Jason Wu – “One of my favorite memories with my mom is getting ready with her in the morning. In the Eighties, she wore power suits often, and I would always go shopping with her because we both appreciated seeing beautiful things.”
Danielle Frankel – “These three beautiful women have been hugely influential throughout my life. Both grandmothers came over for shabbat dinner or lunch every week growing up and I am fortunate to still have a close relationship with them. My family says they have all passed down different skill sets to me. My grandmother Sandi, on the left, was a personal shopper and stylist, while my grandmother on the right, Martha, majored in home economics from UCLA, learning how to craft her sewing and patternmaking skills. My mother, Rena, is the bride in this photo and she has been the biggest supporter of my business and development, starting with sending me to fine art school when she recognised I loved to draw at a young age. All three are wonderful mothers and I have so much to thank them for.”
David Yurman — “My mother, Annie, was a typical Fifties mom; she cooked and took care of us, but she was also naturally talented. I once saw her needlepoint a house from a magazine picture — she just sketched it out; it wasn’t drawing by number. My mother played music by ear, listening to any tune and then playing it on the piano; even though she was deaf in one ear, she could play any tune. I’m sure I inherited some of that talent. My mother collected antique jewelry, furniture and porcelains with an artistic eye. She was always involved with beauty and making things. I came from a family of makers. My inclination was always toward the visual and movement. I had some lucky genes working for me, and I think that deserves to be celebrated.”
Spinelli Kilcollin – “My mother taught me how to draw. Whenever we would go out to dinner, she would make a point of choosing restaurants she knew to have paper table cloths. She’d give me a pen from her purse and teach me how to draw from observation. How to not look down at the page, but focus on what I am seeing. She really taught me how to use my mind, to not take for granted what I thought I saw, but instead, to remain open to perceive things I could not previously have imagined. This is the fundamental building block to all knowledge, and I thank her for giving me the best start!” Dwyer Kilcollin
Gabriela Hearst — “I love this photo with my mother and me as a baby. I can really feel her love from it and also everything in this picture is hand made. My baby outfit by my grandmother and my mother’s multicolor poncho. How I wished to have these treasures today.”
Iceberg — “My mum and dad had just gone bankrupt so our family lost our house, car, all mum’s clothes…we were skint! It left us with no money for me to go to college really. Mum ran a hotel business, so she took 500 pounds from the cash register and took me to London for my interview with London College of Fashion. We stayed in a ropy bed and breakfast in Lancaster Gate. Mum asked me to blow dry her hair as she wanted to look fab before the interview. I was so nervous.…I got the brush so tangled in her hair, we had no choice but to cut it out. She walked in with me with a half cut blow dry and a half scalped head. I got the place in the class and her hair grew back. I love mum for always being there for me and always giving her best.” James Long, creative director
Jeremy Scott – “I have been blessed not only with a wonderful mother, but I hit the lottery with a big sister who mothers me as well, so I essentially have two mommies. Pictured here are my sister, Barbara, and my mom, Sandy, who came to visit me while I was prepping for a fashion show. They tried pieces on and created major statement looks, which are quite far from the looks they wear in their daily Kansas City lives. Beyond this one moment that is captured for posterity by this photo, it represents the years of endless love and support they have both shown me from the start of my career. My sister bought my first sewing machine when I was just starting out in Paris. She and my mom made sandwiches to feed the models and teams working backstage for my first shows, and they have always been there to remind me beyond all of this fashion hoopla, I am loved for just being me.”
Jonathan Simkhai – “When we all walked down the aisle together at our wedding in the summer of 2017.”
Altuzarra — “I have so many wonderful memories with my mom, but my favorites definitely center around cooking — learning to bake from her, making Chinese dumplings and fresh pasta together, decorating cakes. It’s something we do together to this day, and something I can’t wait to do with my own daughter.”
Kate Spade New York – “My mother has been a huge influence in my life — she’s such a strong, resilient woman. Similarly, my identical twin sister, Tara, has always been my mentor, sounding board and best friend. She is a doctor in London, a key worker for the NHS — clearly our career paths were quite different, but particularly in this moment, when all industries are experiencing very challenging times, she puts things in perspective and grounds me. As all mothers are right now, she’s wearing so many hats, and I am dedicating this Mother’s Day to her.” Nicola Glass, creative director
La Ligne – “My mother is a child psychologist and I remember she used to always wear a pin to work that read ‘Kids are people, too.’ She never dismissed my dreams, ideas or opinions because I was just a ‘kid.’ Rather, she was always encouraging me to chase my dreams, build on my ideas and voice my opinions.” Meredith Melling, cofounder
LaQuan Smith – “My favorite memories of mom are her religiously attending my fashion shows to show her love and support. She enjoys getting a glimpse of my professional lifestyle and has always supported all my dreams and goals since Day One. She used to dressed me in suits on special occasions and I despised wearing them. I was too young to appreciate the elegance and
meaning of wearing a suit, but she would always tell me how handsome and sharp I looked. That always warmed my heart and gave me confidence.”
