Ed. Note: We at theFIX are always on the lookout for inspiring folk. (And for a feel-good tale.) Enter children’s clothing designer Isabel Garreton: She founded her eponymous label twenty-five years ago, after coming across beautiful dresses handmade by a group of local women in her native Chile. She had the idea to work with these women, to give them the rare opportunity to earn a living while being able to still care for their families. Today, the company thrives, employing more than one hundred women and producing some of the sweetest apparel and dolls we’ve ever seen. Here, Ms. Garreton shares some of the lessons she’s learned along the way.
1. Appreciate beauty in all of its expressions. It might be spotting a clouded steam coming up from a frosted field early in the morning, or hearing someone’s heartfelt laughter, or noticing the lines in a contemporary building, or observing the playfulness of children. These are the things that provide me with a sense of well-being, and that are present in all that I design and do.
2. Look to the things you value to give you the energy to overcome adversity. The economic crisis of 2008 meant many of my good customers closed their stores, but, knowing I was responsible for the livelihood of one hundred working mothers, I was encouraged to search and find viable options to push ahead.
3. The little things make a difference. No matter how fast we live our lives, small gestures should not be overlooked. Life is simply better when someone smiles at you, or when a friend calls to say hello, or when someone holds the door open for you.
4. Be ready to reinvent life at any time. It is the unexpected that demands the most, whether the unexpected is an idea, a problem, a solution, or an opportunity.
(Dolls, dresses & more: Shop Isabel Garreton on MYHABIT. Learn more about the company and the mission here.)
And speaking of cute kids clothes:
* Tiny pairs of colored denim
* Pink plastic shoes and toddler style
* The great Easter dress debate
