MICHELLE KENNEDY

CEO & FOUNDER OF PEANUT AND EXTRAORDINARY 
MUM TO NUALA

Michelle Kennedy, founder and CEO of Peanut, an app which connects women across fertility and motherhood. Michelle's mission to make Peanut the leading network to connect women when they need each other most has allowed Peanut to become one of the fastest-growing apps for women only in the US, accumulating over 1m users in just 2 years. We had the chance to meet Michelle and her 8 month-old daughter Nuala in London, and to chat with her about motherhood, valuable intergenerational life lessons, sustainability and flowers, all of which are at the heart of the Mother Nature story.

MICHELLE: Patience. Before motherhood, I was probably the single most impatient person. Now I understand that no child has a timetable, they are little free spirits, and so you have to be patient and find a flow rather than a routine. Also listening, really listening, because even in the briefest of conversations, there are snippets they share with you about their hopes, their worries.

M: I love seeing the world through their eyes. What is scary, what is funny, what is intriguing. It makes you look at the world afresh all over again. The wonder of watching someone paint for them is like magic, or even simple tasks, brushing my hair to Nuala is enchanting. I think with that comes responsibility (in what I am showing them), and fun (in how to think about things anew).

M: If you see a problem in the world, why can't you be the one to try and fix it. Everything is possible and is yours for the taking. Don't wait for other people to bring solutions, when it could be you.

M: I think flowers are so sensory. From the touch, to the smell. I love the feeling of a room changing by the flowers you have. Particularly living in a city like London, where you can too easily forget nature, which makes bringing touches into your home even more important. I also believe that flowers should not just be for gifts or occasions (although they're wonderful then too), an every day indulgence, why not.

M: I find Finlay educating me about sustainability all the time. His knowledge and awareness from school and peers is amazing. From turning off taps and lights, to recycling and reusing. Where can I help? Trying to ensure they understand the impact of the buying economy, more and more plastic toys.

M: Fun, Loving, Silly, Fiercely loyal.

M: Because the beauty of the right stems is just a tiny reminder of how beautiful she is.

NOËLLA COURSARIS MUSUNKA

FOUNDER OF MALAIKA AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO CARA AND JJ

Noëlla Coursaris Musunka was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and grew up in Europe. After returning to her home country and witnessing firsthand the poverty and lack of opportunity for women, Noëlla promised herself that she would one day make a difference. As she traveled the world as a model, she was inspired to share her passion for human rights and in 2007 she founded Malaika, a nonprofit grassroots organization that empowers Congolese girls and their communities through education and health programs. An advocate for girls’ education, Noëlla has spoken in front of countless international audiences, including the 2018 World Economic Forum at Davos, UNICEF, and the UK Parliament. We met Noëlla and her children, Cara and JJ, in London where she shared with us the importance of promoting education among young women and living sustainably.

NOËLLA: It has given me love. I didn’t grow up with my parents around so to have a family where we are giving and receiving love that doesn’t give up or change from one day to the next is powerful. It has also given me patience. What are the most valuable lessons you have learned from your children?

N: I take my children with me to the Congo for six weeks of the year and my husband joins us for two of those weeks. It is a special time when my children are there with me because they embrace all the people we meet and are quick to start joining in with any tasks that they can help with. They love to play with the children in the village. Their openness, positivity, and enthusiasm inspires me.

N: To care for humanity and to give back. That being kind is the most important thing to be. Also I hope to inspire them to be driven too. It’s important to work hard to achieve our dreams as success rarely lands in your lap without much effort. They can see this through Malaika, which has grown over the twelve years since it was founded to provide a free, quality education to 346 girls. It also includes a community center that has sport and education programs for over 5000 youth and adults in the community. Malaika has empowered an entire community and this all came about through the hard work of myself and also the wonderful international team of staff and volunteers. Finally, I want them to be happy and I believe this is something we need to teach our children. That it isn’t about circumstances always going your way but it’s about choosing to be grateful for what you have, working hard and staying positive.

