You heard it here first… I’m going inter-railing around Europe, and you may be thinking, hostels, backpack, sharing a room with 12 randos, and staying out late partying everyday - doesn’t really seem like Mimi - and it’s not. Let me reframe my definition of Inter-railing: Travelling to multiple places consecutively with a suitcase and an excessive amount of shoes, staying in mainly hotels or Airbnbs with the occasional sacrificial hostel in our least favourite places. That is how me and my cousin/ best friend/ sister when we lie to men at the club, are going to be taking on Europe this summer… and while I do love you all dearly, I will be taking a break from regular publishing as I think I must fully immerse myself into the trip considering it almost bankrupted me. So I thought before I break all your hearts and fall off the face of the planet for five blissful weeks I’d run you through my thoroughly thought out Inter-railling route, and everything I’ve bought/ made to take with me! Visual for you Mimi’s Inter-rail route Summer 2026: London - The homeland Amsterdam - 2 nights Berlin - 3 nights Prague - 2 nights Vienna - 2 nights Ljubljana (Slovenia) - 2 nights Lake Bled - 3 nights Venice - 2 nights Rome - 2 nights Sorrento - 4 nights Florence - 2 nights Cinque Terre - 3 nights Milan - 2 nights Lake Como - 2 nights Paris - 4 nights London - Back to the homeland :( Out of all of these perfectly curated places I am beyond excited for them all of course, but my top three must go to… Lake Bled because I’ve heard only great things! Sorrento because a beach is very much needed and Capri is calling my name Paris because our accommodation is next to my favourite place possibly ever – the Louvre (particularly at night!) It will be interesting to see if my favourite places end up being these three. Onto what I’ve bought for my trip (and what I’ve made as I am also a sewing addict for those who don’t know!) As soon as I got back from Korea I immediately began sewing what had been brewing in my head while I was away from my idyllic home studio. This began with up-cycling a midi skirt I’d bought from Vinted into something fit for the club, or perhaps a chic dinner in Rome? It was originally three sizes too big for me but I’d bought it because it had a super cute sequin detail that I could see working perfectly as a mini skirt… Also from my endless hours scouring Vinted came some coral lace shorts – which I’ve declared the colour of the summer! A bikini from Primark with a cute Paisley print, and what can only be described as the most quintessential brown bedazzled midi-dress. Shown above. my (now) lacey jeans Another upcycling project was born from a pair of old Zara jeans that I then suffocated in lace and crochet doilies. And another from a shirt I salvaged from my mum's charity shop pile and then tore to shreds! #sustainablequeen Now we move into visions of entirely Mimi’s creative genius - dangerous territory! I cut apart my bedding I bought for Korea and made it into both a beautiful shoulder bag, complete with large pink buttons and a zip I also bought in Korea! And a batwing mini dress accessorised with lace sleeves and a tie back detail that was completely out of my comfort zone, and yet surprisingly easy to make. Then carrying on with the bedding theme one of my 100% silk pillow cases had sadly ripped so I cut it up and turned it into an entirely backless halterneck top which may be one of my favourite pieces I’ve made this year! After running out of bedding to murder I moved onto my fabric supply and repurposed some polka dot fat quarters I had, turning them into a tie at the side patchwork mini skirt! And my final victim was to finish a project I’d started in Korea which was to sew hundreds of buttons onto a white T-shirt in the shape of a bikini – one of my faves for summer, even if it did give me back pain. Which one is your favourite? Of course I also bought the boring stuff like a backpack (linked below), padlocks, packing cubes, toiletry organiser, electric fan, etc etc but none of that is interesting – and if it is I’ve linked it below… Backpack: https://amzn.to/4veKFOn Padlocks: https://amzn.to/4uKpfI7 Packing cubes: https://amzn.to/4etIsHK Toiletry Organiser: https://amzn.to/4owMWlq Electric Fan: https://amzn.to/4edjopJ If you’re going interrailing this summer, maybe you’ll see me. Then again you probably won’t. I’ll be active on Substack as it’s become an addiction but for the next five weeks prepare to be pester free from Mimi because to quote Donna Sheridan (Mamma Mia) … “Life is short, the world is wide, and I want to make some memories” With love, Mimi x Love you all - speak in 6 weeks (roughly)! Until then - IG: @itswithlovemimi TIKTOK: @mimipiqua PINTEREST: @mimipiqua SUBSTACK: @mimipiqua

To speak or to die? This philosophical question is the core of one of the best books, and subsequent films ever made – Call me by your name. If you have lived under a rock or haven’t yet indulged in this brilliant piece of cinematography let me be the first to sell it to you. I watched it once at the ripe age of sixteen and was left feeling an overwhelming sense of existentialism. Set in Crema, Northern Italy it explores the destructive, transformative, and eternal power of a first love. One of the only films to cause me to question my sense of self. Four years after watching I’m finally heading to the motherland myself (Crema) which has obviously led me back to the mindblowing catalytic question itself… Is it better to speak or to die? To speak: To verbalise the contents of one's mind is one of life’s most vulnerable processes. Letting someone crawl in between the crevices of your brain, weaving in and out of a continual stream of your consciousness. A web of one's deepest desires and biggest fears un-impacted by the entitlement of opinion. Perhaps the only way to holistically know someone is to entwine yourself within the creases of their thoughts. Sometimes I myself struggle to decipher my own thoughts, and are they even mine to speak or have I involuntarily re-written from others before me? Whoever’s they are should they be spoken? Thoughts are free to wander within the ephemeral playground of the mind. Some cling to walls and last a lifetime, adding to our sense of self, although they may never leave the vessel of the body. Others are birthed into the world through a misjumbled flurry, instantaneously regretted. To speak is to give up ownership of these words. No longer confined within the four walls of the mind, or within the limitless confines of pen and paper, they become open to the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of verbalisation. It