Hello from Ella
Dear Friends,
To say that I miss each and every one of you, would be a massive understatement and I am sending my love and best wishes to you and your families. From someone who typically has fashion at the forefront of their world, I want you to know that establishing a way to preserve a safe and healthy community permeates my every thought these days.
Never, ever, in my wildest dreams did I think that I would find the need to transition my business from designing exquisite apparel for life changing events to designing and sewing masks for life saving efforts and yet, that is where we are at the present time. Our associates have taken to their homes, converted their spare bedrooms into sewing centers and are doing all that they can to protect our friends and neighbors. I realize that many of you have had to postpone weddings, galas and other long planned celebrations…for that, I am so very sorry, but for now, I know that we must all turn our attention to staying safe in the midst of this pandemic and patiently await the resumption of what we would consider to be our normal day to day routines.
To be honest, I’m not certain that any of us are even sure what normal means or looks like at the present time or what it will look like in the not so distant future, but knowing all of you and your resolve gives me great hope that we can weather this storm together, even if we are forced to do it apart. You may think that there is little to be grateful for given the challenges we are facing but I am asking that you join me in cherishing those incredible little things that have come about as a result of our current situation. I am thankful for the fact that many of us are afforded the opportunity to spend more time with our families. I am thankful that I see young children playing in their yards and riding their bikes along the sidewalk, truly enjoying the season of new growth. I am thankful for all of the support that I’ve received from the small business community and even more thankful for the same members of that community who deliver food and provide services for us all while adhering to the mandated policies. I am thankful for the enthusiastic waves and blown kisses from those who must keep their distance but still want us to understand that they care. I am thankful for the incredible health care workers who are risking all to give so many a fighting chance. I am thankful for every kind word, every social media post and every phone call that keeps me in touch with those who mean so much to me.
As we hold our collective breaths, waiting for the worst to pass, we need to also hold firm to the fact that things will improve, that we will gather together, if not sooner, then later and that we will heal and we will prosper, one stitch at a time. Wishing you and those you hold dear the very best until we meet again.
Love,
Ella