Monse – “My mom is my closest friend. We enjoy cooking together, taking the same workout classes, exploring new places and going to the spa. Anything you can think of, my mom is there to experience it with me. Before the quarantine started, we traveled to Palm Beach together for a Women’s Day event. I’m so happy we were able to take that trip and be with each other. Who would’ve thought it would be so long before we’d be able to see each other again.” Laura Kim
Mara Hoffman – “A memory I hold close is walking across the Brooklyn Bridge with my best friend, Astrid Schmidt, and our children in protest of family separation at the borders.”
MARKARIAN – “This is a photo of one of my favorite memories with my mom and grandmother. We took the Orient Express from Vienna for my grandmother, GiGi’s, 90th birthday. We are each 30 years apart (60 for me and GiGi), so it was a big year of birthdays for all three of us. We decided to go on a trip together to celebrate. Every detail of the train was so beautiful and seemed like it was lost in time. Everyone was dressed up for dinner and retired to the bar car, where this photo was taken, for drinks afterward. All three of us are wearing our Markarian outfits in this photo, which made the occasion even more special and memorable for me.”
Michael Kors – “I made my mom a custom embroidered Jets football jersey for her 75th birthday. It’s an homage to a Geoffrey Beene football jersey gown that she loved back in the late Sixties. I know that I’m the only person whose mom tried out for the NFL, modeled for Revlon, raised goats and rode a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”
Morgan Lane – “This photo was taken of me and mom on my wedding day right after the ceremony. I got married in Spain and remember taking my mom there early on to do
planning and tastings. We made it our last special trip together before she gave me away. We had the best time just the two of us galavanting around Mallorca after we finished doing the planning in Casares. I remember taking a yoga class with her at the hotel one morning, it was very early and we are not that into yoga. The teacher was really over the top into it, and it was so slow we couldn’t stop laughing. I remember laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe and everyone in the class was looking at us so we snuck out and went shopping.”
Muehleder – “I am now at the age my mother was when she divorced my father and moved to Brooklyn from Paris with a seven-year-old and no plan. We landed at JFK where she called her big sister only to find out she refuses to let us stay on her pull-out sofa because she and her boyfriend needed their ‘privacy.’ I went from having my own bedroom in a big house to sharing a bedroom with my mother as she saved money to start her own skin-care line. Looking back now, though starting your own business as a single mother in a foreign country is challenging enough, I am mostly impressed with how she managed to hide the fact that she had been in an abusive marriage and that we were struggling financial without my father. Last summer, my mom single-handedly purchased a 9,000-square-foot mansion. Now she has eight bedrooms to choose from. Looking back on her journey, Nigerian-born to Saddle River home owner, I am filled with gratitude to have had a front row seat at her journey and so thankful that she worked tirelessly to provide me with the luxury to be able to choose my own. Her spirit and perseverance is so powerful and is the fuel to everything I do. Thanks mom.”
Nanushka – “When I was a child, I was always afraid that when I go to sleep I won’t wake up in the morning. With my mom we had a kind of ritual, so when I went to bed she had to sit next to me, I looked at her and asked ‘No?’ and she had to say ‘No!’ This ‘no’ meant that no, it is not possible that I won’t wake up in the morning. After this I wasn’t afraid anymore to go to sleep.”
Sandra Sandor, founder and creative director
No/Sesso – “My mother and grandmother are both my style icons. Since I could remember, I always loved their fashion style. My mother always dressed so fashion forward. When I was younger I would play in my grandmother’s closet with my siblings. She always had these extravagant church hats and suits she would wear on Sundays. One of my favorite memories is from middle school and high school, I styled my mother in this snakeskin biker coat she had with matching snakeskin boots and we did a mini photoshoot. She’s always been such an inspiration and pushed me to be the best me.” Pierre Davis
R13 – “I have so much love and respect for all mothers, especially the mothers of my incredible children, but right now, because of COVID-19, my own mother has been at the top of my mind. My favorite memory of my mother was just recently when I saw the joy in her face when she met my daughter Bella for the first time. She has always wanted a granddaughter.” Chris Leba
Reese Cooper – “My favorite memory is our chat and hug after my first show because that was a cumulative memory of five years’ worth of memories. It was the culmination of years of work finally coming to fruition.”
