ready for its official launch which will be on the evening of Friday 9th November from 6pm until 9pm. Come and have a glass of bubbly with us to celebrate the launch. The Mia Tui Boutique will then open at weekends between the hours of 11am until 4pm as well as the usual weekdays of 10am until 4pm.
The shop is now ready and unofficially open, and we had our very first customer this morning. Jennifer very kindly posed for a picture with Sarah whilst she was making her choice of bag.
As you can see from our pictures, our complete collection is on display. Giving you the opportunity to try bags for size and colour and get a feel for the quality of our products. We do hope you can make it to our premises in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire to meet us and have a look around. The shop address for Sat Navs is Unit 72/73 I Centre, Interchange Business Park, Howard Way, Newport Pagnell, Bucks, MK16 9PY.
We look forward to seeing you!
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Earlier this year as we were launching our Spring Summer colours, I asked Helena from Radiance by Helena if she would sample a bag and write a guest post to help our customers with colour and style. The blog was fabulous and so once again I approached Helena to see if she would be happy to look at our Autumn/Winter colours and write another post to help us all with styling and accessorising our colour palette. I am delighted that Helena agreed to write for us again.
]]>I do hope you enjoy it as much as I have and find it helpful if you are a little nervous of colour......
Mia Tui London is a brand that offers something unique that I really relate to. My style is a mixture of elements; I enjoy combining glamourous & opulent with simple and practical pieces.
I really love the freshness and the classic glamour of the whole A/W18 range: the new colours have a delicious depth about them, a chic feel that is so easy to style.
I’m so happy to see the Rose Gold make an appearance again this season. Ever since I got my Rose Gold Mini Jen last year I’ve been obsessed with the rosy hue. Adding a splash of rose gold is a quick and easy way to bring a little ‘Autumn’ to your look and it flatters most skin tones so what’s not to love? For the Autumn/Winter seasons, rose gold pairs perfectly with blush tones and dusky pinks or combine it with nude, beige or taupe neutrals to create a fabulously elegant outfit. For serious business, update classic charcoal grey with some rose gold accessories. Grey is seen as a pretty neutral colour. While ‘neutral’ may seem synonymous with ‘boring’ to some of you colour lovers out there, it’s actually quite the opposite. In fact, I would go as far as to say that almost half of my wardrobe is grey, - and they call me ‘The Colour Lady’! Ha ha. Because of its versatility, grey can work with so many other colours, prints and accessories and this is why I was so pleased to see the Metallic Grey included in MiaTiu colours this season as well as the gorgeous Silver. If you’re a fan of neutrals but want a softer look than black, a grey bag should be a staple in your wardrobe. By figuring out how to style this hue in the best way for you, you can create countless different looks for all occasions. If you have cool undertones, you can rock virtually any shade of grey. If you have warm undertones, keep your skin looking bright by wearing grey on the bottom half of your body or by choosing some fab grey accessories.
Get bold with the Metallic Grey and pair it with a darker colour. Jewel tones like a deep purple, ruby or a striking royal blue work extremely well with light grey. And conversely, try pairing your darker Graphite grey with softer, less intense colours, like a light pink or a baby blue, to keep the balance of your outfit. Of course, you don’t have to team your grey with a bold colour to have an eye-catching outfit. Create a refined, sophisticated look by keeping it all neutral and break up tonal combinations with a hint of metallic or a flash of black.
If you’re a fan of neutrals you are going to LOVE the new Chestnut Brown. This delicious hue has ‘autumn warmth’ oozing from it! Sure, we all love black, it’s the easiest to wear, right? (Well, wrong, - but we’ll save that for another day…). As it turns out, brown is just as versatile, plus it’s a lot less predictable. When paired with the right hues, chestnut brown never fails to look sophisticated. So if you’re planning on standing out this Autumn/ Winter, this shade will make a great replacement for your standard-issue sombre colour. Style stars have been giving brown a fresh and exciting look by wearing it with burgundy and a bold red lip. Then there is light blue, which when paired with brown gives just the right amount of contrast in an outfit. Khaki and brown are definitely siblings on the colour spectrum so it makes sense that they complement each other well too. Another sure hit is to pair your chestnut brown with cream; it’s the grown up way to do it. And of course camel, essentially brown upon lighter brown – you warm-toned ladies are in for a treat with these hues!
Autumn is really not the time for harsh colours. Weather and light can be unkind, so we’re drawn towards something with warmth, but at the same time, we want to be cheered. Luckily for us, Mia Tui has brought out a fabulous and on trend Mustard yellow this season and it has endless possibilities. Mustard is naturally hot, so it’s going to work brilliantly with all the Autumnal warm tones, - khaki, reds, browns, and forest greens and of course it always looks amazing teamed with animal print – which we’re all going wild for right now. If you and your wardrobe are not ready to seize the mustard moment, a beautiful bag is a perfect place to start,- show you are au fait with the trends with a pop of this sunny shade. Restrict the rest of your outfit to neutrals to be sure that you WOW with your statement piece. Don’t forget to have a care for your own colouring when it’s up against such a strong shade, - you can decrease the temperature by coupling warm mustard with a classic cool navy.
