Q&A with Sonya Keshwani, the founder of StyleEsteem Wardrobe

“My journey with hair loss began the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29. Before treatment even started, I knew I would lose my hair—but I never imagined how deeply that loss would push me to redefine what beauty meant to me. I searched for head coverings that felt elegant and inspiring, but nothing reflected the way I still saw myself. I knew I deserved better. So, I created it.

What started as a personal solution soon grew into StyleEsteem Wardrobe—a brand built on the belief that headwear should empower, not conceal. My early designs turned into a full collection of headpieces and accessories for every season and occasion. From fashion runways to infusion rooms, our designs prove that personal style and confidence are never limited by circumstance. Because no matter where life takes you, you are so much more than what you’re going through.” - Sonya Keshwani

Sonya and I met soon after my diagnosis when I started researching survivor products and ways to support cancer patients for Liv & Let and Giv Shoppe. I can’t believe we have known each other for almost 10 years. Last year - September 2024 - we finally had the opportunity to meet each other in person when I wore her designs for Twist Out Cancer’s Runway for Resilience. She is such a beautiful person inside and out and I’ve loved seeing her growth. Giv Shoppe highlights our partners each month, but I wanted to dig a little deeper with Sonya and her story through Liv & Let’s blog. Thank you Sonya for taking the time to share your story and supporting the community impacted by cancer!

On your website you share,“ StyleEsteem is about more than the crown, it’s about the person underneath it. “ How did losing your hair help you discover the person you are inside. Did you find that cancer changed you in any way? Are you still the same person you were prior to your diagnosis?

Losing my hair was one of the most challenging—and eye-opening—parts of my cancer journey. Before my diagnosis, I had always expressed myself through fashion and beauty, and my hair had been a central part of that expression. So when chemotherapy began and I watched it fall away, it felt like I was shedding more than just strands—I was losing pieces of my identity, my confidence, and everything that once felt familiar.

But over time, my perspective began to shift. I started experimenting with fabrics from a shop near my infusion center, creating headpieces that felt stylish, expressive, and empowering. With each head wrap I styled, I was rebuilding a new relationship with myself—one not defined by appearance, but by the layers of beauty I could create with my own two hands, shaped by resilience and lived experience. I came to realize that while hair can symbolize beauty, it isn’t the source of it. Cancer revealed that my true beauty lived in my creativity, my perseverance, and the quiet strength it took to keep showing up for myself—especially on the hardest days.

Cancer did change me. It softened some parts of me and strengthened others. It taught me how to sit with discomfort, how to find joy in the small things, and how to treat myself with deeper compassion. I’m no longer the same person I was before my diagnosis—and while I do grieve the past versions of myself, I’ve also learned to love the versions that have made it this far, and to welcome the ones I’ve yet to meet.

What was the day like when you started losing your hair? Can you walk us through if you did anything to prepare for it to fall out like shaving, using products, purchasing headwear?

When I was first told I’d lose my hair to chemotherapy, I tried to accept it early and move forward. I told myself it was just another part of treatment—something I could get through. My doctors suggested I buy a wig and wait for the hair to fall out. I thought it would be straightforward. It was anything but that.

The day it began to fall out—seeing clumps of hair in my hands, on my pillow, in the shower—was devastating. It hit me with a wave of helplessness and loss I hadn’t expected. It was the first physical sign that something irreversible was happening. Suddenly, the cancer felt undeniable. There was no going back. The only way was through.

What made it harder was the physical discomfort. My scalp became extremely tender and sensitive—just brushing my hair or laying down felt painful. Rather than endure the slow shedding day after day, I made a choice. After a modeling gig, I went to a salon in Manhattan and had my head professionally shaved. They washed and shampooed my scalp with such gentleness that it felt like I regained a small piece of dignity that day. That moment was a turning point—it helped me begin to reclaim my power.

Around that time, I started to adapt my environment and routines to better support my scalp health and comfort. I swapped in silk pillowcases, satin-lined turbans, and soft microfiber towels—small changes that made a big difference, both physically and emotionally. I’m proud to have since created luxurious versions of those same essentials through StyleEsteem, designed with care to support others through their own hair journey.

What I’ve learned is that hair loss isn’t just one moment—it’s a process with distinct emotional and physical phases: before, during, and after. Each stage requires its own kind of compassion and care. That’s why I’ve dedicated so much of the StyleEsteem blog to sharing what I wish I had known—how to dress in ways that feel empowering, how to nourish your body, how to care for your scalp, and how to find moments of beauty and strength along the way. I want others going through this to feel supported and informed—not blindsided like I was.

Ultimately, losing my hair taught me that while I couldn’t control everything, I could choose how I cared for myself through the loss. And that made all the difference.

