Alumni
Alexis Thiele Cofounds Jewelry Brand Millapani Inspired by Her South American Heritage
Alexis Thiele grew up in Santiago, Chile, and came to FIDM with a background in architecture, ballet, fashion, and technology. She graduated in December 2016 with her Merchandising & Marketing Professional Designation degree and co-founded Millapani, a jewelry brand based in Chile and Los Angeles with designs that feature a modern and sculptural take on ancient and native South American design and culture.
Tell us about Millapani: We are based in Los Angeles and specialize in one-of-a-kind, unique, and made to order jewelry. Our designs feature a modern and sculptural take on ancient and native South American design + culture. We manufacture everything in 18k yellow, rose, and white gold, as well as sterling silver, using ethically sourced precious and semi-precious stones from all over the world. We produce all of our one-of-a-kind pieces in our studio in Chile, and most recently also here in LA. Our designs have been worn by CW's The Flash actress Candice Patton and Netflix's Alexa & Katie actress Kerri Meders and influencers Sam Blacky, Cassie Kelley, and Elizabeth Keene. We have recently launched our new SS18 collection, “Objects of Nature.”
What inspired you to launch Millapani? Millapani started with a passion for creating sculptural handcrafted pieces that would make each woman feel empowered and unique. The love for design and craftsmanship was inherited to my sister and I through our mother. Inspired by our own South American heritage, we strive to translate the essence of an ancient art and bring it into the contemporary world. Millapani translates to golden lion from Mapudungún, the native Chilean tongue. We aim to make women feel powerful and strong as a lion, yet noble, precious and solid as gold.
Tell us a little about yourself: I'm from Santiago, Chile where I grew up going to an international school. Most of my childhood years were spent between school and the Santiago ballet school. During elementary and junior high I took cello lessons and was devoted to the IB art program junior and senior year. Later I went on to get my Bachelor’s degree in architecture, where I took a year long program at the school of architecture of University of Houston. Always passionate about art and design, after graduating college I began a fashion blog and started working for one of the top fashion stylists in the country, where my fascination towards the fashion industry grew even more. Magazines became the canvas for clothing and accessories to come together, creating new and fresh outcomes. After spending time working for a fashion tech start-up based in Brazil, gaining experience in the tech industry, and working with fashion influencers I became curious about the power of social media presence. I moved to Los Angeles, to start the Merchandising & Marketing Program at FIDM and Millapani was born.
Why did you choose FIDM? Two things—FIDM is one of the top fashion schools in the country and Los Angeles has always been one of my top cities to live in.
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? FIDM was an incredible learning experience. During my 9-month program I was able to learn from industry professionals and gain valuable connections and real-life experience in the field.
Any advice for current FIDM Students? Have goals (even though these might change along the way and that's ok), stay curious, and most importantly, read!
What is your biggest goal right now? Establishing Millapani as a jewelry brand and with that, bringing ancient artisan jewelry design into the modern world.
Categories: Merchandising & Marketing Alumni
