Vivian Grimes
Henri Noel, downtown Naples, FL
On Nov. 1, Vivian Grimes opened Henri Noel in a tourist-heavy spot in downtown Naples, FL. The company, named for her grandfather’s business that opened in Naples in 1981, had previously been a shop within a shop inside her father’s store, Certified Jewelers. Vivian ran track at Boston College and USC; now, she designs jewelry that can be worn during workouts, beach days and nights out. She lives with her husband, Max, and baby daughter, Sybil.
ONLINE EXTRA
On Nov. 1, Vivian Grimes opened Henri Noel in a tourist-heavy spot in downtown Naples, FL. The company, named for her grandfather’s business that opened in Naples in 1981, had previously been a shop within a shop inside her father’s business, Certified Jewelers. Vivian ran track at Boston College and USC; now, she designs jewelry that can be worn during workouts, beach days and nights out. She lives with her husband, Max, and baby daughter, Sybil.
What is your new store like?
It will feature our showroom up front, where I’ll be showcasing my own jewelry designs along with pieces from about seven other designers I’ve discovered during my travels. We’re calling it “Shopping Around the Globe.” When customers enter, they’ll receive a jewelry map that introduces each designer and their story.
What do you like to do on your time off?
Living in Florida, you are outside a lot. Boating, beach, paddle boarding, walking through parks. I love being outside. And I run quite a bit. It’s in my blood. When people realize I ran track in college, they say, “I can’t run with you.” But that was ten years ago. Now if I run 20 minutes, it’s a struggle. But I run with my daughter, Sybil, in a jogging stroller.
I met my husband, Max, at Boston College; he’s from London, originally. He grew up in big cities. He’s a musician in his spare time. He plays piano and drums. Every night is a live concert. And we love to cook together. We travel quite a bit, try to get to London once or twice a year, and my sister lives in L.A.
What’s your favorite place?
Honestly, London. I’ve drawn so much inspiration for our new store from London. It has an Old English aesthetic and incorporates so many things from around thew world: Italian mosaics, mixed with urban Scandinavian desks. It has influences from all over.
How is Henri Noel different from your father’s business?
My dad sells heavy diamond pieces, 20- or 30-carat tennis necklaces. Our pieces are very much about layering, delicate, dainty but noticeable. Pieces you can build on and tell your story. I hope that you can feel so confident and beautiful when you put on a piece of jewelry.
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What is your online and in-store mix?
It’s been 70/30 with more online. I think we’ll have a lot more store traffic with the new store. It’s in a very heavy tourist portion of downtown Naples. This year, I plan to be on the sales floor working, sharing the story about my family and about the jewelry. I want to be there to greet people and bring them into our new home. Being a small company in Naples, FL, I made a strategic choice to target people in Naples. It’s so cool to meet the person and understand them. The piece doesn’t just become a commodity.
What has inspired you recently?
We teamed up with a private chef who created a whole menu for us based on foods we like and foods that feel very summery. Each dish inspired a jewelry piece. The whole purpose of this was to highlight in a fun friendly way natural ingredients and natural diamonds. To really share in a fun, exciting way how special natural diamonds are.