Romeo Hunte – “With my mom being a single parent there’s so much I can say. We’ve been through a lot of life’s experiences together that has made me who I am today. One of my most memorable moments comes from a place of stylish upbringing, I’ve always admired my mother’s sense of style and how she used to dress me for casual parties and also in the finest Sunday best
suiting for church service. When she saw my interest in clothing, and how I’d sneak away some of her beloved pieces; eventually she passed down a few of her vintage pieces and I would
deconstruct them, re-creating a whole new narrative from my perspective. This memory fuels me as my exposure to fashion grew so effortlessly through my mom’s personal archives and
with her full support and eloquence.”
Sally LaPointe – “One of my favorite memories of my mom is whenever I would have a tough day in high school, I could call her and she would pick me up and drive to a bench overlooking the ocean, and we would sit there and eat tunafish sandwiches. Most of the time, we didnt even have to talk, we would just sit and hangout together for a little bit — and that was all I needed.”
The Upside – “I don’t have one particular favorite memory, as there are so many with mum, but one that does stand out was on those really hot still nights in the middle of summer, when no one was able to sleep. Mum would get us up out of bed and take us all down to the beach for a nighttime swim.” Jodhi Meares, founder
Tibi – “I love this picture of my mom and me. I couldn’t have started Tibi without her as she was employee zero. She shipped out all my first deliveries from her and my dad’s dining room in Georgia (I was living in Hong Kong at the time). I love her and I can’t wait to hug her when the pandemic is over. I am grateful.” Amy Smilovic
Tory Burch – “My mother is known for her style, dynamic personality, kindness and elegance, but many people don’t know that the word divine must have been coined by her. Actually, it wasn’t but it was the first word she must have taught me when I was a baby. She uses it in every sentence — talk about optimism. Happy Mother’s Day to the best, most vibrant mom in the world.”
Veronica Beard – “My mom is my roadie forever. She has pushed us to explore different
cultures and test our comfort zones. We always wanted to see Tibet and it’s not easy to get there. We worked our way up to the 12,000-foot altitude of Lhasa. Finally, we arrived at the Potala Palace Plaza, a famous Buddhist monastery and highest palace in the world! The skies opened up and the sun came out and it was glorious, one of the fondest memories in my life to experience such a sacred place with my mom and kids.” Veronica Miele Beard
Veronica Beard – “My mom is our rock. She is the call we all make when we need perspective and strength. She is a spiritual warrior and the most loyal friend to so many. My favorite memories with my mom are long bike rides and walks shelling on the beach. I’ve learned everything from her.” Veronica Swanson Beard
Victor Glemaud – “Mummy is not the reason I fell in love with fashion, that’s actually my father, but she is the reason why I followed my dream to get into it. I went to culinary collage before I transferred to fashion. After a few days in Providence I knew cooking wasn’t my calling, so I decided to transfer majors. I spoke to the dean and to my parents who were not too pleased. Even though my mother didn’t understand the sudden change in studies, she believed I knew what I was doing. Her trust, support and love has never wavered in me or my siblings. Your loving son, Victor xxx”
Vilebrequin – “So many of my most amazing memories of my mother involve being outdoors and enjoying nature. It was so important for her to have me spend time in the open air. From baths in our garden to days at the beach, I am taken back to warm memories of her even 45 years ago. To this day I can smell the crisp grass, spring blooms and rich ocean salt when I think of her.” Martine Moutet, collection director
Spinelli Kilcollin – “I grew up in the heart of Waikiki and one of my earliest memories is going on walks with my mom to Ala Moana park. One day on our usual path, she pointed out a bird’s nest in a tree alongside the Ala Wai Canal. She explained to me that the momma bird was sitting on her eggs and waiting for her babies to hatch. I remember being so enthralled; it was like discovering a hidden gem. We would visit every morning to see the progress. It got my imagination going and I thought about those birds living up in the tree after we went home. My mom turned those walks into an adventure.” Yves Spinelli
Brooks Brothers — “My fondest memory with my mom, Susan, is when I would go visit her when she worked on Wall Street as an M&A lawyer. I would walk from our loft in SoHo to her office in Lower Manhattan. This was my first time experiencing business firsthand. One weekend my mom helped me start a lemonade stand in front of our loft building on Spring Street. It was very successful and I learned all about ‘cost of goods sold.’ My mom sat next to my lemonade stand the whole time because she was afraid I would get kidnapped! From that experience, my entrepreneurial spirit was born on the streets of SoHo.” — Zac Posen, creative director of Brooks Brothers women’s
Coach — “I grew up in Doncaster in the north of England, and on rainy Saturdays — which was pretty much most Saturdays — my mum would try to make things fun by setting up a pretend picnic in the living room. It’s one of my fondest memories of time spent with her as a child. She would put out lots of different foods for me, my brother and my dad and we’d sit on the rug and pretend we were outside. She’d also make freshly baked bread and the smell would fill the whole house. To this day, no bread tastes as good as my mum’s.” – Stuart Vevers, creative director
Claudia Li — “I think I was almost two years old. It was my first time going to a beach; my mom insisted on dressing me in a yellow dress instead of a swimsuit.”
