In this bi-weekly series, we interview female executives, founders, CEOs - basically boss ladies - about the "power suits" or effortless outfits they wear every day to conquer any job.

Roxanne Assoulin has been in the fashion business for over 35 years, from making wrap leather bracelets for Henri Bendel and Bloomingdales to designing private label jewelry for J. Crew and Club Monaco. Today, Assoulin is best known for the colorful accessories of her eponymous label, Roxanne Assoulin (opens in new tab).

The designer launched the brand in 2016 after an accidental flash of light: "I always had a handmade ceramic tile [on my desk], made by a man about 19 years old. One day I was playing with the tiles and I made a line and I thought, this would make a pretty bracelet. I called a few editors, my daughter-in-law Rosie, and friends like Leandra Medine and asked if this would mean anything to them. They were all very supportive. Leandra even stacked 17 of them on her wrist for me."

Soon after, Medine, who runs Man Repeller (opens in new tab), published a photo of herself on Instagram (opens in new tab) wearing Ashlan's work. Her followers immediately took notice of Asuran's jewelry. 'It was six o'clock and my phone was blowing up,' Ashuran recalls. 'I called a friend to set up a website for me, and within a day it sold out. I think this is about the third time I've experienced my 15 minutes of a little bit of fame."

Fame, transitory as it may be for some, has been Ashlan's ally ever since. Combining the whimsy of a charm bracelet with the elegance of an adult, the now iconic bracelet has become a stackable statement piece that adorns the wrist of every fashion lover. Just one of these happy and colorful tile bracelets is enough to make you feel more exciting.

Usually, Ashlan releases new pieces weekly on her website (Shopbop and Net-a-Porter also carry her designs). Right now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic (opens in new tab), new work is not arriving as regularly. However, designers are dealing with this situation with a positive mindset. I think [the fashion business] has to decide what their platform is and what they want to be in this. For me, it is about making people smile and distracting them in these dark times. Whether they buy or not is not my end goal. I think it's more about donating to charity, dealing with the fact that people are staying home, and showing compassion for everyone."

Ashlan himself has embraced a simple way of life. While he sometimes misses the traditional work life, this designer has come to accept that he "doesn't have to run around anywhere." This minimalist way of life extends to her wardrobe, as she works from home. Ashlan shared with us her current comfortable style for zooming meetings and business calls.

"I don't sleep much during the night, so I get up around 7 or 7:30 in the morning. I make a cup of tea and while I wait for it to finish, I organize everything for the day. I organize my papers and do breathing exercises. I meditate for 45 minutes each day, then get dressed and get to work. Work at the dining room table as long as my back can take it, otherwise I sit on a meditation cushion on the floor. I never work in my bedroom at all. The bedroom is a place for rest and meditation."

"I wouldn't say I dress beautifully, but I do dress, whether it's sweatpants or linen pants or jeans and a sweater. You have to be dressed. I have to put my hair in a ponytail, I have to put on face cream and lip balm, I have to look presentable."

"My strategy is comfort. Two pairs of very soft, old jeans, two pairs of sweatpants, I love Monroe's sweatpants, and a bunch of linen drawstring pants. A bunch of linen drawstring pants. Tops are sweaters or sweatshirts now. That's it. Depending on my mood, I'll wear an old Celine sweater or an Everlane sweater. I have some bright turtlenecks and mocknecks that I like.

The linen pants are from Australia. I bought them when I went to Australia last year and have them in 6 colors. They are my favorite pants because they are so comfortable and they don't look like pajamas. I also love linen shirts, especially for summer. The Australian Assembly label does a great job with linen. For shoes, I wear shearling slippers.

My style is very minimalist. I really believe in keeping things very simple. I've often been told, 'You shop like a man. When I find a sweater I like, I buy it in several colors: navy, black, light gray, olive green, and so on. I do the same with bottoms. It took me years to reduce and simplify my wardrobe this way. Oh, I don't wear prints. Why didn't I realize that? I think color is a funny thing. I don't usually wear a lot of color, but I wear all the colors on my wrists."

"Anything simple, soft and easy"

"I have a lot. I believe in the silver lining. I believe that this too shall pass. The only constant we know is change. So trust things and don't try to control them. We can't change our lives, but we can change the way we look at them. I live a very spiritual life and I believe spirituality is efficient and practical."

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