There is something magical about empowered women empowering other women. The unofficial club we are all part of called the sisterhood, uniting all the women in the whole wide world. As Sisterhood, we rise by lifting each other. Knowing no competition, celebrating our differences, and helping one another to become our very best selves. 

Together we have fought and won many battles, from getting the right to vote to carving our upright place in the modern workplace. Yet, there are still some crucial battles to win, both in the outer world and in our inner selves. From accepting our uniquely beautiful bodies, to stopping comparing and highlighting our insecurities, to standing up for the overworked garment workers in the fashion industry, of whom the significant majority are women. One thing is sure: we can win all the battles when we do it together. 

Show Solidarity #3 is all about women supporting women in all possible ways. As entrepreneurs in the fashion industry, women have the power to turn the outdated business processes upside down and change how the fashion world runs at this point. Consider this: There are about 50 million women employed in the fashion industry worldwide. From garment workers to cotton pickers to retail workers. What if we could empower all of them by the choices we make every day?

MUMSTER is thrilled to have partnered up with the brightest examples of fair & inclusive fashion labels that are genuinely part of the change, walking the talk and making sure no women are left behind. After all, we as consumers can help other women in every corner of the earth by consuming more consciously, appreciating what has already been made, and supporting sustainable brands that care about them as much as we do. 

“All of the women that you see on our website are not professional models. Women with beautifully imperfect and diverse bodies. To me, it’s important to show lingerie on women who we can all relate to. Because none of us are perfect but we are all beautiful.”

What sets The Lingerist apart is that they never use professional models in their content but only real women and real bodies as the standard of beauty. Instead of the full-on product shoots, they send out their lingerie selection to real women to take pictures of themselves wearing their pieces, while giving them full creative freedom over the final imagery. If they want to show stretch marks or body hair or a hint of nipples, they have the power to decide on their own, making every visual authentic and relatable. 

There is probably not one woman in the world that has not felt insecure at one point in her life. Factoring in the rise of Instagram and other social media platforms, we are daily bombarded with the overly curated and unrealistic image of the perfect lives to which our unfiltered reality seems rather ordinary. Opening about her own insecurities, Chanel pinpointed the root of this never-ending struggle – comparing herself to other women.

When Inge van Meer took over the online boutique BOTTINES at the end of last year, she realized she needed to make it her own. BOTTINES as a brand has already existed for a few years, with Inge being one of the loyal customers. Frustrated at her previous job, she decided to adopt this promising sustainable label when the founder was looking for someone to pass her cherished business baby and take care of it well. 

This unique occurrence shaped what BOTTINES stands for now and what values it is sharing into the world. Specifically, the mission of this brand is not only to bring beautiful handcrafted designs to the world but primarily to help you find your own style in which you feel good, 100% you. For BOTTINES, it’s not about comparing yourself or your fashion items to what others wear or looking out for the latest trends, but finding what you like and investing in fashion pieces that will last years. As an ethical brand, BOTTINES focuses less on trends but on timeless and high-quality items produced in a sustainable and fair way and with respect for people and the environment. For them, being an ethical brand is their number 1 priority, and that will never change. 

What separates BOTTINES from the rest of sustainable shoe & accessory brands is their singular emphasis of local craftsmanship. All their handmade production is done by family businesses with centuries-old passed-down techniques and crafts specific for the region. From the sandals made in the Greek Peloponnesos to the Moroccan raffia mules crafted by a women’s collective in Essaouira, Inge builds personal relationships with all her producers and visits their ateliers regularly to co-design new products exclusively for BOTTINES. 

Talking about women empowerment, the women’s collective in Morocco is an exquisite example of how fashion can bring a societal change – one woman at a time. This collective was founded to empower local women to finance themselves. Currently, about 15 women work together to make handcrafted shoes from palm leaves. They mostly work from home and at their own time, making it easier to combine their work and family.

Feeling confident is such an evergreen topic for women of all ages. How many self-help books have been written, how many TEDx talks have been spoken, and how much well-meant advice has been given on this very issue. The truth is one size doesn’t fit all, and the path to authentic confidence might look different for everyone. But where it usually starts is by trusting and loving yourself before you get there. 

“I feel confident when I have everything under control, including my emotions and my presence. But now I realize that being confident has nothing to do with feeling confident when you have everything under control. It is about trusting and loving yourself, when you don’t have everything under control when you make mistakes and when you sometimes look like sh*t.” – Chanel on feeling confident 

Taking Justice for Women
The J-LAB3L’s mission is to empower women through clothing on both ends of the system while making the process fully transparent. From garment workers to happy customers, they make sure every woman that is connected to their project feels valued and empowered. 

Starting with the factory, Judith and Janneke spent months looking for the perfect match, personally visited and audited several of them with independent experts. Their beautiful clothes are now produced in the ethical and highly credible factory in India, which won, among other certificates, an award for women empowerment. In this enterprise, women work in every layer of the company structure, from the garment workers to the management positions – which is not very common in other factories in India. This impact multiplies beyond the workplace. One of the merchandisers earns enough to support herself and her family, giving her little sister a chance to get educated without her parents going into debt. There are more uplifting stories like these, and that’s why Judith and Janneke are planning to give women in the factory a voice through a soon-to-be-announced project next year.

This crazy year is finally coming to an end, and there is a lot to reflect on. What we have learnt, what we did and didn’t do. The key not only for these unprecedented times is to be proud of yourself no matter what and appreciating anything positive that this year has brought. We are not what we do, and we don’t need to feel proud only when we get a clear goal ticked off. Let’s feel proud and appreciate ourselves and other women around you solely for who they are and who they are becoming.

Slowing down for timelessness
OSIER has always stood for sustainable vegan luxury, but now they’ve added the idea of “slow”. Slow for slowing down and its wholesome appreciation of the process. That also means fully embracing the timeless designs OSIER has already been creating. There aren’t and will never be periodic collections to avoid unnecessary waste and over-production. OSIER only adds a few new refined designs every year that outlive current trends and fill the gap in their timeless collection.

This year was anything but ordinary. For the good and the bad, mostly. Whatever the circumstances, choosing joy is one of the most inspiring acts to respond with when life gives you lemons. Making lemonade is only one of many comebacks to sweeten the situation. It’s the little things that activate the unfiltered joy that cracks even the thickest of clouds. 

Fighting for women in the fashion industry 
The motivation behind establishing ThriftTale is rooted in fighting against the unjust system of fashion. Still, there are too many clothes that were meticulously crafted by a person, usually a woman, under exploitative conditions of a distant garment factory. For many of us, turning to ethical options seems too limiting in both prices and options. 

That’s where ThriftTale comes in, offering a wide range of affordable second-hand and vintage fashion for women, men, and kids. Talking about options, they intentionally made sure their varied offer is size-inclusive. Meticulously checked for quality and authenticity when it comes to designer pieces, ThriftTale wants you to feel empowered and confident while wearing their second-hand gems, not compromising on style or quality.