Sarah Danu would not mind not being one of the models you're meeting. In fact modeling is a bit out of her comfort zone. But as the founder of a still-tiny business, she often is cast into roles she has no experience in and required to figure it out! This is actually one of her favorite things about running a small business and life in general. Finding comfort in places and things that feel uncomfortable to begin with as she's come to accept there is always great growth potential is what we're drawn to that feels scary at first. So, as time passes, Sarah has developed a bit of a selfie-system to be able to offer new designs as they are ready, in between our larger photoshoots.
Besides modeling, what else do you love to spend time doing?
My days are rather full of running all aspects of Danu, from design to marketing to finances, but in moments I have to myself, you'll find me walking along beachside trails, without any technology, simply observing and being in an effort to unwind and ground myself in the location I am in. I also spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Cooking is a meditative act for me and sourcing food from local, sustainable growers is my throughline to the land.
Where do you currently live? How do you relate to it?
I currently live on my sailboat, a Formosa 41', I spent years restoring from a very poor condition with my partner, Charlie Danu. There's not a place of the boat our hands and creativity has not touched. It's very precious to us. We met through sailing as I had a boat and he had a boat at the same marina. Now we just have one boat — Blossom — which we named, after much deliberation, to remind us to return again and again to the unfurling of ourselves. Blossom is a tiny home, which is not without challenges, but at the moment, just perfect for me. My favorite thing about Blossom is the places I can go with her. Their are remote anchorages in California that you can feel incredible solitude, despite proximity to major metropolis. But for years, we have been en route to the small islands of the South Pacific. Maybe this year we'll be brave enough to sail across the Pacific.
How do you feel when you are wearing Danu?
In love! Oh my goodness! I shouldn't even be allowed to answer this question! This fabric does illicit love for me... why else would I fall so fast into a commitment to it? I also feel very powerful and simply radiant — especially when I'm wearing a monochrome outfit like my Barcelona & Hida's in organic madder root red. I also feel there is an element of healing I am receiving while wearing these fabrics. Not only are they not doing bad things to the earth, they're gently nourishing my skin and energy. It's just a subtle feeling, but it's there.
Did you have a favorite Danu piece? Why?
It changes as where I am on the planet shifts my needs, but I'm currently in love with the Equatorial Wrap! It's a pretty complex piece that does things that were tricky to pull off with a plastic-free jersey knit. As a larger-chested person on a journey to heal back pain, this is the most comfortable bra-shirt-thing I own. It's also perfect for hot sunny days when I'd really prefer to be wearing nothing.
Top way to unwind and recharge?
Get in the ocean. Whenever I notice my energy is low or down, I try to drop everything and dive into the ocean. It grounds me in a literal since and it's still cold enough where we currently are, central California, I feel all the benefits of cold water therapy. Plus, the ocean is always sure to make me laugh and make my inner child feel pure delight. Charlie and I let go and play like kids in the waves, trying to dunk each other, counting who can do the longest headstand. The ocean is good to me. I come out salty, grounded and joyful everytime.
What’s your favorite way to spend time outdoors?
Walking. It's so simple and ancient. I shy away from outdoor activities that require equipment or modern devices. Walking is always there for me. It makes me feel amazing and is a quick way to orient me with the people and places of new surroundings.
Favorite wellness practice at the moment?
I'm a bit of a wellness seeker... if you've heard of it, I've probably tried it. But I'm at a place where I have my basics that really work for me I turn to again and again. What I'm focused on now is my mental state. I'm trying to regain my depth of attention and clarity around my intuition in a culture where it feels to me everything is designed against that most simple, primal way of being. In action, this looks like not following a lot of people on social media and turning to longer, deeper forms of information often including old-fashioned conversations with strangers who I find myself nearby. But you can also find me making reishi walnut milk, sweating in infrared saunas, drinking raw eggs, wearing clothes for their energetic powers, zoned out to yoga nidra and everything else wellness cliché.
Where can people go to learn more about you?
I'm just starting a youtube channel I'm super excited about. It's going to pretty real and raw as video tends to be. My partner and I decided to start it together after years of internal resistance. I'm an introvert and he's an extrovert who at the moment, has no social media accounts. But one day sailing we found some old videos we'd taken of our sailing adventures in the past and they just made us so happy... happier than our sailing made us that day! So we questioned if the actual recording of our adventure would bring us more joy and we tried it and it did so we're going to give youtube videomaking a go.
You can also connect with me on my personal instagram or follow me on facebook.
Do you mind describing your body type and sharing your size and measurements at the time of our photoshoot to help people choose a good fit?
Sure! I'm 5'6” and my measurements are: bust - 38", waist - 31" and hips - 40". I don't fit well in any size chart, not even the one I created, as it's based off of what people expect from size charts, not my own body. I sort of have to average out my sizes and it comes to a pretty regular medium/S°4 in Danu. But I often size down to a small top for a more fitted look and size up to a large in pants for a more comfortable waistband. Through my work with Danu, I've realized that usually two sizes are always a fit for most people so I often ask, do you want this fitted or more loose to help people decide what size to purchase if they're trying to decided between two.
