The "we are live" climate I did not expect

“Harly Jae is live” is what I was shouting from the (virtual) rooftops all day yesterday. By the click of a button, I allowed the world to see my first designs. We live in an amazingly weird time.

One year ago, I had just made the decision that I was going to create a sustainable fashion business. I did not know what it was going to look like yet, but it needed to exist. Six months later, I became more serious about it and the work on the first collection began. Since, I spent early mornings, nights and weekends trying to figure out how to best utilize my time to get through a massive to-do list before I could even think of hitting the publish button of my online store.

And now it’s done. And I am nostalgic.

Not of the time when I was still trying to figure out what fabrics I was going to use or which manufacturer was going to produce my clothes, but of the time in which my idea was born. Back when I was feeling the Bern. When I was smitten by Trudeau. When, even though I was crying on my couch, there was still hope that the results of the US election could be reversed.

Back when I believed we were so close to a love revolution. Love for the people, love for our planet.

Obviously, Harly Jae is not going live in the climate I had imagined but all it means is that this project is even more important now. Harly Jae is more than a clothing line; it's a mission to make this world better for us and future generations.

Good things don’t come easy. Together, we need to create, build and work on new ideas until they become the new norm,

- Laïla