To celebrate International Women’s Day, our talented team reflect on the women who have inspired them and share their own words of inspiration.
The woman I’m inspired by is… my mother. She is a primary school teacher and she raised me and my brother by herself, after my dad passed away when she was 35.
The advice I’d like to share is… always try to be financially independent. So whatever happens in your life, you can survive without depending on anybody.
The woman I’m inspired by is… my mum. She raised me, my brother and my sister on her own and has always supported us in everything we’ve wanted to do.
The advice I’d like to share is… say ‘yes’ to opportunities when they come. Even if you’re unsure of your capabilities, you’ll figure it out one way or another. It’s changed my life.
The women I’m inspired by are… Siobhan Ready, Director of Media Molecule, who always pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me what hard work and dedication can achieve; and Jess Collett, an incredibly talented milliner, who mentored me and has always been so generous with her time and advice.
The advice I’d like to share is… to always try and find the positives in a situation, it doesn’t help to dwell on the negative and even the worst experiences can teach you something valuable. And don’t compare yourself to others!
The woman I’m inspired by is… any woman who tries to love herself, respects herself and others and tries to be gentle and positive.
The advice I’d like to share is… change your thoughts and you change your world.
The women I’m inspired by are… my mother and my grandmother. Since I came out as gay in a very conservative country at 14 years old, they have never left my side. They supported and raised me and make sure every single day that I am proud of who I am.
The advice I’d like to share is… be unapologetically yourself.
The woman I’m inspired by is… my best friend Sarah. She suffers from endometriosis often causing her severe pain and making everyday tasks a challenge. Despite her condition, Sarah always finds time for her family and friends, promotes endometriosis awareness and is a successful career-woman. She’s expecting her first child in May and is going to be an amazing mother.
The advice I’d like to share is… live your life for you and do what makes you happy. Surround yourself with people that make you smile.
The women I’m inspired by are… Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for allowing me to chase my dreams as a budding writer.
The advice I’d like to share is… never be afraid to take up space.
The women I’m inspired by are… my sister, with her tenacity, perseverance and capacity for sacrifice in order to achieve her life goals; my mother, the best mother, always caring for her family, yet at the same time a dedicated professional, sacrificing herself for others and always doing her best for them; Frida Kahlo, who was a forerunner of contemporary art, challenging feminine stereotypes and social conventions; and those who fought for women’s rights, I feel the spirit of the women who, not long ago, fought to be recognised and have their intelligence respected.
The advice I’d like to share is… feel free to take decisions that make you happy, without fear of judgment. Ignore people that have preconceived ideas about you. Be happy in your own way.
The woman I’m inspired by is… my Aunt, she is one of the strongest and kindest woman I have known. She has been by my side as a constant female figure since I was tiny. She fought by my Dads side to make life as happy and stable as it could be every step of the way. She picks herself up from everything she goes through and still manages to not only be an incredibly loving mother to her own kids, but a warrior by the sides of everyone she loves. She makes me see, everyday, no matter what happens you carry on making life pretty awesome. You get stronger through all your experiences and you need to cherish the people and things in your life that make it a good life. She is an incredible lady.
The advice I’d like to share is… Always appreciate life for what it is, the good, the bad and the ugly. Learn and become strong from the bad stuff so we can appreciate and make the most of the good stuff without it just passing you by.
The women I’m inspired by are… Munroe Bergdof, Laverne Cox, Hunter Schafer and Indya Moore for being proud amazing trans women and activists and for all the work they do fighting for LGBTQ+ rights.
Deborah Frances White, Adwoa Aboah, Jameela Jamil and Florence Given for letting all women have a voice and a platform, for addressing feminist issues and forever challenging the patriarchy.
Louise Gray, Vivienne Westwood, Alexa Chung and Barbie Ferreira for their fashion and creative style and always being unapologetically themselves.
Hayley Williams, Patti Smith, Florence Welch, Nina Simone, Alice Phoebe Lou and Maggie Rogers for being my singer/songwriter heroes that have had to work a lot harder to push their way through the mostly male dominated and sexist music industry.
Pheobe Waller Bridge, Sara Pascoe, Caitlin Moran, Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson for making me laugh a LOT.
Margaret Atwood, Pat Barker, Maya Angelou, Bernadine Evaristo, Zadie Smith, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche and Elizabeth Gilbert for providing me with endless female focused books to read and characters to fall in love with.
Livia Firth, Orsola de Castro, Carry Somers, Clare Press, Tolmeia Gregory and Whitney Bauck for being trailblazers in sustainable fashion and truly caring about the environment and the damaging impact the fashion industry is having on the planet.
The advice I’d like to share is… everything you go through you grow through. Find peace with your inner self to present the best version of you to other people.
Celebrate International Women’s Day with some of our favourite female led brands. For fabulous wardrobes, we love Charlie Collins, Seren and Cossie + Co.; for amazing food and drink, we love Tart London, Pop Bakery and Della Vite; and for relaxation and self-care, we love Jasmine Hemsley, By Sarah and Gazelli.
