NO RISK NO STORY

FIRST THINGS, FIRST – HOW DID YOU TWO MEET?

ROX: During a warm summer day at a water ski club near our home towns. Both passionate about wakeboarding and enjoying life, we matched right there right then. 3 weeks later we left for Costa Rica and here we are, 10 years later, still best friends and running a company together!​

JILLY: You know when just a few times in life those rare kinds cross your path and your energy is an instant match? Yep that’s us!

JILLY, WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND?​

I grew up surrounded by creativity.
A mom, architect, who designed the unreal, so creative, so inspiring. A dad with wild energy, endless dreams and passion as big as the ocean. The kind that move with the tide. He built surf dreams from scratch. First through his own label, hopping from beach to beach, then through a company he built with his best friend. A duo repping the coolest surf and sports brands.
In a way, Rox and I are just the next generation of that same story — the mini Bart & Toni haha.

Before C~RUSH I combined life as a musician with modeling and collaborated with a few cool labels where I had the opportunity to design some capsule collections. I worked in sales for 6 years where I represented a few strong knitwear brands. Sharing a mutual passion for fashion with my mom, my role model (who taught me many things but definitely quality over quantity since the day I was born) resulted in a baby brand of our own. Creating, running and selling this brand mostly by myself, is how I got a taste of every single role within a (fashion) business. Fashion, music, art, travel.. all roads led here.

HOW DID THE IDEA FOR C~RUSH COME ABOUT? AND WHY START WITH CASHMERE?

The time I spent in art school and on stage is when my fashion sense really got awakened. It started with an obsession for thrift shopping where I’d arrive home from school with all these bits that I had recycled and transformed into crazy new styles. My mom showed me the beauty of passing on items from generation to generation and I loved breathing life into old trends. The more time I spent in fashion, the more my respect for quality grew, and the longevity of a product really fascinated me. Born in a generation where we sprint from one thing to another, doesn’t really resonate with that spirit. 

Don’t get me wrong, new trends excite me and I’ll always enjoy adding fresh pieces to my closet. So what if you could fuse quality, longevity, on trend shapes, a rainbow of colors and accessibility into a collection of knock-out garments? Quality doesn’t have to come with an unaffordable price tag or conservative shapes & colors.  Apart from the fact that I learned everything about what an amazing natural fabric cashmere is during my days in a knitwear showroom, the fact that nothing feels so soft on your skin was a must for me when I started imagining  the C~RUSH product & our brand DNA. If you’re looking for disruptive, fun, quality cashmere, you want C~RUSH. C~RUSH was born from quality, color & curiosity. Because good things, soft things - should last.

ENTER ROX: WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER BACKGROUND? ​

My career took off at Procter & Gamble, where I was climbing the corporate ladder during the first 5 years of my career. I was trained in various roles during these years, from key account roles responsible for the negotiations with the biggest food retailers in Europe to shopper psychology roles, understanding consumer patterns and behaviour and rebuilding go to market strategies, to developing the road to a zero waste supply chain. I look back at these years being the best training i could have wished for, surrounded by inspiring managers and colleagues, preparing me for what was to come. ​

After P&G, I was enrolled in a programme called ‘Prins Albert Fund’, where 20 candidates get selected by a jury panel to support belgian start-ups with their international expansion. I moved to New York for this programme, where I helped a tech company expand to the North American market. This was my first entrepreneurial experience, where I was able to witness the struggles of a young company finding its way in the competitive market. The pandemic brought me back to Belgium which seemed unfortunate at the time but you know what they say… when one door closes, another one opens. And there was C~RUSH.

AND, PART 2 - WHAT LED YOU TO JOINING AS C~RUSH CO-FOUNDER?

The combination of several factors led me to joining C~RUSH  as Co-Founder. The very appealing and unique designs and colors of Jill’s first collections seemed to be a rare USP and the compatibility and strong foundation of our friendship made me believe this was a chance I couldn’t let pass by. Whilst we are very different in many ways, we are even more similar in others. We have the same values and principles in life and work ethic and share a very passionate ‘go getters’ mentality. Do it with passion, kindness, and color is what connects us big time. You don’t need much more to have a concrete business foundation, to build something real.​

WHAT DO YOU BOTH LOVE ABOUT EACH OTHER?

