French Fashion: Seraphine Founder Attends Chanel Haute Couture Preview

Last week, I was thrilled to be among the first in London to get up close and personal with Chanel’s SS16 haute couture collection – hot off the Paris catwalks! I was delighted to be among the lucky few invited by eponymous website Culture Whisper to attend the exclusive private viewing at Chanel’s stunning Bond Street store, and couldn’t wait to get a closer look at the divine new French fashion collection.

 

 

As a Paris native and a lifelong Chanel fan, I was pleased to see Chanel’s classic Parisian chic design heritage looking elegant as ever, and loved the trendy Scandinavian inspired twist that Karl Lagerfeld brought to this latest season’s offerings.

 

 

I fell in love with the haute couture evening dresses on show. One in particular really caught my eye; I discovered my dream red carpet dress – a stunning full length black lace number with a plunging neckline, embellished in glittering silver metallics. All I need now is a handsome Prince to sweep me off my feet and take me to the ball!

 

Like we do at Seraphine, Chanel names each of their styles after a person and I was delighted to find the “Cecile” bolero, a little gem of haute couture with my name – that made my day!

 

 

The heart and soul of the collection revolves around the classic Chanel suit – a true French fashion design icon – which was presented in an array of soft muted tones like sand, taupe and cream with plenty of texture in summer knits and signature natty tweeds, and finished with beautiful beading and fringing.

 

A photo posted by Cecile Reinaud (@cecilereinaud) on


Overall the exclusive fashion show provided plenty of food for thought – the collection was timeless and beautiful. Just what you’d expect from Chanel!

 

Culture Whisper

 

To see more of my adventures in fashion and business, follow me on Instagram @cecilereinaud, and visit www.culturewhisper.com to be in the know about all the best arts and fashion events in London.

 

 

Seraphine’s 2015 Maternity Fashion Highlights

Happy New Year Mamas! As we look forward to the new adventures that 2016 has to offer, now seems like the perfect time to review what has been another remarkable year in maternity fashion at Seraphine.

 

Celebrity Maternity Style

Pregnant celebrities love Seraphine maternity clothes 2015

 

2015 was truly the year to see and be seen in Seraphine. Top models Coco Rocha and Karolina Kurkova were firm Seraphine fans – Coco looked stunning in our stylish dresses for pregnancy and Karolina loved our White Cropped Maternity Jeans. Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor wore several Seraphine maternity dresses, and mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins relied on Seraphine LUXE maternity evening gowns for live performances, while stylistas Tamsin Egerton and Jaime King were both spotted in Seraphine maternity styles. We dressed Hollywood royalty: Isla Fisher and Fearne Cotton both fell for our Ripped Skinny Maternity Jeans, and Zooey Deschanel rocked one of our chic nursing dresses to debut her baby daughter Elsie.

Royals love Seraphine maternity clothes

 

We were also honoured to dress members of the royal family, both at home and abroad; Swedish Princesses, Victoria and Madeleine both commissioned bespoke Seraphine pieces. While The Duchess of Cambridge stepped out in several Seraphine styles while expecting Princess Charlotte, including the Marina Maternity Coat, the Natasha Cashmere Blend Maternity Coat, The Vanessa Roll Neck Maternity Dress and the Florrie Floral Print Maternity Dress.

 

And The Award Goes To…

Queen's Award

Fast Track 100 ones to watch

 

This year, we were honoured to win The Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2015, in recognition of outstanding achievements in international trade. Seraphine Founder, Cécile Reinaud was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen and to receive the prestigious award in person. We were also named the ones to watch on Richard Branson’s Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list.

 

New Seraphine Maternity Stores

Seraphine maternity stores

 

This year we opened a new maternity store in the historic Victoria Quarter in Leeds. Our Flagship London Store re-located to a glamorous new space on Kensington High Street, with a star-studded launch party to celebrate. And we opened our second New York maternity boutique on Madison Avenue.

 

Giving Back

Tommy's

 

This year we re-kindled our relationship with Tommy’s the baby charity by launching a nationwide charity T-shirt campaign. Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor spearheaded the campaign in the press, and profits from The Love Tee go to Tommy’s – helping them to set up the UK’s first medical research centre dedicated to preventing early miscarriage. Check out our gorgeous online gallery, and get your Love Tee now.

