Our Story - Rising Like the Lotus
Meet Mia Applegate
Founder & Creative Soul Behind Dear Angel
From Darkness to Light 🪷
Dear Angel, was created out of resilience and rebirth. During my freshman year in Miami, I experienced a profound event that led me to struggle with self-image and emotional wellbeing. It was one of the darkest seasons of my life.
But through healing, I learned to place myself on a pedestal: to set standards, to love myself first, and to attract love in its purest form. In that process, I felt myself rising into someone stronger and more radiant.
The Lotus Symbol
The lotus flower in my logo is more than just a design — it symbolizes my personal journey. The lotus grows from murky waters into something beautiful, just as I rose out of my darkest moments into light.
Loi Krathong - Festival of Lights ✨
Growing up in Thailand, we celebrated Loi Krathong, the Festival of Lights. In my Thai classes, we would make krathongs — lotus-shaped lantern boats — decorated with candles, flowers, and incense, and release them onto the water.
This tradition is about letting go of negativity, pain, and past mistakes, while setting intentions for renewal, blessings, and new beginnings.
That ritual shaped the way I see my own healing. Just like releasing a krathong, I had to let go of what was weighing me down to create space for self-love, growth, and light.
Our Mission
This clothing brand is my way of honoring that journey a celebration of rising above adversity, embracing beauty from pain, and creating something meaningful out of the darkest waters.
Every piece we create carries this story of transformation, resilience, and the beauty that emerges when we choose to rise.
Mia Applegate