The Genie’s Bottle ~ Sun Child Part 1
When I was a young lass I would spend countless hours imagining I lived inside a genie’s bottle and all the magical moments discovering the treasures that were hidden in that realm. I imagined beautiful, floaty dresses made of gossamer fabric, and magical tonics that I would drink to gain super powers. When I visited Elissa at her Topanga home and showroom, I felt exactly like I was in my child’s imaginary vision. Everything from the cushions on the floor, the twinkling vintage sari fabrics in reds, pinks, gold and more, and Elissa’s sparkly energy made me feel like I had entered the Genie’s vortex.
I first discovered Sun Child at my dear friend Kathy Azarmi’s shop Roseark in LA. I was immediately drawn to a delicate dress made of vintage sari fabric. Later as life would have it, I kept running into the sprite behind Sun Child. When I visited her recently we had such a joyous time trying on her dresses and jumpsuits. Shen then made Nihura my photographer and I a delicious, nutrituous smoothie. (Recipe for that coming soon)
What I came away with from this post was how big and beautiful Elissa’s heart is. Yes the dresses are amazing, however it’s her genuine spirit and love for India and creating good in the world, that makes it even more enduring. This is continuing the series on sustainable fashion and how we can make a difference with what we adorn ourselves. Recently when I wore one of Sun Child’s dresses, I felt as if I could have been wearing a Chloe or Valentino slip dress. Thrown on with a pair of heeled sandals and a silk pouch bag I was ready to hit the town shinning like the sun . . .
Read on Elissa and her Sun Child Below ~
1) What makes your heart sing?
Many things make my heart sing! Dancing. Feeding and loving up on the stray animals in India. A soulful FaceTime catch up date with a dear friend. Playing with my Cavalier King Charles Lillee & seeing her so happy that her tail goes in circles…this makes my heart sing big time. A great record. A delicious cooked meal. Cooking while dancing. Hearing stories of LOVE.
2) What is the most beautiful thing about India?
Everything about India is beautiful AND challenging. Its polarity all the time at the same time. There are so many different areas, cities, villages, pockets of India, I’ve traveled a bit but haven’t covered nearly as much as I’d like. I’m lucky in that when I Live in India while creating each new Sun Child collection, I stay on a beautiful beach called Ashvem. I live in a little bamboo house, begin each day with a beach walk, coffee & long yoga practice. I travel through the jungle on motorbike to meet with the artisans throughout the village that I work with. Sometimes the ride is stressful, my whole being & sensory system gets caught up in all that i’m experiencing – I’ve seen dogs get hit by a car and the car drives away, I’ve seen a woman give her baby a bath in a mud puddle, I’ve seen some really sad sad things, and sometimes its too much for my heart to take.
Other times all I see is beauty and magic and healthy happy animals and children playing, I’ll put on the Rolling Stones on my iPhone, shut my eyes and let my hair dance in the wind while being driven to work on the back of a motorbike. Polarity. I love the food. I find while I’m in India I eat really slowly, I shut my eyes and let out and audible “MMM” after every bite of food. I find the eyes I look into in India are filled with soul, filled with story. The eyes are big and wide and expressive. I love the children. I love that I can feed cows daily and look into their eyes while doing so. I love living on the ocean, swimming in the Arabian sea daily.
The Most challenging? I’m a sensitive person by nature and India is an overwhelming place. Sometimes its all just too much to take. The extreme poverty and animal suffering is the hardest for me. I’ve seen dog fights. And dogs so scared and sad that their tail is all the way up its body, with sad sad eyes. This is the hardest for me.
3) Do you have a mantra or motto you live by?
My mantra often changes, this year it has been “TRUST. The Universe wants you to win!”
4) What is your morning routine?
I wake up and immediately think of everything I’m grateful for. I don’t do this every day, although the days I DO do it, I have better days. So I try to do this every day. Then I cuddle with Lillee and tell her that the day she was born was the best day of my life. I take a probiotic and glass of lemon water. Then a blended superfood coffee. I light 2 incenses for the house, one in the main room and one in the Sun Child showroom, blessing the silks. I then do an 11 minute Kundalini meditation or a short regular meditation. I send out a Sun Child instagram post. Usually FaceTime with an out of town friend. Shower and begin the work day!
5) Do you have a favorite beauty secret?
I love the way my skin looks when I don’t eat sugar or dairy. Drink tons of water. I visit the Korean spa at least once a month. Sleep. Laugher and limited stress!
6) Are you a mermaid or forest fairy?
I’m currently a mermaid living in the forest.
7) What book is on your nightstand?
Harry Potter
8) Tell us a bit of your charity that you started?
In 2011 I started the bullying awareness organization The Farley Project. I was severely bullied in the 7th grade and it effected my whole life. I went through a pretty in depth personal healing journey and spent several years traveling the country speaking to students. We also developed a beautiful love & kindness curriculum that was put into place in several LA schools.
9) Where can we find your lovely line?
Sun Child is available at Roseark, Principessa, The Four Seasons in Maui & Tantris (Russell Simmons’ new Yoga Studio in West Hollywood) I also hold private appointments in the Sun Child Topanga Showroom! Www.iamsunchild.com
** ABOUT SUN CHILD – Sun Child was created in September 2015 by fashion publicist Elissa Kravetz.
A passion for travel brought Elissa to Asia and by chance on the tail end of her trip, she met a very special family in Goa who work with the magical healing silks that create the beauty of Sun Child. Elissa travels back and forth from her home in Topanga Canyon to Goa working with the family, curating and designing each collection. All of the silks spend a night under the Topanga stars, are saged, blessed & gonged. The brand currently consists of silky dresses, jumpsuits, silk sets, kimonos & floor length jackets. Price available upon request.
Tags:dresses, ecofashion, ecofriendly, sun child
For the readers of your blog, you are not just an angel in a genie’s bottle, but a beautiful rose who inspires us to read your blog everyday.
best article and so beautiful pics.
thelocalrose.com is amazing website, awesome collection we can see, fantastic job.