This mother’s day we wanted to celebrate women we admire. From female designers to creatives in the fashion industry, we look to women that are mothers to inspire us. What’s the beauty of being a mother? How has being a mother changed you? This Mother’s Day we caught up with Emilia Wickstead, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Olesya from Lesyanebo, Mie Juel, and Stella Simona to see how motherhood has changed them, their growth, their favorite go-to-outfits and what kind of future they look forward to for their children.
What is your absolutely favorite thing about being a mom?
The sense of belonging that my children give me
How has becoming a mother changed you?
They are my first and last thought of the day, before anything else, so my priorities are now set very differently.
How are you passing your time at home with your kids?
We spend the first part of the day on home school and then have adventure time, where we spend an hour or so each day outside playing and fully using our imagination!
Do you have any tips for other moms?
Stop and enjoy this slower-paced time whenever you can even if it is for an hour. Switch off completely, listen in and play!!
What’s your go-to outfit on a busy day?
Cigarette trousers and a cosy knit
How is it to be a woman entrepreneur and a mom? Do you find some days busier than others? Do you ever bring your kids to work?
I find it incredibly challenging. I still don’t feel I’ve quite found the exact balance yet as both require your full attention in the moment. However, it’s a blessing if I am able to come home and switch off in the evenings so I can fully absorb the time I have with my children and husband. I try not to forget that these are the most precious moments in life. Time to switch off is key to an entrepreneurial lifestyle, even if just for a short moment. These quiet moments of gratitude can mean as much as the bigger moments in life.
What’s the best advice your mother has given you?
Never, never give up!
What future do you hope to have your children to live in?
I hope for a happy, comfortable, safe and healthy future for my children
How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?
With a bottle of champagne and my amazing family
What is your absolutely favorite thing about being a mom?
It is so fascinating to look at your children and be in awe how different they are to you–where did their talents and personalities come from? I love watching these talents and characters evolve. It is also so special when you see similarities between either yourself or other family members; it is such a beautiful reminder of our magical universe, it always catches my attention and gives me joy noticing the similarities and differences.
How has becoming a mother changed you?
Being a mother has changed me to be endlessly patient and present. When you’re a mother it’s non stop, and each moment can be very unexpected. You need to surrender control and just do your best, I think these are good life lessons that motherhood has instilled.
How are you passing your time at home with your kids?
We are passing our time beautifully at home. My daughters are obsessed with Tik tok these days so they are often practicing dances and getting dressed up to do performances on their Tik tok accounts. We sing together in the evenings and they are trying to teach me their Tik Tok dances. During the day they do their home school and make art afterwards. They have made such beautiful art during this period, I have a stack of love notes and inspiring sketches that will remind me of this time. Cooking has inspired them as well as me and we have been quite experimental lately in the best way. In the evening we watch films together in bed. My youngest daughter has been obsessed with makeup, she sees my makeup out in the open, and I did her makeup a few times, and since then she grabs everything and experiments. She has gotten so creative, it’s taken on a whole new level and when she is even just trying to do basic makeup, she is so good, way better than me. She has a natural touch, I’m impressed!
Do you have any tips for other moms?
My biggest tip is don’t stress about motherhood. You don’t need to feel ready, life prepares you. Motherhood is in no way a limitation but in fact the beginning of being your best self and having the most meaningful experiences of your life. You can do everything as a mother, it is no compromise.
What’s your go-to outfit on a busy day?
I don’t know if I have a go to outfit, but lately it’s very casual. I’m wearing MNZ Mercy Shorts, a tank top, and a men’s shirt over it unbuttoned, and some heels. I’m wearing my Olympia Wedges or the Paloma Sandals and lately the Martiniano Glove shoes in white. The outfit is simple, and I’m wearing a leather Hermes or Cartier watch and glass jewelry and a gold necklace to accessorize. The vibe is classic and sporty but feminine and easy.
How is it to be a woman entrepreneur and a mom? Do you find some days busier than others? Do you ever bring your kids to work?
