"With each page that I read in “Half the Sky,” I knew that I wanted to find a way to empower women," says Parry. "I wanted to give women in developing countries a greater voice so they can make decisions that benefit them and their family."
"The local women in Boquette wear a dress called the nagua that is authentic to their tribe," Parry explains. "It consists of layering and forming a pattern with bright colors."
"The intricate details and the bright colors sparked something inside of me," says Parry. "I just started sketching ideas for a clothing line."
"The first piece of clothing I did was a jersey-cotton maxi dress, just something I had in my closet," she says. "I needed to know if this layering of different fabrics would work before writing my business plan and putting this thing into action."
"The nagua is something that has been done for a long time, passed down from generation to generation" Parry says. "It's what they wear all the time; even their daughters and babies wear the nagua."
"I wanted to design something that western women would want to wear and feel beautiful in, and that would somehow tie two completely different cultures together," says Parry.