ROXANNE: There’s a long list of things I love about Jill but if I need to name one, it would be her kind and warm heart. She has a passionate and unconditional way of caring for people (and animals) she loves. I call myself lucky to be one of those people and can only wish for everyone to have a Jill in their life. ​

JILLY: She's my sister from another mister you know. She's the chick that gives me real partner vibes. Her hunger & drive are unique and inspire me everyday. Rox and I are complimentary in various areas, but at the same time I think there’s not one friend like her who I feel so connected to on an endless amount of levels.​ Apart from all her talent, this connection is the main reason why I wanted to share this adventure with her. Together, we can handle just about anything and we’ve learned firsthand that this kind of synergy is what it takes to not only survive but truly thrive in a business as ours. Business partners and family. Magic!

WHAT DO YOU BOTH LOVE ABOUT C~RUSH?​

ROX: I love what C~RUSH stands for. We’re not just a brand selling beautiful cashmere. We’re a family that cares, has fun and wants to disrupt the cashmere industry by being the best version of ourselves and by caring about everyone that crosses our journey. We want to be the best in what we do but only if we can do it in the right way by caring about our people, our community and the environment.​

JILLY: This brand is a reminder to just have fun. To make life as colorful as possible. It breathes so much fun! C~RUSH is a lifestyle and we can only hope people are inspired and want to live it with us. From goat to garment & all the way to our customer. Our common thread will always be softness, sharing values & having the best time. We only get one life to live - with C~RUSH it feels right and true to who Rox and I were raised to be.

WHO IS YOUR TRIBE. WHO IS THIS MADE FOR. WHO'S YOUR GIRL,GUY,..?

JILLY: I’ve never been one to fit neatly into a single scene. Iv'e always moved between worlds. I was raised by a passionate surfer, so the ocean, its rhythm, its freedom, its salt-soaked culture, has always felt like home. Less is more. Barefoot energy. In tune with nature. At the same time, I’m a true urban girl. I come alive in the city’s creative chaos. Its pulse, its grit, its madness. Fashion became my language, my way to show all my colors. It’s where I feel most alive, where I can express my truest, wildest self. A space where imagination runs wilder than wild. Music became the heartbeat of it all. COLORUSH is that exact scene where I feel infinite. What once felt like not belonging has become the most beautiful thing. The blend of worlds, the contrast, the color between the lines. COLORUSH doesn’t belong to one box, one crowd, or one culture. It doesn’t just fit into one scene. It’s for you, me, everyone.

As Rox and I were trying to figure out that big question: who's your tribe? We both didn't have to think twice. You all are. It’s for the rock & roll artist living loud on and off stage.
For the quiet girl writing poetry on the bus.
For the surfer sipping a beer by the beach after a long, dreamy ride.
For your grandmother wrapping herself in warmth by the fire. Our brand belongs to all of you, whoever you are, whatever you do, wherever you feel at home.

That’s our community. All-inclusive. Wildly human. For small, big, bold & quiet.

WHAT SPARKS YOUR FIRE AND MAKES YOU FEEL PROUD TODAY?

JILLY: We’re not just selling cashmere.
We’re building a world that feels soft and man that feels good. Something I wish more people today understood.
For you, for us, for the planet. Disrupting the classic, adding a rush of color. What feels amazing and true is the little portion of craziness we're dropping into this way too serious world, everyday. COLORUSH is here to share all of that with all who crave a little more magic and warmth. And this feels like purpose.

ROX: I’m proud of daring to step outside the lines, of turning a comfortable career path into a journey driven by meaning and creativity. I’m proud that Jill and I built something that carries our energy, our friendship, and our shared belief that business can be both bold and kind. Seeing people light up when they wear Colorush reminds me that taking risks is worth it, not because it’s easy, but because it’s pure.

WHAT ARE YOU PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? With C~RUSH, each other & Beyond, baby!​

ROX: It sounds cliché but the sky is really the limit. If you believe in something, you can achieve it. That’s how we look at the future and each other. This is only the beginning, we’re here to break boundaries and raise the bar. Watch this space…

JILLY: Dream big baby. I’m just here for the biggest ride of my life. Because the world needs more softness. More connection.
More color.
May this world we're creating, become your place. 🩷

Spreading our COLOR all over the world is our biggest mission.

Jill Shaw Roxanne Sabbe

COLORUSH COLORUSH COLORUSH

Be wild for a while.

#NoRiskNoStory
#COLORUSH