Lucia Bosch - Giving a second chance

With a long history behind us, Lucia and I have re-encountered many times in our lives. First her dad and my mom dated for a while, and at the time our age difference made it hard for us to relate, but a couple of years later we reconnected through friends and became very close, we even worked together!  Now, Lucia is an entrepreneur based in Mexico City who along the side of her partner Ximena de Iturbide launched Armario Comunal - a second hand clothing pop up. She also has a handbag brand called Juana de Mexico, which she manufactures in Mexico and designs herself. When thinking of who would be the next “Fortune of changes'' interview I had Lucia in mind, as I’ve been witnessing her projects closely and I think she is and has always been looking to revamp Mexican traditional standards. There’s a lot of  opportunities to bring new and innovative projects to Mexico.  

Mid June I went to her apartment Downtown Mexico City. She lives in this stunning  Art Deco building where the renowned jazz bar ZINCO is. The building is absolutely fabulous, robust, gray with golden lights and symmetrical accents which make you feel back in the 1950's.

O: So, I just briefly introduced you, but can you tell us more about Armario Comunal? How did the idea surge and what was the thought behind starting this because it is an amazing idea that no one in mexico had ever really thought of

L: Beyond fashion, personal style has always been something I am very passionate about. I love seeing people being they’re most authentic selves - when they take risks to be different and unique. I love finding gems in the least expected places or seeing potential in things you wouldn't even imagine becoming “something else”. I believe in second opportunities as each and every one of us give a different meaning to what we own, this is the main idea that lead to create  Armario Comunal.

One day while talking to my business partner Ximena, we were discussing all the clothes that just sit on our closets dusting. We were wondering what it would look like to be seen by new eyes… so we gathered all our close friends and told them to take things they no longer wore or had bored them, and we made exchanges between us all. 

People heard about this and wanted to join, so we saw a great opportunity to gather clothes and create an inventory which eventually became a good amount to set up as a pop up, and from there it's been more than 5 years that we have not stopped and this has taught us the importance of not wasting and to be conscious when we buy new things.

O: What have you learnt about this business and do you want to share any surprising and exciting things about it

L: I’ve learnt that it is a very noble business, where it is 100% based on creativity, as there is a lot to do to uncared or unwanted clothes, The most important thing I’ve learnt is how important it is to be conscious in how we consume, as clothes are not degradable and sometimes it is better to repair, recycle or re invent. It is undeniable that we live in a time where marketing makes us shop non stop. However, this has led us to consume without reasoning or intention, making things become obsolete. 

These past 5 years we have realized that people are becoming more and more conscious, also this initiative has spread our message across a city where people did not have this ideology, but seeing things change slowly and people joining makes me really happy. 

O: Changing subjects a little -  I mentioned Juana de Mexico, your handbag brand before. Could you share what is the inspiration behind your creations?

L: Juana was born from my boredom (ha - as ideas usually do). When I had a 9-5pm job and I was eager to have a side thing for myself since my job was not very inspiring. I have always been very creative and I  tried to take the lead on ideas before the spark died off. At that time in my life I realized that making bags wouldn't be so compicated as they aren't any sizes or complicated variants to them. And this was the  perfect excuse to experiment with all my interests such as  photography, fashion, colors, materials and so on. 

Juana evolved along the years, and I could say it is very simple and minimalist since the intention is to keep them as long as possible but also for it to be practical enough to take a paper envelope or a bunch of essential things you need throughout your day. Bottom line, is “the simpler the better.” 

O: Given that you’ve made a lot of very cool trips around Mexico - what would you tell people from abroad to visit/do?

L: I love Mexico. There’s so much to do and explore - I still have a .lot of things to discover but one of my favorite experiences was a camping trip I did last year, all along  the coast of Sonora, in the high California Gulf. These were the  most impressive landscapes I had ever witnessed, like the Paredones, Altar Dessert Pinacate and the beaches in the reservoir of el Cajon del Diablo. 

O: Thank you for sharing this with us Lu! We are very exited to see what is coming with ODISSEA x ARMARIO soon, so stay tuned!

Text by Nathalie Martinez

Dreamland x Odissea

How many of us don’t get lost in day dreaming?

