The mother of the century, breast-cancer warrior, and fashion designer, Gail Chovan, first stripped (metaphorically) down for our Closets feature last summer, and we became so obsessed with her story that we begged her to strip (for real) in our new episode of the What’s Underneath Project. Gail has the strength of the Hulk, the selflessness of a saint, and the wit of a Parisian literary icon (circa 1930).

“I’m not the mom that drops my kids off in yoga pants and running shorts,” Gail told us. No, in overalls layered with an indigenous suede vest and piles of bold pendants, she’s definitely not. But Gail IS the kind of mom who is eternally devoted to her 9-year-old twins (one of them, Zelda is blind), and doesn’t expect an ounce of pity as she shepherds them in and out of the hospital due to being born with congenital toxoplasmosis. As Gail states, “I’ve gone through breast cancer treatment, but none of it compares to what I think my kids live through everyday.”

Whenever we find ourselves getting whiny, we just turn to Gail and her infectious move-forward philosophy. She refuses to allow her kids’ condition to limit them (her family traveled to Morocco and Paris this summer), and, by opting not to get reconstruction, she shows that being a sexy, swaggering female has nothing to do with having breasts or being under 35. To see real beauty in the flesh, watch Gail’s video above.

With warmth and love,
Elisa + Lily

Follow Gail on Instagram: @gailchovanatelier
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