Hi! This will be my first and probably only post on here...I don't know why I'm in such a mood to rant about Mimi and Alex, but here goes.
I used to watch both Mimi, Leyla and Alex's channels, and would generally really enjoy watching all three of them on YouTube. Particularly their travel vlogs and cooking, recipe and food videos (even though I don't subscribe to their way of eating). I'm very much a day dreamer and enjoy the beautiful things in life, so naturally I was drawn to these people's dreamy and positive content. I always thought Mimi and Alex were a bit cringey and over the top with their relationship (constantly touching, kissing, dancing, spending every second of the day together, doing their strange morning and evening rituals together, and so on), but in the end of the day...very harmless stuff that shouldn't bother me. Even the moral high ground they would always take didn't bother me too much - even if I did mostly think they were being ridiculous with their views and opinions. But the problem with preaching to others is that it's very hard to have a change of heart down the line without upsetting or annoying people. Particular those you preached to. After all, you acted like you were holier than thou so why are you now not adhering to what you preached and shamed others for? That's a bit like how I feel about Mimi wearing leather now. Or buying Chanel. It's inauthentic, in some way.
At this point I just think Mimi and Alex have lost their charm and authenticity. Not only have they backed down on things they have preached about, but to me, they just look like performers or imposters, too. Starting from how they - a woman from Azerbaijan and a guy from Russia who both grew up in Canada - try to portray themselves as Europeans. Cultured ones, at that. And worse yet: They try to portray themselves as people that are living a European life picked out from an old, romantic Italian / French film. Considering the fact that neither of them have even grown up in Europe, have no ties to it, nor have they really emerged themselves in European culture(s) since moving to the UK...their "European life" just bothers me a lot. It's so far removed from the way actual Europeans live their life that Mimi and Alex just look like a parody that isn't funny. I mean, who goes to Italy and insists on eating their gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free diet when they don't have actual food intolerances and allergies? I'm not saying you should pig out on pizza, pasta and gelati, but...do live a little. Try the local cuisine, and eat like the locals do. Instead of going to the same boring gluten-free tourist trap café 1000 times over...
Don't even get me started on their wedding renewal party. I can't be the only one that find the whole event so cringey. Both in idea and execution. It just looked like another parody (one that is kind of funny this time around): A bunch of non-European imposters hosting a faux European party for their bottom-barrelled guests (that are all influencers and business contacts, lol), all pretending to be European socialites. Hilarious.
I recently came across two channels of women that have moved to Italy (Mimi and Alex' second home at this point), and there's a stark difference between these two women and Mimi and Alex. These two women have actually bothered to learn Italian, emerge themselves into Italian culture and way of life, and actually produce super beautiful content that look authentic and not forced or parody-like. Like Mimi and Alex' content does.
As for Leyla, what on Earth has happened to her?! She seems so depressive and lost to me. Especially depressive. I've never been into her and Mimi's spiritual beliefs, but while Mimi seems to have veered a bit away from them, Leyla seems to have become too obsessive with her mumbo-jumbo beliefs. I can't even get through two sentences of her Instagram posts, because she just sounds so robotic and boring.
Rant over. Thanks for "listening".