N: I love flowers and plants. I have them in my home and love to see wildflowers when we go out for walks. My husband and children often buy me flowers! Congo has the second largest rainforest in the world and has a great variety of stunning plants and flowers. Kalebuka, where Malaika is based, is a rural village where there was no infrastructure, no running water or electricity. As well as providing education we have sought to develop the infrastructure of the village. Over the years we have built and refurbished 20 wells. This has been so important for cleaning the village, establishing agriculture, and ensuring the people are healthy and no longer contracting water borne diseases. The agriculture provides food for the school and every year on international day of the tree we get our students planting trees. I am very passionate about ensuring we do all we can to preserve the environment and enjoy all the beauty that nature has to offer whilst developing Kalebuka so its people can thrive.

N: We are working hard to reduce the amount of plastic we use and have a plastic-bottle-free home. I also encourage them to try and tidy their bedrooms as this will instil important values about taking care of their things so they last longer. Also, I hope that tidy rooms will lead them to treat everywhere they go with that mindset of tidying up after themselves and treating the world with respect.

N: Kind, focused, determined, positive, generous.

JEMIMA JONES

FOUNDER OF TART LONDON AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO ELIZA AND ARLO

Jemima Jones is the founder of the food catering company Tart London, a former model and mum to Eliza and Arlo. We had the opportunity to meet Jemima and her children where she opened up about the magic of losing herself in her children's dreams and the importance of good manners, showing gratitude and nurturing a love of all things culinary!

JEMIMA: Children somehow give you back that wonderful fascination with small, seemingly insignificant parts of the world that we often lose as an adult. A toad making toad spawn, a perfect circle of mushrooms at the edge of a woodland or the first bumble bee of spring.

J: To be more focused in the present. Listening to their every hope, dream and worry... to being able to lose yourself being the big bad wolf on your hands and knees and ignite their imaginary world - which allows for the best rewarding/liberating sense of freedom though expressing your own inner child.

J: The importance of good manners, and of showing gratitude, and respect to everyone... and of course a big love of eating!

J: Flowers point to the turning of the seasons, the passage of time, and the impermanence of everything. That the beauty and colour of flowers are not created for us, but to attract myriad tiny pollinators on which flowering plants depend, reminds us of the perfect interconnectedness of everything in nature.

J: Seasonality is key in what we cook, keeping to a local mantra in what we eat. Noticing how interesting and beautiful the world is. Showing kindness and respect to all animals, from the wild, to ethically farmed and to our own homes.

J: Nurturing, spontaneous, selfless, kind... and with a love for letting loose.

ELIZA: to eat with my mouth closed.

E: Because she is the queen and I’m a princess.

E: Fun when playing with me and Arlo.

NICOLA FORMBY

CONSULTANT AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO EDITH 
AND ISAAC

South African-born Nicola Formby is a former model, food consultant and avid chef. She is mother to 13-year-old twins Edith and Isaac. We had the opportunity to meet Nicola and her children, where we shared with us the importance of cultivating honesty, seizing opportunities and practicing sustainable living with her family.

NICOLA: To catnap anywhere, anytime

N: Trust your instincts, patience, to listen, live in the present, how to enjoy a cold cup of tea.

N: Honesty at all times and to always try harder.

N: You can never have enough.

N: Your actions have implications.

N: Trustful, non-judgemental, positive, energetic.

TWINS EDITH AND ISAAC, 13 YEARS OLD: Be honest, be kind and seize the moment.

E&I: Recycling & always questioning.

E&I: She's been feeding us for 13 years.

E&I: Understanding, fun, gentle, kind, busy.