At what point of your hair loss journey did you realize that you needed to create a head covering for yourself?

I realized I needed to create a head covering for myself pretty early in my hair loss journey, when I started experiencing intense scalp sensitivity. The wig I had purchased was difficult to wear for long periods of time—it felt heavy, itchy, and uncomfortable, especially while working full-time in Washington, D.C. and commuting back to New York City for treatment. Beyond the physical discomfort, I also felt emotionally disconnected from the wig. I didn’t want to just cover my head—I wanted to feel like myself again. I wanted to celebrate my story, not hide from it.

That’s when I decided to visit a small fabric shop near my infusion center. Surrounded by textures and colors, I found a sense of creativity and purpose. I began picking out fabrics and experimenting with head wraps—not just as a way to soothe my scalp, but as a way to reclaim my identity. Each headpiece I made became part of my healing, helping me show up with strength and style, even in the middle of treatment.

What was the first head piece you created- color, embellishments- and do you still have it?

The first headpiece I ever created was made from a white fabric covered in beautiful pink and aqua flowers and yellow accents. I wore it all the time because it looked so chic and made me feel happy and optimistic whenever I put it on. It became a little symbol of light for me during a really difficult time.

When we launched our StyleEsteem couture collection, that very fabric was one of the first ones I grabbed from our vault. The couture version of this turban is adorned with a large sequined flower appliqué, multicolor gems, and a glamorous yellow diamond fringe—it’s so eye-catching and fabulous! That transformation felt symbolic, too—it represented how far I had come, and how something born in a moment of vulnerability could evolve into a celebration of strength and beauty.

You started sewing your headpieces from the beginning. What is your process for creating- fabrics chosen, embellishments added?

From the very beginning, creating headpieces was a deeply personal process—it started as a way to reclaim beauty and joy during treatment. As I healed, that creative ritual grew into a mission to build StyleEsteem: the first fashion label to design headwear according to season and occasion. Our pieces are inspired by the 5,000-year history of headwear and by the inspiring modern women who wear them—each with her own story of resilience, identity, and grace. Every design is created with both fashion and function in mind—timeless, fashion-forward pieces you’d love to reach for no matter where your hair journey takes you. Many of our materials and embellishments are handpicked from the NYC garment district, while others are discovered on design trips around the world—from Italy to India and everywhere in between. Sometimes it takes years to gather all the special elements that make a headpiece the one-of-a-kind creation it’s meant to be!

How did StyleEsteem Wardrobe begin and what is the inspiration behind the name?

StyleEsteem started out of a need—wanting to wear designer turbans that felt like they were created to inspire a woman walking on my path. I found myself yearning for headwear that felt stylish, empowering, and aligned with my identity. That’s when I began designing pieces that spoke to both fashion and healing—headpieces that honored who I was becoming, not just what I was going through. I decided to launch StyleEsteem when I realized the power fashion gave me while coping with my diagnosis and hair loss, and how that same power could uplift others on similar journeys. StyleEsteem is the idea that we get to choose what makes us feel beautiful and powerful. Through fashion, we can create our most inspiring lives and tell our most beautiful stories to the world.

What collection has been the most empowering to you?

Our Couture Collection, presented at New York Fashion Week on our five-year anniversary, has been the most empowering collection to date. Each piece was handmade and one-of-a-kind, designed and created by me as a tribute to the 5,000-year history of headwear. The collection drew inspiration from the religions, cultures, and fashion movements that have shaped that legacy, and it was incredibly meaningful to tell that story through the StyleEsteem lens. It felt powerful to honor tradition while creating something boldly modern—and to send a message to women everywhere that when you wear one of our headpieces, you’re not just making a style statement, you’re writing your own chapter of fashion history.

What has been the most empowering collaboration you have had so far?

Partnerships and giving back have been at the core of StyleEsteem’s mission from the very beginning. Some of my most empowering collaborations have been the fashion shows we’ve created in partnership with incredible nonprofit organizations and hospital programs. It has been the ultimate honor to crown StyleEsteem Queens and watch them proudly bare their stories on the runway. Partnering with Liv & Let for several years, and most recently having the honor of dressing you for Twist Out Cancer’s Runway of Resilience, was especially meaningful. Watching you walk with pride—carrying all versions of yourself, before, during, and after diagnosis—was a powerful reminder of why I do this work. That moment struck to the core of our mission: that we each get to decide what makes us beautiful, and that choice is deeply, incredibly powerful.

Can you share some of the impact a headpiece has had on an individual that has received or purchased a headpiece?

