Blogs by Allison

I always find it fascinating when things align. It tends to happen when I surrender and loosen my grip on the “reins of life” and ease up on the gas pedal.I was born into a family of warriors. We make sh*+ happen. We push and pull until we get the outcome we want. That way of being has worked for me all my life.... until this point in my life. Now in my mid-40’s, I'm searching for something else. I want to live more in flow with life, to surrender a bit more, and to witness what the Universe has in store for me. It's funny how the Universe shows up for you when you really want something...It all started in August of last year, when we received a random message from a women’s organization in Orange County, California. They asked if we would be interested in participating in an upcoming fashion show in March 2023. Normally I'd let the fearful questions begin to rise - what would the cost be to ship everything to California? How many people from my team will I need to take? And the doubt spiral would get bigger - what if no one likes my designs? What if nothing sells? How will we pay for all the costs? My brain would start screaming FEAR, FEAR, FEAR.And from that spiral, the answer would usually be no. But something different happened inside of me this time. I allowed myself to push past the fear and the doubt to take a leap towards surrender.I was already planning to visit LA in October for my usual fabric sourcing trip. So why not plan a quick meeting with this organization just to see what would happen. Well to make a long story short, I met these amazing women and I couldn't say no! It was like the Universe gave me every reason to say YES, so that’s what I did!There's something exciting about surrendering to new things, choosing a different path, and getting yourself out of the old negative patterns and into a fresh flow of ease. It was liberating for me. I perceived the alignment of these events to be a reminder to surrender a little more. It may sound easy to surrender, but sometimes it can be the hardest thing and has been a challenge in my life.It's hard because once I chose to surrender, it was like more doubt and more fear filled my mind. Just because I made the choice to surrender the fearful thoughts didn't just disappear. I realized it takes work and practice, every time I have a choice to make, every time a doubtful thought pops into my mind. We have the power to make this choice. We have an opportunity everyday to change our mindset, to choose a different path, to stretch beyond our limitations, and be courageous.That's been my current focus and every moment going forward.  To be courageous and to live with this new mindset of surrender . . .- Allison

In this new phase of my life, I realized that culturally I was taught to step out of the spotlight. To be humble and to not brag or boast about life wins or accomplishments. I understand the reasoning and value behind "being humble" by my culture's standards - but I think it caused a mental block in myself to not celebrate milestones. So this "Alliversary" (aka the brand's anniversary) is more than the fun stuff like releasing a new collection and partying with you. It's an opportunity to teach ourselves how to give credit to how far we've have come and how much we've evolved. When I think of the beginning steps of this brand, I have so much gratitude for that innocent, brave 20-something year old girl who decided to write a business plan, get a loan and start a business. She was the one who took the biggest step of all - admitting to herself that this was what she wanted to do. Then I flash forward a few years later, when it got really tough for a naive 30 year old. When mistake after mistake kept happening and it seemed like the Universe was throwing curve balls at her everyday. I have so much appreciation that she didn't give up. Through all the tears, debt and failure - she kept going . . . she persevered.  Then the turning point in my early/mid 30's happened and I felt like I had a good handle on my business and life. I got into Nordstrom, I started my family, and this is where Year 1 starts. And here we are 14 years later... My 40's is where I found my footing, where I started to trust my intuition, and where I started to step into the light a bit more.  This is where the true, authentic nature of the Allison Izu brand began.  It was in my 40's that I was inspired to create "Live Your Letter" and #IZUBodyTypes. It's where this clothing brand found its deeper purpose and mission.  And as we move into our 14th Alliversary, I'm embarking on the second half of my 40's. I feel like my brand and my life are at a turning point. . . It's like a FULL MOON moment for me, an opportunity to 'harvest the opportunities and intentions of the previous moon cycles.'  I realized these cycles that keep showing up in my life are similar to the moon and it's phases. Waning and waxing, just like the moon, no phase is more important than the other, each phase is needed and necessary. But this year, this Alliversary, this "moon phase" of my life is a little more special to me. It's the phase where I've finally given myself permission to take up space, to stand in my light fully, and to live authentic to my purpose and truth. And with this FULL MOON moment, it's also a NEW MOON moment. Where I can start fresh and begin again. In this new phase, I was able to solidify a foundation for my brand and built 4 pillars - EMPOWERMENT, CONNECTION, SELF-ACCEPTANCE, and VIBRANCY. These 4 pillars represent our intention as a brand and my intention as a human. We're striving to live these pillars each and everyday. To infuse them into everything we do. And once I got clear on what they mean to the business and myself, I've been living them and can start to feel the shifts happening.  Recently, there have been moments and interactions in my day-to-day life where I'm reminded by you, our friends, supporters and customers of our 4 pillars - because you're living them too. When you come in and try a new style or a new color. When you meet a new friend in the Showroom and start up a conversation because you come out of the dressing room loving what each other is wearing. Or when you share your vulnerable stories with me about the scary things you're facing in your life. These moments are when I have the deepest of gratitudes for what I get to do everyday. I'm literally getting chicken skin and tearing up as I write this - because you have been the inspiration and example of how to live these 4 pillars.  You've shown me how to live brave, how to step into the light and how to be our most vulnerable authentic selves. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to learn by your example. You have given this brand purpose. You have given my team and myself purpose. Thank you for joining us on this next moon phase of our lives, and this brand's journey . . .  with love + light, Allison  PS: We'll be celebrating our 14th Alliversary all week long so stay tuned! And hopefully I get to see you in The Showroom this Saturday, 9/17. 

