MOTHER
Knows Best
Musings on maternal love from London to Cali, Colombia, with designers Molly Goddard, Brandon Maxwell, Rosie Assoulin, and Johanna Ortiz.
Often, it’s the mother figure who shapes our earliest notions of femininity, beauty, and glamour—qualities which fashion has always had an endless fascination with, and explores time and again. Many of us share a profound childhood memory: mom, getting dressed up for a night out. As Brandon Maxwell remembers, “There was nothing more exciting than that five minutes before she walked out the door and I got to see how she looked.” Here, four designers share what their mothers mean to them, creatively-speaking and otherwise.
& her mom,
Sarah Edwards
“My mum has always been a style icon to me,” says Goddard, London’s fashion talent famous for crafting tulle babydoll dresses (for grown women), laced with irresistible edge. “When she was at college, she had short platinum blond hair and wore PVC dungarees and brothel creepers.” But the inspiration doesn’t stop there. A former primary school teacher, Edwards now works as a photographer and set designer, frequently collaborating with her designer daughter on runway shows with immersive, fantastical sets—from a makeshift sandwich factory to a reproduction of an 18th-century bedroom. “She collects beautiful objects, has a passion for art and photography, and is always teaching and showing me new things. Mum has taught me to treasure objects made with love and true craftsmanship.”
WHAT THREE SONGS REMIND YOU OF MOM?
“Beautiful Girls” — Sean Kingston
“Maggie May” — Rod Stewart
WHAT DID YOU DO OR GIFT HER FOR MOTHER'S DAY LAST YEAR?
A big bunch of flowers—my mum is a photographer and mainly takes pictures of flowers, so a bunch goes a long way and bring days of enjoyment with it.
WHAT'S THE GREATEST THING SHE'S TAUGHT YOU?
She has taught me to make the most of every situation. And she always has a swimsuit on her ready to swim if the opportunity arises—it often does despite living in central London! That kind of sums her up.