It’s amazing to be a woman entrepreneur and Mom, it is truly so rewarding to have the duality of both. Some days are absolutely busier than others. Fortunately my daughters are at ages (9 and 7) where they are somewhat independent, so they understand when things are busy for me, they are very patient. It is the same for work, everyone understands when my children need to come first, so it’s always an alternating juggling act between what needs most attention and both are a pleasure to put attention towards.
What’s the best advice your mother has given you?
The best advice my Mother has given me is that my children need to come first. I don’t know if I always listen to the extent because I balance my needs as much as my children’s, and my needs include work and pleasure–all are essential for my life to feel balanced and be my best self. My Mother is a very selfless mother and that has always been a quality I admire in her.
What future do you hope to have your children to live in?
I hope for my children to live in a very evolved and spiritually conscious planet. I hope all this advancement of technology isn’t making them grow up too fast, and if it is, it will nurture their talents and encourage their minds to use it in conscious ways, revering the planet by taking care of the environment, respecting animals and people. A world of love and respect for others, individual growth, and expansion on a spiritual and creative level to use their energy for good for themselves and for the planet and the society they live in.
How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?
My dream for Mother’s Day this year would be to drive our car to the beach and rent a house for a few days. We have barely left our house in the last 6 weeks. I miss the sun and ocean so much. I’ve been going to the beach at Montauk or the Hamptons every year around May June for the last 13 years. We have so many memories there, it feels like home for us. It would be a dream if the weather is warm and we can have a beach day.
Olesya Shipovskaya
What is your absolutely favorite thing about being a mom?
It is definitely about having the closest person in the whole world. Whom you love unconditionally, who can surprise you every day, and who makes you happy more than any of your achievements.
The most special moment is getting to bed together. At this moment, no matter how you could argue during the day or how difficult it was, your child looks like an angel who you love mostly.
How has becoming a mother changed you?
I became a mother quite early, it happened more than 10 years ago, and during this time we have already experienced like multiple lives together. I was a student, I was unemployed, I founded my business, started travelling. But the main thing, of course, is that Stephania’s birth turned me into an adult in a moment and brought more responsibility in my life. I had almost no internal limitations before becoming a mother and could get into any kind of troubles. I can’t even imagine what could have happened to me if I still wasn’t a mother.
And, of course, becoming a mother greatly influenced my professional growth. When you are responsible for another person, when there is a need to raise her in good conditions, you no longer have a choice not to work hard.
How are you passing your time at home with your daughter?
Unfortunately, I don’t spend much time with Stephania during usual days, as my brand is totally self-made and fast-growing and it requires my ultimate involvement in many processes. So usually we spend time resting in the evenings or days off, watching cartoons with some favorite snacks or we go for a walk or enjoy some outdoor sport activities.
Now, during the quarantine we spend more time playing some table games and reading books. We’ve found a pretty cool series of books about extraordinary self-made women, and I also try to educate her a bit about sexual topics and give her correct verified information.
Do you have any tips for other moms?
I can hardly give any advice to others, because I do not spend enough time with my daughter sometimes and have many questions without answers myself.
But I always try to put myself in her place and remember how I felt being a child – it really helps me to understand her in some difficult conflict moments and to keep us connected.
What’s your go-to outfit on a busy day?
The most comfortable outfit starts with comfortable jeans. I love vintage or the mass market ones if they fit me well. Then cotton t-shirt, I like when the fabric is thin and soft. And Lesyanebo oversized jacket of course. It is our bestseller and my personal favorite. Moreover, we update the color palette every season, so you can collect a set for every day of the week or even the month. I also like to add some accessories like a thin belt, some favorite jewelry and a unique bag. As for shoes I usually go for cool sneakers or kitten heels.
How is it to be a woman entrepreneur and a mom? Do you find some days
busier than others? Do you ever bring your daughter to work?
It’s hard of course, you sacrifice something anyway. But I try to explain to my family that my brand is not just a business, but my life’s work. I’m lucky that my mother helps me a lot now – with school, extra classes and many other things. But at the very beginning, while I had no opportunity to live with my mother, Stephania spent all her days with me. These were the first steps of the brand and she saw the most difficult times, so I guess she became pretty tired of it.
Now we can stop by for a bit when we are spending time together, so she starts enjoying it again.
What’s the best advice your mother has given you?
