Imagine being an internationally acclaimed handbag designer with lines in Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Takashimaya and London's Harvey Nichols and splashed across the pages of Elle, Vogue and Town and Country to divorced and homeless? The nightmare happened to designer Marcia Sherrill.
Her divorce like many was classic War of the Roses stuff as the couple (who were co-owners of the handbag business Kleinberg/Sherrill) lived and battled for two years under the same roof, fought for custody, etc. Nothing new in the land of divorce war stories nor is the outcome -- Sherrill lost her multi-million dollar company and received $27,000 in compensation.
In a classic example of all things happen for a reason, Sherill rose like a phoenix out of the ashes years later, took her experience to the internet and decided to help other women who were going through the same thing. The result is Victory Over Divorce, a website to empower "fellow female divorcees from suffering the indignation of unfair marital asset distribution, fearful child custody battles and usurious legal fees." The site offers advice from experts, community blog and coming soon, webinars to help women navigate the legal landscape. And Victory boasts the web's only state by state bulletin board for divorcees, designed to connect and support.
Today I am happy to report she is single, prosperous and designing the successful Sherrill Ltd. collection (which is incredible in itself given the state of luxury lines today) and a more affordable line called Annabelle. Sherrill relayed her story to Hoda and Kathie Lee this past summer in a Today segment and with one line pretty much summed up what I and many others personally know to be true -- "The second life is the best life."
Yes, there is life after divorce. A more often than not, a better one.