Today we’d like to introduce you to Paris Mendes.
Hi Paris, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Adenah is a heartfelt homage. It’s a love story in some ways.
After I turned 16, I became both the legal caregiver for my mom and her full-time assistant, helping her run her holistic wellness practice. The experiences that came from both of those roles informed & solidified the foundation of my work ethic in many ways. My mother is still the toughest boss I’ve ever worked for, but she taught me the immense power a woman has. That’s been one of the most important discoveries of my life thus far.
My mom ended up passing away in 2017 after what was essentially 20 years of undefeated victories with cancer; breast, bone, lung, brain, skin, and lymph; you name it, she fought through it. Her last round with cancer wound up being the most brutal. And the somber reality of her passing was incredibly tough for a number of reasons. The obvious one being that I lost my best friend and mother, but then there was this intense feeling that I just lost my only pillar of purpose in this life. My life didn’t really seem to exist or have any kind of direction except in relation to her.
I really struggled to find a way to continue my connection with her and even to find a connection with myself. But through her fragrance, I discovered, very organically, a new kind of connection both with her and myself.
This was the genesis of Adenah. Of keeping my mother’s beauty alive and finding my own.
From there, it has evolved over the last two years out of my passion for restoring antiques and creating clothes with items already alive within the supply chain. Honoring their timeless spirit and inspiration.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think smooth is a very relative term, both in life and business. My life, in comparison, might be a convertible joy ride with nothing but sunshine to some, but then to others my life experiences may seem overwhelming & dark. So, I try to always keep that in mind, and not in a way that delegitimizes my own hardship but in the kind of way that harbors a deep gratitude and composure. There’s this saying that smooth waters never made a skilled sailor. I find a lot of truth in that and it reminds me that any adversity that arises is here to work for me not against me. It’s not just here to knock me down, it’s come to teach me something essential.
Regarding the business, the toughest obstacle for me has been overcoming imposter syndrome. There are so many entrepreneurial people doing so many things with so many brands and so many followers now that sometimes I get caught in the thought of like who am I to step into this much larger game? And I think to myself that everyone else is thinking the same thing about me. Like behind their phones and computers just picking me apart, you know even like meeting each other for coffee just to talk about how ridiculous what I’m doing is. These exaggerated, insecure thought patterns can be incredibly comical. But I think the more I go into that vulnerability rather than trying to combat it with ego or something artificial, the lighter that feeling seems to become. This is a jagged and long learning curve, but I’m trying to learn to go about it with grace and the kind of fearlessness I can feel it’s asking of me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Adenah is a concept brand which includes both products & services. We offer bespoke products like custom denim, tiled pieces, furniture, and smaller custom home items all with the focus on 100% renewable resources and a circular supply chain. We also offer services within interior design and personal styling with the same focus on sustainability. And of course, we offer our mothers perfume oil.
I really love textiles and tiles, which I really try and highlight in my pieces. I think when one isn’t able to travel and connect with people, you find these more material pieces of beauty that carry immaterial stories. For example, when you look at an azulejo tile you can see beyond its physical form and listen to the story that it tells of a time in history when Portugal was under Muslim rule, or if it was a time Italian art and influence was prevalent. Textiles are the same, you can find a beautiful hand-painted linen fabric from the 1920’s and you can get a glimpse into its long journey. There’s a place I go for textiles, they specialize in 1800’s/early 1900’s fabrics named Textile Archive, I feel like every time I go in there, I learn something new. It’s a place that makes you feel like you’re living in a real-life storybook, every time I’m there, I just wander around in this like permeating state of awe. That’s the feeling I look for when I source something.
(Textile Archive, Paul, +1 (310) 227-6338, 3430 S Hill St # 104 Los Angeles, CA, 90007)
Adenah is a brand that focuses on respecting the integrity of these stories in the pieces we make and the services we offer. Our mission isn’t to be trendy or to reel in massive profits, our mission is to maintain and restore the beauty of items everyone can love. To mindfully preserve timeless beauty. I aim to be incredibly transparent about my costs as well, so there’s really no ‘curtain’ to look behind but if they request, I’m glad to offer price breakdowns of why things cost the way they do because I think there’s an importance in being able to see that. I actually got that concept from Maison Cleo; they are one of my biggest inspirations.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
If anyone has an interest in working collaboratively with me, supporting my work, or ordering from Adenah, the best way is to reach out through direct message on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adenah/
Image Credits
Will Buckley
