They Rise and Rise and Rise

I used to say to my team that August is a month that doesn’t exist. I encouraged people to come in slightly later, go out for coffee and generally use the time to tidy up. I’m not quite sure when August became a month that did exist at Semple but it is now as busy as any other month.

This August I was determined to carve out a little time to reflect on some of the comments that I have heard over the last few months. I have been intentional about my choices and filed away in my mind those to do with Brexit and the Rio Olympics and concentrated on a sporting event in July and a major theme of discussion that I have had with Semple clients.

I have been greatly influenced by this year’s Wimbledon Tennis event and particularly the BBC’s short film with Serena Williams reading Still I Rise by Maya Angelou. From her book And Still I Rise, the poem is powerful on its own and coupled with BBC footage, shows a resilient woman who continues to rise against adversity.

Resilience is a theme that many women, who buy into the Semple dress collection, demonstrate every day in their working lives. Of course they are not on the tennis court but they are in environments where drawing on inner strength to overcome challenges is necessary. Part of that resilience is being confident in how they look and feel. Not everyone understands or appreciates this obvious point but Semple women are discerning. They rise, and rise and rise.