My Journey From Mismatched Corporate Suits To Pushing The Boundaries Of Tailoring

It all started when I went into my first corporate job after finishing university. I immediately noticed the lack of suits that were available to women. I remember that the men, rolling into any new corporate position, looked pristine, smart, and professional whereas we women were forced to mix and match business attire to create a somewhat smart look. It was a struggle.

I just remember not wanting to look like the rest of the women. Not that I looked down on them, but it just didn't make me feel good to wear a basic suit from H&M or New Look that more than likely didn't match and didn't represent me or my style. Looking back, I'm sure most of them felt the same way.

I finally went to Hobbs, as a young professional just finishing University, and managed to find something that looked semi-decent. Emphasis on "semi." Even then, as much as I liked my suit at the time, it was still pretty basic, and definitely more mature and stuffy than I really wanted to be dressing at my age (or any age, to be honest). It just didn't bring any of my personal style or attitude to my working wardrobe.

Apparently, if I wanted to look "professional," I could barely look like myself.

This was when the seed for my brand was planted, even if I didn't know it yet. It was a feeling or a desire that I always came back to. It just took me a while to get where I was going. But before I could embark on my fashion journey in tailoring, I somehow knew that I needed to go out and gain more life experience first. So I moved to Dubai. I faced similar challenges there, still lacking a corporate suit that worked for me. But I learned a lot more about myself and my work ethic, eventually, after a couple of years in Dubai, I suddenly knew that it was time to embark on my journey into the world of high-quality tailoring and professional fashion for women.

We deserve to climb the corporate ladder with the same level of tailoring and style that men have. This major gap in the market, combined with a movement of social change toward empowering women in business, became my combined creative calling. This had been building up inside of me for so long that once I realized this, I knew I was onto something big.

It's a question that has always been on my mind: why do men have so many options of getting a professional-looking suit? Whether they want something high street or high end, they always have somewhere to go. Women, however, are forced to piece outfits together, quite often in different brands, just to make do. This question forced me to dig deeper within myself to find what I wanted my brand to represent for the rising tide of women leaders in the world.

Whether they own their own business or they're climbing the corporate ladder, I want to be apart of women's professional journeys. I want to be a window to their imaginations. Empowering women through expert tailoring and uniquely professional designs is my part in gender equality.

My label, CHERIDA, is all about personal expression through power suits that ooze sex appeal, attitude, and self-confidence from every stitch.

The term "businesswomen" has changed over the years; now, in the 21stcentury, women are speaking up more than ever, finding their voice, their purpose, and really taking a stand for their convictions. Fashion has not just evolved to suit powerful women wanting to look and feel professional, but it also represents what modern women stand for.

CHERIDA found a way of saying goodbye to the stuffy corporate suits in a way that both represents and reflects the 21st-century woman.

I created this label to meet the needs of the modern woman by offering bespoke and custom-made options for our clients. The idea that true craftsmanship is something only accessible to men is now a thing of the past.

Our service has changed what it means for women to power dress.

All garments are handmade and adjusted to our client's precise measurements while offering a choice of fabrics and colors to reflect their personality and design preferences. Tailoring is a type of craftsmanship that goes way beyond high-end fashion. It's all about symmetry, form, and the experience of having something beautifully fitted to you. The feeling you get wearing something like this is priceless.

It's the feeling of being empowered by the simple act of changing your clothes. It's the cut and shape that accentuates your natural waistline and compliments your curves. The symmetry and the cuts within the tailoring are a form of expression that brings out the best in us from the outside in. All my clients have said they feel both sexy and professional wearing our designs.

CHERIDA has pushed the boundaries of British tailoring, not only by offering tailoring services to meet the needs of the modern woman but also by pushing the limits of what woven wool can achieve — combining masculine and feminine silhouettes to reflect gender equality in a completely new medium.

The structure of the halter top, that re-creates and revolutionizes the standard shirt and tie effect. Coaxing the wool to drape beautifully for a waterfall skirt. Marrying the feminine with the masculine to suit the preferences of boss women who are playing a multitude of roles.

Each piece is designed to empower women in their place of work and power whether that be at a board meeting, in court, at a conference, on TV, in editorial, or during any other public appearance. CHERIDA is a movement for women who are breaking boundaries in different industries worldwide and want their clothes to reflect their power.