LUCINDA CHAMBERS

CO-FOUNDER OF COLLAGERIE AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO GABRIEL

London native Lucinda is a fashion director, designer and stylist, having spent nearly four decades at British Vogue before co-founding her own brand, Colville, which represents many of the pillars we hold dear: collaborative, energetic, and sustainable. She is also the co-founder of a global online retail concept centred around discovery  and careful curation: Collagerie. The site represents quality over quantity - the one thing over everything - and Lucinda has sustainability in her blood.

We had the opportunity to meet Lucinda and the youngest of her three sons, Gabriel, where we witnessed their powerful relationship and learned the touching lessons that Gabriel has learned from his mother to  include endless creativity, inventive sustainability, and a shared love of flowers.

LUCINDA: Patience!

L: Not to sweat the small stuff as everything changes. A certain fearlessness. Trust.

L: Not to judge. I don’t think any of them are critical, they love people, so openness, to others and to opportunities, enjoying life. To know who you are in the world (passed on from my mother) and to be very comfortable with that. To be generous, money comes and it goes and that’s fine. To be kind. But they all are anyway, with and without me.

L: Flowers have always been hugely important. They are a gift. Pure pleasure. I use them in shoots and I love them in and out of the house. I never get over them and their beauty. And at this time of year, it’s like watching slow magic.

L: I always want to turn things I no longer use into something else, it’s a form of therapy as well as being creative. I think all my boys are the same, they love making things. I think transformation, whatever shape that looks like, is lovely and meaningful.

L: Respectful, kind, generous, funny and loving (maybe that’s too much to ask for!)

GABRIEL: Never to judge; we’re all just people getting through our days. Be confident in who you truly are and wear that as a badge of honour. Be kind.

G: Repurpose things! An empty wine bottle is whittled into a new glass, a strip of curtain is maybe a tablecloth or a lampshade. Never throw away clothes: donate them! I can’t count how many huge bin bags we’ve taken to the Traid down the road.

G: For her wins. Despite her undeniable talent and continuous, impressive successes, she has a habit of downplaying them, always wanting to do better and to keep moving forward in her work. Some flowers to tell her she can be happy with her latest collaboration, business launch, or collection she’s presented would be perfectly fitting.

G: Humble, talented, caring, driven, a friend.

HELEN GEBREMESKEL

BUSINESS OWNER AND GRENFELL TOWER SURVIVOR AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO LULYA

Helen Gebremeskel, a London-based business owner and her daughter Lulya both survived the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 after being separated for hours by the blaze. We had the opportunity to meet this beautiful and strong mother-daughter duo, where they gave us a glimpse at the beautiful bond they share, as well as the most valuable lessons they've learnt from each other. Their incredible story of survival, love and hope has never felt more poignant than it does now.

HELEN: My child has given me the strength of the world.

H: She’s taught me to be my true self.

H: I hope to share with my daughter that when things don’t go your way there’s always a way to make everything better.

H: Flowers are a beautiful and majestic part of this earth that everyone should have respect towards.

H: Recycling is the easiest was to teach your children’s to love the planet.

H: Caring, loving, inspirational, strong, independent.

LULYA: My mum has taught me to be kind to others even when they don’t deserve it.

L: It means to maintain what we have been given.

L: Because it’s the best way to show her you love her.

L: Beautiful, loving, independent, caring, kind.

HAYLEY BLOOMINGDALE STILEMAN

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATS AT MODA OPERANDI AND
EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO ELLIE

American-born Hayley Bloomingdale Stileman built up her fashionable pedigree working at Ralph Lauren and Carolina Herrera in New York City before moving to London where she now works as Director of Special Projects and Communications at Moda Operandi. We met Hayley and her first-born daughter Ellie, 5 months, where we got to witness the pure magic of new motherhood, and get to know how flowers have been an important part of this young family's life, marking important celebrations and milestones.

HAYLEY: I'm only 4 months in but I never realized how much I could truly accomplish with just one hand. One-handed multitasking and getting through the day on much less sleep than I thought possible are my superpowers these days!

H: Be prepared for anything! Even the best laid plans often go out the window when it comes to babies.

