Mi Mo Handbags

2011-02-23T16:29:00.000-08:00

This year marks our 5th year of creating one-of-a-kind handbags for the Power of the Purse Auction to benefit Girl’s Inc. Northwest Oregon. The Girl’s Inc. mission is to encourage all girls to grow up Strong, Smart and Bold. This year we created a travel bag inspired by the retro trends. For a chance to bid on this years bag go to girlsincnworegon.org

Elisa Travel Laptop Bag

Ready for Fall with a Photo Shoot

2010-09-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

Had a great day shooting new fall bags down at a few popular local hangout. Check out what we came up with.

More to come soon!

Images of India

2010-05-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

A trip to India by Mi Mo founder Mia Scofield and her daughter Lexi now seem a distant memory. The trip--something of a reconnaissance mission--allowed Mia to spend time with her manufacturing partner, tour fabric mills and meet with vendors and artisans.

Here are a few Kodachrome highlights:

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A few photos from our big night!

2010-05-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

Dionne Warwick entertained the crowd gathered for Power of the Purse at Portland Art Museum last month.

Here the purse Mi Mo Handbags designed in collaboration with Gwyneth Gamble Booth is modeled.

Photos by Tom Trieck

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Catch us at the Mother of All Shoe Sales tomorrow

2010-05-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Don’t miss a rare opportunity to scoop up bargain basement deals on Mi Mo Handbags and another Portland-area apparel brand, Rogue Shoes.

Dubbed The Mother of All Shoe Sales, the event will take place the warehouse we share with Rogue. The sale is scheduled May 6, 7 and 8.

Footwear by Rogue Shoes is crafted from leather with styling that reflects the rugged casualness of the Northwest. Each pair of shoes at the sale will be priced at an unbeatable $20.

Mi Mo Handbags, for those new to us, embody design that hearkens to vintage style, as well as a modern sensibility. Mi Mo bags from previous seasons will be available at discounts of as much as 50 percent. Bags from our current offerings also will be available.

Mi Mo Handbags are available locally at Naturals Clothing Company in Lake Oswego and Paloma Clothing in Hillsdale, as well as many other locations throughout the country. They also are sold via online retailers.

Hours of the sale are: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 6; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, May 7; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 7.

The warehouse, east of I-5 off of exit 290, is at 6285 Lakeview Blvd., Lake Oswego, OR, 97035.

The sale is a perfect opportunity to find a Mother’s Day gift. For a look-see at the offerings of both companies, go to www. rogueshoes.com and www.mimohandbags.com

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Oregonian article highlights Mi Mo Handbags!

2010-04-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen it already, check out this article that appeared today in The Oregonian.

The article gives a nice plug for a fund-raising event in which we participate, Power of the Purse. This marks the fourth time we've supported Power of the Purse by teaming with a local "celebrity" who works with us to design his or her "ideal" handbag. We are one of 12 teams participating in the event to produce a custom bag that will be auctioned at the event. Proceeds will benefit Girls Inc.

Pictured here is Sara Jackman, a player on the University of Portland soccer team, Portland Pilots. She is holding the bag that she imagined and that Mi Mo Handbags brought into reality. Sara envisioned a bag she could use for sports, books and all the usual belongings a woman keeps in her a purse!

We also had the opportunity to work with Gwyneth Gamble Booth on another bag for the event. Click through to the article to learn more.

We're thrilled to be part of the Power of the Purse team and to have gotten a little coverage by The Oregonian!

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The first bag for the Power of the Purse Auction

2010-04-11T02:06:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I arrived in India and spent our first day visiting the Taj Mahal. It is a mosaleum created for a beloved wife who died giving birth to a 14th child. It is beautiful--the guide talked about how it was symetrical in every way. I am thinking about symetry in designs. The guide said there was only one place it wasn't perfectly symetrical--we had to guess. We couldn't. He said it was in the caskets. The husband's was really big and his wife's was much smaller. We should have guessed that, right?

It is all white marble and I liked when the guide said it is four different colors depending on morning, noon, evening and night. It would be really lovely to see it in the moonlight. Everything depends on the context.