It isn’t hard to get women in fashion to gush about navy blue. Those who want to sidestep the frantic pace of next-season-now, choose navy. It signifies a sense of wardrobe calm. When I see someone in navy, I think they are sophisticated, effortless, not trying too hard but with an innate sense of style. I wish that was what I thought when I see myself in navy. Basically, what I’m saying is you NEED a Mia Tui in navy this season. A lack of navy in all its expensive-looking, sophisticated glory, which looks both classic and sharp at the same time, is a wardrobe nonsense. I believe there is very little that the navy doesn’t go with – the colour will work hard for your investment. If you have cool and soft tones, couple it with pretty pale pinks, if you are cool and bright, opt for deeper hot pinks. Add silver accessories for an extra touch of class. Warm-toned ladies choose a classic camel, coral or a gorgeous mango yellow. Bright warm colours are surprisingly easy to pair with navy and you’ll find that most colours work. Pair with gold and you’ve got an easy recipe for refined elegance.
Moving on to the Berry. Oooh I love this colour! A mug of steaming hot mulled wine by the cosy fire instantly springs to my mind – it’s totally my Autumn/Winter go-to colour. Being officially obsessed with animal print, the next thing that springs to mind is how fab this would look with almost any of my different coloured leopard print pieces. As an accessory, a hint of berry is especially fabulous worn with pink and with camel or beige, (or with pale blue, but you may not wish to look like a West Ham United supporter). If you like to wear your berry ‘more than a touch’, style your bag with a top in berry and trousers in a toning shade. Why not add shoes or boots in berry too?
Finally, to Pantone’s colour of the year, Purple. For some reason, this colour, - once the most regal and sought-after of shades – had been edged out of fashion. However, this year has seen it come back with a bang. Purple has been powering up the runways and with our colour-blocking skills at an all-time high, it’s great to see Mia Tui has responded to this cool colour trend. If you’re up for the challenge, Winter ladies you can colour-clash this cool shade with many of the bright and deep hues in your palette. Your emerald and pine greens will be especially complementary as they are opposites on the colour wheel and provide the perfect level of contrast for you. I’ve also seen a lot of purple and red colour-blocking this season. Both purple and black are seen as powerful and authoritative colours, so style these two hues together if you want to show who is in control. Softer-toned ladies, try going tonal in lilac or lavender and then ground with black boots.
I’m so happy to see Mia Tui adding further clout to their already illustrious CV as the go-to for all handbag needs, with Autumn/Winter offerings that ride high in the fashion stakes. The nifty details such as keyrings for your keys, bottle holders, hidden zips and endless practical pockets bring a freshness and an understated style that will leave anyone wondering where they too can get in on the act.
Helena's website is www.radiancebyhelena.co.uk if you are looking for a colour consultation ready for the coming Season!
]]>s you know, we had a very busy weekend with a two-day photo shoot last Friday and Saturday for our Autumn/Winter colour collection and if that wasn’t enough for the team, Friday night was our Theatre trip to see Jane McDonald on her current tour.
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We have been working for weeks on the organisation of the photo shoot, this was a first for Mia Tui and so we had no previous plan to work from. Friday morning dawned with Charlotte and I in our starting positions, adrenalin pumping and probably a look of trepidation in our eyes had anyone looked closely! Charlotte was meeting Samantha at one station and I met Cristina at another. On Saturday morning, again off we trotted to various train stations but this time slightly more relaxed following the success of the previous day! All the ladies who modeled for us over the two days were Mia Tui customers not professional models so this was a new adventure for them too!
Expose Media were hosting the shoot at their studios, Chris the photographer and Tom the videographer probably had no idea what was in store for them over the next two days (probably the best way with hindsight!) They got away fairly unscathed on Friday as there was only Cristina, Samantha, Charlotte, me and Emma who came to help us out. Saturday….well that’s a whole different story, we had more ladies Carla, Barbara, Emma, Gianna and her lovely daughter Annabelle. In the afternoon we also had Charlotte's daughters and their friends pop in to give us some last minute teen shots. There was a fair amount of choccy biscuits and Quality Street consumed (for energy purposes obviously ..) over the course of the two days!
We had set everything up on Thursday at the studios, so we got straight down to shooting short videos first thing. The videos are for the website to help customers visualise the size of the individual bags and what they look like when worn. It all sounds pretty straightforward and once Tom and Charlotte had run through what they were looking for from our models, they all relaxed into it very quickly. After a couple of practice walk on/offs, they were loving the camera! Over the course of the two days, I did hear a couple of ladies say “You don’t realise how hard it is to walk when you have to think about it!” Taking direction from Tom and Chris, all the ladies made it look so easy and their natural personalities shone through in all the stills that Chris took.