would be a shame to never speak, but to articulate the emotions and sensations of my soul seems often too much of a feat. To never speak would be a waste, but to spend a life translating one's soul for having spoken would be a much worse fate. To die: Death is supposedly the end of one's life. However to die is only for the body to cease living, the soul goes on eternally, and in doing so one can never truly die. Unaffected by the confines of humanity our souls will weave through the world, causing those unexplainable moments when you shiver for no reason, when you feel the briefest brush against the skin with nothing beside you – these are the souls of those before us, and we will join them when our fleeting time within this ‘life’ is complete. Life is eternal in this sense, so long as you believe it is, we can transcend the limitations of mere life and death when we go back to the elementary concept that energy can be neither created nor destroyed. No matter what happens within the wonderful confines of life it all has to end. Comforting in times of hardship, and frightening when things are serendipitous. To answer the question at hand would be to explore choosing death, and in doing so would be to cut off the natural order of your being. Thousands of thoughts, memories, experiences and connections left incomplete and fragmented. Life is a momentary gift and to end it before it has naturally ended would lead only to an expedited eternal existence of living within one's soul, external to the human body. Conclusion: Life ends with death, and is filled with an abundance of speech. To choose death and cut this abundance short would be to skip to the final page of a book before having read the beginning. A thought dies once it has left the mouth of its protector, so in a way to speak can be to die, but to die would be to cease speaking altogether – and that would be the truest tragedy of all. Our time on earth is a blip between centuries of those before us, we will be forgotten in a hundred years, as have those before us. This does not negate the need for your existence, in fact it gives you purpose. You need not speak with perfection, you need not speak with confidence, you need purely to speak. To choose death would not be to die, to choose death would only be choosing a near identical existence for a perpetual period of time, which seems foolish given how exceptionally rare our time on earth is. Whoever you are, wherever you are from. It requires bravery and courage to speak, but our life was not given to us to simply die. Speak before the inevitability of death catches up to you, speak before one day the unpredictability of life untimely ends. With love, Mimi x IG: @itswithlovemimi TIKTOK: @mimipiqua SUBSTACK: @mimipiqua

This question has been hanging around for years. But I’ve yet to put my two pence in, which is what I'll be rectifying today! Can luxury fashion actually survive on the high street? Not just exist there, not just make an appearance - but survive, with its identity, artistry and exclusivity intact? Even with the honest answer being no, not entirely, the high street has long been flirting with luxury names, pulling them into collaborations that promise accessibility without (supposedly) sacrificing prestige. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it really, really doesn't. And right now, one collaboration in particular has the fashion world locked in and waiting for it to drop. John Galliano X Zara. Two words I never thought would be put together. I have a lot of thoughts. Has this been done before? Before we get into the Galliano of it all, because we will get into it, let's establish that this isn't entirely new territory. Mugler X H&M Mugler x H&M was a reasonably good execution. Casey Cadwallader's Mugler had already cultivated a very specific, very devoted following, and the H&M collaboration allowed those without the aligned budget to experience a glimpse of it themselves. It was exciting. People queued and reviewed it because it made sense. And then there was Stella McCartney x H&M, which, I have to be honest, raised an eyebrow or two – mine included. Largely because McCartney has built her entire brand identity around sustainability and conscious fashion, and even though the collection may preach sustainability and environmental consciousness it is ultimately still coming from a fast fashion retailer. So the two partnering up together seemed a bit ironic. The collection was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but there is a clear contradiction between preaching responsible manufacturing and partnering with one of the world's largest fast fashion giants. These collaborations tell us something important: the outcome depends almost entirely on how much of the designer's actual DNA makes it through to the final product. Which brings me to Galliano – because his situation is arguably the most complex of them all. John Galliano himself For anyone who may not know of the great, and controversial, John Galliano, let me give you a quick refresher (no judgement, but also please read up on him immediately): John Galliano is one of the greatest, most theatrical, most genuinely visionary designers to have ever existed. Full stop. John Galliano Himself His work at Givenchy and then Dior in the 90s and early 2000s was the kind of stuff that made fashion feel like a religious experience. Bias-cut gowns, historical references layered subtly for only the true art lovers to notice, runway shows that were more like theatre productions! He is not a simple man. His work is anything but simple – it is intricate, complex, masterful and magical in craftsmanship. And Zara is… Zara. The power of luxury The thing about luxury fashion is that it thrives off exclusivity. The reason a Galliano-era Dior piece from 1997 still makes people lose their minds is partly because of the immense craftsmanship, yes, but also because not everyone has one. In fact only one person will have the original (and I envy them greatly.) When you take a designer of that calibre and put him in line with a retailer that notoriously copies other designers, and that can turn around a micro-trend in two weeks, the relationship inevitably becomes complicated and unaligned. The question isn't whether Galliano can create something beautiful within the constraints of mass production. Of course he can, he's a genius! The man could make a bin bag feel significant and it would be on the cover of Vogue within months. The question is what happens to the godly idea of Galliano and his infamous exclusivity when anyone can walk into their local Zara and buy it for £49.99. It completely dilutes his greatness, but also his artistry which is what we need to look at next… What's at stake here Unlike Stella, Galliano doesn't have a pristine environmental brand identity to protect. His risk is almost entirely artistic. His identity is built on spectacle, on avant-garde clothing that's untouched by everyday life - and that's precisely why it's extraordinary. Mass market fashion has to appeal to the majority. It has to be wearable. Palatable. Commercially viable at scale, so it can't be too abstract or unique. Which defeats the majority of the artistry behind a designer like Galliano, whose runway shows once featured models draped in newspapers and arriving on horseback. There is, of course, a version of this that might work beautifully. The right creative brief, the right boundaries, the right level of trust between designer and retailer and you could get something that is both revolutionary and a huge money maker for both parties. Zara gets cultural credibility. Galliano gets a new, wider audience. Consumers get access to the brain of one of fashion's greatest minds without needing a trust fund. But it's at the cost of true artistry, design, and luxury as a principle that all this can occur. Which begs the question, “Is it even worth doing?” So can luxury survive on the high street? In all honesty I'm not a fan — which I think comes across. I think it can survive in fragments, but the quality will never align with the high street price tag. The designs will be simplified because to mass produce at that level they can't be sewn by hand and quality checked meticulously. Luxury on the high street can work, but it requires the designer to retain enough creative control that the result still actually reflects them. I don't want to see a collection in September that is 99% Zara with a Galliano label slapped on it. Now we wait... As consumers we need to understand what we're buying into. When the first drop comes out in September you will not be buying a Galliano piece. You are buying a Galliano idea, filtered through the lens of what's commercially possible at such a large scale. And there is value in that, which I will admit to, absolutely! Giving a piece of Galliano to people who cannot afford his usual level of luxury. It’s a brilliant concept, but let's not pretend it’s the same as his earlier work. Owning a 2026 Zara x Galliano will never mean the same as owning a 1997 Dior by John Galliano gown, but they will have both been idealised by the same person, and that is enough for some. September cannot come fast enough. I'm eager to see if he's still got his touch. I will be watching very, very closely. What do you think… is this the future of luxury or the beginning of the end of it? With love, Mimi x IG: @itswithlovemimi TIKTOK: @mimipiqua PINTEREST: @mimipiqua SUBSTACK: @mimipiqua

This summer is an exciting one for me because i’m headed interrailing! In a few weeks I will be strutting around Europe for 5 magical weeks and it’s led my fashion fueled brain to buy a lot of things (whole separate post coming on this later) I would love to share with you what my predictions for this summer's leading trends are. So without further ado… here are the 7 trends I firmly believe are going to be ‘IN’ this wonderful summer of 2026. Stripes, Stripes, Stripes Last summer polka dots were all the rave. This summer it’s got to be a stripe. A skinny stripe, a thick stripe, a swirly stripe, a curly stripe, a zig-sagged missoni stripe, alternating thickness stripes, funky coloured stripe combinations. Just pure stripe madness. A summer of limitless stripe possibilities. The combinations between colours, thickness, placement are endless and I think that companies are going to capitalise on this. Not only does it look amazing and add some individuality to an outfit – especially when paired with more neutral, basic pieces. It also is absurdly colourful and therefore perfect for summer. For those who have grown tired of the excessive polka dots filling their wardrobes from last summer, this summer I grab yourself a striped piece. A statement stripe if you will! Make it your personality, add it to every look. Stripes are BACK! Stripy, striped, stripes Coral & Teal Coral and teal are going to be everywhere this summer - or atleast they are in my suitcase. I am beyond obsessed with them. Not necessarily as a pairing, in fact likely not together, but the colours in themselves are perfect for the warmer weather. Paired with a tan and glowing skin they both exude pure elegance, chic, cool energy and an all round air of togetherness. Coral compliments the sunset or sunrise. Teal compliments the sea, river, lake, pool - whatever body of water you can get near this summer! When I picture wearing these colours around Europe this summer they are accompanied by undone hair, little to no makeup, and sand still on the skin. A sense of perfect imperfection. They are quintessential colours of summer. Not just this year - always. Coral and Teal Pucci Pattern Power The power of the pucci print went crazy last year! I think not only will this continue into this summer but it will evolve. Not only will the infamous swirly, pucci style prints be everywhere but a sort of cousin pattern will also be populating everyone's summer wardrobes. It has no name, just a vibe – or maybe it does have a name and I’m just unaware of it! The pattern in question is those which are a tad overwhelming and even confusing to look at, but so mesmerisingly colourful that you’re unable to look away. Quirky, funky, colourful, varied, unique. Whatever you want to call it. Prints that have a bit of everything, everywhere, all at once. These are also going to be very IN this summer. Pucci Pattern Power Persian rugs, Crochet & Lace Persian rugs are true works of art, so much so that it’s depressing they can’t be worn! This is why I think these prints are going to quickly become popular. They exude a touch of whimsy, and bohemia, going hand in hand with the already beloved bohemian chic trend from last summer! Crochet headdresses, lace detailing, floaty skirts will no doubt fill this summer again. However I think the persian influence will be very much running alongside it. Like wearing someone’s beautiful Persian style rug in a lightweight chiffon, adorned with lace. I think possibly my articulation of that trend isn’t as good as my vision for it so you’ll have to lean on my moodboard for this one… Persian rugs, crochet and lace The funky flip flop The flip flop never fails to be an integral part of summer. Every year it mutates and comes back stronger than ever with even more variation than