How it all began.....
How it all began.....When you ask Ally how Mike + Ally was founded – Ally will tell you that it was never her intention to design and manufacture wastebaskets. It all happened rather serendipitously. While most of her friends entered University to study liberal arts, business or law, Ally was accepted to a prestigious Metalsmith program under the tutelage of Finnish Master metalsmith Heikki Seppä. Her first job was designing Handbags for Morris Moskowitz, a popular brand from the 1980’s. The turning point in her career came later while assisting the Silver Buyer at Cartier New York. When he became dissatisfied with the belt buckle selection , Ally was given the opportunity to submit her designs. These were accepted and produced by Cartier- which provided the confidence she needed to launch her own company.
Berdy Ltd was Ally’s first taste of entrepreneurship. The company designed and created models for the jewelry and accessory industry. But seeing the success other companies enjoyed based on her molds, she and former partner, jewelry designer Michael Nash, founded Mike + Ally in 1991.
The concept of the company was simple: apply their combined knowledge of metalsmith technique and jewelry design to functional personal accessories. This was an often ignored category and the business took off making pill boxes, hand mirrors and cosmetic accessories. The tony department store Bergdorf Goodman became their first customer and asked them to explore bath accessories. There was no manufacturer of luxury, ornate bath accessories at the time and Mike + Ally dominated the market. 29 years have passed and the company remains the preeminent bath accessory brand!
