When it comes to navigating through life, so much of what we know is passed down from mother to child. In celebration of Mother’s Day, we asked Donna Karan, Lubov Azria, Lela Rose, Rachel Roy, Pamella Roland, Rebecca Minkoff, Rachel Zoe and Kelly Wearstler to tell us, “What’s the greatest advice mothers can share with their children?”
Check out the candid, poignant family photos that each of these designing women generously shared with us…
Donna Karan: Make time for love. “The best advice a mother can give to her child is that love is about time−the time you spend with others, and time you spend taking care of yourself. You need to find the balance and do both,” says Donna Karan, pictured with her daughter Gabby on her wedding day in 2002. (For her special day, Gabby wore a short dress with an added long tulle skirt, made by her mother, of course!)
Lubov Azria: Live your dreams. “Each of my daughters has a unique journey they are embarking on, and I support them wholeheartedly. I always advise them with what I tell myself every day: Work hard, stay focused on your vision, and follow your dreams. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ‘Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,’” says Azria, Chief Creative Officer of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, which includes BCBG and Herve Leger.
This busy business woman is mother to 6 children with husband Max Azria. Above, Lubov (pictured second from left) enjoys some girl time on Malibu Beach with her daughters Anaïs, 16, Agnès, 14, Marine, 21, and Chloé, 18.
Lela Rose: Conquer with kindness. Designer Lela Rose keeps her motherly advice simple and sweet: “Be nice, be nice, be nice.”
The New York-based Texan transplant is pictured with her two children, Grey, 11, and Rosey, 6, and their two Yorkshire terriers, Stitch and Bobbin.
Rachel Roy: You can make a difference. “The best advice I give my girls, which my mother instilled in me, is the importance of giving back to those in need,” shares Rachel Roy, pictured with her two daughters, Tallulah Ruth, 5, and Ava, 13.
Pamella Roland: Easy does it. “As my children have grown, my best advice to mothers of young children would be to not sweat the small stuff−you let go and let your children learn by making their mistakes, and you have to pick your battles,” says Pamella Roland.
During New York Fashion Week, you can always spot her three children, Cole, Sydney and Cassandra, cheering from the front row.
We offer Pamella Roland in selected stores. For locations, please contact a Designer Specialist at 1.877.543.7463.
Rebecca Minkoff: Search for excellence. “Find your PASSION and give 100%. It may or may not be easy to find; maybe the search will be painful and long, but you will find it at some point. And the feeling of satisfaction knowing you have given 100% brings tremendous contentment,” says Rebecca Minkoff, photographed with son Luca Shai, who will turn 2 in September.
Rachel Zoe: Do the right thing. “Always be kind, always have manners and always be grateful. Never be greedy, never be jealous and never be cruel,” says Rachel Zoe on the words of wisdom she instills in her son Skyler, 2.
Kelly Wearstler: Be a go-getter. “The best advice I can give my boys is the same advice my mother instilled in me: the only person who can make something happen for you is YOU. Be compassionate, be self-reliant, and love what you do,” shares Kelly Wearstler with her boys Elliott, 9, and Oliver, 10.
On Mother’s Day, remember the women who gave—and lived out—the best life advice for you.
(Uh-oh: Still need a last-minute gift for Mom? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered!)
−Qianna Smith
Photos courtesy of each designer
“We design so many fabrics, and we spend a lot of money on materials because it’s important to me,” says Lela, who worked with champagne silk-wool blends, floral organza, sheer lace and layers of tulle for this collection.
Here, Lela works on some final beading work. She says she designs for a woman with a unique, individual style who always wants to look put together.
Embroidered and beaded motifs are hallmarks of Lela’s design signature. The inspiration board for the collection is luxe, airy and captures timeless eveningwear elegance.
“When I worked for Richard Tyler, I was on the design team, but I was responsible for assembling all the fabrics for the collection,” says Lela.
During, her time working for the Australian fashion designer, Lela learned how to experiment with materials. “I would go to all the mills and see what was new for the season and put together an entire collection based on fabrics. I gained a lot of experience working with the mills and knowing what’s out there. This helped me when I started my own business. I like to get into the nitty-gritty.”
Lela has been reading the The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm to her two children, and when she told her son Grey that she needed to take the book into the studio, he could have never imagined that she would develop her fall inspiration from magical adventures inside the book. “This collection is all about magical beauty fused with a dark beauty theme,” she says.
The self-confessed Americana girlie-girl walked us through each look of the collection, so we could get an up-close and personal look at the hand-finished detailing of each garment. “Each one these embellishments were put on with a sequin and black bead, so it’s like a little polka dot. Talk about hard work,” she says with a laugh. “I also did a lot of digital prints. We photographed pieces of pink tulle, laid them on top of organza and then digitally printed it. For another look, we took a photo of a piece of lace and then blew it up a ton to create an airy illusion.”
The next time we saw Lela, she was backstage at Lincoln Center fitting a runway model with the same frothy magical dress we fell in love with at the studio. “The models who walk in my show are what I call les petits oiseaux, very bird-like. I love the bird-like girls who are tall, lanky and just float down the runway.”
This look captures and brings to life the raven-like detailing from The Complete Fairy Tales.
The finale look featured beading that Lela compared to sea urchins.
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