THIS SEASON’S OSCAR DE LA RENTA CHILDRENS CAMPAIGN STARS FOUR CHIC MOTHERS AND THEIR DARLING DAUGHTERS. DISCOVER KATE DAVIDSON HUDSON, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF EDITORIALIST, AND HER DAUGHTER AVA DRESSED UP IN OUR NEW COLLECTION AND READ OUR Q&A WITH KATE BELOW.
WHO OR WHAT IS CURRENTLY INSPIRING YOUR STYLE?
PROBABLY TOO MANY TO MENTION BUT, RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN CULLING A LOT OF MY 'STYLE' INSPIRATION FROM THE CHIC MAMAS AND FELLOW EDITORS ON INSTAGRAM. I LOVE FOLLOWING GIORGIA TORDINI, MARIA DUEÑAS JACOBS, CHARLOTTE GROENEVELD, GILDA AMBROSIO, PERNILLE TEISBAECK, AND TAMU MCPHERSON...TO NAME JUST A FEW!
HOW HAS YOUR STYLE CHANGED SINCE BECOMING A MOTHER?
I INCORPORATE MORE FLATS INTO MY LOOK THAN I EVER DID PRE-CHILDREN. WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING BETWEEN SCHOOL DROP-OFF, MORNING MEETINGS OR TO LONG DAYS ON SET; A CHIC FLAT OR EVEN A ‘FASHION’ SNEAKER HAS BECOME A MUST-HAVE TO SLOT INTO MY DAY-TO-DAY ROTATION.
HOW ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT PERSONAL STYLE?
RIGHT NOW THEY ARE SO YOUNG (7 AND 4 YEARS OLD, RESPECTIVELY), SO THEIR CLOTHING CHOICES LARGELY REVOLVE AROUND COMFORT. MY DAUGHTER, HOWEVER, IS DEFINITELY A MAXIMALIST. WHEN SHE'S NOT IN HER SCHOOL UNIFORM, SHE LIKES TO CREATE A LOOK THAT IS REALLY JUST AN AMALGAM OF EVERYTHING SHE LOVES – AND I LOVE THAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. I THINK AT AGE 7, WE'RE LESS INFORMED BY FASHION OR SOCIAL PROTOCOLS SO THERE'S A CERTAIN ABANDON IN THE WAY SHE APPROACHES DRESSING THAT I TRY TO EMBRACE. SO WHEN WE EMERGE ON A SATURDAY MORNING WITH A FLORAL SKIRT OVER LEGGINGS WITH UNICORN SOCKS, A NEON FLIP-SEQUIN SHIRT, EMOJI SNEAKERS AND A PATCHWORK DENIM JACKET, I USUALLY COMPLIMENT HER LAYERING SKILLS AND GO WITH IT...FOR NOW :)
HOW DO YOU BALANCE MOTHERHOOD?
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY SUCH THING AS TRUE BALANCE. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SHOW MY CHILDREN THE VALUE OF HARD WORK AND THE VALUE OF BEING EMPOWERED THROUGH IT. THAT SAID, IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW THEY ARE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, ALL DAY EVERY DAY. AND, WHEN I'M WITH THEM, I TRY TO FOCUS MY ATTENTION SOLELY ON THEM. AS A RULE, I ENDEAVOR TO MAKE SURE I AM THE FIRST FACE THEY SEE WHEN THEY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND THE LAST BEFORE THEY GO TO BED. OUR DAY-TO-DAY SCHEDULES BETWEEN WORK AND SCHOOL COMMITMENTS ARE SO DIFFERENT THAT I TRY TO CAPTURE AS MUCH OF THE 'SMALL’ MOMENTS IN BETWEEN. BUT, FOR NOW, WE EMBRACE THE EBB-AND-FLOWS OF CONSTANTLY CHANGING SCHEDULES AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD THAT ILLUSIVE IDEA OF PERFECT BALANCE.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU RECEIVED FROM YOUR MOTHER THAT YOU WILL PASS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN?
STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE FROM THIS OSCAR DE LA RENTA COLLECTION?
I'M SPOILED FOR CHOICE. I COULD DIE OVER THE BLACK LONG-SLEEVE, STRUCTURED GUIPURE LACE DRESS. IT HAS A COUTURE-LIKE FIT THAT IS PURE HEAVEN. AND, AVA COULD LIVE IN EVERY PIECE OF THE CHILDREN'S COLLECTION AND LOOK INSTANTLY FINISHED. THERE IS A SENSE OF TIMELESSNESS AND CHARM TO THE SILHOUETTES, PRINTS AND CUTS THAT INFUSE THE CHILDREN'S LINE WITH A PERENNIAL 'CHICNESS'.