Cinq à Sept — “In my life and in my career, I have been incredibly fortunate to work with many amazing people, but none changed me and helped me to become the person that I am as much as the very talented, Gladys Bagley. In the five years that we worked together, she taught me many work skills that I still use everyday but more importantly she taught me to be a kinder, more thoughtful person and how to use my powers for good. Her mantra was ‘It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it,’ so simple, yet incredibly useful. It’s been many years since we’ve worked together, but what still makes me the proudest is how proud she is of me. Love you Glad!”
Christopher John Rogers — “One of my favorite moments of my mother and myself would be my debut runway show in New York City — our spring 2020 collection. It was her first time in the city since she was pregnant with me, and she was able to witness a collection that was quite emotional for me, my team and herself, as well. After the carousel, she was the person first that I saw when I went outside to take my bow, and we both broke into tears as I ran up to her to give her the biggest hug. She sacrificed so much for me in this position, and I’m eternally grateful for her love and support.”
Carolina Herrera – “My mom is always there for me and we talk every day. She hand-sewed all the beads on my graduation collection from Saint Martins and hasn’t missed one of my shows since. A few times growing up, the two of us would leave behind the rest of my family and take an adventure. I’ll always cherish the memories from those trips. Here we are in Vienna in 2004 standing outside the Belvedere Palace. Here’s to more trips, mom.” Wes Gordon
Brother Vellies – “I decided to share a photo of myself and my grandmother. Right now, a lot of people I love have been losing their grandmothers and it’s made me reflect a lot on the relationship I had with my own. My very first vivid memory of my grandmother was making pancakes every Saturday morning. She would give me a stool and help me see on to the griddle so we could cook and flip them together. It was my grandmother who taught me to bake. A skill I have leaned on in the past few weeks more than ever. She taught me acts of service, as a love language. She taught me how to care for people — and also how to care for myself.”
Brandon Maxwell – “I have so many favorite memories with my mom, it’s hard to pick one. This image is from our fall 2019 runway show. My mom had just completed her cancer treatment and we were unsure if she was going to make it to the show. She has never missed one, and she always cheers the loudest. At the last minute she was able to come, and on the way down the runway, I grabbed her to walk and the photographer snapped this photo. She was so shocked, and proud, and my heart filled with a kind of joy and gratitude in that moment that would be hard to explain in words. We had been on a long road as a family and this moment to celebrate her will always be one of my most special life memories.”
