Marysia Dobrzanska Reeves designs from an innate place within.

Featured in publications from Vogue to Harper’s Bazaar since launching in 2009, the former Polish ballet dancer and surfer’s eponymous fashion-driven swimwear line is reflective of her background—embodying grace and freshness.

Here, she describes her openminded process:

Live The Process: How does your experience as a dancer inform your collection?

Maria Dobrzanska Reeves: People say my line is very ballerina-inspired without knowing my background. I think it’s just in me without trying, so the ballet shines through my designs.

LTP: What inspired you to launch Marysia?

MDR: I launched after my internship with Milly in New York. Because I was pregnant and no one would hire me, I had an even bigger push. I always try to do something different and inspired by fashion. I think of my collections as a ready-to-wear designer would: I try to have a different inspiration and feel each season.

LTP: As an athlete, have you always been health-conscious?

MDR: In ballet school, they just wanted us to be skinny. There were no healthy instructions to do so. It was pretty unhealthy, really, other than getting a lot of exercise, of course. It wasn’t until I was pregnant that I started to think about healthy eating. It’s really sad when I think about it.

LTP: What is your wellness obsession at the moment?

MDR: I still love yoga most, but I do enjoy boxing with my trainer from time to time. My ultimate cheat is a caramel shake from Godiva.

LTP: What does happiness look like to you? 

MDR: Happiness to me doesn’t look like anything in particular—it’s all about how I feel. But it does make me feel happy when my house and office are clean and neat, when even inside drawers it’s organized, and when my children are healthy and well-rested and not hungry.

LTP: What does it mean to you to “Live The Process” and how can we all do that more every day?

MDR: I think to “Live The Process” is to let life happen and learn from everything that happens, to be better and be happy. Being openminded helps, remembering that my way may not be the right way for others. I try to take a little time before judging any situation or person, and then not judge at all. It’s all hard, especially in business and when you’re the boss, but it’s an art I hope to be proficient in by the time I’m old.