International Women's Day 2021

#IWD2021

Today we celebrate women.
The women that inspire us; the women that create us; the women that we are.

 

For International Women's Day, we spoke to Magali Pascal women about womanhood and all that it means to be a woman. We were honoured to speak to women from all walks of life, including our founder Magali, our partners in Australia and France, and Magali muses.


What does being a woman mean to you?

It means feeling confident within my feminine intuitions. perfecting every day the search of the right balance between being an entrepreneur, a mum and a wife.

 

How do you think your understanding of what being a woman is has changed over time?

With time I learned to become more indulgent with my self and accept who i am , and how I look. I became more confident to where I stand as a woman, with my strength and my weaknesses. This especially after becoming a mother. Being a mum has brought an other dimension to my feminine side by loving unconditionally and balancing choices with obligations.

 

Being a woman comes with a million and one complexities. If you could tell your younger self one thing about growing up as a woman, what would it be?

Imperfection is charm. Confidence gives personality , and strength. don’t be scare to go beyond what you think is possible to pursue your dreams.

 

- Magali Pascal,

Founder & Creative Director of Magali Pascal

 
What does being a woman mean to you?
To be a woman means to hold all of the mysteries of the universe inside of me.
 
How do you think your understanding of what being a woman is has changed over time?
I spent many years basing my worth on what men think of me and being afraid of my femininity.
Now I understand that I have a privilege to use this beautiful compassion and womanly power inside of me and that I am worthy of endless love no matter what.
 
Women that inspire you / Your female role model?
Tabitha Brown, Joni Mitchell, Sade, Monica Belluci, Astrud Gilberto and many more
 
- Elle Musa
Artist & Musician


This IWD I’m honouring those who paved the way for us to enjoy the rights we have today. We will continue to demand for pay equity, leadership roles, resources, respect and safety for all women and girls around the world.

- Mari Jasmin

TV Host & Model

 

For International Women's Day, Magali Pascal donated to BlackRainbow in
Mari Jasmin's name

“To me, being a woman means feeling confident to be whoever you want to be. We wear so many hats: mother, sister, daughter, coworker, leader, partner, caregiver, provider. To be all of these things women have to be tough, soft, empathetic, ambitious, brave and nurturing. Being a woman is deeply rewarding in all of its complexities and I believe each one of us should strive to go further than the women gone before us.”

- Bridget Veals, General Manager Womenswear at David Jones

Being a woman comes with a million and one complexities. If you could tell your younger self one thing about growing up as a woman, what would it be?

 

"Focus on myself stay in my own lane and don’t compare my life to others. Be kind to myself, don’t sweat the small stuff everything works out in your life exactly as and how it is meant to."
- Sally Brown, Co-Founder TMCPR

 

"Feel conscious that sometimes you have to fight to get what you deserve, be strong, think bigger and be yourself."
Feet, what do I need them for if I have wings to fly. Frida Kahlo
- Anna Locatelli, Vice-President Angelo Sensini

 

"Speak out assertively so they hear you, act accordingly so they see you. Also be patient you always have the power to achieve all, but just not all at the same time."
- Indy Mantik, Design Assistant at Magali Pascal 

 

"Embrace who you are, what you consider as your weakness will eventually turn out to be your force. Trust your gut."
- Ferlina Tunggal, Wholesale & PR at Magali Pascal

 
"Le 8 mars marque la journée internationale des droits des Femmes, une journée célébrée à travers le monde depuis plus d’un siècle, symbole de luttes et de revendications pour le droit des femmes, contre le sexisme et les inégalités face aux hommes... De nature positive, j’aime voir cette journée dans un premier temps comme une célébration. Une célébration des progrès qui ont été faits durant ce dernier siècle sur la place des femmes dans notre société: droit de vote, droit à l’avortement, parité politique, évolution des inégalités salariales. Mais aussi un moment de rappel que le combat n’est pas terminé: que ce soit dans vos relations personnelles et professionnelles, ne laissez jamais aucun homme vous éteindre, vous rabaisser, vous diminuer.
Vous pouvez être ce que vous voulez être. Vous avez le pouvoir"
 

"March 8 marks International Women's Rights Day, a day celebrated across the world for over a century, a symbol of struggles and demands for women's rights, against sexism and inequalities against men ... Positive in nature, I like to see this day as a celebration at first. A celebration of the progress that has been made over the last century on the place of women in our society: the right to vote, the right to abortion, political parity, the evolution of wage inequalities. But also a moment of reminder that the fight is not over: whether in your personal and professional relationships, never let any man turn you off, demean you, or diminish you. You can be whatever you want to be. You have the power."