BAJA EAST — “My mom and I went sky diving together years back in Michigan — totally her idea. Her sun sign is Sagittarius and that’s my moon and rising, so we’re both pretty adventurous. I flew in from New York (where I lived at the time) and we drove an hour and a half to the field. It was pretty windy the day we went, so windy that we landed a mile off course in an edamame field! The farmer was not too happy about that, but thankfully his crop helped break our fall. It was definitely an experience we’ll never forget and still laugh about today.” — Scott Studenberg, founder and creative director
No /Sesso – “Women have played a big part in my life, they have really shaped and guided me. Starting with my mother, to my grandmothers, aunts, cousins, my sister, friends and my chosen family. Without all of them, I do not know where I would be. This is the first Mother’s Day I’ll be without my grandmother since she passed last year. We had a really special bond, and I’ll always cherish the times we had before her mind was taken from her due to Alzheimer’s. Although I have many moments I could share, one that’s sticking with me is when I was about six and it was just me and her on a Friday night. She bought a 64 mega pack of Crayola crayons that I needed for the many drawings, I would always make them there (because I insisted Crayola was the only crayon brand of quality and Rose Art wasn’t gonna cut it). I immediately got to work on my creations while she also did her work. We were both in deep concentration and only paused what we were doing to occasionally look at the TV, or when she would check in on the progress of the house I was drawing. She always loved my drawings and marveled at the details, and the time and effort I put into them, and that made me feel special. She then let me order whatever I wanted for dinner, even always having to endure Hawaiian pizza, which is something I have long since grown out of. We would have conversations over dinner about school, my parents, sister and my ambitions in life. Then she would bring out her favorite strawberry ice cream for us to eat while we watched whatever new DVD she got me for the night. I never wanted to leave and was always excited to spend time with her. Even though I was never the only grandchild, she always made me feel special and she would encourage me and actually listen to what I had to say even from a very young age. Although she’s left this realm, I know she’s always with me and still looking out for me.” Arin Hayes
Area — “My mom, Philippa, holding me when I was the same age that my son is now. Coming up on my first Mother’s Day, I definitely have a new appreciation and love for her.”
Anemone — “This photo is a special memory with my mom, as it’s my first of many times seeing the ‘Phantom of the Opera.’ We were at the Los Angeles Music Center, which was so spectacular in the eyes of a six-year-old. I have a lifetime love for the musical and have every character’s part memorized by heart.” Lauren Arapage, cofounder
Anemone — “One of my favorite memories with my mom is when I came out to her when I was 16. I was really nervous like any kid trying to navigate coming out to their family and she simply responded, “Josh, I know, I have always known. I love you, and honestly I am just grateful that I never have to have a daughter-in-law.” Joshua Shaub, cofounder
Alexis — “To choose one specific memory with my mother is almost impossible. Every moment and experience with my mother is priceless and unforgettable. She is my best friend, my mentor and my idol. I can definitely say that moment where I became a mother and had my first daughter, Mikaela, is truly one of the most special memories we have together. I get chills just thinking about that moment when she walked into the hospital room after I had my c-section and they rolled Mikaela into the room. The sense of euphoria and love that filled the room was omnipresent. Not only was it the most special moment of my life, but it was also unforgettable for my mother to see her only daughter having her own child. It was that moment where my mother and I both witnessed another generation born to our family and a blessing to see three generations right before our eyes. To see the passion and bliss in my mother’s eye when she met her granddaughter for the first time is a memory and vision I will never forget.”
![Alejandra Alonso Rojas — “I remember when this picture was taking. We were at home in Madrid and I kept stealing the phone at home and making fake calls; she was laughing and we spent all the afternoon together, cuddling and laughing. Every memory with her it’s a treasure. [I’m] looking forward to the end of this quarantine to cuddle with her again.”](https://martav.shop/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/designers-mothers-day-004-1.jpg?w=200)
Alejandra Alonso Rojas — “I remember when this picture was taking. We were at home in Madrid and I kept stealing the phone at home and making fake calls; she was laughing and we spent all the afternoon together, cuddling and laughing. Every memory with her it’s a treasure. [I’m] looking forward to the end of this quarantine to cuddle with her again.”
Alexander Wang — “My mom and I after winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award in 2008.”
Adeam – “My mother is my role model, both as a woman and a fashion designer. It was great to have my mother encourage me to pursue my own dreams from my youth, telling me that anything is possible, and I should not limit my possibilities because of my gender, age, ethnicity. When I decided to go into fashion, an industry she’s been working in for over 30 years, she was still very supportive, and let me grow in my own way. The best moments shared with my mother, are when she comes and supports me at the Adeam shows and events, I feel so lucky to have her unconditional support.”
Adam Lippes —“A favorite memory…that is so hard. Looking back, everyday created a new favorite memory. My mother had incredible style, very simple, elegant and luxurious. As I grew up, I became her de facto stylist, at times I am sure torturing her if I didn’t like what she was wearing. I have such beautiful memories of us exploring everything design, from art to interiors to clothing and all in between. Buffalo, of course, was a shopping desert, but in my early teens, bonwit teller opened, for a very short time, with every major designer. We had such fun. Less fun when my father would discover the shopping bags and boxes hiding in the garage.”
3.1 Phillip Lim — “Home will always be my mother’s house, the house I grew up in. No matter all the incredible places and people I have been fortunate enough to experience, she has
this magical ability to make me feel like a simple, happy child again.”