Meet Malia Mathis of Moderne Monocle in Pacific Palisades

Today we’d like to introduce you to Malia Mathis.

Malia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a working mother of two and have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. My husband and I have started a few small businesses and are always talking about new business ideas. In my mid-forties, I began to struggle with reading the fine print and begrudgingly gave in to using reading glasses. But then I could never find them! I’d search through my purse, run around the house, or pat my head to see if they were hiding up there.

I wished there was a more fashionable alternative to reading glasses so I thought of creating something that was pretty and could replace my antiquated readers. And so… Moderne Monocle was born.

I have always been in the arts and have a decent eye for fashion and style. So back in 2017, I started to sketch and design the necklaces. I played around with different materials and basically researched and taught myself to be a jewelry designer. I made necklaces I thought were beautiful, timeless and reflective of the different styles I like to wear. I tried to make something for everyone.

And it’s been a wonderful experience so far. A lot of work, but a lot of fun. One of the greatest compliments is when people let me know how pretty the necklaces are but have no idea it’s a monocle. Then their face lights up when they realize it’s actually something they can use to read. I am thrilled that people like the necklaces as beautiful jewelry and find the monocle part an added bonus.

We can all relate to losing reading glasses and it’s fun to hear the stories from people. I am very excited to create a product that makes life easier for women and moms. It’s a beautiful accessory that throws in a bit of style while we run around in Uggs and sweat pants. lol

My kids have also been a big part of the process. My oldest daughter has been doing reports about visionary women and we decided to name some of the necklaces after influential women in history. We have more monocles to come, but so far we named a monocle after Maya Angelou, Amelia Earhart, Emmeline Pankhurst, and Valentina Tereshkova. All amazing women and it has been a great teaching tool for my children and their friends.

While the monocles have been designed for women, we do hope to have a men’s line at some point after many requests… So stay tuned for that.

As a designer and a business owner, the process has been a cathartic challenge. You have to be part jeweler, part accountant, part marketing guru, and part social media expert. Every day is a new challenge and a new opportunity to realize there is more to learn. 🙂

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building a business is not smooth at all. Frankly, it’s very challenging but I love it. It’s exciting to build something and I do my best to learn quickly. My father instilled in me to “do things right or not at all,” and I have to admit that I incorporated this mantra. My poor husband would agree that I may be a little OCD, but I think it’s helped me build this business.

The design and creative part of the process come more naturally to me, but the accounting, pricing, and marketing aspects of the business were pretty foreign to me and a struggle. I learned through trial and error and I have also had some wonderful people help me. Finding my team has been such a blessing as I have made wonderful friends. I am at a place where I feel I could maybe help people starting out- just giving them the information that I have so generously been given. I would love to help other makers and I look forward to giving back in that way.

Moderne Monocle – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Moderne Monocle is a collection of elegantly designed necklaces that give women a fashionable alternative to reading glasses. The perfect mix of form and function, these stunning necklaces have a pendant that doubles as a monocle. We offer a completely unique product and it frees us from reading glasses.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moments are when I get feedback from people that the monocles help them. It’s nice to make something people find beautiful and useful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://modmonocle.com
• Email: customerservice@modmonocle.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderne_monocle/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernemonocle/

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