Press Journal: Love Where You Live with Mia Tonin
Over the weekend, Carlo and I opened the Sunday Star Times and saw our feature on the page. Seeing our story in print brought me a genuine sense of pride, not just for the feature itself, but for the winding, unexpected path that brought us here.
I’ve always loved art and design for as long as I can remember. When I was ten, I used to cut up old magazines, roll the paper tightly around toothpicks to make paper beads, and string them into necklaces and bracelets to sell for extra cash. Making things by hand was a natural outlet for me, long before I knew where it might lead.
Before starting BY TONIN, my work took several different turns. I trained as a nurse in the Philippines, working with dialysis patients, before moving to Auckland in 2017. Over the next few years, I worked in hospitality, managed a yoga studio, taught yoga, and started my own brand and website design business.
When a concussion in 2022 put my work on hold, it created space for an unexpected pivot. I used those months to enrol in art school part-time, something I had always wanted to explore.
I returned to drawing and started sketching jewellery, another long-held love. Bringing art and jewellery design together brought me to the exact intersection of the things I love most. What started as simple drawings to pass the time gradually became the foundation of BY TONIN.
There is a real sense of pride in looking back at those initial sketches and seeing them develop into solid, physical pieces worn every day.
When Carlo and I launched the brand, we set out to create jewellery designed for real life. Not objects kept in a box for special events, but simple, permanent additions to your morning routine, whether you are walking down to your favourite cafe, running errands around the neighbourhood, or working at your desk.
Thank you to Sharon Stephenson and Bruce Mackay for visiting our flat and sharing our story, and thank you to everyone who has supported our work since the beginning.
Feature Details
- Publication: Sunday Star Times (Oranga / Living section)
- Story: "Love Where You Live: Mia Tonin"
- Words: Sharon Stephenson
- Photography: Bruce Mackay / The Post