H: Flowers bring weekly sunshine into our home even in the depths of dreary London winter. They’re also a sign of various life celebrations for us, especially in the past year—moving into a new home, having a baby, bringing her home from the hospital—we’ve had beautiful blooms on hand to mark these momentous milestones.

H: We're redoing the garden this spring and planting lots of things that will grow as Ellie does so that we can show her when she's bigger how they've grown as she has!

H: Loving, Kind, Funny, Warm and Wise.

H: To thank her for all the 3am feeds, diaper duty, and endless cuddles!

DR BARBARA STURM

DOCTOR AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO PEPPER

Dr. Barbara Sturm is a world-renowned aesthetics doctor, known for her anti-inflammatory philosophy and non surgical, anti-aging skin treatments. In 2014, she launched Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics line, a non-toxic skincare range, with ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and hyaluronic acid to shield the skin from oxidative stress and sun damage, and environmental aggressors such as urban pollution. Formulated with a conscious mind, it is made for urban dwellers. We met Barbara and her 5-year-old daughter Pepper in London, where Barbara shared what motherhood has brought her and how she is raising her children to be conscious about others and our environment.

BARBARA: The power of everything - different levels of love, care and responsibility.

B: To stay a child yourself and never lose the child within you - it makes us stay human.

B:To respect and be kind to everyone.

B: I grew up in nature and it always makes me happiest to be outdoors. My grandmother was a pharmacist and as a child she would always teach me about the power of nature and natural ingredients in medicine.

B: All our kids are smart and super advanced and they know that our world is in danger. Especially for everything I do they influence me to [make] extra changes in all my packaging? Travel etc.

B: Loving, kind, badass, role model, funny.

B: Be kind and respectful to everyone. Don’t spend money you don’t have, you have to work for what you want. Negotiate up. You can make your dreams come true.

B: I was brought up to never waste anything, especially food. As a child we were always given just the right amount of food so nothing was ever left on our plates. I do not like wasting anything; food, electricity, water. I always make sure wash cycles are full and lights are off and we recycle everything we can at home.

B:The first reason is to see her smile and no other reason is needed.

B: Loving, kind, caring, always helped others, warrior.

BELLA GALLIERS-PRATT

HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS AT GUCCI LONDON AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO ALEXA AND CELESTE

Few people can balance fashion, family (and flowers) as flawlessly as Bella Galliers-Pratt can, and this heartfelt portrait of her with her two young daughters encapsulates the spirit of motherhood. Dorset-born, London-based Bella has been the Head of Communications for GUCCI for the past 10 years and previously cut her fashionable teeth at Prada and Luella Bartley. We met Bella and her daughters, 4-year-old Alexa and 3-month-old Celeste in London, and discussed motherhood, valuable intergenerational life lessons, sustainability and flowers, all of which are at the heart of the Mother Nature story.

BELLA: Super human patience, understanding one's values and ideals. Knowing what’s important in life.

B: Unconditional love, friendship and the power of a big hug when it’s needed.

B: The importance of kindness, laughter and love. Respect for yourself and others. Above all, life is about people and the meaningful relationships you form with them.

B: After all these years being given flowers still always puts a smile on my face, it’s such a simple way to express to someone that you are thinking of them. I also believe that nature is a good healer and if we look after it it’s something that everyone can enjoy.

B: We always make sure that we are grateful for what we have, we try to learn to respect nature and be thankful for the things around us and understand where they come from. With my children it’s sometimes the simplest of things that brings the most joy. Running around in a garden on a summers day and enjoying the world in all its natural glory is as good as it gets.

B: Kind, loving, fun, supportive. I just hope they always know that I’m their biggest cheerleader and I love them.

ALEXA, 4 YEARS OLD: My mummy smells nice, she gives the best hugs. I love playing with mummy. Mummy is really funny.

