Three women sat in front of me: confident, happy and at peace. You wouldn’t know that once upon a time, they were barely surviving. It’s my honour to take you behind the scenes of the day I spent with these women.
Dress for Success is a global not-for-profit that helps women going through hardship reclaim their dignity through free styling, professional clothing and career support. Their mission is to empower women with the tools to step into any room with confidence.
The women we interviewed: Tonya, ChiChi and Stephanie, have all stepped into a Dress for Success boutique at some point and come out with a change of clothes and a changed perspective on life. With each of them, we reminisced about an earlier time to learn more about the young girl behind the woman today; what were her childhood ambitions, what is her story?
Tonya sat in the chair in front of me, cameras and lights on her. She sat with the calm and confidence of someone completely at home center-stage; but of course, today she is an actress — as well as a writer and a dog shelter volunteer. She’ll tell you that she’s lived many lives. It’s the life she came to talk about today that set her up for a future full of possibilities.
When ChiChi walked into Dress for Success for the first time, she was looking for an outfit to wear to a job interview that she desperately needed to go well. It went so well in fact, that she went in interviewing for a janitorial position and walked out with a job offer she loved even more. The interview today is a little different, not about her skills or her availability, but about her story of sacrifice and mercy.
“Do you want to do some breathing exercises?” Stephanie asked me as we both sat down for the final interview of the day. As our conversation carried on, it was evident that this stylish woman before me was refined by the challenges she’s faced. Although there was a moment where life looked more like a nightmare, today she talks about how her dreams are coming true.
Inspired by the stories of Tonya, ChiChi and Stephanie, we hope to hear about more brave women walking through the doors of their nearest Dress for Success and finding the support they need to be the best version of themselves.
As a female-founded, female-led global brand, we at MESHKI recognise the power that fashion has to uplift women by building and restoring confidence, dignity and opportunity, especially during challenging times. Since 2026 we have proudly partnered with Dress for Success, a like-minded charitable organisation that operates across Australia, the US, UK and Europe.
DFS’s purpose is to empower women to achieve economic mobility, self-sufficiency and confidence through a global network of support, workplace attire, and career skills and tools for success.
It aligns strongly with MESHKI’s approach of uplifting women through fashion. This marks the start of a great partnership, and we look forward to seeing how we can continue to inspire this generation of women, and the next, together.