There are days when I realize that there is more to my job and my purpose than just making clothing. It's those days when a customer comes into the store and talks about how this blog, my words, helped them to try something new or see themselves in a new, positive light.  That's when I feel a deep sense of gratefulness for the opportunity to connect with you through this brand, the clothing, and through being a flawed and imperfect human being. This is a way to CONNECTION - one of the pillars of my brand. It's finding the touch points between you, to the team, and myself through the clothing or messages we share with each other. I struggle through life sometimes, it's not all style videos and designing new clothes. And as I age, I feel like the struggle is more painful sometimes. But I realized that it's because I'm making it a struggle. I was texting a dear friend the other day and she was talking about how she isn’t confident about her body. All I could think was how BEAUTIFUL she is. And I said to her, “I wish you could see what I see” - I wish you could see your pure beauty and how you light up a room. I wish you could see how your skin glows or how the way you hold yourself inspires confidence in me. And while I realize it's nice to receive compliments and kind words from others - the real work is all about saying it to yourself. And so I asked myself, can you say those kind words to yourself, Al? Can you look in the mirror and say these compliments to yourself and receive them wholeheartedly? Hmmm . . . now that's a hard one. But I did it - and it was some deep Mirror Work for sure (PS: "Mirror Work" is from a really good book from Louise Hay). I also realized that this is where our connection comes from - her willingness to share her honest feelings with me, her willingness to show a flawed and insecure side of her usual confident self - that was brave! And this conversation, sharing with each other, made us CONNECT on a deeper level. Because her struggles, are my struggles. Her inability to see herself as a phenomenal beautiful human, is also my struggle and perhaps your struggle as well. And it's through these moments of sharing and vulnerability that we can all find healing and CONNECTION. Why do we spend so much of our lives chasing some cure for aging? Trying to find a pill to melt the fat away, or some machine to take the wrinkles off of our face? I'm a victim myself . . . I see myself in my style videos or photos and say (not so nice) things about me. Chasing a 20 year old youth in my 40’s is fruitless, because even if I find some temporary fix, I’m going to need that fix for the rest of my life. Because when I’m 60, I’ll be longing for this 45 year old self. So the question is, can I be happy in the present moment? Can I accept this 45 year old “softer and saggier” body, with this 45 year old face that has sun damage, laugh lines and thinning hair? The answer is not a definite YES, but I'm willing to try to work to love myself in the present moment. Because wouldn't that be a great way to live life? With a deep love and respect for my unadulterated self. . . 