The videos didn’t really need clothes changes as we had planned to make this all about the bags rather than outfits. We kept the clothes simple a pair of black jeans and light top was the look we went for to emphasize the bags. As you may have read in my previous blog post, we had spent a couple of days shopping for all our models' change of clothes for the different looks that we wanted. I’m not going to bore you with a list of retailers and clothes but suffice to say, there are some rocking looks at really affordable prices for the Autumn/Winter. Our models cover a variety of ages ranging from teens to 60s’ and we found looks for everyone really easy to achieve. On day 2, Emma got to wear a leopard print dress from Tesco (yes I said Tesco!) that we had all been coveting. I am sure you will agree she looked stunning! The dress has a real air of designer about it but guess what? It’s only £22. A MAZE ING!!! Barbara absolutely rocked a mustard biker jacket which she said she would never usually look at buying but secretly I think she enjoyed her "rock chic" moment! There was also a fab Mustard coat from New Look which Carla teamed with a navy jumper and dark navy jeans for a sharp classy look.
Both mornings of the shoot was given to videos and then a quick lunch gave way to a really fun afternoon, we were pulling outfits together for a variety of looks from occasion to work bags. On Friday Cristina and Samantha just came alive in front of the camera as did our Saturday models Barbara, Gianna, Annabelle, Emma and Carla (who is a presenter on QVC) There was a good deal of laughing and you may have seen the “lives” that we had been doing on Facebook and Instagram. I also did a little interview with the ladies that are on our IGTV channel (if you fancy taking a look). We wanted to give our social media followers a behind the scenes of the two days, as after all we plan to repeat this for our Spring/Summer 2019 collection and we want more of our fabulous customers to want to join us.
Gianna actually spent her birthday modeling for us which was lovely of her to do. Charlotte arranged a cake and some flowers and we all enjoyed celebrating with her!
Friday and Saturday flew by so quickly and we all had an absolute ball, and soon it was time to wave goodbye to the ladies and thank them for making the very first Mia Tui professional shoot run so smoothly. All the ladies who joined us for the shoot said that they really did have a great time and it was a really good experience.
On Friday, Charlotte was on station drop off duty and I made a dash to Milton Keynes Theatre to collect the tickets for our evening out. We met back at Charlotte’s house and I will be honest, we felt we had earned a little tipple. So with a glass of wine (just the one!) in our hands, we felt a quick FB live would be a good idea.
Now, over the years, there have been an array of double acts to grace the stage. French and Saunders, Little and Large, Morecombe and Wise (you see where I’m going …) but actually our “Relaxing with a little glass on Charlotte’s sofa” live seems to me to be a little more reminiscent of Patsy and Edina ;-) (google it if this is not ringing alarm bells!) To be fair, and in our defense (one comment did say “maybe don’t publish this one) we were absolutely shattered and the stress of the planning and joy of the fab execution of said plan had slightly drained away to a point where we were bathing in pure relief. So the live was maybe not the most professional one we have ever posted but we are real (Charlotte helped with that line) and, like all women, some days rock and some days don’t. When you have a rocking day you just need to shout about it and we did.
The live was followed by a change of clothes that even Mr. Benn would be proud of and a lippy touch up and voila a vision of loveliness appeared ;-)
Tickets at the ready, watch out Jane McDonald the Mia Tui team are on their way for a fab night out! The evening had been arranged for us by Jane’s PR team, as you may know, Jane likes to use her Mia Tui bags when she is traveling. We all had the most fantastic evening, Jane’s voice was beautiful and she can certainly keep an audience entertained with her sharp wit and jokes. The evening flew by and as Jillaine (Jane’s PR) had predicted we were up singing along and dancing! After the show, we were taken backstage to meet Jane. Although we have a close connection with her we had never met Jane. She really is exactly the same as she is on TV. Funny, charming and she took time to chat to us and tell us just how much she really loves using her Mia Tui bags when traveling. What you see really is what you get with Jane. We had a lovely glass (or two) of bubbly together and met some of her lovely family.
We also met a lovely group of Mia Tui customers who are also huge Jane fans and had a quick pic taken. The ladies had come to the show from all over the country!
As you can imagine, by now Charlotte and I were flagging a little so we had a quick photo op with Jane and then we all headed home – a great night had by all. Thank you, Jane!
And of course a huge thank you to all the lovely ladies who took part in our shoot. Cristina, Samantha, Barbara, Gianna, Annabelle, Emma and Carla (not forgetting Charlotte's two daughters Mia and Amelie and their friends Isobel and Olivia. You were all amazing!!
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