We recently connected with Griscelle and have shared our conversation below.

Griscelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

On December 8th, 2022, we lost our daughter, Evangeline. She was just 10 months old. Losing her shattered everything I thought I knew about life, motherhood, and purpose.

In the earliest days of grief, I found myself desperate to hold onto her — to create something that would not only honor her memory but carry her light forward in this world. And I kept coming back to one thing I loved most while she was here: dressing her in the cutest outfits. Clothes that felt like her. Clothes that told a little story about who she was. I loved finding pieces for her and her brother to match. And of course, I loved the classic “Mommy and Me” looks.

But I’ll never forget shopping for Father’s Day that year — searching for something, anything, for my husband to match with Evangeline. There were endless options for moms and daughters. Siblings. Coordinated holiday looks for the whole family. But when it came to dads and daughters? Almost nothing.

That stuck with me. And I realized — this wasn’t just a gap in clothing. This was a gap in culture. Dads were out there showing up, being playful, loving their little girls deeply — but where was the brand that celebrated that? Where was the space that made father/daughter connection feel cool, intentional, and celebrated?

That’s when Princess and Papa was born.

I wasn’t just building a brand — I was building a legacy. A love letter to the relationship between dads and daughters. A reminder that childhood is short, and the memories we create together are forever.

Starting Princess and Papa wasn’t a business decision — it was a heart decision. It was healing. It was hope. And every time a dad and daughter put on our pieces and make a memory together, I feel like Evangeline’s story is still being written.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a mom, a creative, a storyteller — and now, the founder of Princess and Papa, a clothing brand that celebrates the one-of-a-kind bond between fathers and daughters.

I never set out to start a clothing company. I started out simply as a mom who loved dressing my kids in ways that felt fun and meaningful — clothes that told a little story about who they were or reflected the season of life we were in. But after losing our daughter, Evangeline, everything about the way I looked at life, parenting, and memories shifted. I started to realize how sacred the little things really are — like matching outfits on an ordinary Saturday, or dad and daughter twinning at breakfast, or a simple shirt that sparks a conversation or a giggle.

And when I went looking for that for dads and daughters? It barely existed.

There are endless options for Mommy & Me outfits. Tons of sibling sets. Plenty of seasonal family matching. But dads — especially girl dads — were often left out of that narrative. And I just kept thinking: Why?

Dads are showing up. They’re doing school drop-offs, packing lunches, braiding hair, reading bedtime stories. They’re in it. And yet, there wasn’t a brand that celebrated that — that helped dads and daughters show up for those little moments in a way that felt fun, stylish, and intentional.

That’s the gap Princess and Papa was created to fill.

We create matching apparel for fathers and daughters — but more than that, we create opportunities for connection. We make it easy for dads to be playful, present, and proud of their role. Our clothes start conversations, spark memories, and create tiny traditions that kids remember forever.

Every design is hand-drawn with meaning in mind. Every collection is playful, approachable, and made to last through real-life moments — ice cream dates, trips to the park, Sunday morning pancakes, Father’s Day, and everything in between.

What sets us apart isn’t just the product — it’s the purpose.

I’m most proud of the fact that this brand carries Evangeline’s light forward. That every package we send out, every dad and daughter memory made, is part of her story now too.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about Princess and Papa, it’s this: we’re not just selling clothes. We’re helping solve a problem parents didn’t even know they had — the struggle to find simple, meaningful ways to connect in a busy, noisy world. Our matching sets are an easy yes for dads and daughters to step into joy together, to feel loved, to feel celebrated, and to create memories they’ll both carry for a lifetime.

Because childhood is short. But love like this lasts forever.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Absolutely. I feel like my whole story has been a series of pivots — but the biggest one was definitely stepping away from the corporate world to step fully into entrepreneurship.

For years, I did what so many of us are taught to do — I climbed the ladder, I built the resume, I collected the promotions and paychecks that were supposed to feel like success. And for a while, it worked. I loved being creative. I loved being part of a team. But deep down, I always felt this little tug — like there was something more personal, more meaningful, that I was supposed to build.

And then, life happened.

Losing our daughter, Evangeline, cracked everything wide open for me. Grief has a way of clarifying things. It showed me how fragile and precious life really is. And it made me ask harder questions: What do I really want to leave behind? What kind of legacy am I building? What story do I want my kids to watch me live?

That’s ultimately what gave me the courage to pivot — from corporate to creative, from stability to starting something of my own, from working for someone else’s dream to building my family’s legacy.

It wasn’t easy. It was scary and uncertain and stretching in every possible way. But it was also incredibly freeing. After designing the first few pieces, I felt this immense relief. I was inspired to create more pieces, more designs. And that’s what the mind does, once you’re in your own space, not tied down by the noise of meetings or corporate agendas, your mind goes free and creativity sets in. Your confidence builds and you continue to put one foot in front of the other.

And what I’ve learned is this: sometimes the pivot doesn’t start with a business plan or a perfect strategy. Sometimes it starts with a heartbreak… or a dream… or a whisper that says, there’s more for you.

Princess and Papa was born from that place — from grief, yes — but also from deep love, creativity, and a desire to create connection in a world that moves so fast. And I’m forever grateful I listened to that tug and let my story pivot into something new.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was the belief that success looks like perfection — or that I needed to have everything figured out before taking the next step. I used to think that in order to be successful, I had to follow a certain formula: climb the corporate ladder, achieve milestones at the right time, and do everything “by the book.” For a while, that mindset worked for me. I excelled in the corporate world, met my goals, and followed a clear trajectory. But when life dealt me an unimaginable blow with the loss of our daughter, Evangeline, it shook everything I thought I knew about success.

Grief forced me to unlearn the notion that life could be perfectly planned or that I had to have everything in order before moving forward. I realized that my pursuit of perfection was, in many ways, holding me back from living fully — from taking risks, from embracing uncertainty, from stepping into the unknown. The lesson I had to unlearn was that it’s okay not to have everything figured out. In fact, sometimes the magic happens in the mess — in the moments when we let go of control and trust that we can still move forward, even when we’re unsure of the destination.

That sounds great! The revised version clearly conveys your journey of stepping into the unknown and embracing the challenges along the way. It highlights the growth process while emphasizing the importance of resilience and adaptability. It feels empowering and real, especially for those who might be going through similar transitions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://princessandpapa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/princessandpapa_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/princessandpapa0121/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/griscelle-anacker/
• Twitter: https://x.com/matchingmoments
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrincessandPapa0121

Image Credits

mariannemccallphotography