As I get older, I'm finding myself wanting to challenge myself more - to live outside of the constraints and old habits that once was my norm. I don't want to just "show up" and survive, I want to thrive! With all the lessons we've learned from the pandemic, one lesson stands out to me always is to grab life by its horns and LIVE FULLY. I love fashion and design - it's something that's kept me connected to my creativity since I was a small girl. And I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to share my design theory of comfort and confidence with you and so many other women! But recently, something has been gnawing at me from the inside. A challenge of sorts, a new way of looking at design, at my own self acceptance and at aging. For some, clothing is just the things that covers their bodies while they go about their day. But for me, it's an expression of self, of how I'm feeling (or want to feel). And now, in my forties - I want to use clothing to change my own point of view, to influence the way we see ourselves and our place in the world. That's why I created this new brand - A. IZU - it's like the rebellious side of me that's ready to be set free. I thought to myself that if the "Allison Izu" side of the brand is here to make women feel comfortable in their bodies, then "A. IZU" is here to push them outside their comfort zone, challenge them (and myself) to fully step into the light. It's the brand that allows us, encourages us, pushes us (and society) to accept us in our authentic truth - be it loud, sexy, messy and powerful. We're no longer here so that others feel comfortable around us. We're here to make our mark, to take up space, and push society to accept that we are valuable, exactly where we are.  I'm not going to apologize for getting older, for the extra weight I put on after I had my babies, for wearing a two piece swimsuit and showing my soft tummy. I'm not going to cover my arms because the flabbiness of them might offend you. I'm not going to be embarrassed to show my bralette, under a sheer top or under my sort-of sexy tank top! I am just starting to feel good again in my skin, at my age - and I am not going to shrink back into the darkness.  This collection, this brand - A. IZU - is all about me willing myself to fully step into the light! -Allison  CLICK HERE to shop the A.Izu Collection

As some of you know, I've been on a journey of self discovery. Call it my 40's, my mid-life crisis (or salvation), whatever the label - it has been an eye opening, sometimes painful process. It's a day-to-day practice of working to uncover some deep, hidden wounds from my past. And it's also about looking at what society has been teaching me or training me to accept as the truth. I was talking to a customer the other day and I recommended she try a sleeveless top. Her answer was "I can't wear that!" I asked her why and she replied that 'her arms are jiggly and no one wants to see that!' This conversation stuck with me and I kept thinking to myself, who told you this? Who told you that jiggly arms can't be shown? Or at a certain age or size, we should just keep our arms covered at all times?! As I aged, there were things - specifically clothing styles, that I categorized as "not appropriate." I had to ask myself the question - is it my fear of being ridiculed by others or is it my own judgement of myself? Probably a little of both. It's been a constant ongoing battle, but my first step is working to accept the fact that there will always be people out there who have negative things to say. And my realization is that it's more about that person, than it's about me. Secondly, why should I allow society to create "norms" and why am I automatically programmed to follow them?  And lastly, and the hardest of them all - I need to go a little deeper to understand why it is that when I look at myself in the mirror, I repeat horrible things in my head? Why is my own fear of aging and having my body shape change creating such a powerful negative reaction? I know there's no instant fix to all of layers, but I'll be here alongside of you. I'm working through and dealing with the same things. And I'm making it my mission to create a safe space for women, to educate you about fashion, styling and our bodies. Through designing clothing for my own body shape - I believe I can offer healing to other women. And through education, we can empower ourselves and other women to learn to love and appreciate their bodies.    It's time we take back our power. It's time we allow ourself to take up space in this world. To show up, unapologetically, and say - this is me, all of the jiggly, soft, wrinkled parts - and you know what - I LOVE EVERY PART OF HER. And through our own practice of self-love, we'll be able to love each other more deeply and authentically. I believe this to be a truth, that I choose to live my life by daily. Thank you so much for being here and for listening . . . I see you and I love you!

