I lived in Tokyo from ages five through eight, after living in suburbia Ohio. Quite the difference in scenery. The Kimono is nostalgic for me, because it was the first time I recall seeing women dressed differently. There was something majestic about it. They glided through the streets like royalty. Like Queens.

In 2017, a friend was encouraging me through the storm of recovery. She shared a parable that helped her through her own trauma, about how Palm Trees would quite literally bend down to the ground during storms to avoid the impact, in hopes of surviving. While doing so, their roots grew deeper and stronger. And when the sun came back out after the storm (as it always does), they rose back up to their full glory. The reign was theirs. Those majestic palms.

Her parable inspired what I painted while working through my healing journey. Without knowing fully how it would manifest, I just knew I needed to paint this piece, which I coined the “Majestic Palm Palace”. I decided to turn the artwork into a garment inspired by the Silk Kimonos I had found so magical in my youth. I wanted anyone who was walking through trauma recovery to feel robed in the manifesto of resilience that I had discovered for myself. We all have the choice to reclaim the reign over our own lives, even if someone succeeded in temporarily stealing that from us. We are those Majestic Palms. Grounded. Resilient. And when the storm clears, we can rise up. Knowing that our roots are stronger. The reign is ours.

— JENNY BUKOVEC, FOUNDER & ARTIST