Let’s ask ourselves the following question: What separates an impactful business from one that merely exists? The answer would be passion and purpose. Without them, a business is just a transaction — soulless, uninspired, and easily forgettable. Passion encourages creativity, resilience, and the drive to keep going even when we’re faced with the strongest of challenges. Purpose, on the other hand, gives direction, meaning, and a reason for people to connect with your brand on a deeper level. If you don’t have a “why” behind what you do, you risk blending into the background, becoming just another option instead of the go-to choice. This is exactly what inspired our latest Cool Face of Bastet Noir to turn her passion and purpose into something tangible.
Nathalia Grisard is the founder and director of gngr bees, a sustainable activewear brand dedicated to addressing the challenges of consumption and waste. Through her work, she collaborates with social enterprises and charities worldwide to create meaningful solutions that promote environmental responsibility. Her commitment to sustainability and social good fuels her mission to make the world a better and more inspiring place, so keep on reading to find out more and get inspired yourself.
Nathalia Grisard is wearing The Mary Trench Coat, custom-made for her
Who is Nathalia Grisard?
I love this question because trying to define who you are always prompts a deep dive into yourself. Who am I? I am a woman who dedicates a lot of her time trying to find and show others the magic in life. I have rediscovered my passion for the planet after a life changing event in Tonga where I had the opportunity to dive with a family of humpback whales and that set me out to create my business, gngr bees, where we care for the planet by rescuing materials and creating everything from waste in order to sell beautifully crafted products and invest in a variety of planet and community based projects for the benefit of everyone. Beyond that, I am a pottery artist in the making, a mum of a brave and bright young girl and the cutest golden retrievers you have ever seen.
What’s your morning routine like?
The morning starts early in my house! At 6am I am getting ready for the day with Sophie (my 3.5 year old), often we will play with some yoga moves, we speak about what the day has in store for us, and we have breakfast. Sophie will go to school and I walk at the park with Sammy and Ella — where I clear my emails and listen to a good podcast whilst just enjoying being outside and getting some fresh air. That sets me up for a productive day.
Nathalia Grisard is wearing The Mary Trench Coat, custom-made for her
You are the founder of gngr bees, an activewear brand with a focus on sustainability and innovation, as well as comfort and style. Tell us about the origins of gngr bees, how did the label come to be?
gngr bees is the embodiment of everything I believe in — it’s a brand that aligns my passions with the world I want to see in the future. Growing up as a child of entrepreneurs I never wanted to have my own business as I saw first hand the sacrifices my parents made and the ups and downs involved in starting a company. Everything changed when I left university and traveled back from Tonga. I saw a real necessity to create a business with a purpose which was centered around the planet, education and empowerment. At the time, sustainability wasn’t really spoken about and we really focused on educating people and teaching them why their choices mattered. Today we have a beautiful community that stands behind us and advocates for the world we want to create.
As a fellow woman-led brand with you as the captain of the ship, how have you found navigating the murky waters of the industry so far?
Not easy — the era of social media makes it seem like businesses go from unknown to famous and it is easy to lose perspective or compare yourself which can be demotivating. I have encountered several issues along the journey from many angles — the hardest one to navigate was with our own supply chain as our suppliers were resistant to the idea of working with small quantities and with recycled materials. We really had to revolutionise our approach to production as well as create new ways packaging to make sure the supply chain (which is entirely made from waste) fitted into our way of doing business instead of agreeing to a system that is much outdated.
Nathalia Grisard is wearing The Mary Trench Coat, custom-made for her
Three things you wish you knew before starting out?
The people that surround you matter to where you want to get.
A business without passion or purpose, isn’t a business.
If a door is closed, don’t keep knocking, simply turn to the other door. Eventually they will all open.
Biggest setback in life and what you’ve learned from it?
I wouldn’t so much as call this a setback but I chose to leave home at 15 and go to the other side of the world for work. I didn’t speak the language nor had any money. Looking back, it may have been a little crazy, but it was the best decision I’ve made — it allowed me to realise we can each create the life we want to see and that it is ok not to have all the answers. Life unfolds into a beautiful and unique way if we stop and listen to it.
Books that changed your life
101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Wiest, The Sublte Art of not giving a Fuck by Mark Manson and Girls That Invest by Simran Kaur.
Nathalia Grisard is wearing The Mary Trench Coat, custom-made for her
Favorite female empowerment speech
“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle” — a great reminder that supporting others takes nothing away from us because whatever is meant to be ours will arrive on its own time.
What’s in your Bastet Noir cart?
Currently rather obsessed with The Mary Trench in Olive — the design is flawless and it would fit like a glove into my minimalist wardrobe!!
If you liked Nathalia’s story, there’s plenty more to come, just hit that sign up button to get in our inner circle of coolness and shop sustainable Bastet Noir dresses — zero waste and custom made.