Good Humans | Genevieve Smart

We believe that style is about more than what we wear - it's how we move, create and connect. It's the choices we make, the energy we bring and the stories we tell. Good Humans is a journal series exploring just that: the intersection of self-expression, purpose and the quiet power of living with intention. 

In this chapter of Good Humans, we meet Genevieve Smart - a creative force whose quiet strength, intuitive style and soulful approach to life remind us that expression starts from within. Founder and Creative Director of Ginger & Smart, a company she exited in 2023, Genevieve speaks to the beauty of living with intention, the courage it takes to move at your own rhythm and the kind of creativity that touches every part of a life well-lived. This conversation isn't about trends or titles - it's about presence, purpose and what it means to stay true to yourself, even as you evolve.

Self-Identity

What does it mean to you to be truly yourself? To be myself is to follow what feels real and alive - what brings energy, joy and that quiet inner yes. It's moving with integrity, not performance. Trusting my rhythm, even if it moves differently to others'. It's showing up with both softness and strength, letting the curious, grounded, light-spirited parts of me have space. It's not about being polished - it's about being true.

How has your personal style evolved as you've grown into who you are? My style has become more instinctive and expressive over time. I'm drawn to fabrics that fee beautiful on the skin, silhouettes with ease and intention, and colours that reflect how I feel. I don't wear as many prints now, so my wardrobe feels quieter but the way I put things together has become more layered. It's less about the statement, more about the feeling. My style is intuitive, evolving and full of subtle energy.

When do you feel most yourself? When I'm creating something beautiful and meaningful from the raw material of my life - a garment, a garden, a sentence or a moment of connection. When I'm laughing with people I love - it feels like home. and always, always in nature - where everything unnecessary falls away.

Connection

How do you create meaningful connection in a fast-paced world? By slowing down. Real connection doesn't require a lot of time - just presence. I try to notice what's unspoken, to listen beneath the surface. I've learned that even a single moment of genuine presence can open a doorway. The smallest moments can carry the deepest meaning. 

What's a moment of kindness that has stayed with you? There are many, but one that stays with me is when someone truly saw my exhaustion during a time I was holding so much - and they stepped in quietly, without fuss and made space for me to rest. That taught me how powerful subtle kindness can be. 

In what ways do you show love and gratitude to the people around you? Through attentiveness. Through thoughtful words, small rituals, shared beauty. I love noticing what lights someone up, then reflecting it back to them in a way that feels personal and unexpected. Love doesn't have to be loud to be felt.

Values & Purpose

What does living with purpose look like for you? Has this changed over the years? It used to be about achieving - about milestones, recognition, building something tangible. Now, it's about alignment. Living with purpose means using my energy well, honouring what's real and creating things that leave the world a little more beautiful and alive. It's become less about proving and more about meaning - less about striving, more about feeling deeply connected to what I'm here to do. 

What values are at the heart of your life's work? Integrity. Beauty. Depth. Emotional intelligence. Sustainability. Freedom. And the courage to keep evolving - to stay honest, stay open and make things that feel like they truly belong to this moment. I care just as much about how something is made as what it becomes.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind - as a creative, a leader, a human? That I helped people feel more like themselves. That I created with heart and nudged fashion toward something slower and more soulful. That I led with presence and made space for others to do the same. And as a human? That I stayed kind, curious and awake to beauty - even in the smallest moments. 

What are you no longer willing to compromise on? Creative integrity. Emotional wellbeing. Spaciousness. If it doesn't energise or feel true, it's a no. 

Creativity & Expression

How does creativity show up in your everyday life? Creativity is a constant companion. It shows up in how I dress, cook, travel, parent, love - and of course, in my work. It's not always loud, but it's always present. It's how I make meaning, how I solve problems and how I connect with the world around me. Even the smallest choices can carry creative energy when they're made with care and a little spark. 

What does fashion make possible that words sometimes can't? Fashion can carry nuances that words can't always hold. It lets you say something without speaking - whether it's mood, intention, memory or desire. It's texture, rhythm, story - made visible. It's like visual poetry, but wearable.

How do you express who you are through what you wear? Through quiet contrasts. A masculine shape in a sensual fabric. Understated tones with a jolt of colour or unexpected styling. My wardrobe covers both refinement and ease - and gives me the freedom to shift between moods without losing the thread of who I am. 

What inspires you to keep creating in this chapter of your life? The people I create for. The energy that moves through me when something wants to be made. The sense that I can now create from a place that's more integrated - less about seeking validation, more about sharing something true. It feels like the most meaningful chapter to create from - grounded, expansive and alive with possibility. And knowing that I still have so much more to say. When you know your worth, you stop seeking permission - and start creating from a place of quiet power.

The Human Experience

What's one thing you've learned about yourself that changed how you see the world? That I can trust what delights me - that joy isn't frivolous, it's intelligent. It leads me toward what's aligned, often before my mind can catch up. Once I truly understood that, the need to force or overthink began to soften. Things became gentler, more intuitive - and more clear.

What's something you're still unlearning? That I have to earn rest. That being busy means I'm valuable. That softness is weakness. That everything has to make logical sense before I move. I'm still learning to stay unguarded in a world that often rewards armour. 

What does it mean to be human, to you? To hold paradox. To feel deeply. To draw strength from each other. To create beauty and meaning together - not because everything is certain, but because it isn't. Being human is wild, tender and brave. We break, we rebuild and we choose love again and again.

Images by Sage Hammond

Gen wears the Jo Bomber in Nude, the Ella Dress in Nude, the Mads Blazer, the Emelie Pant in Black Wool and Natural, and the Jaime Shirt in White.