🎄✨ A Holiday Message from Our Creative Director and Founder Of MARK / GIUSTI ✨🎄

As the year draws to a close, Christmas is upon us, and we prepare to welcome 2025, I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. May 2025 bring you health, happiness, love, and, most importantly, peace—peace of mind, peace of soul, and peace of the surroundings you are in.

Looking back at this year, what a journey it has been, both on a personal and professional level! At MARK / GIUSTI, we celebrated some major milestones. We launched The World of MARK / GIUSTI experiential space and proudly opened our first House of MARK / GIUSTI store in Milan—a dream that began years ago. We also expanded our sustainability goals, transitioning to vegetable-tanned leather and becoming members of Consorzio Pelle Conciata al Vegetale Toscano. This was a significant step forward in aligning our brand with values that truly matter: sustainability, authenticity, and craftsmanship. We even widened our product categories to include home fragrances, agendas, and more, exploring new ways to bring beauty and purpose to everyday life.

If there’s one lesson that stands out this year, it’s that action is the key to progress. Too often, we dwell on overthinking or fear of failure. Instead, just act. If you have an idea—do it. Test it. See what happens. You’ll never know the outcome unless you try.

Cherishing Failures and Lessons

While accomplishments are worth celebrating, it’s equally important to value our failures. Sometimes, things don’t necessarily go as planned. As frustrating as that can be, failure offers us invaluable lessons. Looking back, these lessons might end up being the exact reason behind your future success. Failures are part of growth. They teach us resilience, adaptability, and how to build a better future. I once read that failures are a way of showing us we’re on the wrong path or trajectory. They push us to adjust or change direction. Let’s embrace these moments as stepping stones, not setbacks.

At the same time, let’s remain mindful of those who may be struggling—with careers, finances, relationships, or mental health. In a world that often feels perfectly curated, it’s easy to feel like we’re not enough. Social media presents a polished image, but the truth is, most of us are facing challenges behind closed doors. Going forward, let’s commit to being empathetic, supportive, and present for one another. A simple act of kindness can make all the difference in someone's life. A smile. A gesture. A word of encouragement can go a long a way. Be the reason the reason that gives someone light and hope.

Take time for reflection. How can we be better—for ourselves, for others, and for the communities around us? I truly believe we rise by lifting others. The world needs more love, support, empathy, and connection. These human values are what make us unique and irreplaceable in a world increasingly shaped by technology and automation.

Lessons to Carry Forward

As we step into 2025, here are a few lessons I’ve learned and plan to carry forward:

1. Work on Yourself First: Everything starts within. Heal your inner self, and the rest will follow. You can’t build a beautiful garden if the soil is spoiled. Focus on growth, forgiveness, and self-love to create a strong foundation for the future.
2. Value Time: Time with loved ones, time creating and building, and time for yourself to heal, grow, and plan for the future. Time is our most precious asset. What we do today shapes our tomorrow. Always ask yourself, What does my future self want me to do now?
3. Know Your Tribe: Surround yourself with those who love you unconditionally, care for your happiness, and celebrate your success. These are the people who defend you when you’re not around and show up even when it’s hard. They are your greatest blessing. Spend time with them, and don’t take them for granted.
4. Consistency Wins: Progress doesn’t happen overnight. Success is built on small, consistent efforts. Even when it feels like nothing is happening, keep going. Discipline, patience, and hard work will pay off. Sometimes, the breakthrough happens when you least expect it—one day after years of persistence. Trust the process.
5. Follow Your Heart: Whatever you pursue, do it with your heart and soul. Persevere, and trust that the universe will conspire to make it happen for you.
6. It’s OK Not to Hold All the Answers: We are not meant to solve everything, and that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes, the best we can do is accept a situation and give it more time. The quicker we accept the things we cannot change, the quicker we can move on and redirect our energy and strength to focus on what we can change.
7. Embrace Change to Make Real Progress: To create meaningful change, you may need to find new ways of doing things, let go of old habits, or adapt them. Sometimes, we get stuck in a cycle of doing the same things repeatedly, expecting change to happen on its own. While consistency is key, it’s equally important to grow and evolve with time, aligning your actions with the goals and objectives you’re striving to achieve.

Thank you for taking the time, we are grateful for your support, your inspiration, and our shared journey. 

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with an abundance of love, light, and kindness!

Mark Farhat Giusti