We were lucky to catch up with Belle Diouf recently and have shared our conversation below.
Belle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Overcoming criticism, doubt, and being made fun of for parts of my life has given me the drive and motivation to empower women of all shapes ethnicities, and backgrounds. It took years of self-love growth and confidence to be who I am today. I remember very early on in my childhood growing up in a predominantly white town in Eugene, Oregon feeling misunderstood and like I didn’t fit in. I was searching for my power and identity. Being bullied in school, dealing with racism, and even sometimes made fun of at home for my dark complexion affected my self-worth, confidence, and mental health. I would be told I’m pretty for a Dark-skinned girl, kids would make fun of me for being from Africa and having big lips. As I transitioned into adulthood and had my child my Ex would tell me I would never be anything, and strangers would tell me I was too young to be a mother. As an up-and-coming fashion model, I was told I was too short or muscular to do runway or be a model. It seemed no matter how hard I tried or how much I accomplished, like getting myself into college on an academic & basketball scholarship, moving across the state to chase my dreams, delivering and birthing my child at home, raising a self-aware precocious daughter whose intellect, exceeds her peers, finally leaving an abusive relationship to find myself… as confident as I tried to be it felt like my mental health was being challenged and the criticism never seems to stop. I knew I had to regain my self-worth and be my own fan and support system. As I started my modeling career I started to realize how much the fashion industry has often perpetuated narrow definitions of beauty, leading to negative body image issues and low self-esteem among individuals which was what I fought so hard to overcome. The models I was around a lot of the time had negative attitudes towards each other and complex body image issues which caused them anxiety, and doubt, and left a profound impact on their mental health. I worked so hard to foster my self-acceptance and self-love so being around so much negative energy turned me off to the modeling world for a while. I teamed up with an industry friend who was dealing with these issues personality and not only related but could promote positively within the struggle. I founded the brand, where we aimed to cultivate Body Positivity, self-acceptance, and self-love. I wanted to emphasize that all bodies are worthy of respect and admiration. By fully embracing my body and style I could encourage others to do the same, to promote healthier attitudes towards ourselves and one another. This line was created for Women by women. Women who unapologetically embrace all aspects of themselves. My mission is to redefine womanhood and to help women gain their strength and voice. To identify with themselves, no matter what society may identify them as and to unlock the potential that is within them, to enjoy the grace and essence and celebration of femininity and the empowerment of women. I believe that embracing your skin and reveling in your confidence are essential ingredients in the journey toward self-love and self-expression. My brand creates a world of comfort, sensuality, and elegance for every woman who seeks to honor her unique beauty, curves, and sense of style.
Belle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Hi, I’m Belle Diouf founder and designer of Eniandbelle. I started my business as a single mother working in the modeling industry and selling stocks. I’ve always had big aspirations in life and wanted to start my own business. A life and business that I would be proud of and able to scale to one day pass on to my daughter. I’m a big advocate for women’s rights and Empowerment. I just got back from a conference in Brazil where I spoke on social justice, women’s equality, and rights. It was an honor to be a part of such a big international conference and to be around so many respected and powerful women. I got inspired in Brazil and started working on my collection “Stardust” upon my return to New York. We live in an era where BBLs, tummy, tucks, boob lifts, and implants are the new beauty standard, well I wanted to put a stop to all those risky surgeries. I felt compelled to make a collection that was redefining. I wanted to make women love themselves again without having to spend thousands of dollars to feel and look sexy and desirable. Women need to understand that redefining womanhood and motherhood is the mission! It’s a dynamic & process that reflects our evolving social, cultural, and personal perspectives of individualism. Going against societal norms. Over the years, traditional notions of womanhood and motherhood have evolved significantly, acknowledging that they are not fixed concepts, but rather fluid and open to reinterpretation that could help women to better live in their power.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My resilience has been cultivated over time. I would have to say that moving to America as an immigrant child knowing 4 languages but growing up in a disturbingly racist town made me resilient. I was separated from my mother and African family and then a few years later lost my father to the streets as he battled with addiction. But ultimately, none of that stopped me from my goals. playing sports I believe gave me the strength and confidence to show my resilience in a different light which helped me succeed in life and help and empower others. I never gave up on myself, and my family and never forgot where I came from.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
As I’ve grown I’ve had to do a lot of self-reflecting and unlearn a lot of lessons that no longer serve me. There were so many times I had to deal with adversities and would get so hard on myself. I had to unlearn that not see myself as a victim in my struggles, and not allow issues to overplay their role in my life. I learned that it was okay to fail, and when I did fail I picked myself right up and kept going. Never look back away look forward, I reinvent myself as many times as it took and stopped caring what anyone thought of me. I stayed disciplined grounded and held my morals, values, and integrity high. I became open and transparent in my journey with myself and others, unlearning old habits and connecting to my spirituality, and culture, simply changing my mindset and environment, and surrounding myself with genuine people made me happy and able to achieve my goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BelleDiouf.com, www.eniandbelle.com
- Instagram: Iam_beautifuliss,
- Facebook: Eniandbelle
- Linkedin: Eniandbelle corp
- Twitter: Eniandbelle
- Youtube: Eniandbelle