INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - TALA LEADS THE WAY
For over 100 years, 8th March has marked a very special day of celebration and advocacy for women’s rights and equality around the world. To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, we invited a variety of inspirational women across different industries, passion points and categories to share their stories through honest conversations about their personal experiences.
At TALA, our aim is to disrupt the fashion industry with every collection and campaign and in this special edit of TALA Talks, we are leading the way with the stories of 5 incredible women to uplift and inspire all the women in our community.
Charlie Craggs, award-winning author, activist, speaker and model.
Charlie wears the Doze Half-Zip Sweatshirt and Dusk Joggers from our Cosy range.
“This day should be about more than just #GirlPower. It’s about time that we have some of these important conversations.” - Charlie Craggs
Charlie is a multifaceted individual with one main purpose in mind - to break down the misconceptions of trans people using her own raw yet personal experiences as a trans woman. She is best known for her book, ‘To My Trans Sisters’ which is an anthology of essays by trans women sharing the lessons they have learned on their journeys to womanhood. During her interview, she shares her experiences of hate that she previously received and how the impact of each woman in her life helped her overcome these treacherous experiences to shape the woman she is today. Alongside her book, her national campaign ‘Nail Transphobia’ aims to educate people on trans issues, tackle transphobia and deliver flawless manicures! Charlie understands the hate directed towards the trans community comes from a lack of understanding and ignorance. For this exact reason, she provides a platform to give members of the public who may not have met a trans person an opportunity to have an open, honest conversation in a friendly environment. Charlie embodies everything we love about diversity, as well as everything we love about International Women’s Day - a day to represent ALL women, no matter what shape, size, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.
Rani Patel Williams, co-founder of Brand Share The Mic and partner of creative agency, Livity.
Rani wears the Zae Short Sleeve Crop Top and Hosta Shorts, both in Chai.
“Women in business are important to help rework a system that was built by men for men to eventually equalise it.” - Rani Patel Williams
Rani is a force to be reckoned with as a leader in the creative industry advocating for a more inclusive space for young, aspiring creatives. She combines her extensive knowledge and industry expertise to drive better representation of black women within their unique playing fields. As the co-founder of Brand Share The Mic, a platform to showcase black creatives and activists in the UK, Rani has helped to grant numerous opportunities for young talent across the UK to elevate their voices through like-minded brands to continue the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement. During her interview, Rani has a clear mission in mind - to provide lucrative opportunities to future generations of women to make their dreams a reality. However, this journey has not been easy. Rani explains that in some ways, working within the creative industry is like ‘trying to build a house on quicksand’ due to the nature of building a foundation on land that was not necessarily created for women. For this reason, her radio show ‘BrandedBlack’ as well as ‘Brand Share the Mic’ challenges the industry-set status quo to showcase talent across all industries. Rani shares a fresh perspective on the power of brands in that some onus falls on them to support marginalised communities to help shape the culture that many people idolise.
Dr Frankie Jackson-Spence, NHS qualified Junior Doctor, qualified PT and educational content creator.
Frankie wears the Zae Long Sleeve Regular Top in Chai.
“Only take advice from people you aspire to be like. Find your own light because that’s where the magic really happens.” - Dr Frankie Jackson-Spence
Frankie is a constant source of inspiration and light which is reflected in her daily job as a full-time NHS foundation doctor. During her interview, she expresses her interests in cancer clinical trials and delves deep into the content she shares via her social media channels to educate her audience with health care tips in bite-sized pieces. From anxiety to testicular cancer, Frankie’s main passion is to combat myths about societally-deemed taboo subjects to ensure that upcoming generations keep their health as a priority through simple daily habits. She embodies everything we love about inclusivity, using her knowledge and expertise to relate to everyone whilst providing useful yet transferrable health care advice. There is no doubt in her mind that the healthcare industry is quite male-dominated, but Frankie uses this to her advantage to showcase her own skills and strengths whilst bringing a new perspective to the table and advises future generations to do the same. She acknowledges that men and women have different strengths and International Women’s Day is an opportunity to let your own light shine whilst celebrating all women of the past, present and future who, in their own way, provide opportunities for women to make a real difference in the world.
Nicole Crenstil, entrepreneur, angel investor, cultural curator and CEO/Founder of Black Girl Fest.
Nicole wears the SkinLuxe™ Full-Length Top in Copper from our SkinLuxe™ collection.
“Don’t let other people’s opinions cloud what you want to do in life or the person you want to be - celebrate the things that make you great.” - Nicole Crentsil
Nicole is the perfect example of tenacity, innovation and hard work with a wealth of accolades that have helped to shape her career today. As a cultural curator, angel investor and CEO and Founder of Black Girl Fest, her reason to work is simple - to help bring the wonderful stories of aspiring women to life through her expertise and experience in the creative industry. Black Girl Fest, a platform dedicated to black women and non-binary individuals helps connect women, young people and underrepresented groups to the arts, culture and events. She is proud to express her love of womanhood and gives a word of admiration to her mother for the constant reminder that resilience and hard work are key points to remember in her daily life. “We as women are incredible and strong and so it’s my job to help other women bring their stories to life”. Nicole leads the way by hosting a multitude of events; from workshops and programmes to festivals, and she is passionate about providing these spaces and seeing a diverse and inclusive community of women thrive. As an angel investor, her role works beyond simple monetary assistance by providing a ‘sisterly’ role to support young female entrepreneurs, as she once was, to ensure they are building brands that can rise up to become very successful.
Grace Beverley, CEO and Founder of TALA and Shreddy, Forbes 30 under 30 and author of ‘Working Hard, Hardly Working’.
Grace wears the Aster Crop in Black from our TALA x ASOS exclusive collection.
Grace represents everything we love about International Women’s Day, from her constant source of energy to her incredible work ethic which she shares via her platforms to inspire her audience of women. Her drive, hard work and innovation have led her to found several ventures, notably the creation of TALA and Shreddy.
Her latest project has seen her become a published author with her upcoming book ‘Working Hard, Hardly Working’. This staple read kickstarts conversations covering hyper-comparisons, interconnectivity, the ‘hustle’ lifestyle and being sold the superiority of having a ‘purpose’. Grace’s words act as a palatable reminder of the importance of rest as well as providing tips on how to achieve more, stress less and feel fulfilled. As a young entrepreneur, she shares her experiences in relation to her leadership within her businesses, especially in a world that was not wired to welcome women as CEOs. Grace believes that International Women’s Day is a day of celebration, where we should ‘embrace our differences’ as these are the tools that make us as women powerful.
Head to our IG page @wearetala for the full Lead The Way video series!
‘There is nothing that we, as women, cannot accomplish’. - Michelle Obama.
Written by Elizabeth Alli