before. A wedge flip flop with 90s inspiration, a funky colour and sparkly rubber, mismatched Havaianas, or possibly the most talked about of this summer… the Isabel Marant x Havaianas collaboration! I myself have bought 3 pairs to take interrailing - don’t ask me about the suitcase space, but they will all be coming with me. The 'funky' flip flop Orchids & Lilies Every year without fail a new flower takes summer captive and doesn’t let it go until Autumn. This year I’m placing bets on both Lilies and Orchids, very summery flowers, very beautiful by themselves, but arguably even more so when put together. A big embroidered lily on a dress by the beach. Yes please. A string of orchids dangling from the neck of a high-neck, backless top, a maxi dress left entirely plain aside from a gigantic lily print. All of the above ooze summer, and I think these particular florals will be a heavy staple for summer 26’. Orchids & Lilies Unorthodox colour combinations Are people just running out of original ideas and turning to colours that don’t match? Or are we finally recognising that some colours you wouldn’t expect to go so well together are the best pairings. I’d go with the second option. Red and pink used to be so heavily frowned upon and now it’s an iconic combo. Purple and yellow, Lime and Lilac, Chocolate and teal. Some of my current favourites! If you’re struggling to pick an outfit for worry the patterns, colours or textures don’t go together, put it on. Likelihood is you’ve overthought it and it could surprise you! Unorthodox colour combinations! I hope these are somewhat accurate, but only time will tell! Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below. I’d love to know what you think is going to be all the rage this summer, or what you are currently obsessed with! With love, Mimi x

Nothing Will Ever be as Fashionable as Simple Elegance and Dua Lipa's Wedding Dress Cemented That as a Fact In this life, two things are certain: Dua Lipa will always have immaculate taste, and The Sun will always somehow get first access to any celebrity wedding they can get their hands on. For possibly the first time ever, I find myself genuinely thanking them for supplying the world with these ultimate wedding photos from this past weekend. I'm not sure we can even call it a wedding dress, given the rumours of further celebrations to come. This was allegedly just the look for the formality of being legally wed, her registry outfit, if you will. Regardless, it was utterly beautiful, and everything about it exuded class and elegance, complementing what fashion is truly all about. Sometimes all that's needed is a return to basics, and that in itself carries the most powerful effect. When something so simple is executed with such striking attitude and personality, that's when you know you're looking at a real piece of design excellence. Designed by Daniel Roseberry, Lipa wore a Schiaparelli white skirt suit, accompanied by a Steven Jones wide-brimmed hat. I know everyone wants the "clean girl" (I hate this term) minimalist era to be over, and within reason, fair enough. But something like this is not a trend, or an era - to me, a look like this is timeless. That's exactly why a similar wedding look worn by Bianca Jagger in the early 70s feels as monumental now as it did then, and I'm so glad to see the style receiving the appreciation it deserves at the hands of Dua. Though the look is refined and somewhat minimalist, the detailing throughout the execution is what truly makes it. The custom buttons, for starters, appear to feature gold detailing with an assortment of different symbols and pendants, including what looks to be an eye. The white gloves and the restrained bouquet add further to the overall sense of class. Gold details, gloves, and bouquet! There's nothing wrong with a big bouquet, but opting for a smaller one feels like a statement in itself, one that actually helps bring the whole look together. Finishing touches come in the form of white Christian Louboutin pumps and a Bulgari Serpenti necklace, first popularised by Elizabeth Taylor in the 60s. It's clear that Dua has taken notes from some of the original fashion icons, and her execution is a delight. I suppose we can count Callum Turner as the ultimate accessory? I'd like to think the two had a conversation beforehand about what suit he should wear, obviously to complement Dua's look to its fullest potential. They look wonderful together. Both have gone for gorgeous vintage silhouettes with strong structures and broad shoulders, they look like the quintessential wedding couple lifted straight out of a 1960s film. Beyond how visually striking it all is, I absolutely love whatever deeper meaning we can take from the look. At her level of fame, Dua Lipa is a role model to so many young girls across the world. I wonder what those girls are thinking, seeing their idol get married in a suit? It's quite a departure from the conventions many of them will be growing up with, and a million miles away from what I grew up seeing in magazines and on TV. Ever since learning that my own mother wore a beige suede dress on her wedding day, I've never felt that the ideal has to be white and bright. It's always refreshing to see someone bending the mould, whether there's a political statement behind it or not. Though she's gone for a chic, monochrome look on this occasion, I'm very excited to see what the following looks hold for the mysterious Italian wedding. I have a strong feeling we're going to get something very different and very fun. Written by Philipia Hatziandreou Edited by Mimi Piqua Images embedded from Vogue via instagram

Gone are the days where traditional fashion moguls set the tone for what’s “in” and what’s “out”. When a designers runway collection was the holy grail of what should and shouldn’t be worn in the upcoming season. Where what was printed in Vogue was to be taken as gospel. In recent years, the shift in fashion authority has been impossible to ignore – and even harder to keep up with. Traditional trendsetters such as designers, editors, fashion houses and even luxury conglomerates like LVMH and Kering have gradually lost their once gravitational hold over the industry, sadly but inevitably overtaken by something far less tangible… the algorithm. The Death of the Traditional Trend Cycle Social media has long influenced the lifecycle of trends, allowing consumers to feel as if they are a part of a once entirely exclusive industry. Yet TikTok, in particular, has accelerated this shift at an unbelievably alarming pace. Trends no longer trickle down from the runway to the consumer through carefully