“For every negative thought you have about yourself, tell yourself I’m actually taking a bet on myself this week, my resources and talents are unlimited.” No one could have said it better than fashion’s very own quirky girl, Freddie Harrel. She is totally #WCW goals.
Originally named Frederique Harrel, the Paris-born, dark skinned beauty arrived on the pop culture scene as a style blogger and a stylist. Although hugely successful at her craft, she hasn’t always been so confident about her work or even her body. Despite achieving success, she shares how she struggled with finding confidence despite knowing that fashion was what she was made for.
See, I haven’t always felt confident or comfortable in my own skin. Throughout the past few years and as I transitioned from a teenager to a woman, I got closer to my femininity. How could I start to experience and love the person I would see in the mirror, make her as bold and strong as I wanted her to be?
Around her, she couldn’t find anyone who was ‘making it’ without being sexy. She admits on her website that she didn’t like the idea of having to look a certain way to be perceived as sexy and sexy was going to detract from everything she knew she aspired to become.
I began to think that I had to squeeze myself into tight and revealing outfits to be perceived as an interesting, lovable, and beautiful woman. The problem wasn’t about looking sexy, but about sexy not being how I wanted to dress everyday. I also realised that there was so much more I wanted to be perceived as, and my dress code would just distract the attention from it
In line with building her confidence, Harrel describes how she would opt for bright and bold looks: Metallics, bright colours, big hair; if she couldn’t feel it, she would look it. From then on, her journey unfolded and she left corporate banking for digital marketing, which invariably led her to the world of fashion. That was only the start as her career and lifestyle would take her into hosting workshops on fashion, brand management, entrepreneurship and confidence. Freddie shows no signs of slowing down.
On the home front, she’s a wife and a mother of two.
Yesterday, it was announced that she would be launching her very own natural hair line which she’s coyly calling ‘Big Hair, No care’. The line of synthetic wigs and clip-ins come in a range of natural textures and colors designed to be a fool-proof solution for Black women looking to protect and have fun with their hair. The line is also ‘pocket-friendly’, that was a feature, she was all too particular about.
“My line is for poor women because many Black women lack the skills, time, or money to experiment with weaves and wigs”
Their first pop-up store will be taking place in Brooklyn, New York in the coming weeks.
If there is one thing to take home about this eccentric young woman, it’s to put our best foot forward and never let fear win. I’m an avid fan of her careless abandon for norms, even in the world of fashion, and absolute directness at being her goofy self always. Never let someone with bad eyebrows, tell you you’re not the piece and the dime. Own your throne!
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