“Where I am today is not by my works, but by the grace of God” ~ Natasha Roberts, 2020
Two strangers - a Singaporean and a Torontonian - met in the summer of July 2019 over vintage jumpsuits in a local fashion boutique in the heart of Kensington Market, Toronto. Brought together by their mutual love for chai latte, people and God, what started as a shopping spree turned into a beautiful sisterhood friendship. In this episode, I had the most wonderful time chatting with a fellow like-hearted individual who is loving, courageous, compassionate, super smart and absolutely beautiful inside out.
Come with me as we learn about how at a young tender age of 6, Natasha began to learn a key life lesson - Vulnerability. As the now co-owner of Space Vintage, a black-owned mother-daughter vintage clothing store and brand, she had the wonderful fortune of meeting people from all walks of life and people who were so open in sharing (first lesson in vulnerability!) their stories and experiences. They were the ones who inspired and motivated her to question and lean in to how she wanted to live her life. Building that connection with people from such a young age has developed a great sense of compassion and love within her - traits that are synonymous with how Natasha leads and runs Space Vintage today. She believes that this goes beyond the fashion business; in fact, it is going into the heart and the soul of a person - to grow with the people who come into the store.
Listen in on how Natasha lost EVERYTHING (her store, her livelihood, her home) and be inspired by how in the midst of this particularly dark season of her life, she never once wavered in her faith and trust in God to provide the way and fully restore everything that was taken away from her. By putting God first, prayer and thanksgiving became a daily practice even though the manifestation of the restoration could not yet be “seen”. It is this posture of faith and gratitude that the unthinkable happened - Natasha found a fabulous retail space in Kensington Market and it was “a saving grace and an answered prayer”. From that moment on, having overcome the challenge of displacement, one by one her prayers began to take the form of a manifested “YES” in her life.
Today, Space Vintage is a thriving and important institution in Toronto’s fashion scene. And in this season of the Covid-19 pandemic affecting lives and businesses all around the world, Natasha believes what she went through previously has, in a way, prepared her to navigate these uncertain times. She sees this as another opportunity to mature and exercise her faith, to never give up, rise up, evolve and overcome.
This interview left me feeling pumped and so inspired; and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did recording it.
PS: Little spoiler here - for all you stylists and fashionistas out there, stay to the end of the episode for a mega announcement on Space Vintage’s foray into the digital space and what that means for us ladies who never “seem to have enough clothes” in our wardrobe! HAHA
Natasha's IG: @natasharoberts_xo
Space Vintage IG: @spacevintagexo
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