curated stages. They now appear overnight on the For You Page, have gone global within days, and Zara has a shoppable version in store within the week. The traditional "trickle down" trend cycle. Fashion once operated seasonally with collections eagerly awaited every September and February. Now it operates hourly with a depressing fixation on continual “newness”. This constant “newness” has drastically shortened a trends lifespan and in turn has dramatically added to landfill with ultra-fast fashion retailers such as Shein and Temu adding over 10,000 products daily. DAILY! How insane is that? The Algorithm as the New Editor-in-Chief Seemingly Anna Wintour was one of one, because with over 1 billion daily active Tiktok users spending an average of 95 minutes per day on the app the algorithm has truly taken charge. one of one Unlike its predecessor the algorithm doesn’t care about craftsmanship - only engagement. It rewards speed, novelty, and virality with a complete disregard for longevity. Which is brilliant for influencers, but can be detrimental for luxury retailers who aren’t familiar with this new evolution. The For You Page acts as the nucleus for the Tiktok Algorithm. The content that does make it to the FYP becomes visible to a wider audience, which allows for it to get more engagement which in turn leads to the birth of either a micro-trend or yet another influencer – or perhaps both. Influencers are arguably the present day chiefs for leading consumer behaviour as they have an incomparable hold over their specific, loyal audience. A recent study found that 74% of consumers have bought a product because an influencer recommended it. Making their power to drive consumer behaviour undeniable. So undeniable that in recent years businesses have tapped into their power by building authentic long-term relationships with compatible influencers and working together to build trust with their mutual target audience. A brilliant article that breaks down the power of creators on consumer behaviour: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2024/08/14/how-influencers-can-drive-consumer-purchasing-behavior/ Micro-Trends and the Speed Problem Trends have evolved time and time again, but the invention of the micro-trend is where the decline truly peaked. I am an avid hater of the micro-trend, even if I did indulge in the cow print frenzy during lockdown! After the regrettable death of the traditional trend cycle where trends were carefully curated over months by industry professionals, micro-trends swiftly moved in to replace them with only enough care to survive the attention span of the algorithm. “Mob Wife”, “Office Siren”, “Clean Girl”, “Coastal Cowgirl”, “Brat Summer” or “Tomato Girl” (which made me audibly laugh) are all examples of recent micro-trends. All of which arrived to Tiktok with a starter pack: names, visuals and entire personalities attached. Each functioning for a brief period of time as a new personality for consumers to adopt before being rapidly abandoned and moving to the next. By the time most people have grown comfortable with a micro-trend, TikTok has often already declared it “over” and there are 5 new ones to choose from! This has led to fashion often feeling increasingly performative with a particular lacking in personal style. Style is now influenced by SO many external influences that I’m not entirely sure if there is any personality left in it! But now it feels as if everyone is just rotating identities, trying on a one-size fits all catalogue and flicking through the pages with each new viral video. someone show this to JB Micro-trends have made sure of this by rewarding constant reinvention and treating repetition almost as socially unacceptable. But don't fall victim to it! A capsule wardrobe will ALWAYS win over a muddled and incohesive jumble of cheaply made fast-fashion pieces. (I remember when I read that Justin Bieber never rewears his underwear at about age 8… and even then I thought that was beyond stupid.) The result to all of this is a culture where nobody appears fully in control of what becomes fashionable anymore. Designers influence influencers (through current or past collections), influencers influence consumers, consumers influence the algorithm, and the algorithm feeds the entire cycle back into itself at immense speed. It begs the question – When everyone is a trend forecaster, is anyone actually leading fashion anymore? So...are Designers Still Leading Culture? By no means am I announcing fashion houses are irrelevant, if anything I believe they are now more important than ever because one day everyone will become bored of this constant consumption (I hope) and once again designers will have the reigning vote! At current point luxury brands still are at the forefront of shaping silhouettes and entire aesthetics, but social media now accelerates, mutates, and shifts the narrative of trends before brands can fully even voice them. The best example I can come up with to demonstrate this authority shift is the absolute chaos of the Miu Miu micro-mini skirt. Back in AW22 Miuccia made headlines with the slinky skirt on the runway, and it quickly became an internet phenomenon on Tiktok. Miu-Miu Micro skirt AW22 People started fixating on it for “model-off-duty” core leading fast fashion retailers to have near-identical versions online within days. Styling videos flooded the FYP, and the trend evolved far beyond what was originally presented on the runway. What began as luxury quickly became mass-consumed content, raising the question: do brands still create trends, or does TikTok redefine them before they’ve had their moment? Neither designers nor creators have the full package alone, which is why collaborations between brands and influencers have become increasingly valuable! And are now pretty much inevitable for luxury survival. Designers bring the product and creative vision; creators know how to package it for the algorithm. And with Gen- Z increasingly discovering fashion through TikTok rather than magazines, this change was necessary for the future of the industry. Maybe TikTok hasn’t entirely killed the trend cycle, instead it’s exposed the preexisting fact that fashion is a glorified competition for attention. The core difference now is that the people deciding what’s “in”, and “out” are no longer sitting front row in Paris. They’re sitting in bed, scrolling… and the likelihood is you’re probably one of them. So make sure you decide well! With love, Mimi x

