For our very first newsletter, we obviously had to spotlight our very first bag. Talk about DIY: working in our garage using canvas from our local fabric store and leather we cut by hand, our original Mimi bag was made in 2009 and has been in the collection ever since—which just goes to show that we were definitely onto something. Mimi is all about simplicity, a structured tote that holds all your essentials. She can be carried by the handles or dressed to thrill with any of our bag straps. She comes in gorgeous buttery-soft leather, chic suede, colorful nylon and playful quilting. And while we very much believe in “if it ain’t broke…” we’ve also expanded our Mimi family tree over the years, adding XL and mini versions, as well as an East West bag with a shape that was inspired by our beloved dachshund Chester. Because that’s the beauty of a really amazing design, right? Once you have the basic foundation, you can tweak here or there and make something that’s at once entirely new and still faithful to the OG—and that’s what we’ve done with Mimi.

The latest in our Mimi lineup? We recently launched not one but two new bags (we can’t help it, we’re overachievers). Our Belted Mimi (which sold out in 5 days) lives somewhere between the Medium and XL in terms of size, with smart details like snaps on the sides that can be cinched in for a slightly boxier silhouette or left open on days when you need the extra space. And of course, that belt! In sturdy leather, it’s adjustable, removable (try swapping it with another one of our belts) and adds a very right-now look we really love. And then we have our Framed Mimi, is the same size as the Belted, and features contrast binding for a super structured shape, and those same side snaps that, when left undone, give the bag an entirely different vibe (our co-founder Irene says it looks like it has ears with the snaps undone, how cute is that?). Both bags have a slouchy, laid-back look that’s a little less structured, but no less versatile. Think of them as Mimis after a spa day.