The insanely stylish, Michelle Dimarco, co-founder of Lilac and Lilies shares why she has started a blog celebrating women who like herself are making a difference in their community and pursuing their dreams.  
I had no idea I wanted to be an entrepreneur. After college, I struggled finding a career I was madly passionate about. I sought refuge in keeping up on the latest trends in fashion magazines and designer blogs while dressing my friends for fun. My style muses ranged from Bridget Bardot to Diane Kruger and Carine Roitfeld.
When a retail space opened up near my house, my mom encouraged me to take a leap of (fashionable) faith. Over the next couple weeks, I listened closely to my heart which encouraged me to create that which did not exist. As a result, I surrendered to the universe and gave birth to a new brand – Lilac And Lilies boutique.
However, a career in fashion isn’t ALL glamour, ALL the time. After seven years in business, I began to feel the itch. The seven year “business” itch. I realized that the women who were shopping my fashion boutique Lilac & Lilies weren’t just trendy and well-dressed fashionistas.
These women balanced an equally sophisticated head on their designer heels. For them, style was just one of many creative expressions in their everyday arsenal. They were leaders too in their own right – Women to Watch!
Every week, I meet amazing women doing amazing things in their community, at work and in the home. The fabric of their identities is so intriguing and inspiring that it led me to ponder… how I can connect these women beyond the clothes on their back and an affinity for black.
My intuition, which has served me well as a boot strapping woman entrepreneur, told me that I could unite these amazing women online by creating a free and universal platform for them to hangout, share stories, discover music, learn new things and feel inspired!
It was within this spark of enlightenment that this BLOG was born. My dream is to create a fun and creative community where like-minded women around the world team up to take center stage. As an entrepreneur mentor who learned many lessons the hard way, I want to share my personal and professional trials and tribulations with other woman while I learn from their individual journeys and perseverance. I want to give back while paying it forward with knowledge, encouragement and inspiration and showcase incredible people who are redefining roles and doing amazing things.
This blog represents a new frontier in fashion and I truly hope you join me on this incredible journey!

  
Jewelry Line Intertwined as One-of-a-Kind Wearable Art 

There are only a few things that can stop a woman on a mission; shoes, puppies, or a handsome man, but aside from those distractions, once she makes up her mind there’s no stopping her. The always-chic Sinem Akin along with designer and friend, Inci Denizel, combined their design forces with a plan to take over the jewelry world.

Sinem and Inci are two entrepreneurs who made it their mission to do whatever it takes to grow their brand globally and not let anything get in their way. Sinem is a self-assessed expert at balancing work and family, she remarks, “When I was pregnant, I thought God did not create women just to give birth to children, and I wanted to give birth to new designs and creations.” Sinem did just that when she opened her first store in Turkey and launched the Wanna Collection full-force.

 The design-duo brought an extraordinary jewelry collection to life after they got inspired by the natural elements of the Eastern and Western cultures they lived in. Depending on who you ask, jewelry can essentially be viewed as wearable art. It is also an intricate and creative process and can be expressed in a variety of ways depending on the artist and audience. Regardless of whether it’s a sculpture, painting, dress or jewelry it requires passion, heart, and most importantly boldness. Sinem Akin and Inci Denizel know a thing or two about designing from the heart. The design-duo pull inspiration for their collection by infusing their heart and soul into each elaborate detail.

The personalized collection does a great job of illustrating a contrast of their past and present experiences. Born and raised is a small Turkish town, designer Sinem Akin had an instinctive ability to foresee future trends. “I have always been passionate about design and fashion,” Sinem adds. Shortly after the launch, the line of distinctive jewelry rose to success and expanded exponentially. Her design partner, Inci Denizel, currently resides in Turkey and remains an integral part of the brand. The designers don’t allow their distance to stop them from taking over the jewelry world, but view it rather as its aid. Inci is a prominent face in the design industry and frequents various fashion and trade shows throughout Europe. In fact, she was awarded The Jewelry Designer of the Year award in Turkey in 2011. Inci likes working with components of her environment to add a personal touch to each of her intrinsically designed items.

The Wanna Collection is designed to speak to today’s fashion savvy working-woman with a compelling taste for sophistication. The newest line is heavily inspired by Canadian nature, which is apparent with the use of Maple leaves in some of the designs. It mixes style with natural elements, such as gold- and silver-plated brass, semi-precious stones, 100% leather and Swarovski crystals, into a unique design blend to create custom and versatile pieces. Whether fancy or casual, nothing can add oomph to your wardrobe like fabulous jewelry.

 
  Located in Surfside, Le Beau Maroc houses couture kaftans that captures the eye and transports the onlooker to the most luxurious regions of Morrocco. The pieces in the latest collection are ornate, meticulously detailed, whimsical and exclusive to Miami. 

