The Ikigai of Women's wear

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This week, I braced to watch Sheryl Sandberg’s harrowing documentary, Screams Before Silence. I am profoundly grateful to Sandberg for leveraging her platform to document and organize these powerful testimonies of sexual assault and violence from October 7th.

Diving into these atrocities, I find it almost impossible to switch back to the rhythms of work life, to what we call ‘normal’ life. My brain spirals into fight or flight mode, my nervous system is shattered. I stare blankly at the wall, feeling a storm of anger and hopelessness. Just the most rubbish, useless little human. I feel vulnerable as a woman, vulnerable as a mother of daughters. A deep-seated rage simmers within me, a hatred that our soft, tender selves can be weaponized in such brutal ways, used as pawns to defile a nation. I have to pull myself back from the precipice of hating all men. But as the emotional chaos swirls, it gradually transforms into a steely resolve.

We are all inhabitants of this earth together. We have no choice but to share our planet with those who commit heinous acts, to breathe the same air as those who would harm our daughters. The challenge is to chart a path forward when every fiber of your being wants to hide, to weep, to give up entirely. To cede, or to sink into a nihilism so deep that recovery seems impossible.

But then, I remember: We have the power to choose a different path. As much as our femininity can be weaponized against us, it can also be a source of immense strength and comfort. A nation that takes care for its women is fundamentally stronger. We have the power to make women feel cozy, loved, and safe. We can allow women to showcase their beauty as an act of independence and a declaration of safety. When women feel beautiful, it’s a sign of a thriving society.

So I see women’s bodies being paraded in the streets and spat on, legs splayed and I say, we’ll put beauty back in the world. I see zip-ties on trees where they were bound and I say, let’s give agency to women to dress themselves in soft fabrics and wrap ourselves in a color that makes us smile. It’s not fighting fire with fire, it can’t change evil, but restoring respect is the only ammunition i have for my soul right now.

This is the core of my passion: women and their bodies. My mission is to help women feel confident and beautiful, to empower them to tackle the daunting issues we face in this world. It’s about more than just making good clothes; creating a sense of strength and confidence. The bar for success in the fashion world should be higher than just producing quality garments. It should be about nurturing a sense of self-worth and resilience in women everywhere.

This is less about vanity than self-respect, a crucial distinction. How we dress is an expression of our agency over our bodies and choosing what we reveal or hide is a right I’ll gladly spend my life fighting for.

This brings me to the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which means 'Reason for being.' It's the intersection of four crucial elements: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

Simon Sinek refers to this as your 'Why.'

When I interviewed David Slenzak from Broadtree Partners last week, he shared that he looks for a business’s 'reason for being.' Businesses, like people, need that justification for taking up space in the market.

This concept resonates deeply with me. Finding your Ikigai can help anchor you during tumultuous times, providing a guiding star to navigate through the darkness. Aligning passion, mission, vocation, and profession to create a fulfilling and purposeful life.

For me, my Ikigai is centered on staying anchored in the healing of beauty. Taking back the power of women’s beauty and agency over their bodies, and I’m glad to be acquiring businesses which spend their time and resources doing that.

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