HUI LU

FOUNDER OF SUKI LONDON AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO LUCAS

Hui Lu is the founder of SUKI London, a contemporary and luxury fashion womenswear label established in London in 2015. The brand is characterised by its modern and elegant design that focuses on exquisite craftsmanship, and embraces a philosophy of “Less is More” ; redefining modern womenswear and preserving timeless classic attitudes. SUKI London empowers modern women to embrace individuality, uniqueness and femininity. We met Hui and her son Lucas, where they gave us a glimpse at their beautiful bond, and shared with us the lessons and values they've learnt from another.

HUI: To be brave, to be optimistic and to be patient.

H: Unconditional love, forgiveness.

H: Braveness and fearlessness.

H: Nature, beauty and pure love. They make me feel refreshed.

H: Take an action now, we have been watching some BBC documentaries which talk about the Earth and global warming. I believe we have to take an action now, and stop using plastic bags.

H: Brave, optimistic, strong, supportive, loving.

LUCAS, 4 YEARS OLD: Bravery and strength.

MUM: (I was trying to explain to him what’s sustainability, he keeps saying mum.. finally he said nanny will always use the same black trolley to get some foods from the Waitrose).

LUCAS: Because mum is beautiful and caring about me.

LUCAS: Beautiful, supportive, caring, hardworking, loving.

WHITNEY BROMBERG-HAWKINGS

CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF FLOWERBX AND EXTRAORDINARY MUM TO BARRON, SNOWDON AND WALLIS

Whitney is the CEO and co-founder of FLOWERBX and mum to Barron, Snowdon and Wallis. She started FLOWERBX after a two decade long career in the fashion industry working for renowned designer Tom Ford where she learned invaluable lessons about hard work, tenacity and chasing her dreams, all of which she is trying to instil in her children.

The Mother Nature story is close to Whitney's heart, bringing together three of her most meaningful passions: motherhood, sustainability and flowers. Here, she is photographed with her 4-year-old daughter Wallis and opens up about motherhood, the lessons she has learnt from and shared with her children, and how sustainability plays an important role both at home and at FLOWERBX and of course, the important role that flowers play in her life.

WHITNEY: Having children has taught me to consistently prioritize other people above myself and to consider that a privilege rather than a sacrifice.

W: My children have taught me patience and unconditional love and have given such a clear purpose to my life and everything I do. They have taught me to find humour when things don’t go to plan and to not take myself too seriously.

W: I hope I teach them empathy and compassion and how important it is to look after others. I hope that I can teach them that with privilege comes responsibility and that they have a duty to help those less fortunate than they are. I hope to raise open-minded children who do not judge others. Lastly I hope to raise children who are passionate and who are able to find a vocation in life. By example, I hope to show them how gratifying and frustrating and tear jerking and ultimately rewarding it is to build something and to love what you do.

W: Flowers have always played a vital role in my life, even before they became my livelihood. Flowers have always represented pure beauty to me, while simultaneously symbolizing love and hope.

W: I try to help them understand the impact of all of our choices on the planet and how even small changes can make a difference. I have also taught them to speak up and have a voice. They don’t need a better example than Greta to understand that one voice can make a difference. I am trying to teach them to be the change they want to see.

W: I would say my children have taught me more about sustainability than I have taught them. Barron urged the whole family to become vegan last summer after understanding how destructive eating animals is to the planet. They have banned any products with palm oil from our house, initiated household composting, and made me question all of our family consumption daily. I am so proud that they constantly question our family’s choices and preferences to make sure that they keep the planet and her resources in mind. I try to apply their concern and determination to protect the planet to everything I do at work and at home.

W: Loving, compassionate, loyal, reliable and fun.

WALLIS: Don’t eat on the sofa. Say please and thank you. Don’t stand up from the table.

W: Don’t use plastic. Throw cardboard in recycling. Don’t eat animals.

W: Because I love her.

W: FLOWERBX girl. Bestie. Pretty. Mamasita.