mara mea x Teresa Casamonti: About our collaboration "open eyes, open heart." | from July 9th

We know Teresa Casamonti as a passionate young woman and mother with a lot of energy, a fascinating charisma, and an infectiously positive mindset. In this interview, we naturally talk about our first collaborative T-shirt, "Open Eyes, Open Heart." Teresa also tells us about her life journey, important experiences, setbacks, and her everyday life as a mother of two, soon to be a mother of three.

We're incredibly happy that we were able to create a wonderful "open eyes, open heart" shirt with Teresa to mark our 5th anniversary. It will be available online starting July 9th at 10 a.m. Until then, Teresa tells us here what this saying means to her personally and what life in general means to her.

1. Dear Teresa, we're really looking forward to this interview with you, because we have a lot to share! We've known each other for almost five years now and have worked on projects together on numerous occasions. We're all the more excited that we're launching a joint T-shirt this year to mark the fifth anniversary of mara mea. Over the past few months, we've collaborated with you to create a shirt that bears your attitude to life embroidered on the heart: "open eyes. open heart." Tell us more about yourself and, above all, what exactly these four words mean to you and how you live them in your everyday life.

Has it been five years already? It's crazy how quickly time flies! I'm so proud to have been part of your label from the very beginning, and to have been able to support you from the very beginning! The fact that we've now designed a shirt together and are now bringing this project to life for your 5th birthday is a little dream come true.  The saying "open eyes, open heart" has a lot of meaning for me because I like to feel, to explore, and ultimately to accept myself as I am. It is very important to me to stay true to myself and my values, and so I never try to look for happiness in certain things or people, but rather hold on to all the positive things that already surround me. I don't imagine the worst possible consequences, but rather open my heart and let everything in. The good and the bad. Because I know: the world doesn't end after a fall. I have learned that thunderstorms can pass and then the sun can shine again. Because only those who feel the rain can see the rainbow in the sunshine.

2. What fascinated us about you from day one: you exude an incredible zest for life, have an infectiously positive attitude toward life, and have your heart in the right place. Did you grow up with such a positive mindset, or did you learn this approach to life over time?

In fact, I am and will probably always remain the "eternal optimist." Perhaps it is partly due to my naivety. But perhaps more to the fact that I have learned a lot in recent years and have also gotten to know myself better. As I said before: I like to feel and explore, and ultimately accept myself as I am, free of envy and resentment. I have learned that things just happen the way they happen. My life has crossed paths with many people, and I have also had to experience low points, but in the end, it is precisely these experiences that have led me to where I am now! If an experience completely throws you off track, then you are allowed to be sad. Then you are allowed to cry and be hurt. Then you are allowed to allow all of that, but never forget: all obstacles and difficulties are steps on which we ascend.

3. Life isn't always kind to you. Pain and sadness are part of it. You recently lost your father, which we are so sorry about. Through your dad, you have Italian roots and often visit Italy. Would you say that has had a big impact on you?

Yes, very much. I feel more and more connected to my Italian roots! I love this mentality and lifestyle, simply the dolce vita. It's all within me. It's all me. I am loud, spirited, and very emotional. Italians know what's important: to enjoy life. With every fiber of our being.

4. Life teaches us that "la dolce vita" and setbacks often go hand in hand. Shortly after your father's death, we learned of your pregnancy with baby number three. You're already a mom to two super sweet girls and now pregnant with another boy. We're so happy for you! Do you have a special vision for your family and something you'd really like to pass on to your children?

I want my children to grow up to be strong and self-confident individuals. People who aren't afraid to sometimes be a little rude. People who can embrace their feelings and weaknesses and, regardless of their biological sex, learn about a wide range of skills and interests. I want them to develop characteristics that will allow them to develop according to their own ideas throughout their lives. I don't want to impose myself or dictate things; I want to simply let them be. With tremendous appreciation for them and their lives, and with respect for all their preferences and desires!

5. Despite all the ups and downs, your inspiring and positive attitude always allows you to find your joy in life. Do you have any rituals that accompany you in your daily life to stay in harmony with yourself and give you new strength?

At the moment, these are somewhat neglected. But yoga has actually become an essential part of my daily life, where I find a little time for myself and find peace. Whenever I can (between building a house, having two children, and being pregnant), I try to make time for it. My needs cannot be completely neglected, even despite all the love and sacrifice!

6. Your life is already very active, thanks to your self-employment, being a mother, pregnancy, and home renovations. You eat healthily, take care to do your best to take care of your body, and your daily dose of yoga has become part of your everyday routine. Even though you're not generally the biggest exercise fan, what is it about yoga that keeps you rolling out your mat?

Time for myself. I really enjoy having a little time just for myself and starting the day in peace. It gives me so much more energy and motivation for everyday life and makes me feel significantly less stressed. It's a ritual I've been practicing regularly for a few weeks now, and it's helped me a lot to continue to be kind to myself despite all the stress and to feel good in body, mind, and soul.

7. You're the first mom-to-be to test our new mara mea yoga line for pregnant women and moms made of organic cotton in everyday life. What's your initial assessment, and why are you determined not to give up the pieces after the pregnancy?

They're incredibly comfortable, stylish, and made with such high-quality materials. I'll be wearing them for more than just yoga.

8. We greatly appreciate our long-standing collaboration with you and are even more excited about our joint product collaboration for mara mea's 5th anniversary. What did you enjoy most about the joint product planning and development?

mara mea captivated me from the very first moment. I can honestly say that I've been your biggest fan from the very beginning. I support your production methods and your work 100%. Dorina is such a creative mind and has such a great feel for fabrics and colors that I usually want to own every piece from the collections. So it was clear from the start: I'm in! We didn't have to discuss the shirt for long because we both knew immediately what it would look like. The material is wonderful, the embroidery is so high-quality, and the saying suits mara mea and me perfectly. I'd always hope for such an uncomplicated collaboration and implementation!

9. And last but not least: Do you have a vision for the future and can you tell us about it?

I don't have any goals. If I'm honest, I live for the day and take things as they come, even professionally. With open eyes and an open heart, I'm ready for anything that might happen!

Thank you so much for this wonderful collaboration, dear Teresa!

Are you curious yet? The first mara mea x Teresa Casamonti collaboration product will be available here from 10 a.m. on July 9, 2020.