Taking this moment to give a HUGE shout out to my dear sister and rockstar Marie-Josee Richer!
Part 1.
Visionary social entrepreneur, Marie-Josée Richer, is the amazing mother of 3 young boys and co-founder of the well-known Canadian company PRANA - a Montreal-based organic food company founded in 2005. In addition to being a leader in the organic food industry, Marie-Josee is also known as a Dragon on Radio Canada’s Dans L’Oeil du Dragon 2019 and 2020.
Sacred Cloth proudly received the honor of creating a dress for Marie, which is currently being featured throughout this season of Dans L’Oeil du Dragon. We chose the Hero dress in Black Satin Flowers to adorn Marie for a role that would require professional elegant chic while maintaining a fresh air. With its tapered waist and flared full skirt, Hero is aptly named. It is designed to inspire a confident and easy stride, and flows in a way that is reminiscent of a cape that might be worn by someone great accomplishing extraordinary missions. You can be sure that as I watched Marie shining in her full power and beauty - quick in wit and completely comfortable in her skin, I was proud to see this dress in full action on a true woman Hero of today. Fiercely graceful, full-powered in beauty and integrity, I can imagine no better woman to wear this dress standing under all those lights with the world watching - than Marie.
Part 2.
But fame aside, Marie is also a dear sister who I have the privilege of diving into the rituals and routines of everyday life with. Since 2017 we co-steward a large wild land in Val David together and are building a small eco-community from the ground up with our partners and families. We raise our kids together, hatch eggs, chop wood, build roads, throw parties, share meals, share songs, walk, talk, sweat, laugh, cry. It's a colorful life. It's a beautiful life. Indeed, it's a sacred life.
On top of this, the Sacred Cloth Studio is in the house where Marie lives. After sewing up the last seam of a new style I will often find her in the kitchen (concocting a new Prana recipe) and she will be a first fit model. We'll probably then embark on a spontaneous discussion which will then lead into further questions and answers. Before I know it I'll have just received a personal dragon's den session of entrepreneurial coaching while eating the latest Prana innovation. Definitely not your typical day in the office! #florestalifestyle!
All this to say, Sacred Cloth wouldn't be where it is today without this truly sacred sister. Her endless encouragement, counsel, generous ear and guidance through this business world gives me the strength, courage and confidence to keep moving forward. She keeps me on track when I feel like stepping to the side. She nudges me to take bigger steps than I would dare to dream. Yet she understands what it is to be a startup company, a one-woman show. She understands the complexity of running a business while wearing many hats at the same time, all the while trying to meet the perfectionist tendencies we both share. She has been there, she has put in the work, and is still at the ready to lend a hand, or jump into the trenches to keep things fresh and alive.
So, whether on TV or in real life, I can attest - as both good friend and fan, that Marie is indeed a real life Hero. I have full gratitude to the mysterious ways of the world that have knit our lives together. I would say we have a pretty awesome recipe going for growing older in great nutritional health and in fabulous style! #feelinggrateful is an understatement.
To learn more about Marie-Josee and Prana, click here. To find this dress for your very own, click here