Why is it we say we don’t want to be seen as a monolith but then try and take people’s “black card” away for not liking something that’s historically and/or often associated with “being black”?
Author: Alexandria Pierce
Tété Lage
My name is Djenane I was born in Haiti, Grew up in Brooklyn- Crown Heights. I was surrounded by cultural influences and have always been creative. I’ve always worked in the hair and beauty industry but was never quite fulfilled. I worked for brands such as Mac, Sephora and Aveda. One thing I really enjoyed was customer service and bringing service and knowledge to my customers. So, you can say I love people but always felt like I needed to be working for myself.
In 2018 I was really focused on having a baby, this would be my second child but the first with my husband Alejandro Torres. My daughter’s: Sam who is 15, and my 17-month-old Zoe are my most precious creations. But pregnancy was really hard and postpartum was even harder. I was much younger when I had my first child, so I was able to bounce back quicker. But this time around it was really difficult, and the pandemic made it so much worse. Looking for an outlet to relieve my anxiety I started wrapping crystals.
Crystals have really been a huge part of my life. They bring calmness and open my chakras when I feel blocked. I purchased a Lapis Lazuli crystal and instantly started creating and felt inspired. One of the first earrings I made were a pair of breast hoops which I call Tété Lage, in creole this means breast that hangs. I remember not being happy with my breasts, I could never breastfeed. Second go around with Zoe I tried so hard to breastfeed, but it was so difficult and I just pumped for the first 5 months. It was also painful, so I felt a disconnect with my breasts and that is how I created my first piece.
I remember having a lot of mixed reviews thinking it was a bit too quirky, but I managed to make it a classy hoop. I created a lot of other pieces but would never thought that my boob earrings would be my bestseller on Etsy. As a new Entrepreneur, I am learning a lot about branding and how to run a business, but I must say that meeting other women who are amazing and supportive has been the best! I remember first creating my IG page for Eclairejwls and the very first interaction I had was with another woman owned brand! I had won a giveaway for being the 1000th follower- that was incredible and solidified that I was at the right place at the right time. So thankful for the olive branch and the safe spaces being creating; a space to build other new women entrepreneurs like myself.
My brand’s image is all about inclusion and body positivity. Reminding people especially on social media, that all boobs matter! Whether they’re lop sided, hanging to your knees, suffering from post-breast cancer surgery… all breasts matter and that we are all strong women. Even women in transition, our bodies are special and do amazing things!