The Return to Celebration: When Women Remembered Their Power

By Cecilia Grant for Confidence Magazine

Inside Brighton’s Most Transformational International Women’s Day Event and What Awaits in 2026

There are events that fill a room and then there are moments that fill a movement.

On Saturday 8th March 2025, The Grand Brighton’s Empress Suite became more than a venue. It became a mirror, reflecting back the brilliance, resilience, and quiet power of over 100 women who gathered not to compete, but to connect.

The air was electric yet grounded, a rare combination of elegance and emotion. This wasn’t an ordinary conference; it was a reclamation. A day that reminded every woman present that she was never missing anything, she was simply remembering who she truly is.

Where Confidence Meets Consciousness

Curated by transformational confidence coach Elif Köse, founder of Confidence Magazine, the event carried a pulse that was part celebration, part spiritual activation.

Throughout the day, stories were shared, truths were spoken, and walls both internal and external quietly dissolved. The line-up was a masterclass in female leadership and emotional intelligence, headlined by a roster of speakers whose work reached far beyond the stage.

Abi Osho, Leading with Legacy

BAFTA winner, TEDx speaker, and internationally recognised leadership coach Abi Osho held the room in absolute stillness as she spoke about power, not as control, but as presence.
“Your voice,” she said, “isn’t just what you say. It’s what you allow yourself to believe again.”
Her words landed like poetry and prophecy all at once, setting the tone for the day: truth without pretense, and leadership without ego.

Emma Fullwood, The Fearless Feminine

With unflinching grace, Emma Fullwood spoke about body, desire, and the sacred power women have been taught to silence. Her now-famous phrase, “P*ssy Power,” didn’t shock; it liberated.
For several long minutes, the room was silent except for breath, deep, collective, healing. It was more than a keynote; it was a reclamation of the feminine in its rawest, most embodied form.

Kate Wolf, The Alchemy of Story and Stage

Few speakers blend creativity and consciousness like Kate Wolf. Speaking on The Magic of the Stage, she showed how visibility, often our greatest fear, can become the most sacred act of self-liberation.
“When you own your story,” she said, “you give permission for others to own theirs.”
Her performance was both theatre and therapy, transforming the stage into a mirror of human truth.

Funmi Olatoye, Technology, Time, and the Modern Woman

Trailblazer Funmi Olatoye redefined what it means to thrive in the age of AI. “AI is not here to replace you,” she said. “It’s here to release you.”
Her talk bridged humanity and innovation, reminding women that success doesn’t have to mean sacrifice and that technology can serve our freedom rather than threaten it.

The Power of Collective Connection, The Panel

The afternoon’s panel, featuring Pippa Moyle, Simona Barbieri, Lyndsey Clay, and Hulya Gunay, centered around a truth often repeated but rarely embodied: your network determines your net worth.

They explored the difference between collaboration and competition, how generosity builds legacies, and why authentic connection is the currency of the future.
By the time the microphones were switched off, the women in the audience had become participants in a shared awakening.

Music, Movement, and Meaning

Between talks, guests were serenaded by live singer Betts and dancers from Mum Bob of Brighton, weaving art into the day’s emotional rhythm.
Laughter echoed through lunch as women shared stories over champagne flutes; tears followed as others recognised themselves in the words spoken from the stage.

By late afternoon, something had shifted. Women who arrived as strangers were now sisters, exchanging contacts, ideas, and promises to collaborate.
Confidence, in that room, had stopped being a concept. It had become a collective frequency.

Glamour with Purpose

As daylight faded over the Brighton seafront, the energy softened but never dimmed.
Each guest left with a goody bag brimming with gifts from MAC, Temple Spa, and Dr. Hauschka, curated luxuries worth more than the ticket price.
But the real gift was intangible: belonging.

By the end of the day, over £508 had been raised by Elif Kose Fashion House donated designer pieces, for Catalyst Charity, turning celebration into contribution and proving that when women gather, generosity multiplies.

