Sisi is so much more than her adversity. And she wants other women to understand that they are, too.
Siham “Sisi” Surgant is a mom. She speaks five languages and holds three degrees. She has traveled the world. She is a transformation coach, a designer and now a medalist in bikini bodybuilding.
But it’s her story of struggle that fuels her passion. The Cottleville woman was severely burned on her chin, midsection and legs from Moroccan tea that a family friend accidentally spilled on her in Germany when she was little more than a year old.
Sisi has taken that experience and her journeys around the globe to help others rise from the ashes, elevate their lives, and embody the best versions of themselves.
Visitors to her online boutique, ShopSIHAM, will discover a diverse range of offerings tailored to empower and inspire—from transformation coaching and styling services to exclusive collections of self-designed apparel.
“I especially love working with moms, women who’ve moved to new cities or countries, or those in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s who feel like, ‘I’m just a mom,’ or ‘I’m too old now.’ I’m here to show them what we, as women, are truly made of,” Sisi says. “It’s never too late to rediscover your potential, redefine your path and reignite your fire.”
Born and raised in Germany to immigrant parents—her mother is Moroccan, her father, Tunisian—Sisi built a life in Germany and America from scratch. She has worked alongside renowned designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Filippa K. and Calvin Klein
“As a burn survivor and a double immigrant, I have faced adversity head on,” she says. “Now, I’m a proud mom of two little ones, and I still make it all work. I want to show women that they can do it too, that no matter the challenges.”
She says one of her most significant personal achievements was “stepping on stage for my first bikini bodybuilding competition, a deeply vulnerable moment as I showcased my body, scars and all. Despite the challenges, I not only competed but also won a medal. It was a transformative experience, teaching me the power of self-acceptance and resilience.”
Sisi says her mission is to help women elevate their lives through building confidence, where she says “the magic happens,” by addressing their self-doubt and transforming their hardships and resilience into their “superpowers;" discovering their personal style; and focusing on their health through building sustainable habits with nutrition and exercise.
“I always thought I was very confident with my scars, but I found out going to meetings with other survivors, I was not,” Sisi says. “Now I want to help women turn their weakness into super powers. I always felt less than everyone because I was not perfect. But now I feel like that is my superpower. Something I hated so much about myself is my superpower now.”
Her clothing brand, “MISAJO,” named for her daughter Mia, son Samson and husband John, partnered with Burns Recovered/Midwest Children’s Burn Camp. ShopSIHAM, a brand rooted in Europe with rich influences from Andalusia, Morocco and Tunisia, donates a percentage of each sale to the organization. “I don’t believe it’s right to keep everything for yourself. That’s why my brand is so diverse, too. I hope it empowers women of all sizes, ethnicities and scars both internal and external.”
Despite traveling to 37 countries and experiencing life's twists and turns, Sisi found her true love in a St. Louis native, whom she met backpacking in Thailand.
ShopSiham.com