Celebrating International Women's Day- Who inspire us!

Mia

Melissa's wardrobe

Key descriptors:

Driven. Hard working. Perseverance.

Who is she?

A UK based celebrity fashion stylist most notably known for being Stormzy’s stylist. She is responsible for the #Melmademedoit and is popular amongst consumers for her product reviews on social media. Melissa inspires me as she has taught me how persevering for what you want in life can pay off in the future. She has shown great talent and skill within fashion styling and she never gave up on her dream despite lack of support externally.

Her journey?

She studied criminology at University of Essex while having a long-standing interest in the fashion industry. She realised while studying that she didn’t want to go down the academic route and from there, started blogging. After graduating, she was working receptionist jobs while putting in the effort to post weekly for her blog. Following on from that, she started going out on her own stylist clients and she also began her interior design company to where she started styling celebrities like Maya Jama, Anthony Joshua and Stormzy.

Her advice?

'Learn from google. Preserve for what you want. Nobody owes anything to you, work with what you have and build on it. Don’t give up, don’t live a mediocre life because you couldn’t be bothered'.

Tegan

In an industry full of trailblazing women, it can be difficult to choose just one to celebrate. However, Victoria Jenkins is one woman worthy of celebrating today. Victoria’s brand UnHidden was the first fashion brand aimed at disabled customers to show at London Fashion Week. In a catwalk full of inspiring models, from influencers to activists, Jenkin’s designs were stylish, colourful, and adapted for a wide range of needs, including shorter lengths for people with short stature, hidden access to ports, and easy fastenings like magnets and Velcro for those with limited dexterity. From an extensive career working for brands like Victoria Beckham, Jenkin’s now uses her skills to help the disabled community (which is an estimated 20% of the UK population) feel confident and empowered through fashion, rather than limited or restricted by clothing.

Tio

“I didn’t want anyone to have control over how people saw me. I wanted to have that power myself.” – Indya Moore

Indya Moore is one of the most visible trans, non-binary POC (people of colour) who have made their mark within traditional media. After surviving a traumatic childhood, from foster care to, jail time and drug addiction, they are now known as an actress, writer, director, model, social activist and founder of a production company. They have made change behind the scenes by donating to people with disabilities, sex workers, and trans-POC who may have lost family networks after embracing their true identity. A more public form of activism includes their Instagram (@indyamoore) which they use to uplift other marginalised voices and speak against issues such as gun violence. Their work on the show ‘Pose’, alongside their appearances on the cover of Teen Vogue, Elle and Calvin Klein campaigns provide representation for a group of people who have been persecuted for years, acting as a beacon of hope for us all.

Poppy

“Viola Davis my Woman King” - Ariana Debose, 2023 BAFTAs

Ever since I first saw her in How to Get Away with Murder I fell in love with Viola Davis. Not only is she a brilliantly successful and moving actress with not just an Oscar but a Grammy, Emmy and a Tony too! She is also an activist and a feminist, using her own tragic experiences of domestic violence, sexual abuse, alcoholism, racism and poverty to advocate for the womens liberation movement in particular. Being part of the all-important Me Too movement she said: ‘I am speaking today not just for the Me Toos, because I was a Me Too, but when I raise my hand, I am aware of all the women who are still in silence. The women who are faceless. The women who don't have the money and don't have the constitution and who don't have the confidence and who don't have the images in our media that gives them a sense of self-worth enough to break their silence that is rooted in the shame of assault and rooted in the stigma of assault.’

She also regularly speaks up about the poor treatment of black women in Hollywood: 'We know as women, when you speak up, you’re labelled a b*tch—immediately. Unruly—immediately. Just as a woman. As a woman of colour, there is very, very, very little you have to do. All you have to do is maybe roll your eyes, and that’s it.’

Viola Davis truly is a force to be reckoned with and I really look up to her as a woman I strive to have the strength of.