 

Watch the Video & Discover the Collection 

 

In November, we were proud to launch The Diana Collection – a brand new range of baby wear, available exclusively at Seraphine, featuring the Princess Diana Pastel Tartan. We officially launched the collection at the Global Gift Gala charity auction, attended by a slew of A-listers including Eva Longoria and Victoria Beckham. 12% of the price of each piece in the Diana Collection goes to The Diana Award – a charity set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

 

Thank You

As we look forward to the exciting times ahead, we’d like to take this opportunity to Thank You for being with us on this journey, and for choosing Seraphine to join you on yours at such a special time in your life. Each and every success, however big or small is dedicated to you, our wonderful mamas-to-be.

We couldn’t have done it without you!

 

 

Seraphine Founder Cecile Shares Her Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

As a successful entrepreneur, Seraphine founder Cecile Reinaud is often asked to share the secrets to her success. She was recently invited to join a panel of experts at the Santander SME Summit, discussing business growth and the kind of breakthroughs that add rocket fuel to growth plans.

Also on the panel, which was chaired by The Times, were Dragon’s Den judge and Co-CEO of Outsourcery Piers Linney, Julian Callede, Co-Founder and COO of Made.com, Lord Bilimoria, Chairman of the Cobra Beer Partnership, and Edwina Dunn, CEO of Starcount – the company that brought us the TESCO club card.

logos

Here at Seraphine, we are all about empowering women and working mamas, so we thought you might like a sneaky peek at what Cecile had to say…

 

Cecile’s Tips for Entering New Markets

 

Wishing you great success in all your ventures, both at work and at home!

 

 

Celebrating 15 Years of Maternity Style with Seraphine

This November, Seraphine turns 15 years old…that’s 15 whole years’ worth of fantastic maternity style! This month, we’re looking back on some of our most memorable moments, from 2002 until today…

 

Seraphine: Maternity Style to the Stars

Celebrities love Seraphine

 

From the beginning, Seraphine was a hit with pregnant celebrities like Elle Macpherson & Claudia Schiffer. Since then, the brand has developed a celebrity following to rival the hottest Hollywood party, including big names like Jessica Alba, Gwen Stefani, Anne Hathaway & Marion Cottilard to name but a few!

 

Regal Maternity Style

 

One of our proudest moments came in 2013, when the Duchess of Cambridge graced the world’s front pages wearing our Fuchsia Knot Front Maternity Dress for her first official pictures with Prince George!

 

 

Then we were honoured when she chose our maternity clothes again while expecting Princess Charlotte, wearing our Marina Maternity Coat on her arrival in New York, and our Natasha Cashmere blend coat for a royal appearance in London.

 

Maternity Fashion Innovations

Seraphine maternity fashion innovations

 

Seraphine has been innovating right from the start. From our brand new take on maternity jeans back in 2002, to our best-selling 3 in 1 maternity parkas and the matching Men’s Parka with detachable baby-wearing pouch.

 

Seraphine Maternity Stores

Seraphine maternity stores

 

From London to New York, Paris, Hong Kong & Dubai, our maternity stores can be found in the world’s top fashion capitals.

 

 

From opening our very first maternity store in Kensington back in 2002, to launching our latest store in Paris just this summer, our aim is the same: to provide stylish & comfortable maternity clothes for fashion-forward mums-to-be.

 

An Award-Winning Maternity Brand

Seraphine maternity awards

 

Seraphine has won numerous industry awards over the years, including the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2015 and the Best Multichannel Etailer at the PayPal Etail Awards in 2014. The brand has also been featured on the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list for the last 3 years running!

 

Thank You!

To all of our wonderful customers, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for being with us on this journey, and for choosing Seraphine to join you on yours at such a special time in your life. Each and every success, however big or small is dedicated to you – our wonderful mamas-to-be.

 

We couldn’t do it without you!

 

Seraphine on Screen: London . Paris . Tokyo . New York

Whether in London, Paris, Tokyo or New York, every mama wants to look her best through pregnancy. And these stylish ladies have been working their curves live on screen in Seraphine!