The Return to Celebration, 2026 Awaits

And so we turn to Sunday, 8th March 2026, same venue, same magic, but an entirely new level of mastery.
With over 200 women expected to attend, this year’s gathering will celebrate through connection, consciousness, and confidence.

The 2026 line-up features an extraordinary collective of visionaries whose work embodies transformation in its truest form, blending strategy, wellbeing, embodiment, and leadership into one unforgettable day.

Victoria Salomon, award-winning creator of The Ixchel System, will guide guests into the body’s innate intelligence, revealing how realignment, awareness, and self-healing can release not only pain but the emotional stories stored within it. Her revolutionary methodology is transforming the way we view health, empowerment, and energy.

Taylor Smith, holistic business consultant and Chartered Accountant, is rewriting the rules of finance for female founders. Through her grounded yet unapologetic approach, she shows women how to build wealth with strategy and soul, turning fear of numbers into confidence, clarity, and unstoppable growth.

Debbie Stevens, wellbeing pioneer and reflexology specialist, reminds us that it’s never too late to rewrite your story. From burnout to breakthrough, she built a life and business from pure courage, inspiring thousands to put wellbeing first and live from inner freedom rather than fear.

Fiona O’Sullivan, brand voice strategist and founder of The Write Field, brings two decades of experience in leadership and storytelling to the stage. Her work helps visionary women find the words that move worlds, transforming their message into influence and their presence into legacy.

Hayley Keeber, The Business Simplification Strategist and founder of She’s THAT Mum, is on a mission to prove that motherhood and massive success are not mutually exclusive. Through her Seriously Simple Success System, she helps women scale sustainably, systemise with ease, and create legacy-level impact without the burnout.

Laura Beddoe- Collins, TEDx speaker, podcast producer, and founder of Soul Speaks Academy, brings the voice of resilience and feminine power to the stage. Once homeless and rebuilding life from the ground up, Laura now teaches women how to reclaim confidence, heal from conditioning, and sell their soulful services without shame. Her story is proof that the moment you stop shrinking your truth, you start expanding your world.

Together, these women represent a new wave of leadership: intelligent, embodied, heart-led, and wholly unapologetic.

Expect deep dialogue, immersive entertainment, shopping corners brimming with female-founded brands, and a VIP cocktail celebration marking the one-year anniversary of Confidence Magazine.
Because empowerment isn’t just about achievement, it’s about allowing yourself to celebrate who you’ve already become.

As we prepare to open the doors to this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, my wish is simple: that every woman who feels the pull to belong to something greater listens.
Whether you wish to sponsor the event, showcase your brand in our vendor area, or gather your sisters and book a table to celebrate together this is your invitation.

Come and stand among women who are done dimming their light.
Be in the room where confidence is contagious and connection becomes currency.

Because this year, we rise not alone, but as one.

📧 To collaborate, sponsor, or secure your place: elif@elifkose.co.uk
🌐 Book tickets for Sunday, 8th March 2026, at The Grand Brighton Hotel: iwd.elifkose.com

Pull-Out Quote

“You don’t just attend this event, you rise with it. Every woman in that room is a mirror, reminding you of the power you’ve always had.”

Front Cover Strap Line

The Return to Celebration: SAVE THE DATE — 8TH MARCH 2026
Where women remember their power, rewrite their stories, and rise together.

Content Page Blurb

Confidence Magazine’s International Women’s Day celebration at The Grand Brighton was more than an event, it was a movement.
From BAFTA winner Abi Osho’s soul-stirring keynote to Emma Fullwood’s unapologetic truth and Funmi Olatoye’s message of modern empowerment, it redefined confidence for women everywhere.
Now, with the 2026 line-up, including Victoria Salomon, Taylor Smith, Debbie Stevens, Fiona O’Sullivan, Laura Beddeo- Collins and Hayley Keeber the movement continues, promising a day that blends inspiration, connection, and transformation at the highest level.

Photography Credit; Charlotte Rebecca