March marks the beginning of women’s history month. as a women-owned brand, privé is constantly empowered by the hundreds of fierce forces in entrepreneurship who are using their businesses and brands to make a change in the world. although there are far too many to count, here are just a few of the many women who are inspiring us this month and every month of the year.
Abena Boamah—hanahana beauty
Hanahana Beauty is a sustainable, accessible skincare brand founded by Ghanaian-American entrepreneur, Abena Boamah. with a mission to uplift women of color, Hanahana Beauty sources its ingredients from the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Ghana and uses all-natural oils to create products that leave women feeling confident in their own skin.
on top of her brand, Boamah utilizes her following to advocate for mental health and holistic wellness and showcase the stories of black women from around the globe.
Abigail Cook Stone—otherland
Otherland is a millennial candle company female-founded by Abigal Cook Stone. since 2017, Otherland has been serving “experiential objet d’art” with their colorful, vegan candles that are aimed to transform your home into a scent-memory saturated wonderland.
when the world went into lockdown in March of 2020, Cook Stone started her fireside chats series where she interviews fellow women-industry professionals with a wide variety of backgrounds to learn everything from their self-care routines to how they started their successful brands.
Lesley Hampton—lesley hampton
Lesley Hampton is an indigenous-owned, size-inclusive fashion brand focused on authentic representation and mental health awareness. self-titled as “slow-fashion,” Lesley Hampton uses high quality, sustainable fabric in all their collections, and has recently been supported by body-positivity icons like Lizzo
a member of the Temagami First Nation, Hampton is an example of a designer using her art to lead social change by advocating for inclusivity and giving back to the community on multiple fronts.
Olivia Cheng—dauphinette
founded by Olivia Cheng in 2018, Dauphinette is a New York-based brand that creates eccentric jewelry and accessories, outerwear, and ready-to-wear fashion that any person obsessed with color and texture won’t be able to get enough of.
many of Cheng’s designs are made using recycled fur and leather byproducts, as well as vintage objects, making for unique and sustainable fashion statements.
Gabriela Hernandez—bésame cosmetics
Bésame cosmetics is a blast from the past. inspired by her grandmother’s beauty routine, Gabriela Hernandez, a cosmetics historian, founded Bésame in 2004 with the goal of bringing classic makeup traditions back into style.
owned and operated by Hernandez and her family, Bésame’s cruelty-free products geared towards sensitive skin offer glamour and luxury with their vintage style packaging and high-pigmentation colors.
Deepika Chopra—the optimism doctor
Deepika Chopra, also known as the optimism doctor, is a visual imagery and media expert who is using holistic practices and evidence-based science to help people manifest their goals and take a happier outlook on life.
with the optimism doctor, Dr. Chopra offers group workshops, optimism coaching, and guided evidence and sensory-based manifestation sessions. the clinical health psychologist has also recently created “things are looking up,” a card deck dedicated to inspiring optimism.