I recently applied for a Journalism course and the one question they asked was what form of fashion media do you think is the most important and why... if you know anything about me only one answer springed to mind! Read below... Fashion media is an integral part of almost every person’s daily media consumption, whether it be conscious or unconscious. Maybe it’s a fashion obsessed consumer who’s Tiktok algorithm exclusively shows runway reviews, or possibly it’s someone who claims to be uninterested in fashion yet comments on a great billboard they saw. In every form fashion media plays a crucial role in shaping consumer opinion, style, and behaviour, making it arguably the most influential force within the industry. When thinking holistically about fashion media it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast amount of options. The traditional print magazines spring to mind immediately, Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar etc… the credible backbones of fashion media. With enough long-standing influence to dictate what’s ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’ to millions of consumers, I cannot entirely neglect their significance and I certainly won’t be cancelling my Vogue subscription anytime soon. However, I no longer believe they are the most important, particularly with contemporary audiences. In today’s society where people crave connection and authenticity I believe the most influential form of fashion media exists within the blogosphere. Unlike larger publications that aim to appeal to the masses, bloggers speak directly to very specific demographics, creating a unique and rare connection between writer and reader that mainstream fashion media often struggles to achieve. Fashion bloggers sit uniquely between traditional journalism and social media, unaffected by the limitations of advertising, algorithms, editorial requirements and the unspoken need for perfection that often comes from posting on social media or writing for a large publication. Bloggers are able to unapologetically write with opinion and personality which is what allows them to build long-term loyal readership and is what gives them their increasing influence within media. Whether commenting on a runway show, discussing upcoming trends or reporting on industry developments, consumers value honesty and personality. As a result, blogs have become a trusted source of connection, offering a more personal alternative to the often generic nature of mainstream fashion media. My own experience having founded a fashion blog has reinforced this belief. Writing independently has allowed me to engage critically with fashion without the pressure to dilute opinions for engagement or brand alignment. It has also allowed me to grow a small but loyal readership that I know values my opinions. Showing me that effective fashion journalism is no longer defined entirely by reach, but instead by the quality of that reach. Ultimately, in such a rapidly evolving industry the most important media is the one that allows fashion to be questioned, evaluated, understood, and acted upon. Fashion blogs allow for that to happen, and for it to happen in a way that feels natural and easily accessible to everyone which is fundamental to its importance. While social media, print, digital and other media pathways are still important I believe it is currently the blogs that hold the ability to shape long-lasting opinions and behaviour most and for that reason they remain vital within fashion media. Do you agree or not? With love, Mimi x

Is AI a cool innovation or is it losing its appeal (hopefully)? Particularly in regards to creativity and the fashion industry. Is it a threat to the industry or can it help? This is what we will be discussing today. Disclaimer: I’d like to state for the most part I am heavily against AI. But majorly for AI use for ideation, concepts, and initial creative prospects. I think AI can be used positively to further ideas and to help with dull, admin type tasks but to use it as the basis for creative endeavours is borderline disrespectful of humanity. A good quote for AI within fashion I came across while reading an article: “We cannot fight it at the rate it is going, there are ways it can help us and ways we don’t have to let it infringe upon our creative vision.” - iNNOVATION insights. The importance of creativity for the soul Creativity to me, and many others, is the most important thing on planet earth. Point blank. Without it we are just bodies meaninglessly floating around on a rock. With our creativity we produce art and whether you are creatively gifted or not, whether you are a consumer or creator of art it is what gives soul to the human race. The joy from creating a garment you curated within your unique brain, the intellect and soul it takes to write a poem, sketch, draw, write, dance, act, sing, speak with authority and power… the list goes on and on. And every single one categorically cannot be done better by a pile of wires plugged into a box that we would call a, ‘robot’. One day these so-called ‘robots’ may well take over the earth, and while I won’t be here I will spiritually applaud them when they do because we as a human race will have brought it on ourselves. Without a doubt humans are the most destructive species to ever exist, we simply have to have control over anything and everything - and in doing so we are simultaneously destroying not only the earth but ourselves. A GOOD YOUTUBE VIDEO THAT EVALUATES THE IMPACT OF AI IN FASHION ChatGPT is by far the market leader with over 5.7 billion monthly visits!!!!! WHAT! That’s almost as many as the population of earth, and it’s something stupid like each search occupies a bottle of water to search the web and produce you an answer, so is it really necessary to ask it something you could easily just type into safari? My own mother the other day searched up via ChatGPT how much water to add to the gravy mixture... I had to put my foot down because why have we just utilised an entire bottle of water for it to tell you what the box probably also outlines! As you can probably tell I’m not a fan of AI in general, although I do have to admit it does have some minor advantages and can sometimes be used as a good research/ admin tool – however – asking it to generate a picture of you and the boy you have a crush on is not a good use of electricity or water. Let it go. Let him go in fact. AI generated imagery In relation to fashion I was absolutely gobsmacked when I opened my Vogue a few months ago and saw an AI generated advertisement in place of a real model, thankfully most of the fashion industry was also under the same opinion. As a member of the human race I was initially concerned because why are we using fake people, when