So much of cancer fashion is about hiding—but I created StyleEsteem to help women feel seen. Our headpieces are designed not to cover, but to highlight what's important and spark meaningful conversations—about beauty, identity, and roots. We’ve received heartfelt messages from women who say their daily turban helps them face the world with a little more confidence, turning appointments and everyday moments into opportunities to feel beautiful again. And when a thriver wore one of our couture, culture-inspired pieces and told me that—for the first time—she felt her roots, her beauty, her resilience, and her struggle were all being seen at once, it reminded me why I started this. It’s powerful to know that a headpiece can hold space for all of that.

In addition to a stylish headpiece, what other products or services did you find to help you through your hair loss and cancer treatment?

During treatment, I began to understand that healing isn’t linear—so I gave myself permission to try a variety of tools and experiences to see what supported me best. I leaned on support groups, connected with organizations for young survivors, and even joined breast cancer–specific exercise classes through my hospitals. My family and my cat, Lady Gaga, carried me through more than they’ll ever know. One of the most impactful lessons I learned was also to let my hairstylist be an ally in my hair journey—working together through each phase of regrowth to create styles that felt empowering and complimentary. And even when I had no hair, I made it a point to eat for hair health—because nutrition supports your scalp like a canvas for future growth. I created this guide to help others do the same: Best Foods to Eat After Chemotherapy for Hair Regrowth.

One of your collections is UV 50+ Aloe Cooling Activewear Turban. What inspired you to create with the UV 50+ protection fabric?

The inspiration for our UV 50+ Aloe Cooling Activewear Turban came from my own experience going through chemotherapy and hair loss during the summer—I know firsthand how hard it is to find headwear that’s both stylish and functional in the heat. During treatment, our skin becomes extremely sensitive to sun damage due to photosensitivity, and protecting ourselves - and especially our scalp - from UV rays becomes critical. I vividly remember trying to enjoy a simple dip in the pool with a scarf tied around my head and feeling anxious the entire time, worried it would slip or shift. That moment made me realize how much we need secure, protective, and fashionable options for being outdoors. Our activewear collection was born from the idea that style should empower you to conquer the world in front of you, and these limited-edition turbans take the guesswork out of getting dressed to enjoy fresh air with comfort and confidence.

How do you protect your scalp and skin in the sun?

Protecting your scalp and skin from the sun during and after chemotherapy is essential, especially because many chemotherapy drugs cause photosensitivity—meaning your skin becomes more vulnerable to UV damage. The scalp is especially at risk due to the loss of its natural barrier: your hair. I always recommend applying facial SPF to your scalp before stepping outside, even if you plan to wear a turban. If you’re experiencing patchy regrowth, be sure to apply SPF directly to those exposed areas.

Breathable, sheer head coverings made from natural fiber blends are also a great option—they provide sun protection while allowing airflow and helping to reduce irritation and sweat buildup.

For sun protection, our UV 50+ Aloe Cooling Activewear Turbans were created with both comfort and sun safety in mind. They're lined with aloe microcapsules to soothe the scalp and made from fabric that stretches, cools, and protects—perfect for sensitive scalps and active summer days. For more tips on scalp care, sun safety, and thriving through the warmer months during your hair journey, explore our seasonal care guides on the StyleEsteem blog.

StyleEsteem has a focus on style, but on your blog you also provide guidance on mental health. How have you seen fashion be a part of the healing process for those navigating hair loss from cancer treatment or even other chronic illnesses?

At StyleEsteem, we believe that fashion can be a powerful tool for healing—especially during moments when the body feels unfamiliar or out of your control. Through the stories shared on our blog and the messages we’ve received from our community, we’ve seen how something as simple as putting on a beautiful headpiece can shift a person’s mindset. It’s not just about looking good—it’s about reclaiming identity, expressing resilience, and choosing joy in the face of adversity. For many navigating hair loss from cancer or chronic illness, fashion becomes a way to feel seen again, to mark milestones in their journey, and to carry their story with confidence. By pairing style with supportive guidance on mental health and self-care, we aim to nurture both the outer and inner self—because healing isn’t one-size-fits-all, healing looks different for everyone, and each path is uniquely powerful.

What’s next for StyleEsteem?

What’s next for StyleEsteem is continuing to expand the conversation around beauty, identity, and healing—through fashion that empowers. We’re working on new collections that reflect the evolving needs of our community, including fresh seasonal styles, elevated basics, and meaningful collaborations that uplift the voices of survivors and thrivers. We’re also deepening our commitment to education through our blog and support content, so that anyone navigating hair loss—whether from cancer or another condition—can find comfort, guidance, and inspiration. Most importantly, we’re staying true to our mission: to help every person feel seen, celebrated, and stylish at every step of their journey. We’re especially excited to be planning a new collection inspired by an iconic international destination—we can’t wait to travel there and to take you along with us as we uncover one-of-a-kind fabrics and inspiration that will fill our sketchbooks and our hearts for seasons to come!