November 24, 2022 - The Chicago Journal

Sneak peek into the life of Naomi Lievens – Modeling career to Motherhood, and mental health tips

The Chicago Journal Staff on November 24, 2022

Supermodel and mental health advocate Naomi Lievens is a curious soul and a woman of many interests. Once she believes the process of learning has slowed down, she moves on to something else. That’s probably the reason why she has explored many avenues. As far as her professional life is concerned, she opened her own bar in Belgium, worked as an architect for a couple of years, helped create a dating application in Greece, and worked as a yacht broker as well as a creative director for a fashion magazine in Paris. And the list goes on and on.

Rather than a conversationalist, Naomi is more of an observant. This trait has helped her understand people even when they have difficulty actually communicating. This gift has worked wonders for her as a mental health advocate, providing support to people in their times of need. Naomi Lievens had a turbulent childhood. At the age of 4, she lost her parents and moved to Malta to live with her uncle.

Six years down the lane, her uncle also passed away, and she moved to live with her aunt. Because of the unsettled early years, adjusting was hard, and she ended up in an institute. While most people would have ended up in worse circumstances, the institute was a great support for Naomi. She learned her major life lessons there and attained some balance. However, she struggled with depression during her teenage years. In fact, her mental health was affected so much that she even attempted to take her life, not once but twice.

To earn a living and survive in the world, she started modeling when she was 15 years old. It was not something she wanted, but she had great potential to become a supermodel and, most importantly, needed the money to make ends meet. From there, it was no looking back for Naomi Lievens, and she ended up working with some of the industry giants like Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Guess, Dolce & Gabbana, Philipp Plein, Dior Beauty, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Elle, etc.

As she rose to fame and became an inspiration for young girls, she realized she should put her influence to good use by helping people understand the importance of mental health. “I noticed that you can create a lot of awareness for the right causes when you have a bigger audience to communicate with. I know from experience that I could help people in a different way than others because I developed a deeper understanding of pain and loss,” revealed Naomi.

She further went on to explain, “People can go through the same trauma and react totally differently to it. Hence, everyone has a different way of understanding and healing from their experience. You learn so much from listening to other people and observing how they talk and act. I see the blockages and the distractions people have put in their heads and guide them to see the deeper issue and work with them on how they can resolve these issues.”

It won’t be an understatement if we say that she has come a long way from her depression and has embraced life to its fullest. While she was on top of her career and supporting people with mental health, she got pregnant. It was an unexpected pregnancy for her as she was infertile for ten years because of a tumor in her brain that was overproducing hormones. In the beginning, it was hard for her, but with a supportive partner and great work opportunities, she found a work-life balance.

“Initially, I was so upset as my whole life had to be put on hold. It took me some time to accept it, but I am very happy with my choice as I see this baby as a miracle, and I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Besides that, I haven’t felt this excited about anything in a long time, and the love I feel for my son is beyond anything I have ever felt before. It is my first true love,” shared Naomi enthusiastically.

Her secret to success, which she even instills in others, is to stop asking for permission or validation from others. Growing up, she lacked self-confidence and constantly needed others to push her for things she wanted in life. Due to this, she missed a few opportunities, which she now regrets. Even today, she encounters many young kids with the greatest talents. But due to the people around them as well as the societal pressures, they hold themselves back and suppress their abilities to shine through.

She believes everyone should find a passion they can completely lose themselves in and flourish. That is one thing that makes them unique. However, there should be a balance; in terms of what we do, what we think, eat and feel, these all require awareness and a sense of equilibrium to grow and prosper in life.

Naomi Lievens is a real-life inspiration for everyone. From battling mental health to becoming a mental health advocate, from a self-conscious young girl to a successful supermodel, and from struggling with health issues to embracing motherhood, Naomi teaches us how to fight tough situations and emerge victorious in challenging times. Indeed, she is a supermodel in the truest essence of the word.

Daniel’s Leather is not your number 1 choice, it’s your only choice

The Chicago Journal Staff on November 24, 2022

Leather products have always been a hot item for the fashion industry as they never go out of fashion and look classy as well. For decades, leather jackets and boots have been considered trendy chic. In fact, our movies and fashion shoots have constantly endorsed this phenomenon. Fast forward to the present, and various celebs, such as Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox, are spotted wearing leather dresses and looking absolutely stunning. However, like every other fabric, leather has evolved over time, and now more than ever, you will find on-trend outfits like a dress, pants, or a stylish coat.

Different forms of leather are admired at large, but advanced technology has made it possible for leather apparel to be available in various textures and stunning colors. Goods made from leather have been considered luxury items and a must-have in both men’s and women’s wardrobes. However, it was initially believed that leather apparel would be suitable only in the winter season, but thanks to the latest technology, lightweight leather is being produced. This means that you can flaunt it not only in summers but also wear it all year round.

Understanding the fashion needs and trends, Nadeem Waheed launched his line of leather and fur under the banner of Daniel’s Leather in 1995. Little did he know that his passion for fashion would lead him to the most sought-after leather brand in the USA. Daniel’s Leather started operations from Orchard Street in New York City, known as the center for leather goods. Starting from a place with huge existing competition is challenging for any business; however, Daniel’s Leather soon stood out due to its innovative designs, bold colors, and, most importantly, affordable prices.

