The Story of WalkingDTalk
It started with a question I couldn’t ignore: How do I keep my love for fashion and design without compromising my values? Some answers came easily, others… not so much. WalkingDTalk is my way of navigating this path—and I’m inviting you to join me.
Not many people know this, but fashion design was part of my early career. I was enrolled at the Faculty of Design and Urbanism at the University of Buenos Aires—while also pursuing a bachelor’s in international relations. For some, it seemed a little crazy. For me, it was a reflection of my whole persona: balancing creativity and structure, art and policy.
I still remember the day I realized I had to let it go. It was after passing midterm season in an annual course called Expressive Media. I approached my professor—someone I deeply admired, not just for his design expertise but because he’d also studied political science (a rare combo that felt like a mirror of my own path). I told him I couldn’t make it to the next hand-in. A few tears slipped out as I spoke. He was kind, encouraging me to push through, saying, “Things will work out—you’ll make it.”
But deep down, I knew I’d hit my limit. Between my second post-graduation policy job and daily commutes to another city, it had become too much. That was the last day I attended fashion design classes. And honestly? It’s haunted me ever since. I still wonder—what if I’d pushed just a little harder?
As my career shifted toward policy, sustainability, and eventually sustainable finance and impact investing, my love for design never left me. My home was always a mix of The Economist, Monocle, and Vogue. I even started side projects connecting fashion and sustainability, and in 2015, I launched WalkingDTalk as a Tumblr blog. But, as life often does, it pulled me in other directions.
Over time, as I dove deeper into the systemic changes needed for a sustainable and inclusive world, something shifted in me. A bit of my light dimmed. It showed up in my wardrobe—less color, less care, less creativity, less fun. A part of me got lost.
Finding my way back wasn’t easy. It meant reconciling the tension between my love for fashion and my values. It meant addressing the guilt I felt when faced with the purchasing of “unnecessary” clothing and admitting the quiet envy I felt when I saw someone beautifully dressed.
One turning point came during a Traditional Chinese Medicine class. My professor, Clara Schmiegelow, said something that stuck with me: “The things we criticize the most are often the things we struggle with the most.” It hit me hard. Instead of preaching, I realized I needed to lead by example. That moment became a guidepost—not just for how I approached health, but for how I began to reconnect with fashion and creativity.
Since then, I’ve been on a journey to realign these two sides of myself. It’s been about compassion—toward myself, toward others, and toward the process of becoming who we say we want to be. Sustainability isn’t just about urgency or frustration, it’s about ensuring that every step forward doesn’t lead to two steps back. And through the years, I’ve become so convinced that more compassion and empathy are needed to achieve this.
This is why I’ve decided to re-ignite WalkingDTalk. It’s my way of navigating the intricate path of living, dressing, investing, and approaching health in alignment with nature and the value of responsibility—while (hopefully) inspiring others to do the same.
The more I see the world grappling with sustainability challenges, the more I feel the need to share what I’ve learned—and what I’m still learning. There’s no better time than now to re-ignite this mission.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be unpacking some of the lessons learned and explorations I am still untangling. My hope is to create a space where we can learn, grow, and inspire each other to walk the talk.
If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to join the WalkingDTalk community. Subscribe to my newsletter for stories, tips, and insights on everything from sustainable fashion to purpose-driven investing. Let’s walk this path together.