Asmaa Benkirane’s new collection captured the warmth and romance of Morrocco and left us yearning for more. 

‘Each piece takes about four to six months to complete because we apply every pearl and every jewel by hand but it is a labor of love,” Asmaa shared with the magazine.

  
Just when we thought Brunch couldn’t get more exciting, PizzaCraft launches a Sunday Brunch. Warning, we think the dishes will have you counting the seconds to Sunday.  Co-founder of JEY Hospitality Group teased our taste buds with his description of the menu.

“It is beyond exciting to have officially launched our Sunday Brunch at PizzaCraft, adding to our diverse line-up of brunch offerings on Himmarshee Street,” said Marc Falsetto, Co-Founder of JEY Hospitality Group. “We’ve created a very unique menu that we hope will give our guests the opportunity to enjoy something out of the box, yet perfect for family and friends to share together.”

PizzaCraft’s Sunday Brunch menu features snacks such as a Spaghetti Omelette made with Miami Smoker’s bacon, parmesan cheese and fresh basil; Nutella Bruschetta featuring crostini topped with creamy Nutella, caramelized bananas and shaved hazelnuts; and Avocado Toast made with toasted Italian bread, heirloom tomato, fork crushed avocado, chili flake, extra virgin olive oil and local basil.

Entrees include the Market Frittata made with chef’s choice of seasonal ingredients; Meyer Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes stacked with blueberry compote, Vermont maple syrup, lemon custard and lemon zest; Breakfast Polenta featuring creamy polenta, fried farm eggs, Sunday gravy short ribs and a splash of San Marzano tomato sauce. Other highlights bringing an Italian twist to American breakfast classics are the French Toast made from thick cut challah, bourbon-infused peaches, and homemade whipped cream and the PC Breakfast featuring two farm eggs, focaccia, rosemary potatoes, double smoked bacon and fresh fruit.

The menu also features four artisan pizza pies including the Carbonara made with cream, fontina, guanciale, a roasted farm egg, pecorino, Italian parsley, topped with black pepper and extra virgin olive oil. A new addition is the Breakfast Piefeaturing scallion cream, smoked bacon, fingerling potatoes, cave aged gruyere, fontina, caramelized onions and a roasted farm egg.

Brunch cocktails include $15 bottomless Mimosas and Bellinis, an $8 build-your-own Bloody Mary bar and $5 Aperol Spritz prepared from Apothecary 330’s fine selection of wine and spirits.

The annual Shuzz Fashion show is quickly approaching and being that we have been fans ever since the first time we have covered the fashion-filled night, we have compiled a few reasons as to why you don’t want to miss this year’s show, which will be taking place at The Seminole Casino on March 12th at 7 p.m. with featured designers Veronica Beard.

1. Over-the-top fashion

From live performances to runways with jets as backdrops, everything about a Shuzz fashion show is over the top especially the style. Our first time attending the show we were wowed by Zac Posen’s latest collection of gowns as they glided down the runway. The organization has had our loyalty ever since.

2. A night filled with bubbly

General admission tickets include a cocktail reception that you don’t want to miss.

3. You get to give back in style

Proceeds from the show go directly back into providing children with shoes all over the world. So you can take comfort in the fact that as you enjoy a night of style and cocktails, you are giving to a worthy cause.

4. The record speaks for it self

In our opinion, there has never been a dull year. Each year appears to be better than the previous year. From an intimate affair at Jet Cafe to Mizner park to the latest confirmed location The Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, everything from the venue to the amazing sponsors come together seamlessly to create a night you don’t want to forget.

5. Shuzz is an amazing organization taking on a worthy cause.

“SHUZZ (pronounced shoes) is a South Florida based non-profit organization that functions off of support from volunteers only, existing to provide new shoes to children in poverty-stricken areas around the world. We distribute thousands of shoes free of charge to children – regardless of race, religion, class or any other criteria – who are in need of a very basic tool to prevent them from risk. Their needs are simple: a pair of shoes that fit properly. This helps protect from injury and prevent disease, enhancing safety when playing, doing chores and going to school.

When Rita Lombardo founded the SHUZZ Fund, she made a promise that she would use 100 percent of public donations for shoe distribution projects. We find other ways to cover operating expenses to ensure our 100% Model. We depend on private donors, foundations and sponsors to cover staff salaries, basic office systems, office rent and supplies, etc. These donors are some of the most dedicated people we’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Their investments fuel our long-term mission and our ability to scale as an organization, allowing us to remain true to our mission of using 100 percent of public donations for shoe projects.”

Order tickets here