We sent off the first bag we designed for the Power of the Purse auction benefiting Girl's Inc. Northwest.
We designed it for Gwyneth Brooks. She said she wanted a light-weight bag that she wears--not one that wears her. It is very simple--hand polished teal leather with pewter hardware. It is not symetrical. There is a pocket flap on one side and a plain slide pocket on the other. There is something lovely about not perfect.

I love linings that are so beautiful they give you joy when you open your bag. And this one does that. It is silk. You can see the linings on the edges of the pockets as well--even when the bag isn't open, which is nice too.

We hope this bag brings in lots of money for Girls Inc. Northwest, committed to helping girls become Smart; Strong; and Bold. ---- Mia

Amelia Love

2010-04-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

Can't get enough of the Amelia bag. We just love this style, fun and funky, retro yet chic.

2010-03-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

Just got back from Disneyland. It really is the happiest place on Earth, or sometimes the scariest if you're just barely 3. It's funny though how many people I saw rockin' the Disney gear. It's cool in D-Land but once out side the magical kingdom I'm not so sure.

What do you think? Is Disney gear cool for people over the age of 15 to wear in the real world?

2010-03-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Mi Mo, We would love it if you could vote for Mia's story in a contest sponsored by MORE magazine. Vote for Mi Mo and help us win. If we win, we would have the opportunity to attend the More reinvention conference. Thanks so much!

Here's the first paragraph...

I was 47 and contemplating changing careers: from English teacher to handbag designer. My bags would be vintage ‘70s honoring the women’s liberation movement of the era. I named my brand MiMo and designed and developed six bags for the line. About that time, I attended a trade show. I told myself, “There are bag buyers all over the place. I am going to wear this bag all day and sooner or later a buyer will ask me about it.”

To see the rest of the article and vote for Mia's story please go to: http://www.more.com/11079/13527-mimo-handbags

Handbag Style Type

2010-02-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

The beauty of the handbag is that you don't have to just have one. There is something for everyone with so many different styles and types. Match them with your shoes, your outfit, the event you're attending, coordinate them with your belts and jewelry... the combinations are endless. So what style are you going with today?

Clutch: A bag that doesn't have a traditional strap or handle and is held in the arm or clutched under the arm; typically worn in the evening, though lately it has been making appearances on the arms of chic starlets during the day hours.

Erica

Evening Bag: A dazzling bag to accent your evening ensemble. May be constructed from leather, suede, python, satin. The rule in this category is that there are no rules. Be an individual.

Lara

Exotic: A leather bag with an exotic twist. The skins are usually rare, wild and bring out your inner lioness.

Blair

Hobo: A soft, large bag that has a zip top and shoulder strap. With a slouchy body, it tends to crunch down when carried or laid down.

Julie

Messenger: A large bag with an envelope compartment that closes with a snap and has a flap over the front that clasps with a buckle. Mostly worn across the body. It's very comfortable and is recurring trend.

Ian

Satchel: A leather bag with a structured bottom and sides that slope upward. The handles tend to be rigid.

Molly

Shoulder Bag: A slightly large handbag that can be carried by a strap looped over the shoulder.

Cindy

Tote: A large, utilitarian bag that can carry all your in the bag goodies; usually has inner zippers and two handles for easy carrying.

Alexis

Lighten Up!

2010-01-08T14:39:00.000-08:00

Sore back? Carry a lighter bag. New textile materials have become popular in the making of handbags not only for physical advantages but also for style and budget. Mi Mo Handbags is introducing our new line of ultra light weight goat skin leather bags. We are bringing in more canvas and exploring polyurethane, an alternative to heavy leather. Check our web site for more options. www.mimohandbags.com

Cindy in olive goat leather $106.00

Jane in chocolate goat leather $106.00

Haley in bone goat suede and python print trim $92.00

Creation is Expression

2010-01-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

Mi Mo Handbags are the creation by collaboration of women pulling together their life experiences to bring you a signature style you can call your own.

Mi Mo values diversity, adventure, fun and practicality. Our bags combine elements of rugged design, global influence, and our own casual life styles to create unique handbags. We borrow from history to create pieces for the present that will continue into the future. Working every day to limit our carbon footprint we are cutting back on paper stuffing, offer paperless billing and have a rock solid recycling program.