You should always have a goal in mind when trying to accomplish anything. It's something that inspirational speakers talk about all of the time. But what if along the way you somehow lost sight of the goal? And what if, along the way, the goal morphed into something bigger than you could've ever imagine? I feel like that's what happened to me over the years since I set my sights on my first goal - to create a successful fashion design company.  That was goal #1. I always kept it in my minds eye. But what did that mean? Successful? The definition of success is totally subjective. my first professional photoshoot for a magazine in my Kaimuki home Over these last few years of being a designer and entrepreneur, my goals changed. They shifted in a way I didn't really expect. The destination feels the same - create a successful design company, but the purpose is so much bigger than just clothing. I realized that I'm not just designing clothing for women, I'm creating pieces that support and accentuate a women's beauty, empowerment, acceptance and self-love. The goal and the purpose became less about the actual piece of clothing and more about the wearer. This is what these past few years has been about, finding my way back to my original goal with a new purpose in mind. With my new purpose, I decided I needed a new space. Somewhere that would support my creativity, my brand and this new journey . . . What would this location looks like, I asked?  I think the more appropriate questions was, "what would this new location feel like?" I knew it should feel like home, a place that I could show up as my most authentic genuine self and be able to live out this purpose. To support other women to show up as their most authentic genuine selves too. That's when Manoa popped back into my head and the thought of it was home to me. This was the community that supported me when I first started my brand. It was the area that I did some of my first pop-ups and photoshoots, it was the place that I felt comfortable to show up as my new 40-something year old self. working in my first "office" at Manoa Innovation Center My goals were the same . . . to design clothing, but my purpose was more - to solve problems with how clothing didn't "fit" and be a support system for women. To create clothing that doesn't make us feel shameful for the extra pounds we put on since having children or entering menopause or any of the other changes we face as women. This brand, this company, could be a safe haven for us to feel beautiful in our skin. I'm not saying its going to solve all of the negative self talk, but I'm working to become that space where we nurture and work on self-love. Where women can feel seen, heard, and accepted. This is how my purpose has changed. This is how I know I was led back to Manoa for something bigger. I'm excited for the challenge. I'm excited to embark on this new journey with a new goal in mind. The destination is somewhat the same, but the purpose is so much bigger . . . 

Renovations are always hard - you have to put up with the usual unexpected costs and delays. Since opening this company, I've moved in and renovated 5 spaces in a matter of 8 years, but this one started off feeling so much more difficult for me. The Universe had a bigger lesson for me to learn through this process, one that I am only now realizing. As a small business, I am always keeping an eye on costs while satisfying my "expensive" taste. Even when I am designing and manufacturing clothing, I need to find the balance of high end fabrics and details, while keeping costs reasonable (so I can be a profitable business). These renovations followed the same train of thought.  I wanted to do a full renovation of the Showroom space. I wanted to do it "right" and make it something special. That meant I needed to take down walls and rip out flooring, in addition to numerous other details. The space was, shall we say, not in perfect condition - it needed A LOT of care. With every wall we moved, we had the realization that there was more work to be done. It was disheartening and felt like I was climbing an uphill battle. To keep some costs down, we did a lot of work ourselves . . . remove a built-in shelf? Sure! Rip out laminate flooring? Got it! Hang some drywall? Why not! But even with all of the late nights, there was still more work to be done. The days were disappearing and I wanted to do a soft opening for my friends and family in May. When I set my heart on a goal, I go for it 100% - so there was no turning back. Entering my turning point, I realized I was forcing things to happen. But this has been the way I have always survived up to this point in my life.  Force, push, break down walls. . . I make shit happen - sometimes against the will of the Universe. However, I lost sight of the fact that my lesson has always been to surrender. I needed to pause, breathe deeply, and allow help to enter my life. Help from the Universe, help from people. Once I had that moment of awareness, help showed up. It was surreal and awe-inspiring. That day as I talked to my team about needing support (which they were like -"HELL YES AL, what do you need us to do?"), my parents unexpectedly stopped by. My dad is a retired general contractor and while he doesn't actively do this kind of work anymore, he immediately got on the phone and called a couple of people to come and help. Meanwhile that same day, my husband, Young (who is a lot like me. . . a hard-headed entrepreneur that's often hesitant to ask for help), had gone to Home Depot and bumped into a friend who was also a general contractor.  He insisted he come by and help for a few hours, and without hesitation he jumped right in. And like a wave, help and support kept coming. Everything started to fall into place - our long time friend came to install the flooring, another friend from back in the day came to install new lighting, and the boxes on the to-do list kept getting checked off slowly . . . one by one. It's such a funny thing that happens when you allow help in - it changes you. It allows you to see that there is wonder and goodness everywhere around you. You realize how much love and support live within people. It causes your heart to swell so much, that it takes your breathe away.  I am tearing up as I write this because of how the Universe showed up for me in the way of helpful people, doors opening, and everything aligning just as I needed it to. This is not to say that I am cured of my forceful nature - that will take time, practice, and discipline. But I am learning that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, nor is it a burden on other people. Asking for help and surrendering is allowing the beauty of this world to show up - allowing the Universe to support me. That's the way I am seeing it these days. There is so much gratefulness for this lesson - for these people who were so willing to show up for us, and for the Universe always providing me with new lessons and ways for me to grow, shift and evolve.      