there are over 8 billion options to choose from! That’s not good for anyone's self - esteem. Are we not good enough? But on top of that I was concerned as a model myself… I’m being put out of work - by people that don't even exist! These ‘old money’ fake women in Vogue look far too perfect to accurately represent any human, model or not. Cool innovation or a threat to the fashion industry? While I think it can be used for some good (in moderation) it gets to the point where people use AI so often they have become reliant on it in everyday life to answer every minor question they could alternatively google! This makes it so heavily unsustainable and is what is making it so much more difficult within the fashion industry to spot true genius design now because some of it is fake! If a designer created a gorgeous collection but behind-the-scenes they curated the entire ideology through Generative AI why should they be considered a genius and not the thousands of wires and batteries it took to actually create the collection. We cannot allow AI to consume our creativity and destroy our intellect. Create more and consume less. If you have a question just google it (no AI prompting!) Use AI in moderation and remember to use your own brain. What do you think about AI in fashion? Let me know - comment below (I'll always reply!) With love, Mimi x IG: @itswithlovemimi TIKTOK: @mimipiqua SUBSTACK: https://itswithlovemimi.substack.com

If you’re reading this then somehow 10 weeks have passed and I’m currently on the flight home from Seoul! I'm not thrilled for the journey but I am giddy and unexplainably excited to be reunited with my family. But before I am reunited let me debrief what occurred during my last week modelling in Seoul --> The week began with 7 hours of E-commerce on a Saturday, and to make things worse I’d just said goodbye to Parker who decided to leave her contract early to head home to Canada. So I was a bit solemn but the e-comm really added to that. Parker is such a lively character and one of the funniest people I’ve ever met so I’m sad to see her go, but thankfully me and Aoife aren’t left here without her for too long. The job itself was a rare two-parter which continued on Wednesday. One day for e-comm and one for campaign shots. So the website is going to be a whole load of me. Thankfully Saturday's e-comm portion was pretty speedy and the team were lovely - but they did put a Laneige Lip Mask in my hair to attempt to flatten it down? So they lost brownie points for that as it took forever to wash out! After thoroughly de-sticking my hair me and Aoife headed out to the cutest cocktail bar/ restaurant in our local area which had the cutest waiter ever - I’ll miss all the beautiful Korean men for sure. Then we were gluttonous and ordered an entire Baskin Robbins Ice-cream cake - which had to be immediately consumed as it didn’t fit in the freezer (poor planning on our part!) Saturday, Sunday, and Monday Sunday I had the world's longest job, it’s as if they knew it was my last full-day shoot because it ended up lasting 12 hours and being excruciationally cold, wet, and tiring. The brand and team themselves were sweet but there were 43 looks and by 1pm we had only done 9 looks… the pace was snail like. I did however learn something embarrassing about myself from the shoot. I visibly blush when I listen to Justin Bieber. So the Bieber fever is clearly still alive and well. They heard me listening to a song of his through my broken wired headphones and ended up playing JB on loop for 6 hours once the makeup artist and her minion realised I blush as they then turned this into a game of which song would make me blush the most. Love to be humiliated at work. Although it did keep me going because the K-Pop beforehand was getting a bit repetitive. Especially towards the end because the 43 looks turned into 47! Monday was a necessary day of unemployment, especially as I needed to begin packing desperately. Which I did slightly (half of one suitcase) before getting too overwhelmed and heading out to Seong-su to try and find a backpack to be able to hike Bukhansan - which I secured successfully! As well as a few more unnecessary bits that I let myself splurge on purely because it’s my last week. Then came the day of all days. Tuesday… I hiked up Bukhansan, and couldn’t feel my legs for 2 days afterwards! Some of my fave pictures It was on my to-do list the entirety of my trip but suddenly it got to my final week so it was either Tuesday or never. Naturally, I chose the longest, highest trail of the bunch because… why not suffer properly? So alarm set for 5:30am, I made my way across the city and arrived at the base around 7:30am, immediately investing in hiking gloves which saved my entire existence - genuinely may not be here without them as I almost slipped many times. On the way up I was conned into thinking I’d begun the hike when I was in fact walking to the entrance, so after twenty minutes I did reach the fork between the ‘Easy’ and ‘Difficult’ trails to Baegundae Peak. I chose the “easy” route (best decision) and the first couple of km it was stairs, temples, Buddha statues, very serene. Then suddenly my legs started burning, my face became a tomato, and I accepted my fate. Somewhere along the way up I was quietly adopted by a Korean couple who kept waiting for me in a non-obvious way as I was flying solo and I think they were concerned. Unfortunately I lost them as I was stopping every 3 seconds to take photos because the views were genuinely unreal. Then came the final stretch towards the top after what felt never ending. Full rock scrambling, wire ropes, and a near-vertical human traffic jam that felt very much like it could be a 2006-2026 situation - thankfully I'm here to tell the tale. However, after a risky bit of climbing I reached the top of Baegundae Peak, the highest point in Seoul, and the view was as ridiculous as you’d imagine. Nothing but mountains for the eye to see, and Seoul very distantly in the background. I sat, journaled, avoided the outrageous flag queue, and had a very “life is very big and I am very small” moment before reluctantly descending. For balance, I tried the “difficult” route down so I could compare the two trails and it was easier than expected, but my legs had fully checked out by then so I was still shaking like crazy. If you’re going, here’s a few helpful tips: Bring more water than you think you need Use the toilets at the information centre - last civilized stop No plastic containers (wind = your lunch becomes pollution) MUST wear proper trainers or hiking shoes The humidity is not your friend - dress appropriately! Go