We chat with designer and hand-son mum Emma Laue
What do you do if you can’t find what you’re looking for? Create it yourself of course! When designer and hands-on mum, Emma Laue (pronounced Lau-ee), couldn’t find cool duds for her little ones, the search led her to a whole new world of entrepreneurial creativity.
We love Emma Laue Children, but we love her lemons to lemonade spirit even more. An inspiring chat with this down-to-earth chick had us feeling like we could do it all too. Lemonade anyone?
What got you interested in fashion and coming up with your own designs?
I love fashion, I love designing, I love fabric shopping and I love making dresses for myself. That’s really where it all started. I hold an Honors degree in Fashion and Textile Design, and before coming to Singapore, I owned my own bridal business, designing and making beautiful made-to-measure wedding gowns.
When my son Zac was born, I struggled to find decent threads for him to wear. Everything for boys was pretty dull. I launched the Emma Laue Children range to help try and fill that gap in the market. I try to add a bit of a whimsical touch to my boys’ collections, and love to show mums’ that you don’t have to dress your son in the same old navy or khaki shorts all the time.
Who are the style/fashion icons you admire, and why?
Personally, I find Olivia Palermo’s style really beautiful. As well as having a classic look, she has an amazing eye, and her ability to combine an exquisitely cut piece with a dash of modernism, always wins for me. It’s a true sartorial elegance and style that I really admire.
Are there any exciting things ahead for Emma Laue Children?
Always! I’m over the top excited to announce that we recently moved all our production to the Isle of the Gods – Bali! I’m so thrilled about this move as its’ been a huge step for my business. We’ve put a huge amount of effort in to managing the transition and strived to ensure that supply issues have not impacted our customers. So far, I’m proud to say the transition has been seamless (pardon the pun!) and business hasn’t missed a beat.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Bali recently working with the new manufacturer. I’ve seen first hand the tables my fabrics are cut on and the machines my garments are stitched on. I’ve also met all the wonderfully warm people who make each and every Emma Laue piece by hand. I feel so blessed to have landed on my feet after such a big move. To top it off, customer feedback on the new range has been absolutely phenomenal. I’m lucky too – Bali makes for great business trips!
Do you have any tips on how to manage a business, meet family needs, and still have time for yourself?
That’s the million-dollar question! It’s really hard. My advice is to compartmentalise and prioritise each responsibility. When it’s work time, I have our helper take the kids for a play date so I can focus. When it’s playtime, I put my phone on silent and focus 100% on the kids. You also need to do your best to avoid stressful deadlines, knowing that a family will make any fixed time or date a disaster! Running your own business gives you flexibility, but you still really have to be conscious of managing your time effectively.
What do you love most about being a mum?
I love watching my children grow and seeing their beautiful characters take shape. I never cease to be amazed by what they learn on a daily basis. My son, Zac, recently started bringing home his first readers from kindy. I was absolutely gob-smacked by how much he already understands. I love seeing how proud he is when he reads an entire book on his own.
Piper, my daughter is the classic girly girl. She is such a nurturing, gentle soul. We love doing chick things together. Recently we had to part ways with our helper of almost 4 years, and I underestimated how much the change would affect Piper. As a result there has been much more Mum and Piper time.
What’s your parenting style?
I’m a pretty hands-on Mum. I love to take my kids to the park and let them run wild. We also regularly head to the pool or do some baking or make play-doh. I like to cook their meals myself so that I know exactly what goes into them. I’ve become a total ninja at hiding vegetables for my eldest, who can successfully pick out even the smallest green items from a meal.
I’m finding now though that I need to let go of the reins a bit more. They’re old enough to try some things for themselves without me hovering over them. It’s hard, as sometimes you can see they’re bound for a fall, but without some freedom I believe they won’t have the space to grow and learn for themselves.
What’s your favourite weekend activity with the kids?
My husband, Mike, and I love taking the kids to Sentosa on the weekends. There really is so much to do, whether it’s a morning session at Port of Lost Wonder, breakfast and a swim at Coastes, an afternoon bike ride, or an early dinner and play at Brussel Sprouts or Picotin, Sentosa Cove. It actually feels like we’re on a mini vacation when we’re there. We also love to have a glass of wine and let the kids ride scooters around the marina. They burn off energy while we unwind, win win!
What is one difficult parenting challenge you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it? Discipline. And to be honest I still struggle with it. I’ve found that by being clear and consistent in my communication with the kids helps most of the time. The rest of the time it seems I might as well be living at the zoo.
If you could only do one thing with your kids everyday, what would it be?
Sing them a song while hugging them. I’m a terrible singer, but they don’t seem to mind!
What are your 3 all-time favourite children’s books?
I’m a big fan of rhyming books and fun stories. These three always keep my kids engrossed:
– The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky
– How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
– Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
We really enjoyed chatting to you about business and motherhood, Emma. Now we can’t wait to check out more of the Emma Laue range for our own kids.
All images taken by Suasti Lye of Suasti Lye Photography & Design.