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Art & Culture

Nili Lotan on Starting Over at 50 and Designing Confidence for Women

Image by Inez & Vinoodh

25 Jul '25
By The Shift
25 Jul '25
By The Shift

The Shift highlights women’s stories through the lens of impact. It hopes to contextualize history and inspire action.

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Nili Lotan is an acclaimed ready-to-wear designer and the founder of her luxury namesake brand. She built a globally recognized fashion brand grounded in the philosophy that a woman’s wardrobe should function as an extension of herself, and continually collaborates with female artists, musicians, and creatives to showcase their unique perspectives and voices.

The Shift:

Who are three women that inspire you?

Nili:

Louise Bourgeois

Joni Mitchell

Charlotte Perriand

The Shift:

What is one defining moment in your career or life that empowered you to create change, and how has it shaped the path you’re on today?

Nili:

50 was a turning point in both my personal and professional life. I left my marriage of 27 years and started my own company after working for others for 23 years. This marked the first time I would carry out my own creative vision and live my life truly the way I wanted. It was a radical choice that took more courage than I realized at the time. In empowering myself as a designer, I was actually serving other women in their own self-empowerment, in giving them the tools to feel authentic, sophisticated, and inspired. In many ways I’m a mirror to my own clients and as I pursue my highest self, I see that other women are able to do the same. I hope I can continue to offer women the space and opportunity to self-empower.

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Nili Lotan is honored as part of The Shift’s “90 Plus One” list, which recognizes influential women shaping contemporary culture. With Gloria Steinem featured on the inaugural print cover, the list pays homage to her 91 years of activism by highlighting a powerhouse community of women shifting culture.