The most important thing is that my mom accepts any of my decisions. She is always ready to accept my changes, she is always happy to see my friends or to meet my new boyfriend, and she always tells me to listen to my heart. She also always tells me that anything in life passes, even the most difficult moments, and these words help me a lot during the letdowns.
What future do you hope to have your children to live in?
I hope they will live in a peaceful, civilized and conscious world without fear and doubts. That all of us will draw conclusions from past and present events and we will become more careful and sensitive to people and the world around us.
How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?
It is pretty much a usual day which we try to spend together. Play, cook something especially tasty and of course remind our loved ones about our love.
What is your absolutely favorite thing about being a mom?
To feel that unconditional love and watching him evolve everyday into a little man.
How has becoming a mother changed you?
I’ve become more patient. Everything takes more time with a baby and I’ve come to accept this.
How are you passing your time at home with your kid?
The nurseries and kindergartens have opened up again in Denmark, so we’re very lucky. But we still sleep for as long as we can and don’t set an alarm. We like to have a slow morning, drinking coffee and eating breakfast together. As both my husband and I are still working from home we prioritize to pick Maximus up together at 2.30 pm, followed by a walk. When we get home we play, before getting started on dinner. After dinner we play again and at 7.30pm we tuck him in for bedtime. The same thing happens the day after and the day after that. It’s all about repetition with kids.
Do you have any tips for other moms?
Everything is a phase.
What’s your go-to outfit on a busy day?
White t-shirt, jeans, sneaks and a cozy sweater.
How is it to be a woman entrepreneur and a mom? Do you find some days
busier than others?
Some days are definitely busier than others. I find it hard sometimes to actually get any work done (especially now that we’re both home), because I’m still the one doing most of the house chores. We’ve tried dividing it up between us, but I just prefer it when everything is done my way, so it’s easier to just do things myself. I think a lot of women can relate to this, entrepreneur and not.
What’s the best advice your mother has given you?
Don’t be so hard on yourself.
What future do you hope to have your kid to live in?
Honestly, I hate to think about this because it really scares me. I grew up without social media and I wish he could experience a SoMe free childhood as well. But that is unlikely. However, I hope he grows up in a world where we take better care of each other and the environment. I think Covid-19 has taught us all a lesson in that.
How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?
I think I’ll spend it with my Mom.
What is your absolutely favorite thing about being a mom?
This is a hard question, there are so many things to choose from. I especially love the way my kids look at me, this look that shows me that I am their world. It makes me want to give them the fullest life they can experience.
How has becoming a mother changed you?
I feel purpose more than ever.
How are you passing your time at home with your kids?
Lots of activities — baking, painting, watching movies, reading books, making our own books, jumping rope– anything to keep them busy.
Do you have any tips for other moms?
Your kids will remember this time for how they felt, do everything to keep yourself and them happy, rather than working on doing what you feel are society’s standards for right now.
What’s your go-to outfit on a busy day?
Something monochrome so I don’t have to think too much if it matches with a nice shoe and bag. My favorites are onesies and one-piece workout wear. Feels comfortable and looks chic.
How is it to be a woman entrepreneur and a mom? Do you find some days
busier than others? Do you ever bring your kids to work?
Being an entrepreneur and mom is the best thing ever – one role is constantly inspiring the other. I try to plan my days as much as possible to avoid hiccups however yes many days are busier than others and the best thing to do is go with the flow. I have brought my kids to work many times. My eldest Noah used to spend all his days with me in the office on a sling as I attended meetings, calls, and worked at my desk. Our kids being around a working mother in this way will give them so much inspiration as adults.
What’s the best advice your mother has given you?
Everyone always has advice for how we should parent but you will always know what is best for your children.
What future do you hope to have your children to live in?
With everything going on the earth has been on my mind a lot– I want my kids to experience a better earth. As the whole world has been spending more time at home we are seeing how mother nature has had a chance to heal and renew herself. Instead of hurting her, our kids can live mindfully so that she is always treated well.
How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?
At home of course. We are going to dress up so it feels special, either cook something special or order one of our favorite meals, and do an activity such as painting or board games with the boys.
A special thank you to Emilia Wickstead, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Olesya Shipovskaya, Mie Juel, and Stella Simona.