What makes Daniel’s Leather unique is not just its customer service and designs but also the fact that it offers tailor-made leather and fur accessories. This came as a natural evolution and something people had been craving for quite some time: customized designs in luxury prêt. Vibrant color schemes, supple leathers, exotic fur trims, and plush sheepskins to be customized and fitted to your needs and desires is what the business is known for. In fact, the brand has gained immense popularity in a short span of time owing to its chic creations, colors, and styles. Moreover, cookie cutter, mass-produced styles have been replaced with cutting-edge inventive, and novel designs. Whoever comes to the store just falls in love with the stunning creations.

Thousands of loyal customers have been shopping at Daniel’s Leather season after season, becoming more of friends than mere customers. So, it won’t be wrong to say that the brand’s reputation has grown due to its loyal clientele. Since they don’t advertise, the growing customer base is purely on a grassroots level and through word-of-mouth. They think of it as their own, and they are the ones that bring more people in.

Daniel’s Leather has put in a lot of effort to reach where they are today. Currently, they have a list of celebrities who wear and endorse the brand and tend to go back time and again for fashionable options. Names like Cardi B, DJ Khaled, Diddy, Remy Ma, and Andrew Dice Clay are a few stars amongst many others who have proudly shared and endorsed Daniel’s Leathers. Not just that, their leather pieces have been featured in shows like Saturday Night Live and Power.

The brain behind the brand, Nadeem Waheed, aims to rule the fashion world when it comes to leather and fur. Apart from that, his goal is to ensure that anyone thinking of doing a photoshoot or making a music video presenting a cool and hip crowd would want to be seen in one of Daniel’s Leather’s fabulous creations and fashionable leather pieces.

Daniel’s Leather has worked extremely hard to not be just people’s first choice but their only choice. And for that, a lot of thought has been put into every item, creativity, statement designs, mix and match of fluorescent colors, and the best part is that the prices will not put a dent in your wallet. The brand is at a point where its competitors have started copying the designs. Nadeem Waheed doesn’t mind other brands copying his styles but just wants them to use excellent quality skins so that the end product doesn’t look a rip-off or cheap.

Whatever Daniel’s Leather creates has a lot of love involved in the process, and that is quite evident in the designs as well as its service. Where businesses usually take three to five years to start making a profit, the brand started churning profit just a year after its launch. If you want a luxury leather or fur item for your wardrobe that is hip and on-trend, you now know where to find it!

How TRNDY Social is Changing the Game for Retired Athletes

The Chicago Journal Staff on November 24, 2022

Mike Visnick & Logan Simmons, Founders of TRNDY Social

Often-times the names of top-level athletes are well known, however their faces & personal brands off the field usually are not. These days, it takes a blend of digital & real life brand building to have a presence that sticks after a career in sports. Leading talent agency TRNDY Social is serving as the bridge between brands and celebrities by helping celebrities in various fields realize their value and work with notable brands in symbiotic relationships.

TRNDY Social operates as a full social agency that assists athletes on marketing & by solidifying brand partnerships. It has a vast network of music industry leaders, television executives, and D2C brand owners. Aptly branded “The Bridge from Brands to Celebrities,” TRNDY Social has offices in both Boca Raton, Florida and Newport Beach, California, making its reach quite literally coast to coast. Founded by seasoned marketing experts Logan Simmons and Mike Visnick, its deep-rooted relationships with key stakeholders in the entertainment world have helped the company forge viral partnerships between celebrities and brands, making it one of newest yet one of the most reputable agencies for athletes and entertainers to solidify their brands and become more bankable.

Mike Visnick & Logan Simmons of TRNDY Social with Donovan McNabb, Former Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback

At the core, TRNDY Social offers brand-building services by helping its clients build their digital and social media presence, tell their stories on and off the field and present them to the world in a way that the average person can relate with them and what they represent. “Celebrity marketing means significantly more than sponsoring videos or glamourous Instagram posts. The right celebrity marketing strategy enables companies to reach their target groups directly and retain them sustainably,” co-founder and CMO Logan Simmons said.

TRNDY also takes pride in its strategic approach that builds communities and guarantees real numbers and interest from the targeted audiences. “The hard reality of business in 2022 is that consumers forget about you if you’re not consistently in front of them. The best business in the world doesn’t exist if people don’t know it exists. Marketing the correct way is a requirement for success,” cofounder and CEO Mike Visnick said.

As a testament to the company’s reach, it recently signed New York Giants legend Tiki Barber in a new strategic partnership. The award-winning talent agency also manages other athletes like Terrell Owens, Donovan McNabb and many others. In addition, they have been expanding their reach to cover other areas in the entertainment industry, such as television personalities, musicians, influencers and all aspects of professional sports.

Over the next few years, the founders of TRNDY Social have plans to scale their reach by adding more global athletes, celebrities, entertainers, and brands to the company’s roster. “There is so much potential in these athletes’ brands, and we help them tap them and maximize them so that everybody wins. Our goal is to see everyone win,” Logan Simmons said.