LOVE NOT FEAR was inspired in 2016, only 3 weeks before a 4 month journey back to India to study Classical Indian Dance at the Shakti School of Dance. Back in 2010 upon an earlier trip India I had made 100 dresses out of reclaimed saris. The dresses were so popular when I got back home in Toronto, I sold them all within a few weeks to friends and their friends. What people loved most was that each dress was unique and one of kind, and also very beautiful! I have always loved fashion, and always had my own unique style, where I would frequently design dresses to be made for me. I'm a terrible sewer but I know what I enjoy wearing, so when I bumped into a friend whose eyes brightened when I told him about the dresses, he said to me, "Why don't you make One Thousand this time?" And this is where it all began. Needless to say our first campaign One Thousand Dresses was very ambitious and I didn’t quite pull it off as I had planned.
During this time there was a lot of fear towards the Syrian refugees entering Canada after the Paris attack. It upset me to see how quickly people were manipulated by media, when those same fearful people were full of compassion when little Alan Kurdi washed up on the Turkish shore only a few months before. So when thinking of our name it was easy. What is the opposite of fear? LOVE! And this is how Love Not Fear began.
Love Not Fear can represent anything and has become THE ANSWER to all the conflict in this world. It is the answer to every single issue on this planet. Are you choosing to LOVE rather than fear?
Choosing LOVE
LOVE Not Fear stands for choosing LOVE. It’s stands for humanity, for equality, for opportunity, and for sustainability. It stands for healing and harmony and for the relief of suffering, within ourselves, for each other and the world around us. Love Not Fear is also a socially conscious lifestyle company that donates a percentage of proceeds to a different cause and/or charity each year.
For 2018 we will be raising funds to help 3 amazing kids in India go to college. Anju, Anjali and Rajesh all attend an NGO school called the Vikas Project, located in Pushkar Rajasthan. The three of them are extremely smart and creative and display so much potential for a better future with a good education. We are also working closely with their families to ensure that both Anju and Anjali will graduate college before getting married, as most girls do not complete their studies due to this reason. When I met Anju last year for the first time she just stole my heart, and I just knew that I had to help her somehow. Her love of school and her studies permeate her being and it would be a shame that because of tradition and poverty that she would not get to have this future. Stay tuned for a bigger project in the making, where kids from all around the world will get access to a proper education.
Meet Anju, Anjali and Rajesh
In 2010 I met a young boy named Natu while I was living in Pushkar Rajasthan in India. Natu was only 12 years old but had a wise old soul. The eldest of 5 children, when Natu was 8 years old his father died and Natu was forced to provide for his family. He lost his childhood at such a young age. Natu is part of the Bhopa Caste, a caste of musicians and folk singers to the Maharja Kings, yet today there are no kingdoms so the Bhopa are very uneducated and poor. On our most recent trip to India we bought a camel for Natu, so that he could start his own camel safari business. It’s been Natu’s dream to have his own camel so we raised funds through our Choose LOVE Campaign where $10 per Choose LOVE Tank Top or T-shirt sale went towards his camel. Since Natu got his camel he immediately started to work and was no longer on the street. We are very proud of him and the whole town of Pushkar is too!
Natu and Raj the Camel- Providing a sustainable living and future through our Choose LOVE Campaign
Our Collection
All of our designs are ethically made and sourced in India. We work with a small family run business who tailors our beautifully designed dresses, using up-cycled saris and dead stock fabric. We keep our productions small, as to not over produce and we like to keep our collections unique and exclusive. All of our dresses are named after different Goddesses and bring the qualities of the Goddess Archetypes to the person wearing our magical and stunning dresses. We also design all of our beautiful Brass Beaded Jewellery, our Goddess Pendants and some rings, along with some hand-sewn Tote Bags. All of our Brass earrings are sourced from a family shop in Pushkar but soon we will be designing our own.
Anandashakti and Lisa wearing our beautiful Lalita Dress
Some of our Gorgeous Brass Rajasthani Earrings
Love Not Fear is for the woman with style and who buys with purpose. Our designs are for the classy fashionista, the bohemian chic, the yogini traveller and the simply fabulous. If you are in Toronto or a few hours outside of the city and wish to Host a Dress Party, let us know! You will receive fabulous discounts and a free pair of earrings. All you have to do is invite your friends, supply refreshments and snacks and sit back with your friends to have a fun evening with the ladies! Contact us to book your Dress Party this Summer!
We are truly and honestly grateful for all of the support we have received from our clients, friends and customers as we are growing each day because of you! Our online store will be launching this Summer and stay tuned for our first Fall and Winter collection coming in September 2018 which will all be made in Canada! We will be collaborating with a social and fair trade company that employs Syrian Refugees now living in Canada.
Thank you for always choosing LOVE!
XOXO