Sometimes you fantasize during the day about your old self. The inner child that as years went by grew, learnt and matured. We often get caught up in our day to day, fulfilling achievements, accomplishing expectations and so on, but we tend to forget how to just “dream” - that, which makes all magic come to reality, what makes us want to go further.  

Not having dreams is like an invisible shadow

“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

ocean goddess

Odissea’s identity was born in 2019, inspired by greek mythology. If you are familiar with the story behind the brand - Odissea is named after The Odyssey, Homer’s poem - as he described life as “a voyage marked by changes of fortune”. At this time of my life I was beginning my own journey living abroad, persuing my dreams, transitioning into a more mature self and trying to understand my place on earth better - this phrase gave me a lot of meaning.

As I studied more about greek mythology, I found meanings that conveyed what my creations represent. For instance, Nekyia in ancient greek means “a rite by which ghosts are called up and questioned about the future." The pieces in this collection are one of a kind and unique, made with shells, pearls and semi precious stones which makes them an amulet to keep during your life’s journey.

Ocean Goddess is the newest collaboration of Odissea with photographer Christine Jiang. Alexandra portrays Venus; the goddess of love and beauty. Capturing the innocence and playfulness, these pictures represent our Nekyas collection pure essence - femininity, playfulness and sexiness.

With all the natural elements the pieces are made with, they blend in with the ocean and surroundings - making us travel to this moment of bliss.

The ever changing expression of our pieces represents change as a path for beauty.

Furthermore, it is important to remind ourselves that there’s a story behind us all.

Changes of fortune No. 3 - Marie Laffont

When thinking about contemporary women, I always think to myself that we live in an extraordinary time where “women” are able to decide, choose and have a voice. I can’t imagine living 50 years ago and having to be a certain way to fit societal standards.

I started this new project called  “Voyage marked by changes of fortune” to share the story behind the people whom I am inspired by. Their journey in life and the unpredictable turns it had to get them were they are. I ‘ve always found fascinating the context around how they got to where they are, because the past is what shapes you to the now.

For this second interview, I thought of someone who is an odissea inspiration, so I picked…

Marie Laffont.

We met through friends in common back in 2020 and I instantly felt like we were going to be good friends.

Marie to me represents a contemporary superwoman - she is a daughter, sister, mom, wife, designer, friend and entrepreneur. I became very impressed by how she managed to live her “mom” life in such harmony with her social life. If any of you know Max, her oldest kid you would understand what I am talking about. Max is part of her life and all of ours, he hangs out with adults and he's the funniest little guy to have around and last year she was pregnant with her second child, Gaspard. Having witnessed her pregnancy, I was absolutely inspired to be a mom myself one day. She never set her life apart, and of course some things do change as you become a responsible adult. Goodbye smoking, drinking and a late night social life, but Marie has always been the one to be around and bring joy to the small “New York family”.  

O: Marie, what does it mean to be a woman for you now?

M: Nowadays, women need to be strong and manage to juggle everything at the same time. Before chores were limited to taking care of the children and being “moms” but now you are a mom, wife and business woman - either working for a company or for yourself.

O: Last year was a very hard year, with a lot of things going on - as a business woman and a mom, what did you learn?

M: The world is in danger and as moms it's important to think about the future. Our kids and the future generations will have a very hard time co-existing on our planet if we continue as we are right now. 

A take on I had from last year is time management. I think it  is something a lot of people underestimate, but with my second baby I’ve realized it is critical for us to be able to focus on what makes us happy and what is important for us, which inevitably is what inspires our creative practice. 

Since last year I’ve allowed myself to “dream”.  

I started paying more attention to my needs - a wake up call telling me to take care of myself. Managing the time to eat well, drink well and enjoy life because we never know….

O: What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who want to do the same as you?

M: Never give up.

O: What is your strongest inspiration?

M: Think more about quality than quantity. When creating Marie Laffont I wanted to create a brand which translated high quality & simplicity. All the homogeneric brands that mass produce have a very negative impact on our planet in terms of consumption, production and creation. People often think of high quality as too expensive and not worth it, but in the long run high quality products are an investment, and a long term one. My shoes are the highest quality, and they are crafted by Italian Artisans using their age-old techniques, making our shoes one of a kind. 

As a small brand this is what I would like to convey: “Quality over quantity”.

