Some periods are so dramatic and life-altering that even though you can’t even fathom the outcome yet, you already know in the depth of your soul: we will forever speak of before and after. As I write this, we’re in the midst of a revolution, accelerated by a pandemic: people in face masks are marching the streets. Just like the women who started the MeToo movement and the Swedish teenager who told the world: ‘Our house is on fire’, they were tired of waiting for change. And so, they became the change.

These past few months have been challenging, to say the least. But as I was moving through them, surfing the changes, striving to look after my family, friends, colleagues and myself, I was lucky to be in excellent company: my muse for this season, Cleopatra. No stranger to epidemics and revolutions herself, the Queen of the Nile inspired me to embrace challenges as a chance for self-improvement. As I was researching her life and legacy for my collection inspiration, I realized that Cleopatra – much like the worshipped cats of Ancient Egypt – had at least nine lives. From the loss of her kingdom to the assassination of her lover; each time she was dealt a devastating blow, the Egyptian queen would use her wits and creativity to come back with a vengeance. What better icon of hope for these turbulent times than the formidable ‘Comeback Queen’?

Putting together this season’s issue of my Feminine Feminist magazine, we were very much guided by Cleopatra’s spirit of resilience. Without access to the usual resources for our photo shoots for example, we became creative. Instead of flying in international top models, I recruited my own queens to star on these pages: my dear friends, amongst which recording artist Margriet Planting and DJ Jody Lynne. For our designer swimwear, we revisited my 70s childhood holidays on the North Sea – including our orange family tent! – celebrating hippie values such as an open mind and an open heart. You may call me nostalgic, but I think they may be exactly what the world needs now.

In uncertain times, we tend to turn our gaze towards the sky. Dating as far back as ancient Babylonian times and used by Cleopatra herself, astrology seems to be more booming than ever. Dutch astrologer Karen Hamaker-Zondag explained to me how we can use the stars to influence our fate positively. And speaking of agency, I talked to serial entrepreneur Janneke Niessen about how we can fix the funding gap for female founders. “Game the system until is is a level playing field,” she told me, while urging women ‘to go out and make connections’.

How right she is! Now more than ever, ‘connection’ is the magic word. Connection with others, like the badass women I talked with for our Instagram-live ‘Self-love Show’. (Check out the sauciest quotes here!). But also the connection to ourselves, to our inner source of strength: our femininity. I believe my interviews with feminist Egyptologist Kara Cooney and goddess dance coach Kaouthar Darmoni will inspire you to (re)connect to that ancient source of power. “Femme = fierce” is how Kaouthar sums it up so poignantly. Right now, I don’t know what the ‘after’ world will look like. But as Cleopatra showed us: once upon a time, women ruled the world. And I believe that if we stand together and stay connected, the future will be female. Fiercely so.

— Marlies Dekkers