Eliza Sutnick Encyclopedia of Joy

Meet Eliza Sutnick

Eliza is the Founder and CEO of Ali & Joe. Ali & Joe is an apparel brand created with unique stencils and made-to-order style.

@itsaliandjoe

What does joy mean to you?

The freedom to incorporate art into everyday life, through music, dance, food, drawing, clothing, movies and TV.

What are some of the small things you celebrate?

Staying hydrated, I often forget water is so crucial!

Tell us about a really special time in your life, and why you treasure it.

Oh goodness, too many - getting married, having my 3 kids, moving countries, working in fashion in NYC, opening my business, but let's go with seeing my school friends back in 2018 after not seeing them for 30 years!!! (wow) Sitting down to lunch with them, sharing memories, stories, and our lives up to then. We lost touch right after school.

Facebook can be a useful way to share/see and discover people from your past. I say this because my 17 year old daughter is so deeply struggling with anxiety and stress (between college searches and Covid shutdowns and the reality of being a teen girl) I can share with her the very depths of my past "life" with her and now as I am here all that doesn't matter but you need to wade through it to get to the other side.

I was so proud to talk about my journey out of rural UK and to speak of my career in NYC fashion and my small business expansion into things that really mattered to me at school, art, drama, dance . . . to use them in my everyday is really quite impressive. BUT what struck me was that I was equally enthralled in their stories and their lives, who they married, their children, their careers and what shaped them. All while we sat in the familiarity of home. It was incredible.

We all have trying moments. What is something positive you did or chose to focus on to keep you moving forward?

Easy - I'm a huge "glass half full" person. I can't stay mad. I struggle with not being able to "talk things through" end arguments. My focus is laughter. Dancing is a huge relief for me and I learnt to wall handstand (at 43) and headstand so it's a great way to release tension. Plus I have incredible belief in the power of connection. It's what keeps us all moving forward, new/old/stable connections.

Tell us about someone who's been a positive influence
in your life.

In life, I'll go with my Dad. He is my biggest supporter, an artist and so funny. He grounds me in telling me I can accomplish anything and cheers me on when I do. It's moving because for over 25 years I haven't lived in his country, but we strive to speak, share and motivate each other all the time.

My mum too - she's really up there as well with motivation. Professionally this might sound a bit kiss-up-y, but i used to drag my "one man band" suitcase past Zara's booth 1 time a year for 7 years as i did the ENK show to present my line of custom styles. The show was so overwhelming for a little fish, but Zara and team were always there at the beginning of the day and the end with a cheery hello for me as I smiled by. It's incredibly moving to be this far into my business and about to embark on a totally new and innovative way to share our brands and combine our creativity. Plus as a mum, business owner, wife and advocate for self care we are closer than ever before and yet, due to covid, we have forged and common respect/bond and care for one another that is genuine and kind. It's simply amazing.