O: What is the most important message that you want people to take away from when buying a pair of Marie Laffont? 

M: As I said previously, my main priority for Marie Laffont is quality.

O: Where does your inspiration come from?

M: My collections are inspired by women artists whom I imagine wearing my shoes. For instance, my collection “Georgia” was inspired by Georgia O'keeffe and Frida. My boots are named after Frida Kahlo. 

Later S/S 21 collection was an inspiration of the nostalgic feeling of missing the South of France, where I grew up going in the summers. During this time I hesitated if I would ever go back to the place I enjoyed as a kid so all the memories, the textures, and colors inspired me for this collection. 

F/W was difficult because I lost my mom so the one pair of shoes I designed was GIGI, naming it after my mom. 

Bon, that comes to an end of our interview with Marie Laffont, a superwoman odissea is very inspired by. Head to her website to learn more about her brand www.marielaffont.com and stay in touch for her upcoming releases!

Hablamos con las creadoras de 6 marcas que debes conocer - L'Officiel Mexico

Read the interview at L’Officiel Mexico

Changes of fortune No. 2 - Caroline Lucia

Credit: Nathalie Mtz.A

Caroline and I met back in Paris in 2016. We were introduced by a common friend since I was living there at the time and she needed a place to stay for a couple of days. Since that first time we met at La Banquette Cafe - cute little coffee place in Le Marais a couple of blocks away from my old apartment we became good friends. We shared a lot in common, since she started her career in New York and then moved to Poland, LA and eventually ended up in Mexico City.

She now works for Zii Ropa and is an amazing photographer that captures life and moments through her lense.  

O: So, I’ve introduced a little bit about yourself and how we met which has been for almost 5 years. Do you want to tell us a little bit about your jumping around the globe?

C: New York City is a transit city where I met so many people from other places that when my time was up, I wanted to see those friends so I took myself to Europe and traveled a bit to Barcelona, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin and around. By the end of that summer, I wanted to stay in Europe but somewhere where I spoke the language and that's why I ended up in Poland. Both of my parents immigrated to the US and I grew up speaking Polish - I had this desire to live in the country where my parents grew up and understand their story and my heritage. I lived in Gdansk for about a year, going to school and taking on freelance projects like the one that took me to Paris, where I met you, Nathalie! After almost a year, I felt like I needed to progress in my career and with some influence from a new love, I moved to LA. I worked in wholesale and even got into styling! I really liked it there but never was enamored by the city so when my boyfriend at the time said he wanted to move back to Mexico City, I was all in for it.

I had visited Mexico several times before this big move and through a very special friend of mine, Marina, I met a lot of people from here throughout my 20s. So when I finally moved, it all felt very, very easy and harmonious to settle in. And now, I am coming up on 3 years of living here and can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be. Since leaving Chicago, Mexico City is the city I have lived in the longest and where I feel the strongest ties to.

O: I think we have in common the fact that we’ve moved around cities looking for new opportunities. What would you share, you’ve learnt about this?

C: Say yes to those opportunities that might give you a little bit of fear or doubt in your respective career. There were so many times when I felt uncomfortable going to a new place or taking on a new job but always at the end of the day, there's a takeaway. May it be a new friend, a new place discovered or something about your capabilities and what you need to work on. With all the random jobs I have taken, I can confidently say I know what I DON'T want to do! Sounds silly but it's brought me closer to doing what I want to do. People just need to get out of their comfort zones!

O: I know you’ve mentioned feeling like Mexico is home. How so? It’s such a different culture to where you grew up.

C: Oddly, my Polish culture shares many similarities to Mexican culture. It is hard to describe but there's something familiar and I also think being surrounded by my closest friends and their families' being so inclusive has made this place feel so much more like home than NYC or LA. NYC and LA can sometimes have a little bit of a pretentious attitude, it's hard to find genuine people (not always). In the end, my community here loves to have a good time and are there for you. That's what I want home to feel like.

O: I have been a huge fan of Zii Ropa since I got introduced to it by you! what would you like to share about the brand so more people know?

