I am strong. I am beautiful. I am enough.
That is what my mom used to tell me. She knew that the more I repeated it, the more I would come to believe it. Always believe!
The other thing she told me (almost as often) was to always wear matching pajamas—because, she said, you just never know who you might meet in your dreams!
My Mom was a strong, kind, and loving woman, with an incredible amount of faith. I truly believe she had a direct line to Jesus. He always answered Her! When She passed away unexpectedly, I certainly didn’t feel strong, and my faith was rocky. Losing her was one of the hardest things I ever experienced, but sometimes, beautiful things are born from grief and pain.
I quit my corporate job in Fashion and started denise rae: a line of loungewear inspired by my Mom, and my own travels throughout the world. I put together prints based on motifs I saw again and again in my travels—such as the macaw imagery I found in New Orleans, Mexico, and Costa Rica
(all three Macaws were blue). Some prints are more personal than others and it's a story I enjoy sharing.
denise rae is about more than just looking beautiful; it’s about feeling beautiful. That’s why you’ll find a powerful message sewn in with the brand label when you open your denise rae package—I am strong, I am beautiful, I am enough—or one of countless other “I am” statements. There’s no telling which message you’ll get, because every label is unique and different, just like the women who wear denise rae.
My mission is to tell a story with every thread and for every label to whisper empowerment. I like to encourage women everywhere to practice self-love and believe in their limitless potential. It was imperative to me to create a Collection that is sustainably made, crafted from 100% organic cotton, free of any harmful chemicals, and packaged in eco-friendly materials.
With absolute gratitude and love,
denise
Oh! Some days, I don’t believe I am strong. But I keep saying it to myself anyway, because those two little words: “I am” are my superpower—and yours.
Woman-owned, designed by a woman for women.
