Hey, Sisterines!
It's been a while since we've sat down here together, you and me, in our Blonde Diary.
The last time I wrote to you, I had just returned from New York, my eyes still filled with the sights, emotions, and memories of an incredible trip I took with my mom.
And today? Today I'm writing to you from Dubai.
But this time there's a small, yet enormous, difference. I'm not traveling. I'm at home. And I swear, even as I write this sentence, it still feels really strange to me, too. If you read my “Blonde Diary” from a few months ago, you might remember that it was from Dubai that I told you about a very special moment in my life.
I had titled that article “Between Dreams and Fears”.
And perhaps I couldn't have chosen more fitting words. Because at that moment, Dubai represented exactly that for me: on the one hand, a new world full of possibilities; on the other, all those questions that inevitably arise when you feel that something in your life is changing.
What if it were the right choice? What if it weren't?
What if I missed home? What if I found a new home on the other side of the world?
Well, Sisterine… a few months later, here I am. With a few more answers.
And probably a thousand other questions
But one thing is certain: Sometimes you have to have the courage to start a new chapter even before you know exactly how it will turn out.
In September, Allegra and I packed our bags and joined Nico in Dubai, where he was already staying to work on a professional project.
And so, almost without realizing it, what had started as a work-related change turned into a new chapter for our whole family.
And no, this time there wasn't a return ticket after a few weeks.
There were suitcases to unpack.
New habits to develop.
A new everyday life to invent.
And a little girl who, in the meantime, is growing up at the speed of light and making every change even bigger, more intense, and definitely more… organized.
Because moving to the other side of the world is one thing.
Doing it with a little girl is a whole different story.
Suddenly, you're no longer just thinking about where you'll go for dinner or what your new favorite spot will be.
Think about their habits, their living spaces, and their daily routines.
Try to create for her the sense of normalcy that you, first and foremost, are still trying to create for yourself.
And maybe it's Allegra who's teaching me something truly wonderful.
Home isn't necessarily the place where you've always lived.
Home is the people.
Small routines.
Toys scattered everywhere, breakfast together, walks, video calls with those who are far away, new places that slowly stop feeling new to you.
Home is that moment when you realize you’re no longer thinking , “When will I get home?”
Because you're already there.
And while my personal life was changing completely, do you know what was happening?
Blondesister was packing her bags, too .
In a different way, of course.
But when I think about it, maybe that's what has moved me the most over the past few months.
I was moving my life outside of Italy, and at the same time, that small brand—born from a dream—was beginning to reach farther and farther afield.
Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Finland, Germany, Benelux, Hungary…
Every time I say these names, I pause for a second.
Because, to me, they aren't just countries on a map.
These are people who have chosen to believe in Blondesister.
There are phone calls, samples shipped from the other side of the world, endless documents, and when I say endless, trust me, meetings, presentations, orders, problems to solve, and new opportunities.
And you know what's crazy?
That I still feel like I'm just getting started.
And it's a feeling I love.
Because every milestone we reach doesn't make me think , "We did it."
It makes me think:
“Okay. So how far can we go now?”
A few years ago, Blondesister was just an idea in my head.
Then came the first products, the first orders, the first retail locations, the first trade shows, and the first “Sisterine” fans who began to recognize our lilac color.
And today, I find myself sitting at a table in Dubai, telling someone who lives thousands of kilometers away from where it all began about Blondesister.
Every now and then, I think about Carolina from a few years ago.
The one who had a completely different job, but still couldn't get that idea out of her head.
And I'd like to tell her:
Continue.
Even when it seems too big.
Even when you're not quite sure what you're doing.
Even when someone doesn't understand.
Even when you're afraid.
Because some of the best things that have happened to me actually started with a little bit of fear.
And today, that phrase means even more to me.
Because, in the meantime, I'm no longer just Carolina.
I'm Carolina, the founder.
Carolina, my wife.
Carolina, Mom.
And I'm still trying to figure out how to make all these versions of myself coexist without feeling like I'm constantly running late somewhere.
There are days when I go from a call with a distributor to feeding Allegra in the space of three minutes.
Days when I'm thinking about a new launch while picking up games off the floor.
Moments when I wish there were 48 hours in a day.
And others where I'd simply like to stop time.
Because Allegra is growing.
Blondesister is growing.
My life is changing.
And I'm with them.
Perhaps for a long time I thought that growing up meant arriving.
Achieving a goal.
Check the box.
To say: " Okay, I did it."
Today, however, I think almost the opposite.
Growing up means having the courage to feel like you're starting over.
In a new city.
In a new market.
In a new phase of life.
With new fears and even bigger dreams.
And here I am.
In Dubai.
With a new home, a family I love, a little girl who is teaching me more than I’ll ever be able to teach her, and a brand that continues to surprise me every single day.
I moved to a different city.
I've changed my habits.
My perspective on so many things has changed.
But there's one thing that hasn't changed.
The Dream.
On the contrary.
Maybe he's gotten a little bigger.
And if there’s one thing I’d like to leave you with at the end of this Blonde Diary, it’s this:
Don't be afraid when it feels like you're back where you started.
Sometimes you're not starting from scratch.
You're simply building on everything you've learned so far.
And believe me, it makes all the difference in the world.
Back in March, I wrote to you from Dubai, telling you about my dreams and my fears.
Today I'm writing to you from that same city.
With the same dreams.
A little less fear.
And one more house.
With lots of love,
Carolina
