Schön! 46 digital cover | manuela mulliez in Jitrois, Intimissimi, By Far + riding BMW Motorrad
jacket. Jitrois
bra. Intimissimi
trousers. BY FAR
motorcycle. BMW Motorrad Classic K100
Manuela Mulliez‘s journey is one of embracing life and the potential for change. She speaks with us for her Schön! 46 digital cover story, dressed in Jitrois and taking charge while wielding a BMW Motorrad, opening up about how her inspiring story demonstrates that age is no barrier to taking a new direction. While she carries the prestigious Mulliez family name—associated with household names like Decathlon and Leroy Merlin—Manuela has chosen to forge her own path. “My family represents important entrepreneurial values rooted in humanism,” she shares. “I’ve never invested much in the family business; I’ve always done my own thing, but those values are instilled in me. I deeply respect the humanity of the people I work with and feel a moral responsibility towards them.”
Manuela is passionately pursuing her path of self-discovery. About four years ago, she began her gender transition, uncovering an unbridled thirst for life and a natural desire to embrace change. “It’s an irresistible force that has emanated from me, sweeping everything in its path. I could suddenly allow myself to do it. My children are all completely independent now, which has liberated a wealth of richness that I had unknowingly set aside. Now, I express it with a sense of fulfillment. It’s a wonderful journey that continues to bring me immense joy and serenity, opening up beautiful horizons.”
Discussing courage, which she considers a formidable word, and freedom, Manuela becomes emotional. “People told me, ‘How courageous you are, to deal with the gaze of others…’ For me, it wasn’t really a question. It’s a given, to express who you are; to look at life with a gaze full of stars…” She pauses, holding back tears. “For me, it’s more about a desire to share. Beyond struggle and activism, which have their roles, it’s natural and delicate for me, this desire to escape a binary world. The world is a spectrum, not confined to either yin or yang, LGBTQIA+ or straight.” Manuela believes that love, in all its forms, is boundless. Her boundless love for life is a testament to her belief that it has no limits.
dress. Roberto Cavalli @ YOOX
bracelet throughout. Manuela’s own
opposite
dress. Collini Milano
shoes. Roberto Cavalli
sunglasses. Karl Lagerfeld
dress. Roberto Cavalli @ YOOX
shoes. Roberto Cavalli
opposite
top. JC Pajares
sunglasses. Karl Lagerfeld
earrings. De la Visitación
car. Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
coat. BIMBA Y PALOMO
motorcycle. BMW Motorrad Classic K100
