Your first impression when you visit Miriel is that it seems to be a very small, half-empty store. The line’s designer, Miriel Enfield, has left a lot of open space for her little boutique to grow. That said, the store is far from empty and there are some amazing finds. A good portion of the store is devoted to items under L$100, and while there are upscale items to boot, there isn’t a quality distinction. The free and low-priced items are still very well made - it’s just that the higher priced selections do appear more intricate and labor-intensive.
We’ll start with the clothes and then get into the jewelry, but I would like to say there are several items I didn’t have room to blog that are out of this world. I’m partial to dresses and earring/necklace combos, but there are also hair sticks and tiaras and fairy circlets, all of them, lovely.
That said, onward we go.
This is the “Flora” gown in the stunningly fabulous “sunset” color on the left and the delicate princess-worthy “sunrise” on the right. I know many of you resist system-skirt based items, but this dress is a satin sleek dream. The texturing is just incredible in its detail - it really is subtle perfection. It’s dressy without being overly formal which makes it nice for all those between circumstances when casual isn’t enough, but ball gown is too over the top.
The real bulk of items in the store are jewelry - and oh my word, are they yummy! The newest release is the “Moon and Tide” necklace shown above. Like most of the jewelry by Miriel, it comes in a variety of metals - four in this case: black, copper, gold, and silver. It also comes in an array of eight mother-of-pearl inlay colors. And, as if that weren’t enough choices to spoil a consumer with, all of the vendors in the store are scripted so that you can CHOOSE between the PERMISSIONS of transfer or copy. I cannot cheer about this enough - it’s something I wish more designers would incorporate.
My favorite jewelry in the store were the “Sultana” sets which include earrings and necklaces that are loaded with a multitude of gems that dangle gloriously to create visual interest in bare areas. Available in oodles of combos made out of three metals and nine stones, this set can pull of both formal and casual because it tends to morph with the rest of your ensemble. In a ball gown you can slip on gold or silver and look like you’re wearing the family heirlooms, or in a casual mood you can pop on a black metal set and look like you’re draped in lovely beaded costume jewelry. Such versatility isn’t easy to come by.
More jewelry after the cut including the oh-so-nummy freebies.
This is the “Bounded Elegance” set and it’s available in-store completely FREE. Yes, I said free and no, I’m not kidding. You get the necklaces and earrings in all four metals. FREE. I know I’m biased toward chokers, but I don’t think I’m biased when I say that most people in SL would happily par for items of this quality. To get them for free is a treat beyond.
Also FREE is this “Casual Pearls” set. Like the “Bounded Elegance” set it is comprised of earrings and necklaces in all four metals and like the other free items in the store, it is pure quality. I think it looks darling in the silver, but the black is also fetching.
I hope I’ve convinced you to go by and check out this charming little boutique. It may not be wall-to-wall merchandise, but what is there is must-have pretty baubles and I didn’t find a single thing I didn’t like (much to the chagrin of my L$ balance).
Where To Buy
Flora Gown - L$180 (Collection Pack - L$500)
Bounded Elegance Jewelry - L$FREE
Casual Pearls Jewelry - L$FREE
Moon and Tide Necklaces - L$180 (Collection Pack - L$450)
Sultana Jewelry Sets - L$350 (Collection Pack - L$850)
Miriel
Nouveau (117, 202, 23)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/117/202/23
Ohh lovely jewelry! The sultana earrings remind me very much of my favorite rl earrings. Will definitely be checking out that boutique!
Comment by Angel — May 10, 2007 @ 3:20 pm
You didn’t mention the eyes, those wonderful eyes. Miriel is my eye crack dealer, alongside the jewellry. Another plus is that she’s located in Nouveau along with my favourite skin crack dealer.
I too love Miriel’s vendors, they’re my favourite vendor in SL. She’s going to start selling the system soon.
Comment by CronoCloud Creggan — May 10, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
I bought the May collection in silver, and haven taken it off since. It’s lovely, and it fits perfectly!
Comment by Raindrop Drinkwater — May 10, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
I have a bunch of things by Miriel, and I think I wear at least one piece daily. I loves her!
Comment by Kalia Meiklejohn — May 10, 2007 @ 5:22 pm
The free jewelery is 100% beautiful and has shades of copper and black as well as the usual silver and gold. Thanks for bringing this store to my attention!
Comment by Cathryn Cathcart — May 10, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
Oh I love the new moon and tide set! I have it in those exact colors! Miriel is TO. DIE. FOR.
Comment by Lux Yao — May 10, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
Lol, I so love that I just blogged her recently too, and yet we didn’t write about a single item in common. I mean, I LOVE THAT. Hehehe, CronoCloud, I couldn’t resist the eyes either… *is currently sporting various random shades of her eyes because I keep switching them so often to enjoy them all*
Miriel is such a sweetheart too, she’s letting me beta test her vendors for sellage and although tedious to switch over (I mean… yeah, anything to do with time+vendors=boredom) my excitement about offering both copy and trans versions as well as all my different metals… WOO! It keeps me going
Miriel’s definitely a wonder woman 
Comment by Siyu Suen — May 10, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
Miriel has recently lowered her prices: you can’t love her too much.
Comment by Vel Noarlunga — May 10, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
Thanks for the review, Salome. And for the nice comments from the rest of you.
Comment by Miriel Enfield — May 10, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
i just love Miriels stuff its great that metals and gems can be chosen its all high quality and the freebies are so lovely too oh and i can choose between copy and transfer i really like that too
Comment by claudine jewell — May 10, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
Oh my goodness. My friend recently bought me the Sultana set in silver, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I had no idea there was so much other awesome stuff! I’ll have to go back and drool some more.
Comment by Laehvul Rau — May 10, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
Salome is ALWAYS trying to lure me back to the evils of the system skirt. She’s just pesty that way. But this is a great example of a system skirt that works perfectly - it’s so pretty!
Comment by Sabrina Doolittle — May 11, 2007 @ 12:40 am
As Susan and I made our way around the store, we loved, loved loved it. Beautiful pieces. And prices to fit every budget, even a newbie, glad you pointed this gem out!!
Comment by Cheyenne Newman — May 11, 2007 @ 1:08 am