To me, mother is a verb. It’s not something we are. It’s something we do. It’s about planting seeds and nurturing dreams and bursting with pride when we’ve helped others blossom. So, this Mother’s Day – biological mother or not – let’s celebrate the Mother Earth in all of us!

She had the brightest red hair and wore clothes that I would now label as ‘bohemian’. At the time however, I simply thought of my high school teacher Adèle as the most badass lady I had ever met. “I read about five books a week,” she told us once with enviable semi–nonchalance, and from that moment on, I became a voracious reader. Truth be told, I still sucked at language. And every time I wrote another terrible essay, Adèle would call me on it. “Because I believe in you,” she would say, and I would try again. Years later, at the launch of my literary debut, I handed Adèle the first copy: the tangible result of the seeds she had planted in me.

When you think of the word ‘mother’, what comes to mind? Probably first and foremost your biological mother. Besides giving me life, my ‘real’ mother gave me wings. Her love carried me – it still does! – while I was shaping my path. Yes, my journey was drastically different from hers as a traditional, stay–at–home mother, but she didn’t care. Just like Mother Earth herself, my mother just wanted to see me blossom in my own, unique way. And she wasn’t the only one. I was lucky to have many ‘non–biological mothers’ in my life like Adèle who planted seeds in me, then provided the water and sunshine for my growth. Which proves: loving and nurturing crosses biological boundaries. In other words, you don’t have to be a mother to mother.

I’ve been blessed to experience motherhood through having a wonderful daughter, but as a lingerie designer I have many other children: my designs and my clients. With everything I do, I want to give you the confidence to fulfill your potential. That’s why I came up with my motto, over 25 years ago: dare to dream, dare to grow, dare to be. The goal: to help you grow your dreams from tiny seeds to great heights. And of course, to see you shine when you get there! Isn’t womenkind a bit like Mother Earth’s eco–system in this sense: interconnected? By helping each other blossom, we blossom ourselves. And together, we can turn the tide.

So, this Mother’s Day, I want to give a shout out to all the women out there loving and nurturing each other and the planet. Whether you are beekeepers or business mentors, feminist activists or passionate high school teachers: with your ‘mothering’, you make the earth a beautiful place!

Happy Mother’s Day!