Working women: a history of resilience and girlpower

When we started LèMert, we envisioned an ambitious woman who wants to conquer the world in our clothes. Wearing it from day to evening time. 

But our clothes can also be worn to work. But sometimes we forget that there wasn’t always space for women to be ambitious and confident. The road to equal women’s rights has been long, and we’re not even there yet. But there is no denying that the hard work and resilience of many women around the world is inspiring. It’s exactly what our Baile de Colores collection is based on, and the qualities of the Dominican woman in particular. How far have the women of the world come when it comes to equality, and how do Dominican women stand their ground in the Dominican macho society?

Before women’s rights

‘A woman's place is in the kitchen’, you can still sometimes hear people say jokingly. But for most women around the world, this was (and for some still is) a daily reality. In the 18th and 19th century, important movements for equal rights emerged and gained a significant following. Women started to campaign for their right to vote, and country by country, women gained voting rights.

Women in Dominican society

The first feminist movement in the Dominican Republic ‘the Dominican Feminist Action’, emerged in 1931 and demanded women’s equal rights under the constitution. Dominican women won the right to vote in 1942, which marked an important political and civil change for women in Dominican society. While constitutionally Dominican women have equal rights to men, the machismo roots of the Dominican culture run deep. Machismo, an attitude that maintains dominant male and submissive female roles. Women in the Dominican Republic have been standing up against these roles demanding equal rights, and have been working outside of their homes to provide for themselves and for their families.

Macho’s and machista’s

Similar to the women’s rights movement in  rest of the world, many things have changed in the Dominican Republic over the last 20 years. Still, the machismo culture is prominent in Dominican society, but as much as male power dominates over Dominican culture, Dominican women have a strong presence in their matriarchal and caring attitude, work ethics, and their personal appearance and creativity.

The power of Dominican style

Important features in Dominican women’s dressing styles are colorful and shiny fabrics, that stand out and make a statement. Confidence is key! That’s why the ‘Baile De Colores’ or ‘dancing colors’ of Dominican culture is manifested in our clothing line through all the colorful, strong and present Dominican women we see every day.

We’d like to know which women you’re inspired by! Leave us a comment @lemertofficial