What can’t she do?! Cara Santana just dropped a clothing collection featuring bold, beautiful pieces. But according to the star, it almost didn’t happen.
“Initially, this would have been my second season of a partnership I had with a major retailer,” she explains to Us. “The pieces were designed and the order was purchased, however COVID-19 turned not only the fashion industry, but everyone on its head, and the retailer was unable to maintain the partnership.”
This left her with the decision to either scrap it or release it on her own. Thank goodness she chose the latter. “As a woman, stepping into a new chapter of my life and establishing my new found independence and personal growth, I felt like it was the absolute right time to take a risk, and allow that to permeate through everything I’m doing.”
The 34-year-old created a line of fashion-forward pieces that are equal partsedgy and pretty. “I thought about the needs of every woman and what and how they want to feel when they get dressed. I wanted to create a line that was classic and fun and embraced the duality of strength and femininity that every woman has.”
To further embrace an empowering female message, Santana chose to name each of the pieces after microaggressive phrases women often hear, such as “She Loves the Attention” and “Can You Lighten Up.”
“I think it’s important to recognize that embedded in our society is a lack of representation of women in positions of influence and power,” she explains. “And often we are subjected to a subtle kind of misogyny that exists and is used to suppress our strength. It can be as simple as a backhanded compliment meant to limit our value and our importance.” She continues that this line is all about her taking her own power back.
With that being said, the launch isn’t just about releasing a pretty set of female-empowering items. She also wanted it to give back to the community. So, she partnered with Step Up, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring and uplifting high school girls in under-privileged communities to help them achieve a successful, professional future.
“We need more representation of women, more representation of women of color and supporting a new generation of young girls feels intrinsic to my value system,” Santana tells Us. “And for what this collection stands for.”
Keep scrolling to see and shop the brand new looks seen on Santana.
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