Meet some of our favourite TV star mums & their top Seraphine styles:

 

New York

Stunning mama-to-be Ginger Zee is the chief meteorologist for abc news, and the weather anchor on Good Morning America. This week she positively glowed in our Natasha Cashmere Blend Coat – the same one loved by the Duchess of Cambridge when she was expecting Princess Charlotte.

 

A photo posted by ginger_zee (@ginger_zee) on

 

Ginger also loves Seraphine maternity dresses and has rocked quite a selection on screen – she looked fab in our Polka Dot Cotton Sateen Maternity Dress, our Cerise Dot Maternity Dress, and the Berry Colour Block Nursing Dress!

 

A photo posted by ginger_zee (@ginger_zee) on

 

 

San Diego

Gorgeous Heather Lake is the features reporter on Fox 5 San Diego Morning News, and she loves her Seraphine maternity dresses. Here she is filming on location looking super chic in our Circle Print Maternity Dress.

 

 

She’s also worn our Zip Detail Maternity Dress and our Graphic Floral Maternity Dress live in the studio.

 

 

 

 

Tokyo

 

Over on the other side of the world, the beautiful Takako Zenba, news reader on the Japanese network News 23 TBS, is also a fan of Seraphine maternity dresses. She looked stunning in our Geo Print Maternity Wrap Dress and in our Bubble Print Maternity Dress, styling them both with a simple maternity camisole.

 

 

London

 

Here in London the lovely Holly Willoughby looked radiant in the Turquoise Knot Front Maternity Dress on This Morning while expecting her youngest Chester.

 

 

Paris

 

And in Paris the incredibly chic Anne-Claire Coudray, news reporter on French network TF1 chose our Knot Front Maternity Dress in Royal Blue.

 

Keep up the good work mamas – we are loving your on-screen style!

Spread the Love for Tommy’s this Baby Loss Awareness Week

Today marks the start of international Baby Loss Awareness Week, and here at Seraphine we are taking part by spreading the love and raising money for Tommy’s the baby charity with our #justforlove campaign.

This week is a special opportunity for parents around the world to mark the all too brief lives of babies lost in pregnancy or during or shortly after birth, and to raise awareness and funds for the fantastic charities working for the cause.

#justforlove

With our #justforlove campaign we are aiming to raise £100,000 to help Tommy’s fund the creation of the UK’s first medical research centre dedicated to the prevention of early miscarriage.

We are donating all profits from the sale of our iconic Love T-Shirt to Tommy’s, and will donate an extra £1 for every picture uploaded to our #justforlove page wearing the tee.

 

No bump needed to wear the Love T-Shirt – it’s designed to look great pregnant or not.

 

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Explains…

 

1 in 4 women will suffer a miscarriage through their lives, so whether you have experienced this terrible loss for yourself or you know someone who has, wear The Love T-Shirt in support of mothers and babies everywhere.

 

Do it #justforlove.

#justforlove

 

Tommy's

 

 

Seraphine & Sophie Ellis-Bextor team up for Tommy’s

Join Seraphine & Sophie Ellis-Bextor to Help Tommy’s Save Babies’ Lives.

This October we are proud to announce our charity collaboration with pregnancy & baby charity Tommy’s. Together with long time Tommy’s supporter & pregnant mum of 3 Sophie Ellis-Bextor, we are aiming to raise £100,000 to help Tommy’s fund the creation of the UK’s first medical research centre dedicated to the prevention of early miscarriage.

 

 The Love T-Shirt

 

And we need your help!

We’ve created The Love T-Shirt – an exclusive new design that we think you’ll love, and are donating all the profits to Tommy’s! So when you buy your Love T-Shirt you are helping to save babies’ lives.

 

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Explains…

 

1 in 4 women will suffer a miscarriage through their lives, so whether you have experienced this terrible loss for yourself or you know someone who has, wear The Love T-Shirt in support of mothers and babies everywhere.

 

Sophie Ellis-Bextor for Tommy's

 

 Spread the Love

If you are as passionate about this cause as we are, we’d love you to shout about it!

Once your T-shirt arrives, slip it on and snap a quick selfie. Seraphine will give an extra £1 for every #Justforlove selfie you upload!

 

While you wait for your T-Shirt, check out our online gallery for a little selfie inspiration.

 

Upload your picture

 

Getting involved couldn’t be simpler:

 

1) Shop the T-Shirt

2) Share a selfie

3) Save babies!

