There’s a beautiful and touching story behind the names of two of our most recent shells. Read about it in this blog post from Miche’s Chief Production and Design Officer Jennie Platt.
Back in July I held a conference call for all of our Founding Leaders and Representatives and invited them to email us their Shell name suggestions—but there was a catch! They needed to also tell us WHY they wanted a particular name. We were overwhelmed with all the wonderful stories that came in and we named many of our spring Shells after these submissions.
One submission came from Melissa Weaver, a Founding Leader from upstate New York. Here is what she wrote:
My name suggestions: Janine and Anjali.
Here is my reason why…
“In October 2009 Janine found out her 2-year-old daughter Anjali had neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer. After a seven-month battle Anjali ‘earned her Angel wings’, as Janine words it.
I only knew Janine from growing up in the same town, but I followed her heart-wrenching journey through her blog. That blog and the way Janine expressed herself touched me in more ways that I can even tell you. I also learned that Anjali loved everything pink, and Janine always signed her messages ‘Big Love’. So when the Silver/Pink Hope Bag came out, I felt compelled to give one to Janine. With the pink “big love” right in the center I felt it was made for her.
I have bumped into Janine since then and she always has her Hope Bag with her. I’ve also run into her family members who always tell me how much she loves her bag. I know it would mean so much to Janine to have an Anjali/Janine set in honor of a mom and daughter who taught me more about life in 7 months than I had learned in my entire 34 years up to that point.
I know Janine and Anjali will capture your heart the same way they’ve captured mine.”
Since the launch of these two beautiful Shells, we have learned that Janine herself has also been diagnosed with cancer. We wish her the best in the fight she has ahead her and we know she will come out swinging.
Note from Janine after the release of the Shells:
“Thank you so much Miche for naming two beautiful handbags after my daughter and me. You have really captured Anjali’s spirit in her lovely handbag! She would have been proud to have such a handbag on her arm. I was touched beyond words when I saw them. Mine is beautiful as well. Every time I look at them, my heart swells with love and emotion. I am so grateful for you, Miche. I will bring my handbag with me as I go forward in the fight against my own cancer and in the fight I [continue to wage] against pediatric cancer. Big love, always!”
If you have story and a name for a Shell that you would like to submit, please email us at design@michebag.com.
Love,
Mary Jane's Bags & Bling 