Adriel Sanders, a 41-year-old former lawyer, moved to Paris just before the COVID-19 lockdown, marking a transformative shift in her life. By the time she left corporate law after three years, Sanders was racking up an annual salary of $286,656 working as general counsel for a Fortune 500 company based in Washington, D.C. Now, she’s poised to pursue her lifelong dream—and love—for fashion. She’s personally financing the creation of her own sustainable fashion brand. Her ultimate aim is to raise at least $2 million and formally launch a 10-piece collection by 2026.
In many ways, Sanders’ journey has been a difficult yet incredible success story. When she got to Paris, she broke her lease in Washington, D.C. on the spot. So, she began the long and laborious process of applying for a French visa. She put down almost $200,000 of her own business money into her new project. Further, she loaned another $70,000 from her personal savings. This new financial commitment is a direct result of her dedication to turning these dreams into reality.
Of course, living in Paris means a whole different kind of bills. Sanders rents for this new unit will cost about $250 more than the $2,319 she was paying before. Her average monthly costs come to about $1,093, or 933 euros. This amount includes utilities, internet, dry cleaning, groceries, Navigo transportation card, and household expenses. She sunk close to $10,000 into renovations to make her apartment feel like home. On top of that, she spent at least $5,000 solely on her kitchen!
“I wish I had had the courage to move sooner. I wish I had the courage to do it after my first semester of law school to either drop out or enroll in business school and do something different that would have given me more options.” – Adriel Sanders
Sanders welcomes the difficulties of beginning anew in a strange land. Today she is happier than she ever was in her corporate career.
“There’s still a part of me that strives and pushes for more so I don’t know if I’m fully ready to say I’m proud but I feel like I’m actually happy, which I wasn’t for so long and that’s huge for me,” – Adriel Sanders
Her story is one of many today, as more professionals have been seeking personal and professional fulfillment outside the traditional career track. Her choice to leave the legal field thereby was not made hastily. At times, she found herself suppressed by the corporate world’s limitations.
“I can’t live there. I can’t function like that. I can’t go back to corporate America and holding my tongue every five seconds every day,” – Adriel Sanders
In Paris, she discovers an atmosphere that fosters innovation and artistic freedom. That calm backdrop, combined with pandemic pressures, opened up space for her to clarify her own goals and aspirations.
“The slowness of the world meant that France sped up. We were all operating from the same level of confusion, so the good thing is that I was confused by what was happening, but so was everyone else,” – Adriel Sanders
Inspired by Sanders’ mother, who taught her to be fearless, Sanders’ fashion brand is designed to encourage women—specifically women of color—to pursue their dreams fiercely. She encourages you to be bold and smart in those decisions.
“My goal and desire is to inspire women — particularly black and brown women — to just pursue their dreams and goals. When they do it does not matter. The most important thing is that they be bold, move wisely, and just go for it.” – Adriel Sanders
Fashion has always been a deep passion for Sanders, who says she finally feels free to fully express herself through fashion.
“I love fashion and I’m so happy that I can now just say that and be upfront about it because for so long it was treated as something that made me less serious,” – Adriel Sanders
Sanders is preparing for the release of her next collection, set to drop in 2026. She’s concurrently pouring time and money into building prototypes and samples for her brand. Her story is an incredible testament to the idea that following your passion can take you incredible places.
As she continues down the path ahead, Sanders keeps her eyes on her vision. She’s beautifully dealing with the intricacies of life in a new land. Her story is a reminder of the power of listening to your gut and taking chances to find what really makes you happy.
“It instantly clicked. I was like, ‘This is your home. This is where you’re supposed to be in the world and this is where you will always be. I knew I had to move to Paris,” – Adriel Sanders