 

Buy the Love T-Shirt now – do it #justforlove

 

Tommy's

 

 

HELLO! Editor’s Edit: Meet Rosie Nixon’s AW15 Favs

Rosie Nixon is the editor of HELLO! Magazine and one of the most stylish women in the media today. As the figure head of one of the UK’s most popular fashion, lifestyle and celebrity magazines, Rosie has a glamorous image to maintain both in and outside of the office.

 

A photo posted by Rosie Nixon (@rosiejnixon) on

  Expecting her second baby later this year (a little brother for 18 month old Heath), Rosie has been a fan of Seraphine maternity clothes throughout both of her pregnancies. She stopped by our flagship maternity store on High Street Kensington recently to share a few of her favourite styles from the AW15 collection.    

Watch the video and see which maternity dresses made Rosie’s must-have list…

   

 

Shop Rosie’s styles here.

 

With plenty of press events, star-studded galas and balls to attend, the pressure is on to look her best. And so far Rosie has nailed her red carpet looks in Seraphine LUXE maternity dresses!

Lace Detail Maternity Gown

Last week alone, she cut a glamorous figure in our Lace Detail Wrap Maternity Gown at the British Olympic Ball, and looked stunning in our Red Lace Maternity Cocktail Dress at the GQ awards!

 

Claret Lace Maternity Dress

 

Keep up the good work Rosie – you are looking fabulous!

Spotlight on Leeds – Shop Seraphine in The Knightsbridge of the North

Boasting a pedestrianised city centre with everything from top designer labels to traditional farmer’s markets, Leeds is a family (and buggy) friendly shopping mecca, and the hottest destination for maternity fashion outside of London! Check out our tips for planning the perfect city break in Leeds.

 

To Shop

Not called The Knightsbridge of the North for nothing, Leeds is a luxury fashion hotspot and the ideal destination for a spot of pre-baby retail therapy. Discover quirky independent boutiques at the historic Corn Exchange, or explore Kirkgate Market – offering everything from fresh food & flowers to jewellery and haberdashers.

Leeds boutique

 

The crowning glory of the Leeds shopping scene has got to be the stunning Victoria Quarter. This glamorous gilded arcade complete with stained glass ceiling and mosaic tile floor is home to some of the biggest names in designer fashion including Louis Vuitton, Ted Baker, Vivienne Westwood and most recently, the Seraphine Maternity Store! Pay us a visit to discover the latest maternity clothes including stylish day dresses, comfy maternity jeans and even special occasion styles from the LUXE collection.

 

To See

And there’s much more to Leeds than great shopping! If you’re after a cultured afternoon, you can’t beat Leeds Art Gallery which houses one of the best collections of 20th Century British art outside of London, or the Henry Moore Institute – the world renowned centre for sculpture.

 

 

For a family friendly day out, Harewood House just outside the city is a great option. A stunning stately home with sumptuous rococo interiors and rambling gardens. Little ones will love the adventure playground and the bird garden complete with birds of prey, flamingos and penguins!

 

To Eat

 

 

Leeds offers plenty of opportunity to tantalise your taste buds and satisfy those pregnancy cravings. From local favourites like the famous Pie & Peas, to more international fare at Tripadvisor Hall of Fame award winner Kendells Bistro; a relaxed dining experience with contemporary French cuisine and a constantly changing menu offering the freshest locally sourced seasonal produce.

 

To Stay

 

 

If you’re visiting from out of town, make your trip extra special and stay at one of Leeds’ beautiful boutique hotels. Opt for 4 star riverside luxury at 42 the Calls; an 18th century renovated corn mill right on the River Aire. Or just a 5 minute walk from the Victoria Quarter, Quebecs is a 4 star independent luxury hotel housed in the old Leeds & County Liberal Club. Voted by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top 80 hotels in the world, it boasts a grand terracotta façade and lavish interiors where no two rooms are the same.

 

To find out more about what’s on, check out Time Out Leeds, or check in with our favourite Yorkshire based blogger HonestMum!

 

 

A Royal Invitation: When Seraphine Founder Cecile met the Queen

Here at Seraphine we love the Royal Family. So we are thrilled and deeply honoured to share with you, that this week Seraphine founder Cecile Reinaud was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet The Queen and Prince Philip.

