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FROM OUR FOUNDER

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Dear Customer,

They say it’s the journey that matters, not the destination. 

And oh what a journey has been for me & my dear, old, faithful travel companion Bastet Noir.

From dusty old tiny production studios and cold, unlit warehouses filled with fabrics fighting for dear life, through sleepless nights and stress-induced days that blurred into one another, straight to the pages of Vogue and global fashion stages like Berlin Fashion Week, this company and I have been through thick and thin.

There are days when this lovely travel companion of mine feels like the love of my life and then there are those where it feels like my mortal enemy, existing purely to spite me. But regardless of our love-hate relationship dynamics one thing has remained constant: the life lessons it’s handed me over a decade of shared hotel rooms, delayed flights, and countless subway rides.

Today, as I sit down to pen this letter, there’s one lesson that keeps resurfacing, perhaps the most valuable one of them all, learning who you are.

That realization is what gave me the courage to dismantle a decade old, profitable business. Because what I had built was no longer a reflection of who I was, nor who I wanted to become. For a long time, I didn’t question it. In my mind, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the work translated into revenue, revenue that allowed me to support a community of women single parents, and domestic abuse survivors I had built around me.

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But it does matter.

In fact, it matters the most.

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As a designer, you’re given a stage and your responsibility is to use it. Your work becomes your voice. Your point of view is what sets you apart. And knowing exactly what that point of view is changes everything.

So here’s what this faithful travel companion taught me about myself:

I’m an accidental entrepreneur who was always meant to be a designer.

I believe in lifting people up.

I fall in love with potential and nurture it fiercely.

I’m an empath.

I’m loyal to a fault.

I’m a daughter, a sister, an aunt.

I have a serious love affair with art, fashion, and craftsmanship.

I take pleasure in creating.

I believe beauty isn’t optional, it’s essential.

I read. A lot.

And most importantly: I am a businesswoman who travels. Frequently.

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I am YOU. And it is for you I am designing. The woman who conquers cities and boardrooms, closes negotiations and once the noise fades, takes pleasure in the art of food.

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Naturally, this next chapter of Bastet Noir had to reflect that.

That clarity changed how I lead, how I design, and where I choose to place my energy. With that in mind, I decided to step down as a CEO, leave those reigns to the remarkable Tahani Taj, who I have no doubt will stir this ship much better then I ever could.

As for me, I’m throwing myself into the nitty gritty process of creating where ideas are shaped, details are obsessed over, and pieces are designed to move with you through cities, seasons, and the in-between moments that actually matter.

Which is why moving forward, my faitful travel companion and I are stepping away from seasonal collections. After the year I’ve had, I came to realize that not only is this way of working unsustainable, but in fact it’s outdated. So, instead, we’re focusing on something intentional. Something designed to last. Something created with patience, care, and deep respect for craftsmanship, including the revival of traditional techniques and an uncompromising standard of quality.

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That’s only possible if I stop designing collections

and start designing actual products that address the challenges of frequent travellers.

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So we’re starting with just one product. The modular trench coat, engineered to evolve with you. Designed for life in constant motion. A space-saving solution for women on the move, without compromising style.

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A cropped jacket.

A separate skirt.

A full trench coat.

Three pieces. One system.

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SHOP THE MODULAR DROP

This is the beginning of Bastet Noir, reimagined, shaped by experience, stripped of excess, and built forward from one modular idea.

Same journey.

A new route.

Lighter suitcase.

If you want to be a part of my salad brain and like to follow the thoughts, detours, and occasional overthinking behind it all, you’ll find me writing over on Substack. Thank you for staying, for evolving with us, and for making space for what comes next.

WITH LOVE,
Dani