Entry No. 1: On The Beauty Of New Beginnings
Hello, My Darling,
There’s just something about a new beginning, isn’t there? A kind of quiet magic to it.
This year has already brought a handful of big ones for me—both personally and professionally. Just last week, all three of my kids had milestone moments. My oldest, Nataliya, graduated from high school (I still can’t believe it). My middle daughter, Sierra, wrapped up 5th grade and will be starting middle school across town in the fall. And my little guy, Isaiah—he’s heading to kindergarten.
It was one of those weeks that hits you in a way you don’t expect. Happy tears. Deep breaths. Moments where you pause and just think, Wow… we’re really growing up around here.
And in the middle of all that, something was quietly shifting in me, too.
Back in October, I made the decision to step away from social media. I did make a post about it—nothing dramatic, just something simple. I turned off the comments and likes and let it sit there for months as a quiet boundary. I needed space to hear myself think again. I wanted to remember why I started creating dresses in the first place. So I gave myself time.
And let me tell you—I found it.
I found it in stillness.
In taking long walks and flipping through old photo albums.
In the way my kids laugh.
In the stories my mom tells me about our family.
In vintage books and dusty shelves and the smell of spring.
In scripture.
In my sketchbooks—especially the ones I hadn’t touched in years.
Somewhere in there, I started to feel like myself again.
Not just the version of me who runs a business… but the version who used to dream about this life. The version who got excited about fabrics and silhouettes. Who would stay up sketching because an idea just wouldn’t leave her alone. The version who wasn’t trying to keep up with algorithms or industry expectations.
I remembered that I come from a long line of artists—brilliant, gifted women who didn’t always have the opportunity to be seen. Seamstresses, decorators, cobblers, women with taste and vision. And I’m carrying that legacy forward, in my own way.
Now that we’re halfway through the year, I’ve decided to open the door and start sharing more of this journey in real time. Not the filtered, perfect version. The real one. The quiet process of building a couture house again—from the ground up.
This little diary is where I’ll share what’s really happening behind the seams. The thoughts, the sketches, the spiritual downloads, the lessons learned. I want it to feel like a conversation—me and you, figuring it out as we go.
And yes—I finally feel ready to start posting again. I took down that quiet post and shared my first reel last Saturday, one that truly feels like the embodiment of Dani Simone Couture. But I’m not rushing back or doing this from a place of scarcity or pressure. I’m simply sharing what makes me proud. What inspires me. When and if I feel like it.
And if you stick around, you’ll get to see something really special unfold—my return to New York Bridal Fashion Week. It’s happening in April 2026, and I’ve never been more sure that this is what I’m meant to do.
So here’s to new beginnings, to old sketchbooks, to second (or third or fourth) chances, and to the beauty of becoming.
With so much heart,
Dani Simone, The Dressmaker