The invitation was extended by royal decree in celebration of Seraphine’s acceptance of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2015.

Meeting the Queen

 

This is a prize that has been awarded in recognition of our outstanding achievements in international trade over the past 3 years. We are proud to ship our stylish maternity clothes internationally to over 30 countries, and to work with distributors worldwide including big names such as Nordstrom and A Pea in the Pod. In the past 2 years alone we have launched our flagship US maternity store in SoHo NYC, and another one on Madison Avenue, with exciting plans for more on the horizon… watch this space.

 

 

The winners of the Queen’s Awards are chosen and presented by Her Majesty The Queen herself, based on recommendations from the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee, as well as a panel of industry experts, so it really is a great privilege to be chosen.

Cecile, founder of Séraphine says; “It is a huge honour to receive this award and a tribute to how Britain nurtures and encourages entrepreneurship and international trade. Seraphine has gone from strength to strength over the past few years in pioneering fashionable maternity wear, and we can’t wait to continue this growth in years to come.”

 

 

Star Studded Celebrations at Seraphine’s Kensington Maternity Store

The stars flocked to the flagship Seraphine maternity store this week to help us celebrate the move to our brand new location at 179 High Street Kensington!

The Kensington Boutique

We welcomed a truly glamorous crowd to the event, including celebrities, local mums-to-be and the lovely ladies and gents of the press. We were particularly pleased to be joined by chart topping singer Sophie Ellis Bextor, British beauty & big sis extraordinaire Chloe Delevingne, former tennis champ Anne Keothavong and Gosford Park actress Camilla Rutherford – all looking stunning in their favourite Seraphine maternity dresses!

Luxe dresses

Sophie rocked a colour block look for the event, teaming our Silk Chiffon Polka Dot Maternity Dress with a cute yellow clutch and a statement pair of red heels which she perfectly matched to her lipstick. Chloe opted for a more modern look rocking our new Denim Swing Maternity Dress with a cool pair of shades, while Anne chose a feminine floral number from the Seraphine LUXE Collection, and Camilla kept her look simple and elegant styling our Baby Blue Polka Dot Maternity Dress with a stylish string of pearls.

The Denim Swing Dress

LUXE maternity dress

Polka Dot Maternity Dress

Indulging in champagne and canapés by Sugar and Spice; guests took the opportunity to explore our new flagship store, browse the latest Seraphine maternity clothes, and to meet the woman behind the brand – Seraphine founder Cecile Reinaud.

The Kensington Boutique

Glamorously appointed with our signature shabby chic interiors and a stunning crystal chandelier; our flagship store’s new location on High Street Kensington is London’s largest maternity store, offering 2,000 sq ft of maternity fashion, including our brand new and exclusive bridal showroom for expectant brides-to-be.

Maternity dresses

Polka Dot Maternity Dress

Now set at the heart of the Kensington shopping district; the flagship Seraphine maternity store is a must-visit fashion destination for expectant mamas, and we can’t wait to welcome you in store soon!

 

 

A Charmed Pregnancy – Win with Seraphine & Merci Maman

*COMPETITION NOW CLOSED*

This week on the blog we’re collaborating with London based Jewellery designer Merci Maman, to give you the chance to WIN a fantastic pair of prizes!

 

Based in London, Merci Maman creates stunning personally engraved jewellery in sterling silver and gold plate, which make the perfect partners for our signature Seraphine maternity dresses. And that is exactly the killer combination that you could win this week…. Enter below for your chance to win our signature Pink Polka Dot Knot Front Maternity Dress and a personally engraved Intertwined necklace from Merci Maman!

 

Merci Maman jewellery

 

 

Just like Seraphine, Merci Maman is a British company with French roots, and has a devoted following among the young British royals. Granddaughter-in-law of the Queen, Autumn Phillips has a silver charm necklace engraved with her two daughters’ names, Savannah and Isla.

And not long after Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge wore our Fuchsia Knot Front Maternity Dress to debut baby Prince George in the first official pictures, she was spotted wearing a gold Merci Maman necklace – a gift from her sister Pippa for Prince George’s christening.

 

 

Discover their full range online, or shop their beautiful bracelets at our flagship Kensington maternity store.

 

Enter the Competition Now!

 

 

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