MY STORY
01 / I wanted to bring it right back to the start, how maybe, just maybe destiny + fate played a big hand in finding my passion, and more specifically how I’ve found myself using my own hands to good use.
02 / My Family originates from a fascinating place called Jeju Island, A South Korean island some 50 miles the South Korean mainland. Jeju island is primarily made up of volcanic rock, but has sprawling forests, beautiful white sand beaches. It’s a real head scratcher to explain to people who don’t know it or have never visited.
It’s become very popular for holidays for people who reside in Mainland South Korea because of its beauty + relaxation properties the other worldly landscape gives people. It’s now also a UNESCO world heritage site, specifically for its volcanic island + lava tubes and is the only site in South Korea to be voted as that.
03 / And you’re asking how does this relate to me starting my own little made to order brand?….
Via the images below you would have noticed not only the beauty I aforementioned but also the necessity to live off the land, or in Jeju’s case off the Sea + its sea floor.
These ladies are called Haenyeo or in more simple English, the ‘Women of the sea’. This tradition started in the 1600s, over 400 years and many family generations ago.
04 / My Grandma who is sadly not with us any longer was one of these amazing ladies. She ended up becoming one of the leaders of her group due to her strength, courage and of course diving ability. Bare in mind they are not using any equipment at all, just a swim suit, a floating net and some usual self made stone like weights to help them sink to the sea bed to capture many sea dwellers, like; Octopus, Abalone, Seaweed, and many local shellfish.
05 / The Haenyeo are sometimes diving 20m and holding their breath for 1-2 minutes at a time to feed their town/village, selling to local markets or directly to restaurants. Of course they will also take some home to feed their families too.
This is all while most haenyeo dive until their later years, 70s and even 80s is not uncommon, with the average age now above 60, the tradition is dying out, generation by generation.
06 / Back to Grandma and how this all relates to me, she would directly use those earnings, that she worked tirelessly for every day to unleash her creative side. She would pick fabrics from a small local market to then in turn create garments for her people in the local village. My Mum and Sisters (shout out to them ❤️) love fashion too of course but never felt the need to follow on from her passion, but that I think is where I come in.
My grandma was definitely a super strong and courageous woman, something that all us ladies aspire to be when we are growing up.