C: I am so proud to be a part of this project and seeing it grow the way it has. Observing fashion in Mexico, it sometimes lacks simplicity and functionality in its design and ZR is just that. Our founder and designer, Bridget, has such a solid vision and isn't influenced by the fleeting trends and has created a space that works for her and the rest of the team. And I think opening the store was very important for us so that our customers can see a physical location that encapsulates ZR's ethos and identity. Doing that during a pandemic year was nerve wracking but it has been successful so, it feels like anything is possible! We have many plans in the pipeline and will stay true to our core and grow organically.

O: Where do you think the world is heading to with fashion and the retail world?What do you think is important to know about brands when buying from them - specially if they are emerging brands?

C: I try to buy from brands that are authentic, maintain integrity, and have fun. I dont think fashion needs to be politicized and instead it should be a space to explore yourself and have fun. The world is so crazy as it is, so to me, I want to shop with brands that give me a little bit of escapism. But above all, knowing what you are wearing, how it was made is always important. At the end of the day, fashion is a huge polluter and we need to be more conscious of what we are wearing, who made it, who benefits from it etc., hence, I think second hand/vintage is huge right now! We have enough "stuff" in the world to keep going round and round!

O: What are your three favorite brands

C:

1. ZII ROPA

2. Chloe

3. my mom's closet ;)

O: What is your favorite thing to do?

C: Having a moment to soak up some Vitamin D

O: What is your favorite restaurant? (it can be anywhere!)

C: I'm not a big foodie but I love to go to restaurants for a good time with good friends and obviously good food. So I will have to say a place I frequent because their pastries, sandwiches and fresh sourdough are deli! SAINT in Condesa

O: What is your favorite city in the world?

C: Mexico city <3

Instyle Mexico February 2021

“Instyle Mexico mentiones @odissea.ny as one of their 10 top Mexican jewelry brands.”

Natural Beauty, Victhoria la Carioca

“I was raised as a wild soul, always barefoot feeling the soil and the sand. ”

— Victoria

By Ingrid Azeredo

To be born and raised in a city like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has many advantages - I can easily name a few ones:

For example, Rio de Janeiro’s climate is tropical Atlantic, the city has important parks and ecological reserves, such as the Tijuca National Park, considered "Environmental Heritage and Biosphere Reserve" by UNESCO, plus Rio has paradisaic and most famous beaches in the world - this amazing se connects us cariocas (term used for those born and raised in Rio de Janeiro) to nature in every way. Victhoria is a great example of a Carioca girl, with her unique beauty, style, daily care routine, and definitely, her tan.

When I was thinking of how to describe a perfect beach girl, Victhoria was the first girl in my mind, therefore, I invited her to talk us through her details and secrets of her beauty care.

I: What is your relationship with nature?

V: My relationship with nature started when I was a kid. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, however, my childhood was in Bahia. I grew up in a beach house with a garden full of fruits, and the beach was right across the street. We used to go fishing, and we´d cook and eat what we had just fished right there, on the boat.-I was raised as a wild soul, always barefoot feeling the soil and the sand. When I moved to Rio de Janeiro this connection did not change. Still to this day, if the sun is out, I will sure be there, on my own.

There are a few things that I feel the most pleased to do. A perfect day for me would be going to the beach, swimming,  feeling the sand sticking to my feet, drinking coconut water and eating a traditional carioca snack “ the hot cheese”- it cant get any more carioca than that. It feels so renewing when the sun is burning my skin. That feeds my soul, who I am, my story. My connection with  soil,  even though I don't have a regular yard, I do have a garden and I love watering my plants - it's very therapeutic, right? Right now in the current moment we are living in the world, this is what brings me daily energy: watering the plants, while listening to good music and sunbathing.I couldn't imagine myself without having all these in my life.

I: Do you feel a relation between your connection with nature and the use of natural/homemade products that you make?

V: Definitely, there is a connection between my skin care routine and nature. My mother’s family is from the interior of Bahia, Maragogipe. My grandma always lived with us and raised us (we are 4 siblings).Farming, freedom,  manual work, my grandma´s homemade culinary natural recipes,  have always been part of my life. I am sure that it influences me without even realizing - it makes me believe in the power of nature. If we analyzed that all the industrial products have within natural factors, why then not use the material in raw?Although, I do use industrial products too and believe in their results - I would be lying if I told you not. However, I do believe that results from raw materials are as satisfactory or more noticeable when I use them in my skin and hair.They make me feel good and energized!

I: Tell us a bit more about  your beauty care routine? 

