Three-Minute Interview – Miglio Designer Jewellery

Describe yourself in three words? I have been described as energetic, approachable and hard-working. When you were at school, what did you want to be and why? I have always wanted to be an archaeologist, having always loved antique jewellery. In the early ‘70s, watching my mother getting dressed taught me that the last thing you put on was jewellery because that represented your style and individuality as a woman. There was always an item of jewellery that she used to finish off her look; it could’ve been long showers of beads or tassels that were trendy during that time. It’s all about how jewellery makes you feel and how you can express your fashionability, whether you’re 20 or 50. There is power in the jewellery you wear. How did you get to be where you are today? My husband Mike and I started our business straight out of university. Having come from a privileged background, we decided to stay in South Africa, put something back into the community and make a difference. Which aspect of your job do you enjoy and why? I love designing jewellery and the creativity around it. But the best part is to see how individual women combine my jewellery in their own unique way, which is a reflector of their personalities. What is your proudest achievement? My three wonderful children are by far my proudest achievement. Also having built our company together into a global brand is something that we’re very proud of. What is the best advice you've been given in work or in life in general? Follow your dream. Take one step at a time and just continue to climb. What is your next goal? Our next goal is to deliver a fashion forward jewellery brand to the retail market. Our most important move we want to make is to give the traditional jewellery stores a brand that is designed to bring trend-conscious women into their stores, because they are, to put it simply, not coming into those stores. We are that brand. We will make sure that women, who are spending money on themselves, will come into your stores frequently because of the constant newness we provide at no exorbitant costs. Our motto is “We’ve made it playful”, based on the irreverence that I place on jewellery, it’s not about the value that is intrinsic to a piece; it’s the value that it brings to wearer.