We talk to two incredible women of our own, Hanya’s co-founders Ricca and Zivana to discover their vision, perseverance and the wisdom the pair has learned along the way.
Q: Can you tell us about your job/role at Hanya?
A: We are very lucky to have different set of skills that complimented each other. Ricca is responsible for branding and design. Zivana handles the sales and finance side. But we work together in production, to make sure we both are satisfied with the products we push out.
Q: How have you found being a woman, working in the fashion industry to be like?
A: Women are still so prone to exploitation, no matter what the industry.
We firmly believe that women have to empower other women. Since its International Women’s Day, we want to raise awareness about the fact that countless women that work in fashion industry are still grossly underpaid and continuously forced to work in unsafe environment.
This is a cause very close to our hearts and it really is time to do something so that these women may have sustainable careers in fashion.
Q: How do you work to empower other women?
We feel like we are in the position to be able to make a difference, even in our own small ways. At Hanya, all of our team are currently female.
We mentor our team professionally and personally, such as sending them to seminars/trainings to level up their skill and knowledge. We always encourage them to speak up their opinions, and foster a body positive work environment.
But in general, regardless if it’s a female or male employee, we strive to give our staff a fair wage and provide them with a safe and positive workplace.
Q: What motivates you to keep going in the face of challenges?
A: The support of friends, families, customers and our incredible people who work behind the label. Building a sustainable and ethical brand is not the easiest path to choose but we are grateful to have other people believe and support our vision.
Q: What accomplishment are you proudest of in your professional life?
A: Despite the challenges, we are able to survive and stay consistent in both in our creative vision and our philosophical ethos – in this case Hanya being a sustainable and ethical brand. We are very grateful that we have been able to do this, and we hope to continue to do so.
Q: Who are some of the most inspiring women in your life?
A: Our strong mothers continue to inspire us.
Q: What advice would you give younger women wanting to pursue their passion in this industry?
A: Do what you love and love what you do. And like many other things in life, work hard and don’t be afraid to fail.