V: I don't consider myself a strict person about my beauty care routine, but I do have daily essential care with my skin, that definitely makes a difference,  and sunblock is one of them.  Is either a regular one or a foundation that has SPF. Also every day,  I moisturize my lips and skin with a message technique - it's so quick and simple that it became the best way to do it.Furthermore, I  never sleep with makeup on, I make sure I wash my face properly with a facial soap, moisturize with coconut oil (my favorite product actually) before going to bed. Lastly Iapply some cream I am into right now - the “Copaíba” cream ( made out of a famous tree from Amazon with functions such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and healing.) It helps my skin to feel smooth and soft.About my hair…well, it has always been a love relationship. It's part of my personality since I was a kid, I was always very scared of having it cut and when I started to learn how to take care of it, our love intensified.It started when my grandma braided my hair everyday before I left to school, while growing up this made me appreciate it. Eventually it was a big part of me while growing up,  I learnt and had preferences of  beauty esthetics. I have never washed my hair more than 2x a week - And when I heard that it was good not to use shampoo every single day, I just kept this rule .

I started working at 17, and I looked for alternatives to take better care of myself without spending too much money - I found natural methods. I discovered cool recipes that to this day, I keep trying and testing  many things,  but not everything works for me.

I: Why do you prefer homemade products to industrial ones?

V: As I said before, the industrial products always have natural raw ingredients in them but add many other things, here its were it looses its simplicity. For example - I.e: the avocado hair mask with honey. Why not use the avocado and honey instead? Right? It's cheaper and more efficient,  definitely it will not damage your hair.But industrial products? I do use too -I am not always willing to prepare those beauty blends and plus there is also the specific component I need to get at the pharmacy.Yet, if I had to choose, it would be natural. After all, what can be better than what mother nature offers us, right?

I: With what  frequency do you use them? What were the results that you encountered, did you see any difference from what you used before?

V: I would say that I use facial  moisturizer the most - varies from 4 - 5 times a week - but I am always switching the mascaras and exfoliator every two weeks. However, with my hair once every week.

I feel more energized, overall.- My hair and skin feel fresher and healthier. Besides, making recipes from scratch is very pleasant for me.

I: Which one is your favorite homemade product? Could you share the recipe?

V: The ingredient that I use the most to make homemade recipes  is the Coconut oil. I can make up 20 recipes and always add coconut oil in all of them. It's incredible! It has so many uses, something so simple I carry everywhere. Also, it is a good Lip Balm - very moisturizing.

I: What can't  you live without?

V: The beach, 100% ! I miss the beach so bad right now  in this quarantine times.

The power of Gemstones

“NEVER STEAL CRYSTALS, EVER. IT IS BAD NEWS ”

— BLUMAU

By Ingrid Azeredo

Probably you have heard of gemstones, or had a friend who was very interested in their use, right? -  Well, we interviewed someone who can explain to us a bit more about them, and for us to start using them ourselves.

In ancient Egypt and other antique cultures, people believed gemstones had a wide array of health benefits. These carried within them health bonuses depending on the gemstones or mineral. Some people use gemstones as part of their spiritual practices to restore energy fields, gain peace, protecting, and promoting love and safety. Crystals are arranged on or around your body to start healing, this is an energy process where the crystals can act as a channel that helps positive healing energies to flow into the body, rejecting and restoring all the negative energy stored in our physical bodies. 

Brazil is known for producing world-class quality gemstones and some of the world’s most striking and rare stones. I am Brazilian, and while living in Brazil I had the pleasure of meeting a shining soul that taught me a lot about spirituality and the use of instruments mother nature offers us - Gemstones among them - His name is Blumau. I decided to interview him to share with more people all of these amazing secrets that are so easy to implement in our lives and especially now with such uncertain times.

Q: When did you start your spiritual path?

A: Well, I was born and raised in a small village surrounded by the Atlantic Forest in the south region of the state of Rio. I don't believe one can spend their childhood among nature without experiencing spirituality at firsthand. To be one with nature is to deal directly with what some people know as “God”. I can say that I was born in a masterclass of spirituality- walking barefoot on grass, feeling the wind playing with the trees, smelling the rain coming beyond the mountains, witnessing how something  you plant grows as time goes by... it doesn’t get more spiritual than that. However, I must say that once you are born in this planet your spiritual path starts, whether you recognize it or not.

