Meet the ‘YA’ from NO_YA

Meet the ‘YA’ from NO_YA

I’m Yanissa, the product and financial nerd within NO_YA, that never leaves the house without a laptop… oh, and a measurement tape! 
It’s safe to say that I’m basically obsessed with everything that involves numbers. (And yes, I do realise how boring that sounds…)

There wasn’t much hesitation when I had to decide what to study after high school. Actually, there was none at all. As a 4-year-old, I already knew I would end up working in Fashion. This feeling only became stronger and stronger when I was 14 y/o and my mom started a children clothing store. I literally spent ALL my free time there since. It was not only the clothing but also the business side that really caught my attention.  

As I found something I really enjoyed learning more about – studying Fashion Business was a piece of cake – there wasn’t a subject that didn’t have my interest. Ha what a lie… nothing fashion related* I meant…English on the other hand… What a disaster! I literally remember many crying sessions and a lot of red marks showing up all over my body right before an English presentation. 

Not ideal when you’re about to enter the international fashion industry I can tell you…

So, when we had to choose a company to do our final internship, I knew it had to be somewhere where they spoke English to get over the fear and insecurities. Little did I know that a 6-month internship would turn into 5 years living and working in London. 

What can I say…go big or go home right?! 

Even though I was living the dream oversees, I never forgot about the business plans that I shared together with Noëlle. So when the opportunity came, I exchanged Regent’s Park & the Thames for Breda without ANY hesitation. I mean, what is more fun than working together with your best friend realizing your dreams? (Let’s also not forget about all No’s home cooked meals I had to miss out on since college).   

After working in development and production in swimwear, it was time to change product categories and to start a new challenge: lingerie. No and mine shared love for lingerie didn’t really grow at the same speed. Whilst Noelle was counting the days until she could purchase her first lingerie, I was SO embarrassed when I was the first one in class that had to start wearing a bra. (FYI – I was 10 y/o, how can you blame me? – free the nipple was definitely not a thing back then)…Luckily that’s another conquered fear now. LOL. Wearing a non-matching lingerie set? NOT ANYMORE. 

X Ya