Mamie Dédé’s linen chest

Some gifts take years to reveal their true value.

Every birthday, my grandmother, whom I called Mamie Dédé, gave me a little money and an item of household linen: perhaps a sheet, a duvet cover, a towel or a washcloth. To a child, it was a rather puzzling present.

Her rule never changed: I was not to use any of it until I had a home of my own. So I put everything away in a box, year after year.

The day it all made sense

At 18, I moved into my first flat. The deposit, the first rent payment, furniture and everyday essentials were all expensive. Then I opened that box. I already had much of the linen I needed to make a home.

Mamie Dédé called it my trousseau: a collection of household essentials prepared over time.

A gift that stayed with me

Sadly, my grandmother had passed away before I moved in. But when I unfolded those sheets and towels, I thought of her. She had been looking after my future, long before I knew what I would need.

I still have one of those sheets. It is too worn to use on a bed now, but I cannot bear to throw it away.

Why this story matters to Anna & Moi

Today, as Anna’s dad and the founder of Anna & Moi, I know that household linen can be more than something practical. It can hold the care, memories and love we pass on.

Jonathan, Anna’s dad and founder of Anna & Moi.

To explore the history of this tradition and create your own collection, read our guide to the wedding trousseau.