Celebrating Women’s History Month: Five Inspiring Women
In honor of Women’s history month, it is important to recognize hardworking dedicated inspiring women working in the fashion industry. These five women have done extraordinary things in their lives and careers.
Thale Blanc
Deborah Swarf founded the luxury fashion brand in 2010. Specializing in handbags, accessories, and jewelry the company has had success for over 10 years. In 2020, the newest collection “Statements,” showcased a chic ready-to-wear collection of luxury clothes at New York Fashion Week. This is based on Swarf’s ideals “every woman is a statement by her very being & what better way to pay tribute to women than by having my collection be a part of my customers’ everyday personal statement.”
Despite already having a full-time job Swarf also is a part of a mentorship program and is a guest lecturer at Georgetown University.
Rory Worby
Worby has worked in the apparel business for over 25 years using her artistic and creative background to bring fashion and art together. Worby has a background in studio art and illustration, using this she ran a studio with 50 artists. She used her hand-painting skill on various fabrics for home furnishing and apparel.
Now she has launched her own brand Rory Worby Studio which won the FGI Rising Star Award in 2020.
Shaun Leon
Shaun Leon Bath & Beauty is an artisanal suite of natural beauty oils and bathing botanicals based out of Brooklyn, New York. Though all skin types can experience dry skin, those issues tend to show on Black and darker skin tones faster. Shaun Leon is one of the few bath and body collections formulated specifically for the needs of Black and darker skin. “It’s skincare women of all colors can really count on.”
Leona and Shaunya Hartley, a mother and daughter team, are the founders of the company and are proud of their inclusive luxurious beauty care collections.
Lisa F Pliner
Lisa F Pline became the muse for her husband, the legendary shoe designer Donald J Pliner. For the past 23 years, they have collaborated on shoe designs. She also co-founded “Peace For The Children Foundation,“ which has provided charitable grants supporting non-profit organizations for the past decade.
In December 2020, she premiered her podcast “Over 40 & Loving Every Minute Of It“ where she talks about a wide range of topics from “relationships, wellness, and fashion, and even body shaming, coping with husbands, and kids at home 24/7 during COVID-19.”
In addition, Lisa is writing a children’s book “A Puppy Dreams Comes True” and creating an art collection Incognito 18 of custom bejeweled skulls and teddy bears.
Mad Mac
Working for 33 years in the industry Rita Harris then created her own brand Mad & Mac. After having spent years developing, launching labels, and looking for the next collection of lingerie to introduce to the consumer, she decided to do it herself. Neiman Marcus asked Rita to develop a collection of lingerie and thus created her brand, named after her children.
The brand is a proud supporter of the Mary Krug Memorial Scholarship Fund which is committed to raising scholarships for students of fashion merchandising. The designer takes pride in her collection calling it “panties with a purpose”