I didn’t change out of sweatpants until my youngest child was in kindergarten. So, it amazes me that fellow moms Lisa Brochu and Lauren Walker find time to not only look stylish but also manage and design a successful clothing line- Brochu Walker.
I want to know how these two moms do it all? What inspires them? And how can modern moms like us integrate their style tips into our daily routine?
Amy: I know you both have daughters. Lauren has a 5 year old and a 7 year old. Lisa has stepdaughters that are 7 and 12. Can you briefly describe your typical day?
We both scramble through the morning to get the kids off to school and then if we are lucky we carve out an hour for ourselves before the day gets crazy at the office. Usually this means a Pilates class or quick run or hike with the dog. The first thing we do once we get to the office is check in with each other and review our calendars, prioritizing for the day, the week and the month! We usually have a lot to get done as a team so we like work together on those things first and then we divide and conquer on the rest.
Amy: What role do you each play in the business?
Lauren oversees all sales and marketing aspects of the company so this usually means she is on conference calls to our NY sales team or tracking business with our customers. Lisa oversees design and production so after working with Lauren, she’ll sit with the design team to follow up on development of the new collection and give direction on design. Both of us spend a good part of our day troubleshooting but when we sit down to work on product and direction of the line, we are at our happiest!
Amy: How do you support one another as working moms?
Both of us work very hard to strike a balance between family and work. It’s a constant challenge because we both like to give 110% in everything we do but we realize that we need to rely on each other and our amazing staff to be successful in both areas of our lives. We are very supportive of each others commitment to family so if one of us has to leave early to pick one of our kids up or to go on a field trip it’s totally cool. We just work around it. The beauty of owning your own company is that you have flexibility in your workday. We have found that keeping tabs on each others calendars and working around any potential scheduling conflicts up front is the key to our process. Juggling the needs of 4 kids between us isn’t easy but we make it work!
Amy: How does motherhood influence your designs?
We understand the needs of women on the go. Pieces need to be easy to wear yet stylish and chic. We’re not talking sweatpants here, we’re talking a beautiful tee and sweater, items you can layer to go from dropping the kids off at school to a lunch meeting and then drinks with your husband or friends.
Amy: What fashion advice would you give modern moms?
Keep it simple but don’t forget to complete your look. When you walk out of the house whether your going to the gym or to lunch, make sure you have at least one nice accent piece. It could be a scarf, a dramatic sweater, a beautiful necklace or a pop color. Your look should feel effortless and chic.
Amy: What is one piece of clothing every modern mom should own?
A Brochu Walker sweater!
I agree! In fact, I’d love a closet full of their entire collection! The clothes feel as comfortable as my favorite sweats but they are much better looking! Celebrities like Jennifer Anniston and Lea Michele have been spotted wearing the line. And it’s no wonder that Los Angeles Times listed Lisa Brochu and Lauren Walker among their picks of “Young LA Designers to Watch.”
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