Margherita Penna is a talented designer and earth lover based in Milan. Originally from Bologna, she’s been living many years in Paris where, almost a decade ago, she founded her leather bags brand – IMEMOI Paris. Her work lives in the intersection between manual art and fashion accessories design, strongly influenced by vintage, contemporary art, and ancient embroidery. IMEMOI Paris creates bags that are 100% made in Italy, with recycled materials, implementing new techniques or rediscovering traditional ones, applying hand made embroidery pieces one by one, creating semi-unique pieces that come in all shapes and sizes.

We collaborated with charming and bubbly Marghe (that’s how we call her) halfway through last year, creating together some funky iPhone cases, custom-made covers with a lot of personality. Mixing BEA studio’s iconic prints and textiles with Margherita’s jewel art and craftsmanship, the final result was quite remarkable.

Marghe is such a cool and easygoing person, one that irradiates creativity and spiritual good sense when talking, so we just had to sit and get to know more about her creative juices and, of course, make her one of our BEA Muses! 

Let’s start with the basics – what does IMEMOI mean?
I have always been very fascinated by numerology and everything related to symbolism, and I really wanted it to be a musical name that, when pronounced in many languages, wouldn’t be distorted. IIMEMOI was born in Paris, so I wanted it to have a pleasant sound in French, but also be appealing to English speakers. I – ME – MOI can be divided into three parts, and the number three holds strong symbolism. It represents the union of body, soul, and mind, and is related to creative energy, humour, a positive attitude, and abundance. This somewhat Frenchified ‘me myself and I’ was intended to encapsulate a small part of the vast complexity of femininity: the innermost self (i), the more outward facing (me) that is visible to others, and the (moi) that represents what belongs to the self, of the self, and what is most profoundly ours.

Would you say that your brand reflects your personality and beliefs?
IMEMOI is a family affair. I founded it, and my brother Giulio, who lives in London, works with me full-time. We grew up in a vibrant and open-minded environment, and we were incredibly fortunate to travel extensively from a young age and to live abroad. As a result, both of us are very curious and influenced by various cultures. I remember as a young girl, I used to spend hours sewing and embroidering my clothes. I wanted to have something that was uniquely mine, something that would express my personality. I’ve always viewed dressing as a form of communication with the world, on par with speaking—a liberating gesture and an assertion of oneself with a significant impact on one’s own mood and that of others. One of the many ways to assert independence of thought and one’s uniqueness. I love feeling different; I want to feel different, and I am. Each of us is unique, and it’s essential to treasure this uniqueness and take pride in it. Society is like a puzzle, and we just need to enrich it with our identity.”

How and when did you start experimenting with funky jewellery and accessories?
I started working in the fashion industry as a young girl, first as a stylist assistant at Vogue Correspondences in Paris and then in the sales department of prominent fashion houses until I met one of my best friends, Jeanne, with whom I opened our first office – her renovated garage turned loft – beneath the Eiffel Tower ;-). I couldn’t find a bag that I liked; they were all logo-heavy, and I’ve always had a strong dislike for status symbols. I wanted something practical for travel but still fancy, so I came up with python backpacks finished with technical cords. I loved the contrast between the precious material, the practical shape, and the colours of climbing ropes. They will soon be available in a new edition, and they are the type of item in your wardrobe that never ages and can truly be worn at all times. I have a deep appreciation for contrasts and enjoy blending materials and ideally opposing concepts.

“I love transformation – transformation means uniqueness” – We understand you love transformation in materials & fashion production, how about in your personal life, which would you say were the most transformative moments in your life so far?
Transformation is a constant in my life; I actively seek it in my daily experiences. I possess an insatiable curiosity, and I believe it is a form of happiness and trust in the future. The very word itself holds something magical and infinite within it.

Your favourite Jumpsuit from all BEA studio collections?
I’m in love with all of them; they are amazing. They have an incredible fit and are incredibly comfortable. I could even shower in my pink Tokyo jumpsuit!