It appears that Angelina Jolie’s bitter custody battle with Brad Pitt is mostly behind her as the couple’s six children approach adulthood. She’s also ditched her prestigious, high-profile work as a goodwill ambassador and special envoy for the UN Refugee Agency.
In a new phase phase of her life, the Academy Award-winning actor and director has made a home in New York City and has launched a new career as the head of a luxury fashion brand bearing her name, Vogue is reporting.
In a new cover story for the magazine, Jolie doesn’t mention Pitt by name. She rarely has spoken about him since she filed for divorce in 2016 and accused him of being violent around their children in an infamous private plane ride from France to the United States.
Still, Jolie appeared to reference Pitt when she admitted to Vogue: “I feel a bit down these days. I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way, which I don’t want to get into.”
The Vogue story also makes it sound as though her ex-husband doesn’t have much of a role in their children’s lives, as it refers to Jolie as a “single mother of six.” Jolie and Pitt share Maddox, 22, Pax, 19, Zahara, 18, Shiloh, 17, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 15. Reports have said that Pitt became estranged to Maddox after the famous plane ride and may have a strained relationship with Pax.
Jolie describes her children as being heavily involved in her various creative projects, notably the launch of Atelier Jolie fashions.
“We had a lot of healing to do. We’re still finding our footing,” Jolie said, suggesting that launching the fashion brand has been part of the process.
“I think part of this has also been therapeutic for me — to work in a creative space with people you trust and to rediscover yourself,” Jolie said. “I’m hoping to change many aspects of my life. And this is the forward-facing one.”
Jolie also spoke about the significance of being a mother and about being the person who provided her children a “safe place” and “stability” as they grew up and, presumably, as they endured the years-long court battle between their parents.
“I was 26 when I became a mother,” Jolie said. “My entire life changed. Having children saved me — and taught me to be in this world differently. I think, recently, I would’ve gone under in a much darker way had I not wanted to live for them.”
The Vogue story explains how Jolie’s fashion brand, headquartered in a building that once was owned by Andy Warhol, represents a partnership between Jolie and Chloe creative director Gabriela Hearst.
Jolie insisted to Vogue that she isn’t just interested in selling high-end clothes but in creating a unique space — “a kind of cultural center-meets-design workshop.” She envisions that the space could feature a gallery for local artisans and a cafe run in partnership with refugee organizations, while it also sells Jolie’s collection, including her signature slip dresses, starting at $300.
The story reveals that Jolie left her work with the United Nations in December after more than 20 years of humanitarian work. She said she had begun feeling discouraged about the state of the world and what could be accomplished through the traditional channels of foreign policy and aid relief.
“I’ve spent over 20 years of my life working on foreign policy, and aid relief, and displacement, and laws pertaining to refugees, and I kept watching the same situation get worse and the same cycles continue,” Jolie told Vogue.
Apparently, Jolie believes that selling clothing could be a more meaningful way to make change — at least for her.
“Now I want to shift the focus and look at how we can work in partnership with people around the world to bring not just skills training, but actual business partnership. I don’t really believe the current system is working,” Jolie said.
