Wow, we are 2 years old! That’s right, in Fall 2020 — smack in the middle of the global pandemic — we launched our athleisure & activewear brand, Lili Warrior, armed only with a pure desire to create change and your support of our dream to build.
I knew nothing of fashion,
I had no contacts in the industry (and the few I did know were unfortunately not the kind to help!),
I had no investors,
And a part of me thought: this just won’t work!
But I had a dream, a passion to create, to bring wonder and magic to people’s lives, to make our world better, prettier, one human being at a time. That’s why…
Lili Warrior uses vegan, recycled, upcycled and organic materials
Lili Warrior creates jobs for women who are challenged finding work in the classic job market
Lili Warrior operates as a “not-for-profit” business model
So — and I’m not going to reveal all my secrets 😉 — despite the great risks involved, I went for it anyways! Surrounded by my loyal team — the one that has been with me for a long time and has supported me in all my projects: Gwen, Sara, Mikhail, Stéphanie, Mary, Voni, and Frédérique.
Finding a name for the brand was first on my list. A name that represented women and the vision I had for us…you can read all about it in this article!
Then a logo to represent the Lili Warrior woman: our logo has actually changed a lot since the start, moving from a slightly boutique approach to a pro design. In general, we’re always progressing, changing and growing: every hour, every day, every month.
As we grew, new personalities crossed our path and became part of our adventure. I think of Bella, without whom this project would not have taken off; Joseph (our menstrual panty designer — yup, one of the few men on our team and he’s in charge of our most feminine product!); Vladimir (in charge of mobile and design); Laetitia who brought her passion and energy to every project, not to mention her talents as a photographer; and Marine, my awesome girlfriend, who has been there from the early hours of this project and thankfully is still sticking around ;). She played model whenever I needed one, always makes me look better with her amazing makeup skills, and boosts my morale (because yes, it’s not always a smooth ride!). And of course, Sherry and Klea, my “hawt mama” friends, whose smiles make every Lili Warrior outfit truly shine!
Israel was our high-end photographer who took our first professional fashion shots. Thank you so much for your creativity and your contagious smile. Kai’mi, your beautiful wife is a true model of strength.
And then there’s Zuzu, my soulmate, who knows everything. Everything about LiliWarrior’s secret recipe. Bursting with creative ideas, a hot model in her own right, a talented photographer…and, quite simply, a real friend through the ups and downs of business life.
A huge thank you to our journalists who support us by talking about us. Giving us a space for expression allows us to touch more lives, help more women, and continue to offer quality products that better our planet and its humans. Frédérique, Béa, Stéphanie, Joel, Janel, Maryya, Ariana, Carole, Christelle, and more!
And finally, a huge thank you to you, the LiliWarrior community: whether you follow us on Instagram or Facebook, whether you subscribe to our newsletter or are a fan of our products that you wear every day, without you, LiliWarrior would not be here.
To celebrate our 2-year birthday in a memorable way, we’re asking for 2 seconds of your time!
Send us a vertical photo or a video of you doing the 2-finger peace sign or forming an L with 2 fingers of one hand and a W with 3 fingers of your other, and we’re going to make a beautiful montage. Feel free to let your creativity express itself! Email your 9×16 (VERTICAL) video, without text and without editing, in mp4 format to [email protected].
Here we go for year #3!
Valerie Orsoni
Lili Warrior CEO & Founder
Sustainable & Socially Impacting Athleisure
PS. Follow us on Instagram @liliwarrioroff!
