A cuff that captures the Mississippi River

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The Mississippi River maps that inspired our piece

The Mississippi River is no small waterway, but the River Cuff is an easy way to keep a little piece of it close — always.

And if you live anywhere along the Mississippi River, you may recognize this colorful map.

This map is one in a series created by cartographer Harold Fisk for the Army Corps of Engineers in 1944. These maps document the various routes the river has taken during its history AND just so happened to inspire our River Cuff.

The maps themselves are beautiful and full of color. So much so, that it feels like they've become a staple in decor for anyone living along the river's route. At least around here anyway.

Our friends at Parish Ink in Lafayette, Louisiana also feature Fisk's maps with some of their own pieces. You can shop prints, t-shirts, and a face mask with its design.

Madeline has loved these Mississippi River maps since she stumbled upon them thanks to her landscape architecture roots. She dreamed of taking the map off the page and transforming it into a wearable version. And she achieved just that with a few different River Cuff designs throughout MIMOSA's history (pictured below.)

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River Cuffs through the years

The River Cuff you see on the MIMOSA website today wasn't the very first design to capture the Mighty Mississippi.

Over the years, Madeline has designed several different versions of a wearable River Cuff. The first three listed below no longer exist, so if you happen to own one of them, you've got some vintage MIMOSA on your hands...or really, on your wrists.

1. The first was the Mighty Meanderer Cuff released in 2013.

2. This River Cuff from 2015 followed and was the first one whose design was inspired by Fisk's maps.

3. The third version launched in 2016 and was the largest MIMOSA piece to exist at that time. A true statement piece!

4. This is the current River Cuff from 2017, and you can find it on our website available in bronze, sterling silver or 14k gold. Each thread of it weaves and winds as you move along the cuff — much like the river.

The Mississippi Riverfront

The Mississippi riverfront is a popular spot for us here in Baton Rouge, whether we're running alongside it or camped out to watch the sun set over it. It's wild to think when you're perched on the levee's steps in downtown Baton Rouge, you're only seeing a tiny portion of this massive waterway. What a view.

In recent years, The Rotary Club of Baton Rouge gifted the city the "Sing the River" sculpture (pictured center) by Po Shu Wang. The way it interacts with the river and sky is stunning, and we definitely recommend a visit.

You can read more about the sculpture and its exact location along the riverfront from Visit Baton Rouge.

For all the Louisiana-inspired pieces you'll find in the MIMOSA collection, the River Cuff is one of our favorites. If you have time, take an afternoon and visit the riverfront — it's well worth the trip.

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Shop the MIMOSA Handcrafted River Cuff