Q: How did the gemstones appear in your life? Which was your first experience with them?

A: I grew up in a pretty holistic family. My parents were always studying something new so I was fortunate enough to grow up with dozens of amazing books about psychology, behavior, religions, and spirituality. When I was around 13 yo I got really interested in Wicca, like many other "witchy teens" around the world. Even though crystals were not strange to me because my mom always had some of them around the house I think the studies about pagan religions brought me closer to them.

Q: How many stones do you have? How is your relationship with them?

A: Oh My...I don't know. More than I should and less that I want, for sure. As far as my relationship with them as a Crystal Healer they are my tools, my co-workers, my protectors...each one of them has a designation. I love them, take good care of them and make sure they are always recharged and ready to do the work.

Q: Do you have any favorite stone? Which one? Why?

A: It's a hard question to answer because as I said before they all have their job but I'm gonna say I have a special place in my heart for my biended clear quartz (for energetic recharge and transmutation) and my black tourmalines (for protection).

Q: How do I know if they are working on me? Should we expect to feel something?

A: I guess it works as any kind of therapeutic matter. If you are not seeing the results, it's not working. If you are trying to increase your ability to astral projection or to manage your anxiety, for example, you should feel the development of those skills. Plain and simple. It's not something that will work from one day to another but if in a few weeks of treatment you don't feel any change something is not working. When it comes to more punctual things like increasing your energetic field, healing a headache or transmuting into a peaceful state of mind you should feel it more instantly. 

Q: Do you remember any specific happening, while using crystals? 

A: It's really individual experience. Some people get emotional, some people feel a huge change in their energetic field immediately, some people don't experience anything physical but can feel an instant change in their mood. It can be a roulette of emotions and feelings.  

Q: I know you carry stones in your bag, can you explain to us a little bit more of why you carry them around? Can we use them anywhere at any time?

A: Yes you can use them at any time once they are properly charged and clean. I carry three kinds of stones with me, always. The ones for protection, usually a black tourmaline; one for cleaning of energetic fields, the selenite is my favorite one; and one for personal recharge; the clear quartz being my choice for this job.

Q: How do I choose my stones? Or do they choose me?

A: Look, my mom would say you should let them choose you. You should go to a crystal store and let the stones choose you, meaning let them grab your attention. My mom comes from an old school way of dealing with crystals per se. For me, it doesn't matter if you went to a place to buy a stone or if it was a gift or you bought in the internet. If it is in your hands, it chose you. Once they are in your hands you should clean them, charge them, and work in your connection with them. 

“Just NEVER steal crystals, EVER. It's bad news.” - Blumau

Q: Are there any care tips for stones we should know about? If so, why?

A: Oh, there's a lot of them. I'm gonna share 3 important ones. 

First, be mindful of the sun. A lot of stones (pink quartz and amethyst for example) can lose their color or transparency if they stay for too long in sunlight. If that is your choice for recharging your stones you should choose moments near sunrise or sunset.

Second, it's really common to let your stones sit in a bowl with water and sea salt to clean their energy. Be careful with the amount of sea salt and make sure you rinse your stones well after this bath because sea salt can be a little abrasive and damaging to your gems.

Last but not least is something more personal, some Crystal healers may think some other way when it comes to this but I never let my dark stones (tourmaline, onyx, obsidian, smoky quartz, etc) with the others. Even when they are in the same bag they are in their own cases. I do that because the energetic density of them are a little different from the clear/colorful ones so I rather keep them apart.

Q: How should we take care of them? how often is it necessary?

A: It depends. As a Crystal Healer, I have to take care of my stones daily. They are used in different people, with different issues and/or energetic fields so I need to be really mindful of them. If you just have your crystals for personal purposes you should keep in mind that they should be clean and charged. There are so many ways to clean the energy of your stones and you should pick the one that works better for you. My favorite way for cleaning stones, especially the ones you just bought is with the Indigo Dye that is an organic compound with a strong blue color. It is commonly used in Brazil for spiritual baths and energetic cleaning of all sorts. I always clean my new crystals with Indigo dye and water to make their energy brand new and ready for me to create a connection with them.

