With the imminent release of PORTER magazine, the
rumours of the first cover star are circling into a near fashion tornado.
Net-a-Porter have always been about the girl power, founded by Natalie
Massenet in 2000, the site has gone from the kitchen table to a serious game
changer in 10 years. So it's right that they celebrate women, their
achievements and their independence and really how they have become THE
INCREDIBLE WOMAN.
So, it got me thinking about who my incredible
woman is in my life because everyone has one...and if you don't, I would advise
you to find one!
Mine is my mum (I
know, predictable/cheesy) - delete as appropriate.
From a small town in the South of Thailand, she
has now become this INCREDIBLE women; businesswoman, philanthropist and mother.
But this is very far from what she had set off to
do when leaving her job as a nurse in Bangkok and arriving in London (not
speaking a word of English) ready to start a scholarship at Leeds University.
Being from a very old and traditional family, they weren't best pleased
when she fell pregnant out of wedlock and disappointed the family thus reducing
all communication and financial support. This may seem extreme but 25
years ago, this was unacceptable. From then on, mum worked, days in an
off license and nights as a housekeeper until the day she was in labour. Even once running after a guy who had
shoplifted a 25p chocolate bar!
After years of living in London, she noticed a
gap in the market. And decided to take yet another job, by cooking Thai
food in a market stall every Sunday. Thai food at this point was scarce
or just totally unknown. After a year she found a builder's cafe in
Chiswick that she could rent in the evenings: greasy spoon by day and Thai
cuisine by night! A couple of years after that... she was able to buy
the entire place!! Well, then there was really no stopping her! Year after year
she has expanded her restaurants across London, making a total of 12…and then
there was the beauty salon and 2 hotels in Thailand, in 20 years.
She has grown an entire empire, not short of a
few knocks and bumps along the way but has always stayed true to her
heritage. Her work continues outside the kitchen, through her work
fighting the stigma and cruelty against Thai women that are “brought” into the UK as well as
supporting the Buddhist community across the country.
So if I had to chose my cover star for the INCREDIBLE
WOMAN – this is who I would choose. Hands down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqd2kA60D8MFmQDCB0Po_DKue-udZIQMJ_N5a1-KyJNrPcpaJck1hDrPlo31L60LmoWgAmm6lz0GhJvopPwreRBosiPXsln_o0kVUSHG73RnAqkZvrNF0er8SmsW3RUjW3VKcbOxauKi-T/s1600/photo+1.JPG) |
Taken on her first days in London |