When the decision was made to move out of Ala Moana Center, I had no idea where we would go next.  I didn't know what I was looking for, or what I wanted our new space to look or feel like. The more spaces I visited, the more I doubted myself and the idea of leaving a well-known mall.  In every space we toured, I would ask myself - would my customers come here, do I envision my team working here. . . After about a handful so spaces we visited, I realized I was forgetting about myself in this whole process. “What do you want, Allison?” the question kept popping into my head . . . I realized I needed to take a break, give myself space and time to figure it out and get back to square one.  Where can I see myself putting down roots?  Where will I feel creative and supported? These were the new questions floating in my head. And then a friend suggested Manoa . . . ‘yes, Manoa!’ I liked the idea.  It was a full circle moment for me, the beginning years of my brand were in Manoa. It was the location of my first “office” space and where I fondly remember my kids growing up, as well as myself. And so I had my realtor reach out to Manoa Marketplace and toured a few spaces. It was definitely different from Ala Moana, but perhaps in the best way possible? I allowed myself to be led, to be inspired, so I could see what came to fruition. The process of negotiation was disheartening at times, but once I put my focus on something I want - I work to get it. So I kept at it, until a month and a half later- I was signing the lease. Serendipitously, it was on the last days of being at Ala Moana. I literally went from packing and moving to signing the papers! I’m here in Manoa, writing this blog at my desk in my office and it feels amazing! I have a place to come to daily, to be creative, to be inspired and to just be. To allow myself to dream the big dream, to see that I am worthy of that. Every set back feels more like an exciting challenge, every mishap feels like an opportunity for me to find a deeper meaning or truth. It’s an opportunity for me to find out more about myself and what I want from this life.  I am excited to share more of this journey with you, and to eventually share this space with you as well. We have put a lot of love, sweat and a couple of tears into this space. But what has come out of this process is a clearer understanding of who I am, what I want for this business, this team and essentially what I want for you too! Thank you for allowing me to share this journey with you . . . stay tuned for more news about the renovations and Grand Opening!

Being a mom is one of the hardest yet most rewarding jobs . . . I didn't know coming into motherhood it'd be so dependent on my own growth and evolution as a human. There are so many things to worry about and so many things that can become overwhelming, but I try hard to remind myself what my purpose is as Olive and Owen's mom. For me, it's just to show up - however I am in the moment, to live in the present, instead of in my head worrying and obsessing.  They don't need me to be perfect, to have all of the answers, or to constantly protect them. They just need me to listen with an open mind and love all parts of them with an open heart. Even the parts that sometimes drive me crazy or get me frustrated.  It's in those moments, that I know there is a lesson for me to learn or evolve from. I recently read this quote from Dr. Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D - she is the author of “The Awakened Family”, one of my favorite books: May you be blessed with a child . . . Who defies you so you can learn to release control, Who doesn’t listen so you learn to tune in. With one who loves to procrastinate so you learn the beauty of stillness, With one who forgets things so you learn to let go of attachments, With one who is extra sensitive so you learn to be more grounded. With one who is inattentive so you learn to be focused, With one who dares to rebel so you learn to think outside the box, With one who feels afraid so you learn to trust the Universe, May you be blessed with a child . . . Who teaches you  That it is never about them And all about you. If you're a mom, THANK YOU and I send you lots of love and light for giving so much of yourself to your kids and family.  And if you're lucky enough to still have your mother in your life, reach out to her and thank her for doing her best to love and raise you. All I can say is, it's one step at a time. For me - sometimes it feels like I'm taking four steps backwards to get one step ahead. But I'm ready and willing everyday to show up, as my very flawed self, and work to become the mom that Olive and Owen deserve. Because in the process - I'm doing so much for myself as well. They are the blessings in my life that show me how to release control, how to tune in, be still, let go of attachments, be more grounded, be more focused, think outside the box, and trust the Universe. Thank you Olive and Owen for choosing me to be your mom! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! -Allison