When it comes to recharging them: Sunlight, incense, moonlight, rain, gathering with charging crystals (clear quartz are awesome for that), you name it. Whatever works for you. As far as "how often" if you create the right connection with them, you will know. However, let me give you some advice: Create a habit of cleaning and recharging. Maybe every full moon, maybe every 13th day of the month (or whatever date you like). 

Q: What are your suggestions for people who are just about to start their own stones collection?

A: There's a lot of information around. Find yourself a nice book about the subject or a youtube channel, an Instagram page...Knowledge is always the best way to go. Some weeks ago I made a video on my IGTV talking about the danger of letting your crystal ball on the wrong spot. If the sun hits it the wrong way it becomes a magnifying glass and you don't want a freaking sun laser pointed to your curtains or your bed. Lol. You should have as much information as you can so that kind of thing doesn't happen to you.

Another important topic for you to keep in mind is our Chakras. Crystal healing goes head to head with the 7 most important vortexes of energy in our bodies and each one of them has a representative color. If you are starting your collection of stones you should start with the ones that go with our chakras. You can pick them by color:

Root Chakra - Red;  Sacral Chakra - Orange; Solar Plexus Chakra - Yellow; Heart Chakra - Green; Throat Chakra - Blue; Third Eye Chakra - Indigo; Crown Chakra - Purple

As well as a nice protection stone like the black tourmaline and clear quartz for energetic self-care purposes.

Clean them as soon as you get them, charge them with your technique of choice and work on your connection with every single one of them.

Changes of fortune No. 1 - Regina Gunapranata

Regina is new to Mexico City. We´ve known each other for a couple of years now. We met in Paris back in 2016. Nicole Bello, who introduced us, is a good friend of us both and we gathered back in the days of Chambre Noire, a little bar in the 11th arroindisment in Paris.

Even tho I never really hang out with Reggie, because of our Parisian busy life, I could feel we had a lot of common interests in arts, her style and her way of being was something that I always felt very at ease with, and this made her very interesting.

When I heard she moved to Mexico City, and I had just arrived too, I invited her over to get coffee with and chat about life (I had also seen her project, one of many, Body Found, a poems and illustrations book that talks about women. I loved it).

On April 18th she came over with her boyfriend, Sebastian and we had lunch over some interesting life insights, since times are tough because of COVID it was nice to get together and just have some laughs and cooking done.

I wanted to know more about Body Found, for me the whole ideas depicted beautiful pictures of a very delicate subject… Women’s sexuality and body acceptance. As most of us have experienced negativity around this, I thought this book was perfect to understand more about how we all women feel. So I decided to ask her some questions about it.

Here you can read more.

O - How did you started Body Found, actually why did you started it?

R - Back in 2016, I was living in Paris, and my younger sister had just moved to Sweden. My sister and I have always been writers, but around this time we started sending each other tidbits of poetry and prose. As we sent each other more and more pieces, it seemed that the pieces were having a real earnest conversation with one another. I just had this aha moment where I thought — we have to compile these into a book!

O- Whats the meaning behind the name?

R- The pieces we wrote are very raw and honest pieces based on our own experiences as women finding our bodies. The name speaks to the fact that so very often we all go on a journey of coming back and of finding ourselves, our bodies. 

O- Did you ever felt a challenge with it? Like people reacting a way you weren’t expecting? 

R- We definitely had our hesitations about publishing the book. We grew up in a very conservative and religious family and in a lot of the text, my sister and I write openly of exploring our sexuality and finding pleasure. We kept thinking about our mom and how she’d take the work!

O- Did you ever felt vulnerable about talking of women bodies?

R- Being born a woman makes us vulnerable. For this very reason we so often avoid talking about our experiences as women, and having a female body complete with breasts, period, vulva, womb etc — as if doing so could add more insult to the injury. In the end, we felt that being radically honest and vulnerable was more important, and we were convinced other women would connect with our stories.

O- What has been something that’s surprised you to realize after staring Body Found?

R- So many people reached out to us on in appreciation of our raw honesty. It affirmed our suspicions that most women don’t have the space to openly and safely talk about their experiences as women. 

O- If there was one thing you could advise to any other girl, what would it be?

R- I think, especially during these wild times we’re living in, stay soft and vulnerable, and where you can, practice radical honesty with yourself and others.