Letter From The CEO Milan Harris – April 26, 2025

“Drafted by Destiny.”

This year, I didn’t want a party. I wanted peace.

I didn’t want more noise. I wanted more meaning.

I didn’t want to be celebrated for the mask, I wanted to be seen for the mission.

This birthday marks a shift.

It’s not about candles and cake.

It’s about clarity and calling.

I’ve accomplished everything I could in my own strength.

I’ve led. I’ve fought. I’ve won. I’ve lost. I’ve grown.

And now, I’m letting go.

I’m being drafted… drafted by destiny.

This is the season where I surrender.
Where I no longer chase approval, I chase alignment.
Where I stop hiding behind the hustle and start leading with wholeness.
Where I show up softer, wiser, and more grounded in who God called me to be.

Legacy doesn’t start when I’m gone.
It starts the moment I choose to live on purpose,
with nothing to prove just everything to become

This year, I created something that reflects the journey:

Not just mine—but ours.

It’s called the Dream Star.

In February, I committed to a 10-day Daniel Fast.
And those 10 days changed everything.
It was the first time in a long time that I felt still.
Not stuck but surrendered.
I started seeing things clearly not for what I wanted them to be, but for what they truly were.

Before the fast, I was in go-mode all the time.
I was like a car with my foot glued to the gas pedal controlling the speed, the direction, the destination.
I thought if I just moved fast enough, pushed hard enough, I could make everything work the way I wanted it to.

But during the fast, I shifted into neutral.
No more pressing. No more forcing.
Just letting God take the wheel and show me what I couldn’t see when I was speeding.
And in that stillness, He revealed so much
Who I needed to release.

What need to be shifted
What wasn’t aligned.
Where I was gripping control instead of giving God space to move.

I started to see the detours for what they really were: divine redirections.

The things I thought were delays were actually instructions.
The exits I avoided were invitations to go deeper.
God was never denying me, He was rerouting me.

I realized: Sometimes, the breakthrough comes not when you accelerate, but when you let go of the wheel long enough to be rerouted by God.

Since then, I’ve been letting Him lead.
Not just in my prayers but in my plans.
I’ve put God at the center of my life, my business, my motherhood, and my mission.

That’s when the Dream Star started to hit differently.

You’ve probably seen it in our latest drops but the Dream Star is more than a design.
It’s made up of 11 lines, each one symbolizing a pivot, a pause, a detour that brought me closer to purpose.
It was inspired by the journey lines from the very first cut-and-sew piece I ever created back in 2014, and it all came full circle.

We launched Milano Di Rouge on 11.11.2012, so 11 was never just a number, it was a message.
A reminder that even when the road curves, the vision is still intact.
Even when life doesn’t go as planned, the promise still stands.

It always had meaning right from the beginning.
It was created to honor the journey, the pivots, the process, the redirections that shape us.

But now, I see it even deeper.
Life is filled with detours and unexpected turns. And every line in the Dream Star represents one of those moments.
Moments that didn’t always feel divine.
Moments that felt like delays.
Moments I wanted to skip but couldn’t.

Moments that didn’t always make sense at the time.
Moments that felt like setbacks but were actually shaping me.
Moments that forced growth, built character, and led me closer to who I’m called to be.

Even when I didn’t understand the line I was on, it still mattered.

Every line matters.
Even when I didn’t understand the season I was in, God was still drawing the map.

Each line represents growth.
Each pivot carried purpose.

Every twist. Every turn. Every redirection.
It was all part of my becoming.

Because without those detours, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.
And I wouldn’t be becoming the star God is still forming me to be.

There are two scriptures that have carried me long before I even studied them.
John 13:7 says, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
That’s how I’ve lived most of my journey led by faith, not full understanding.

And Jeremiah 29:11?
It reminds me that God didn’t bring me this far just to bring me this far.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The Dream Star isn’t just a design.
It’s a declaration: that even when the path is unclear, the dream is still intact.
And God is still unfolding the vision line by line, layer by layer.

Since the fast, I’ve been letting God lead.
Not just in my prayers but in my pace.
He’s ordering my steps even when I don’t know where the road is leading.

Last year I was rebaptized, and on the same day my son was dedicated.

That moment sealed it: This journey isn’t just about me, it’s generational.
It’s about the legacy I’m building.
The road I’m paving.
And the light I’m leaving behind for every Dreamer who’s trying to find their way.

Because the Dream Star doesn’t just represent where I’ve been, it's a guide for every person who’s ever felt lost, but kept believing anyway.

I created something special for this birthday—
a moment that reflects the shift I’ve been walking through.
This season, I’m not swinging for perfection.
I’m swinging with purpose.
I miss. I connect. I grow.
And every swing brings me closer to something greater.

That’s why the Dream Star was born.
Not just for me, but for my son.
For your children.
For every Dreamer coming next.

Because legacy isn’t just about what we leave behind—
it’s about what we pass forward.
What we build now that will outlive us.
What we live out loud so others can find their own light.

Just like the Dream Star, every line represents a chapter in your journey.
And every chapter is shaping you into the star God called you to be.

So don’t run from your calling—step into it.
I know you might be thinking about the weight you’re carrying,
the obstacles, the pressure, the unknowns.
But hear me—challenges are meant to be overcome.
They are not your stopping point. They are your shaping ground.

Embrace the journey.
Be empowered by your struggles.
Let the pressure refine you—not define you.
Own your story.
Walk in your purpose.
Be the star of your dreams.

If you’re reading this, I want you to know:
You’re not too late.
You’re not too broken.
You’re not too behind.
You’re just being drafted for your next chapter.

And when you surrender to that truth—everything shifts.

Thank you for being part of my journey.
For witnessing me.
For walking with me.
And for letting me keep dreaming out loud.

We’re just getting started.

With love,
Milan
Founder • Mother • Dreamer