Where Inspiration Lies: From the Soil to the Stars

We are often asked who is Romilly Wilde and what the name truly embodies. The answer - Romilly Wilde is in every one of us, that curious adventuring spirit that implores us to challenge our limitations and quest for growth. It is also the freedom to explore every side of ourselves and let that discovery take us places that surprise, enhance and inspire our senses, mind and body. 

Our founder, Susie Willis, creates a visionary lens to all these curious pursuits and has, as such brought these elements to the brand she founded. From psychology, philosophy, anthropology, and art, the very soil where plant-power sprung forth, to the mystery of the stars above. It is her constant thirst for knowledge and curiosity about the world that has inspired her journey of clean beauty. In light of these unique times and in honour of Earth Day, we thought it was the perfect time to see what is currently inspiring our founder, from the soil to the stars above! 

What are you currently reading and how is it inspiring you, especially in light of what is going on in the world today? 

I am currently reading ‘The Undivided Past’ by David Cannadine.  It explores ideas from religion, class, gender, race and civilisation and how these concepts often contradict each other and overlap.  It is not so much inspiring but challenging and it calls us to contradict conventional methods of looking at things, but simplifies and often defies these forms of solidarity, making us look at systems and ideas through which we define others, and ultimately ourselves.  It is heavy reading, but I think now is the time to look beyond the familiar and stare at what threatens us, or certainly find ways to understand how we work together, or not, as nations.

I know you have a love of astronomy. When did your interest in this area begin?

I have always been fascinated by the concept of understanding more about us through a bigger lens.  My fascination began when I started working with my perfumer, who is also a planetary scientist. I started asking questions that I had never conceived of before, what is dark matter, what are the gasses that make the stars?  I was given a telescope for my birthday, and I have a permanent view of the sky at night and it definitely makes you feel infinite yet insignificant. 

Astrophysicist Karel Shrijiver explains in his book,  Living With the Stars: How the Human Body Is Connected to the Life Cycles of the Earth, the Planets, and the Stars, that everything on earth originated from stardust… He explains, “All the material in our bodies originates with that residual stardust, and it finds its way into plants, and from there into the nutrients that we need for everything we do—think, move, grow.” 

How does this statement resonate with you and does your connection and love of astronomy hold a deeper meaning for you and influence Romilly Wilde?

We are all made up of particles, atoms and water so I guess this is all connective.  I feel strongly about the effect of the moon on our bodies, for example the wax and wane of the moon and how it has a profound reaction for a lot of us, especially women.  This relates to the tides, gravity, magnetic forces etc. An area I find extremely fascinating. 

Many have said, the more high tech we have become, the more nature we need. Furthermore, research has shown that spending more time in nature nurtures our natural creativity and improves our imagination and memory.

Can you speak to this and explain how your love of star gazing and connecting to the earth has creatively inspired other areas of your life?

I totally agree that we all need to come back to being ‘human’ on a level that is unaffected by modern technology.  I am keen to feel and react to things in a way that is programmed on an intuitive level, not a thinking level. The taste of water from a fresh water source, the scent from nature, the nutrients from our soil, the shamanic way in which we can learn to farm and respect our natural food source. 

So ask yourself, what is it that inspires you and how currently are you taking this opportunity to expand your mind and the lens in which you view the world!