Influentials Interviews Costa Rica Sims September 2011 Influential: Mimi Juneau
Written by Lacy Muircastle Friday, 23 September 2011 16:59
Hi everyone, phew I am exhausted, after literally chasing Mimi across the metaverse, I finally managed to get her to sit down and catch her breath for a few minutes to have a chat with me.
Style Guru Mimi Juneau of Mimi’s Choice fame is a really lovely and gracious lady, who hails from Antwerp Belgium. She arrived in Second Life some 5 years ago and has undoubtedly left her mark on the world of fashion in SL. She has one of the most renowned reseller stores around, catering for both men and women’s fashions in SL and carrying some of the best known design brands that she has personally chosen to represent. You can acquire everything from hair to shoes and obviously everything else in between at Mimi’s Choice. She loves what she does and it shows.
Congratulations are in order Mimi for being chosen as this month’s Influential, how do you feel about it?
I am very pleased and flattered of course, but really it is not right as I have only been on the Costa Rica Sims for a relatively short time.
You have the reputation of being perhaps the biggest reseller in Second Life. That is not easy to achieve. How have you managed to make this work so well for you?
Yes, I don’t think there are many other big resellers around SL. I started small with a L$50 shop, using full permission items which I changed a little and then sold them for L$50. I re-colored the pictures so they would look nicer. My next shop happened to be next door to Redgrave on brand new sim. Bax Coen was the first well known designer to take a chance with me, Bax has sold thousands of her renowned boots. What I would do is walk around wearing a tag that said “I sell the best boots in SL – lol. Sartoria was the next big name brand in my store. I was even presented with a trophy for my store by the Sands Club that is owned by Dean Ashby.
I understand that you have a wonderful relationship with many designers including the illusive Emilia Redgrave of the Redgrave brand. How did that relationship come about particularly since not many of the big designers are prepared to have a third party resell their designs?
I have been friends with both Emilia and Dean for ages, in fact I consider them to be my best friends and it will be 5 years in November that I have known them. I moved my Main store to another sim and unfortunately this point someone’s nose out of joint and the mall owner deleted my entire store, but Dean Ashby came to my rescue and spent an entire night building me a new store next to Redgrave. I have these crazy people in RL, I could not ask for better friends than Dean and Emilia.
How does the resale market work? Is it based on commission?
Yes it is based purely on commission, the more I sell the more I get.
Who are your favorite designers?
Come to my store and see them all. lol
How hard is to achieve success in the reseller business?
It is not easy, you have to work hard. But these days I can be picky about who I represent, I even get approached by designers themselves now and I have even said no a few times.
Do you have any advice for those thinking about venturing in this area of business?
You will have to prove yourself. Start small; just don’t ask me for a note card of my contacts, lol, I won’t be giving you my contacts. I have found that if a designer has too many stores, or stores in ugly places it is inclined to have a negative effect on sales. Win the trust of a very good designer or a small new one and work hard. You have to earn their trust. This is how I make a living RL too, so I have to ensure that I maximize sales.
When and how did you first learn about Costa Rica Sims?
A young fashionista friend who had met Giancarlo, excitedly came and told me about Costa Rica Sims, so I came and checked it out and liked it so much I took a shop in so doing I met Giancarlo, He was so very helpful and so very nice and so very gorgeous, I tried not to faint…. lol .
Why did it take you so long to be part of our community?
I was resident on the Dreamland estate, and when that all went sour I looked around for alternatives for my home and Costa Rica Sims is it."
What is the thing you enjoy the most about being a resident of Costa Rica Sims?
Being amongst friends and in particular my neighbours Florentine Rau and her partner as well as Sandrika Broono , the have made me feel so welcome. And how many other communities do you know of that I could shout out ‘hey I am here who wants to have a nude party?' The beauty of the sims, the sense of community all add up to a place that I can call home, I will never leave here."
What would you say your contribution to world of fashion in SL has been?
Lacy I have told you before, I am just a poor reseller, I can't even make sock but I know what I like and many others seem to like what I like.
What are your future plans for your brand?
That is "Top Secret" but come to my store, you will not be disappointed.
Thank you Mimi for your eye for fashion, many of us are eternally grateful for your expert advice.
We invite you to join us on the last Sunday of the month which is September 25th, 2011 at 12 noon SLT at The Influentials Lounge, as Costa Rica Sims pays tribute to the effervescent lady that is Mimi Juneau.
If you want to keep in touch with your friends and all things related to Costa Rica Sims, we have groups on a number of social networks where you can do just that:
Thank you for taking time out to read our blog, your continued support is what keeps us striving to make the Costa Rica Sims the best place in Second Life to be.
Lacy Muircastle
Costa Rica Sims Estate Blogger
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