For many, 2021 began with renewed hope as the vaccination campaign ramped up and the city slowly reopened. The surging Delta variant, and later, Omicron, complicated the effort.
Opening my first store during the pandemic was the spiritual awakening I needed
Covid’s crunch resulted in breakdowns and breakthroughs for J.J. Martin and her small team - but things are looking up
J.J. Martin outside her Milan boutique, La DoubleJ
Credit: Lucas Possiede
Greetings from Milan, dear Londoners. When I last wrote to you, I was locked up in a new, empty apartment, unpermitted to leave my home except to shop for groceries or medicine.
Our first Covid sanctions in Italy were stringent, very isolating and seemingly never-ending. Small companies like mine shook on their skinny little legs, many crumbling under the pressure. Yet it was also a highly creative time for me personally; the silence, newly-opened mental space and time alone gave me unprecedented access to my own inner world. My meditation, spiritual and energy practices flourished.