Come with me behind the brand as we spend a family summer trip in Europe — four cities, more suitcases than I'd like to admit, and my iPhone rolling through most of it.

We started in Paris, and the city picked the hottest day in its history to welcome us. It made for a memorable (read: sweaty) lunch at a restaurant that felt more like a greenhouse than a dining room. Worth it, though, because from there we made it to the Dior Museum — somewhere I'd wanted to visit since the day it opened. Between the gift shop, the book covers, and how much care went into every corner, it lived up to the hype. "This is truly art" wasn't an exaggeration.

From Paris we hopped over to Venice, which might be the most beautiful way to slow down I've ever experienced. No cars, no rush — just boats gliding along the canals while the light changes every twenty minutes or so.

Next was Barcelona, home to one of the most breathtaking cathedrals I've ever stood inside — the kind of place where you crane your neck up and just stop talking for a minute. We also stopped for a cheese tasting along the way, and ended up in a garden covered in the most stunning bougainvillea, debating whether crowns should make a comeback. My friend Rachel — one of several friends who popped in and out with us throughout the trip — settled it fast: "I've worn one for every Halloween, holiday, and bridal shower since I was a kid, so you already know where I stand."

We closed the trip in London, which brought a different kind of chaos: a vintage Dior clutch I wore that was, in my own words, "logo on logo on logo"; high tea at Claridge's, which might be the most beautifully decorated hotel I've ever stepped into (I may or may not have started planning how to bring some of that same magic into our own store); and, to end it all, front row at Harry Styles, London Stadium, screaming along with thousands of other people who clearly had the same idea.

Because sometimes the best inspiration for MM doesn't happen in the office. It happens on the hottest day of the year in Paris, on a boat in Venice, in a cathedral in Barcelona, or singing your lungs out at a concert in London. You just have to go find it.

Shop the Stack

1. Jaguar Cuban Chain Necklace 6.8mm — the first piece on screen, and an everyday layering chain that carried through the whole trip.
2. She's an Icon Pearl Hoops 2" — shell pearls and Calicut ™ Zirconia alternating around a full hoop, worn on more than one day of the trip.
3. Julian Loves Diamonds Necklace 22" — our best-selling chain in its longest length, worn layered under everything else.
4. Serpent Lariat Necklace — a snake-link Y-necklace that added movement to the stack.
5. Tessa Necklace 24mm — a labradorite medallion that brought in the one non-metal pop of color in the whole trip.
6. Jaguar Pavé Illusion Hoops — back in the mix later on, paired with new pieces below.
7. Jaguar Samantha Chain Necklace — another Jaguar chain, layered into a later look.
8. She's on Point Necklace — one of our newer pieces, getting an early real-world styling moment.
9. Jaguar Bolo Lariat Necklace — the Y-neckline piece that shows up toward the end of the video.
10. Julian Loves Pearls Necklace — pearls worked into our best-selling Cuban link, worn alongside the Bolo.
11. Best-selling cuffs — layered in throughout, including the Ashley Lock Cuff, She's on Point Cuff, and Jaguar Cuff Bracelet.

Styling Tips From This Trip

1. One core stack can carry a whole trip. Mel wore variations of the same handful of pieces — chains, hoops, a cuff or two — across totally different days and outfits, proof a strong stack travels better than packing something new for every look.
2. Mix lengths so necklaces don't compete. Layering a longer chain, like the Julian Loves Diamonds Necklace at 22", underneath a shorter pendant keeps each piece visible instead of piling up in the same spot.
3. Let one colored stone do the work. The labradorite in the Tessa Necklace was the only non-metal element in most of these looks — a reminder that one colored stone can pull an entire stack together.
4. Pearls soften an all-metal stack. Mixing in a pearl piece, like the She's an Icon Pearl Hoops or Julian Loves Pearls Necklace, kept the pavé and chain pieces from feeling too heavy for daytime.
5. A cuff is the easiest way to change a look without changing the whole stack. Swapping which cuff she wore day to day gave each outfit a different feel without touching the necklaces or earrings at all.

Peek Behind the Brand

Loved what you saw today? Browse Mel's travel-tested favorites from the whole trip.

If you know someone who'd love this one, send it their way!