We are so excited to welcome Julie DeLoca to the YES AND family! Julie is our new Chief Marketing Officer, bringing 20+ years of global advertising and marketing leadership to ECOfashion Corp, our "GreenHouse of Brands™." But, that's not all--Julie is passionate about women's empowerment, serving as an advisor to women-led startups as well as at the New York Fashion Tech Lab, which aims to support women-led companies at the intersection of fashion, retail and technology. She says she was drawn to ECOfashion Corp because of our regenerative in-conversion to organic cotton farm project mission. "Women are at the center of fashion industry transformation, from farmer to consumer," she says. We are so happy to get to know her a little more, with this introductory Q&A!
What is your favorite quote?
"The best things in life are free. The second best are very expensive." —Coco Chanel
Who has left a lasting impression on you?
Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She was the first one to really at least appear to have it all: career, public service, passion, family--and in a time when women just didn’t do that. I also love that she was at the height of her popularity in her 80s and did what she loved and made an impact up until her last breath.
What's your proudest moment?
Getting NYC's Mayor to proclaim June 1 Hands Only CPR Day in honor of my campaign to increase bystander support for victims of sudden cardiac arrest. (Learn more about Hands Only CPR HERE.)
Biggest impact you hope to make at ECOfashion Corp?
To prove that circularity is good for everyone. That we can make money, save the planet and feel great in our clothes. I love fashion, but hate what it's done to the environment and the overall impact of mass consumption. We have the opportunity to help people make better choices about how and what they create (via MetaWear) and what they sleep on and put on their bodies through our YES AND, Farm to Home and Seed To Style lines. I hope to spread this knowledge and inspiration across the country--not just to the climate change, eco-warriors on the coasts--but to everyone.
Something you want to learn more about?
Biodynamic Farming. I know that sounds strange from a fashion person, but I’m obsessed with gardening. At the moment, my seedlings have taken over my dining room. Our team in India made a presentation about biodynamic farming and I was enchanted with the beautiful balance of biodiversity, natural elements and the alignment of the planets.
First destination post-COVID?
Big Sur, California. It's the most enchanted place and also the last place I went before the pandemic, so it seems right.
Biggest hope for women?
The Marshall Plan for Moms. When I had my kids, I was told I would have to stop breastfeeding my son because there was no place to pump in our office. I sacrificed both parenting time and promotion in my career trying to balance things, and that was pre-pandemic. More than 2 million women have left the labor force in the last year. Millions more have been forced to cut back hours or work around the clock to keep their jobs and be full-time caregivers. The impact on women of color is especially devastating. When 30 years of progress can be erased overnight, the underlying system is broken. I really want my daughter to be able to experience a passionate, fulfilling career and a family, if that is what she wants.
Hobby outside of work?
Well, I already told you about my gardening. I also love to needlepoint--super nerdy, I know, but it's my creative outlet. You need to have those. It's important to create beauty to give your brain a rest from work. Sometimes I bake or cook. There are paints set up in my house for anytime I want to paint (I have no talent for that, it's just fun) and sometimes I just color in my coloring book when I need a break. I also practice yoga or ride my Peloton bike every day. Sometimes it's just a few sun salutations, but I do something to move my body every day--it helps.
How do you think fashion will change in the next decade?
I think we will be more thoughtful about what we purchase. There will be a return to slow manufacturing and people will care more about how things are made. I think we will buy fewer, better, more timeless things that last longer. The newness and the boldness that makes fashion so exciting will come from the creativity of the wearer. I have a 16-year-old daughter and she buys new basics but has taken to thrifting and shopping her grandfather's closet for items she can cut up and remake into new looks.
Favorite art form?
Literature. I’m an avid reader. I prefer real books to reading on a screen. I love historical fiction. I am learning to embrace nonfiction, but it's easier to listen, so I usually have an audio book teed up on my phone and some fiction next to my bed. There’s also a stack of poetry and philosophy that I always think I’ll get to, but don’t.
Favorite YES AND product?
That's easy: the YA x WEA "When Women Thrive, The Earth Thrives" Danni Hoodie. It's organic, gorgeous, irresistibly soft, has a powerful message and its impact goes well beyond my closet--22% of proceeds go toward the Women's Earth Alliance. Plus, it's named after outspoken ocean advocate, Danni Washington, who is the founder of Big Blue & You, not to mention the first woman of color to host a science-based TV program in America.
What do you hope to leave behind for the next generation of women?
A thriving planet and the freedom and resources to be whatever they want to be.
Thank you for answering our questions, Julie! (and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🎉) Have questions for Julie? Email us at hello@joinyesand.com