early on weekends/holidays unless you enjoy queues on cliffs with trembling legs Wednesday my legs felt like jelly but it was time for the campaign portion of Saturday's job so after a trek to the studio through the beautiful countryside I got to work. Executing what I'd studied from the moodboard... but they didn't seem to like me as much. Nothing I seemed to do was pleasing anyone and my translator was borderline incompetent for the day so mixed signals were being fired everywhere. Thankfully we persevered and finished on time before another 1 ½ hour drive home. Once home me and Aoife had to film an exciting self tape for a super cool project and then we devoured a large chunk of ice-cream cake and crashed out. Thursday was bittersweet as it was my final shoot in Seoul! For a large brand called Marithe Francois Girbaud but specifically for their Korean website and Korea storefronts - which is annoying as I won’t be here when the store fronts get decorated with my face. We shot at such a rogue time due to studio logistics so I had the morning to pack and the worked from 4-8pm. It was just e-comm so it wasn’t super fun but it was a very chilled way to end my shoots here in Seoul. Jessica (translator) even behaved herself today and translated which was a real treat so all around a brilliant way to leave things. The taxi ride home had me feeling all nostalgic just thinking about how scarily fast these past 10 weeks have gone and how much I'll miss Seoul! Goodbye Seoul! Once I got back I had to really do some packing and it was then that I realised I in fact do have too much stuff so I’ve had to expand into Aoife’s suitcases as well. Which is ridiculous because how much stuff could I possibly have? Friday was my final day in Seoul so I was feeling understandably bittersweet but I had a really wonderful day to say goodbye to the city. I spent more money than I thought in Olive Young picking up my fave skincare bits. Then headed straight to 45ID - a photography studio near the apartment which shoots polaroid photos to "capture the youngest you that will ever exist" so I now have a very sweet memory of my last day in Seoul as well as me in my last week of teen-hood! (I'm going to cry) And then we had the MOST emotional evening ever. Everytime me and Aoife even glanced at eachother we began to tear up. We were generously taken for Korean BBQ with all the agency team and it ended up not only being insanely good but also insanely fun! Only took 10 weeks but they finally showed their funny side tonight. We even celebrated my birthday early which was beyond unexpected and had me on the verge of tears, it was so special. But even worse was after this yummy cake we had to say goodbye and me and Aoife lost it, we just started to cry. (all of us below) Before graciously turning away and pacing it to Banpo Bridge to see the light show - which we missed but still enjoyed overlooking Seoul over the Han River one last time. I'm on the verge of tears just thinking about it. As I write this it is 1am Saturday 9th May and we are hanging around waiting for the taxi after I just rejigged the suitcases 15 times due to severe overpacking issues. Now I am waiting for my 15 hours of Gossip Girl to download while I reflect on Seoul a little bit below... Seoul wasn’t entirely what I expected, but then again I don’t know what I did expect. It was difficult in some ways, ecstasy inducing at some stages and all around fun for the majority. I’m sad to be leaving but I’ve made a lot of friends and I'm sure I’ll be back at some point or another. It’s been an absolute blast reporting on all the goings on and this unique side of the modelling industry that doesn’t often get talked about, and for anyone who has been loyally reading along these past 10 weeks I’m very grateful and hope it’s been somewhat entertaining to hear of my utmost failures, my occasional successes and the hilarity in between. Now please pray for me as while you may be leisurely reading this I’m trapped in a metal tube gliding through the sky - with an intense fear of flying. Pray for Aoife, maybe more so! With love (from Seoul), Mimi x SUBSTACK: @mimipiqua IG: @itswithlovemimi TIKTOK: @mimipiqua

The day has arrived… Am I or aren’t I on the cover of the magazine? If I have any loyal readers hanging around you’ll know what I’m talking about, but for those who are new I’ll give some context. About 3 weeks ago I shot my first editorial here in Korea. It was a really exciting shoot in collaboration with Van Cleef… and it was the cover story! Meaning of course that an image from the shoot would be on the cover. I wouldn’t say I waited anxiously as that’s a tad dramatic, but I definitely debated if the BTS shots I had seen of myself were enough to put me on the cover. Or if they’d choose a shot of the other model. There was one photo in particular of the other girl that I saw and immediately felt threatened because they had captured her laughing naturally and I thought in my head at that exact moment - “this is very Korean”. So… what did end up on the cover? You must be wondering. I could describe it but I’d rather just show you for more comedic value —> A twig. A branch. A tree. Whatever you want to call it - it’s humbling. Although maybe I should have done some research because seemingly they don’t put faces on the covers very often! Big mistake I think because who wants to look at a twig with some jewellery on it. I know I’d rather look at my face. Of course the twig is decorated with about £100k worth of diamonds and gold and the focus is Van Cleef but I’d like to hope I wear it better than a very skinny tree branch, and a few performative berries. My images are obviously within the magazine - and I did make it to front cover of the website! However the cover would have been nice, but granted the tree is funny. The full editorial - mine and the other models looks - shown below: Obviously I need a copy in print to use as a coffee table book for when I have my own house and can obnoxiously bring up how I used to model full-time in my youth. However it proved remarkably difficult to order one myself as I don’t have a Korean phone number. Not to fret, as I asked my agent on Monday to order me a copy and it has since arrived. To round up: I’m obviously disappointed to not be on the cover, however it’s still the cover story so it’s first page. AND arguably a lot better than if they had put one of us on the cover and it wasn’t me. That would have been an ego hit, so I’m at least thankful they used the twig instead of that. Still think I would have been a better fit though… and sold more copies probably ;) With love, Mimi x