 
- Melanie Darmon, Content Creator

How do you think your understanding of what being a woman is has changed over time?

 

"I used to believe it was a very feminine position to be in. Motherly by default. And actually, quite weak. But now I see that it is the opposite. It's a strength that comes through confidence, and inner-belief of knowing yourself and continuing on."
- Polina Solva, Model & Photographer

 

"I see women as really strong creatures with more flexibility to adapt in any situation. For example in Indonesia, before women just played a role in the internal family and just being ordinary women but now because of the demands of the time and era, women are required to move forward, and take the role not only in the internal circle of her family but also in the external circle."
- Alexandra, Wholesale Officer at Magali Pascal

 

"I have learnt to accept this opposition between having to be strong but also accepting my fragilities and needs without seeing them as a weakness."
- Manon Aidinian, Head of Production at Magali Pascal

 

"Women now can feel free and confident to share their ideas on social media."
- Fransisca Saragih, Logistics Coordinator at Magali Pascal

Who are your female role models? Women you admire or feel inspired by?

 

"The list is endless. There are so many inspiring women all around the world, from all walks of life. Women who are strong, confident, resilient, sensitive, loving, kind, compassionate, those who think of others and strive to make the world a better place for everyone. "
- Alice Wark, General Manager at Magali Pascal

 

I am fortunate to be surrounded by so many incredible women in my personal + professional life, my mother, my ultimate role model taught me the value of work ethic + shaped my morals, my girlfriends who inspire me daily, many juggling motherhood, with small businesses + demanding careers, The many professional relationships I have with intelligent, fierce women, I draw mentorship + advice from my network daily, they all push me to always think forward + strive for bigger better opportunities, my ‘girls’ my team of 15 employees, all women, all amazing + individual in their own right, I learn from each of them so much, so often..."
- Amy Fosdike, Founder of Launch Fashion Management

 

"Mostly women that surround me or I surround myself on a daily base. It depends on life situations when I am inspired rather than one specific character. Each woman has a bit of a role model."
- Verena Lehner, Senior Designer at Magali Pascal

 

"Être une femme"… Vaste sujet mais évidemment passionnant ! Au fil de ma vie et des années, j’ai appris à reconsidérer ma féminité. J’ai réalisé que j’en étais extrêmement fière et j’ai ensuite imaginé comment je pouvais "raconter" la femme rêvée. Une femme qui assume pleinement sa personnalité, monte des projets et s’épanouit. Une femme qui donne la vie. Une femme qui jongle avec les responsabilités et les injonctions de la société avec une habileté infinie. Une femme forte, ancrée dans son temps, pleine de cette grâce naturelle et de ce solide tempérament. Cette femme rêvée, il en existe pourtant des milliers, chaque jour, dans notre réalité. Héroïnes modernes, personnages modèles et muses éternelles, les femmes possèdent un pouvoir exceptionnel. En être une me donne chaque jour des ailes !"
 
"To be a woman" ... Vast subject but obviously fascinating! Over the course of my life and years, I have learned to reconsider my femininity. I realized I was extremely proud of it and then imagined how I could "tell the story" of a dream woman. A woman who fully assumes her personality, sets up projects and thrives. A woman who gives life. A woman who juggles the responsibilities and injunctions of society with infinite skill. A strong woman, anchored in her time, full of this natural grace and this solid temperament. However, there are thousands of this dream woman, every day, in our reality. Modern heroines, model characters and eternal muses, women possess exceptional power. Being one gives me wings every day! "
 
- Anne Vouland, Founder of Lulli Sur La Toile
"La féminité ? Je ne sais pas tellement ce que c’est la féminité. Peut-être qu’il s’agit juste d’être tout ce qu’on a envie d’être, d’être la femme qui nous ressemble, même si pas féminine, pas délicate, pas fragile, prudente, apprêtée. Peut-être parce que la féminité, en fait, c’est un mélange de force, de liberté et de pouvoir."
 
"Femininity ? I don't really know what femininity is. Maybe it's just about being whatever you want to be, being the woman who looks like us, even if not feminine, not delicate, not fragile, careful, dressed. Maybe because femininity, in fact, is a mixture of strength, freedom and power."
 
- Laura Isaaz, Journalist & Model

Grey Illustration by Elina Krima