In these uncertain times it’s important to stop & appreciate the victories, however big or small. So in that spirit, we have a rather exciting announcement to make…
We are delighted to have won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2020, one of the highest accolades awarded to businesses in the UK!
A Message from Seraphine Founder, Cécile Reinaud
The winners of the Queen’s Awards are selected 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’s a great honour to be chosen again.
We last won this award back in 2015, making this our second consecutive win – a rare achievement and an incredible mark of recognition for our continued outstanding international growth.
At Seraphine, we are proud to be a British brand with an international outlook. We believe that every woman deserves to feel fantastic throughout her pregnancy, which is why we continue to expand our horizons and work to make it as easy as possible to shop Seraphine maternity clothes, wherever you are in the world.
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do here, so this award is dedicated to you – the amazing mums & mums-to-be, both at home & abroad, who continue to support & inspire us.
As she nears the end of her nine months, fashion icon & mama-to-be Millie Mackintosh has opened up about the realities of her third trimester pregnancy symptoms.
The former Made in Chelsea star, who is expecting her first baby – a little girl! – with former co-star Hugo Taylor in the coming weeks, confessed to experiencing a leaky bladder, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome & out of control sugar cravings amongst other things.
Millie posted this intimate picture, wearing a pair of our bamboo maternity leggings, alongside this very honest caption:
“As I come close to the end of my pregnancy, (it feels like I’ve been pregnant forever) I wanted to be honest about my experience in recent weeks. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of beauty surrounding growing a human, it feels like a miracle. A miracle that comes with a side portion of crazy old symptoms, soaring hormone levels and physical and emotional challenges.
The baby is currently on my bladder making me feel like I need to pee all the time, and don’t get me started on the 4-5 visits to the loo throughout the night! A memorable moment would be an evening a few weeks ago when I thought my waters had broken, but much to Hugo’s relief It was just my weakened leaky bladder! Oh the joys!!!
My least favourite third trimester symptom has been Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which causes tingling, pain and swelling in my hands and wrists, which delightfully worsens at night. Who needs sleep hey? At least my hands and feet are in sync, water retention has re-enforced my love for a good slider… nothing else fits on my feet! “
“Relaxing on the sofa means Hugo can’t go far (luckily he’s on lockdown with me) as he needs to manually hoist me up like a human forklift, which he does every night with the sound effects. I’ve got out of control cravings for sugary cereal and can’t get enough crushed ice with fizzy water and fruit juice, which doesn’t bode well with the baby currently using my bladder as a trampoline.”
Millie has been keeping as comfortable as possible through this tricky trimester & Seraphine maternity leggings have been a particular favourite of hers for relaxing at home.
“Time at home has been such a blessing in all this, I schedule in afternoon naps, gentle exercise, meditation, cooking and reading, and every time that I’m greeted with an uncomfortable symptom, I’m also met with a wave of excitement to meet our baby girl.”
Of course, things weren’t always so hard. Millie enjoyed her second trimester & even managed to move house before lock-down! She handled her move as well as the inevitable DIY days afterwards, with the help of our maternity dungarees – an at home essential for any mum-to-be.
Here at Seraphine we’d like to wish Millie all the best as she prepares to welcome her new daughter.
Looking for ways to keep comfy during pregnancy?
Check out our home essentials collection for all our easiest at home maternity pieces, perfect for the third trimester!
We absolutely love seeing bump to baby shots like this – new
mama Melanie welcomed her little boy in mid-March & has continued to rock
this little bodycon dress before & after!
As the mother of a brand-new baby, actress & singer
Christina Milian’s journey through the coronavirus pandemic has been 100%
relatable.
Like the rest of us, over the course of just two weeks, she’s
gone from worry & last-minute changes in travel plans to making the most of
life at home with family.
And our 3 in 1 babywearing hoodie has seen her through the whole saga.
Christina’s son Isiah was born in January, and she was
visiting family & friends in Paris at the start of the coronavirus outbreak
in Europe.
Christina had to make some last-minute changes to get home
to LA before the US travel ban came into operation.
Our 3 in 1 Babywearing Hoodie was the perfect cover up for her travel day. The kangaroo pouch at the front allowed her to zip up the style over her son in his baby carrier, keeping both mum and baby cosy & covered in the airport and throughout the flight.
Since then, she’s settled into life at home & is now
enjoying the down time with her partner, baby son and 10-year-old daughter
Violet.
She posted the above picture to Instagram, wearing Isiah in
our 3 in 1 hoodie, along with the caption:
“On the bright side of it
all… Goofing around, making tiktok’s, cooking, FaceTiming friends, Netflix and
chilling, eating, exercising & then eating again.. it’s not that bad at
all. Let’s make the best out of this, cause who knows what tomorrow may bring.
Sending love and light 😘”
Where, when & how a woman chooses to feed her baby ought not to be a taboo topic. Yet many new mums still feel nervous about the idea of breastfeeding in public.
This week we were inspired to see new mamas Amy Willerton & Ashley Graham proudly breastfeeding their babes while out & about.
Model & TV presenter Amy Willerton, who welcomed her first baby, Demelza, back in January, posted this gorgeous picture wearing one of our maternity & nursing tunics, along with a heartfelt caption about her recent struggles with breastfeeding.
She wrote: “Yesterday was my first PUBLIC feed with Dem. Seems mad as she’s 6 weeks old but basically I haven’t been brave enough yet...”
She credited US model & body positivity champion Ashley Graham for giving her the confidence to breastfeed in public. Ashley recently posted this similar snap of herself feeding her new son Isaac in a café in Brooklyn.
“Thank you @ashleygraham for drinking coffee with your baby the other day so I could feel more comfortable drinking tea with mine.”
Amy also goes into how she managed to reverse her milk drying up by switching from combination back to exclusive breastfeeding for a while. Find out more by reading Amy’s full caption on Instagram.
Amy recently opened up about her breastfeeding journey on IGTV. Watch the full video above to find out what’s been working for her & Demelza.
Seraphine Mums Talk Breastfeeding in Public
Here at Seraphine we’re big believers in #fedisbest and doing whatever works for you & your little one. We have many mums on our team, so we asked them to share a bit about their own breastfeeding journies.
This is what they had to say about breastfeeding in public:
We design our nursing clothes to be comfortable, practical & stylish, so you can have the confidence to breastfeed whenever & wherever your baby is hungry.
And of course, breastfeeding in public doesn’t always have to mean baring a boob. We offer all kinds of nursing access, from discreet zips, poppers & buttons to easy lift-up layers.
And for those who don’t feel completely comfortable nursing in public, one of our stylish nursing shawls is the perfect choice!
Whether it’s formula, pre-pumped, breastfeeding in public or a combination of all of the above, how you feed your baby is YOUR decision.
She glowed in a full Seraphine outfit for a photoshoot with French magazine Point de Vue. She was simply radiant in our powder blue maternity coat with our white blouse & faux leather leggings for a smart casual look.
Stephanie also wore our blue tailored dress for an event at the European Convention Centre in Luxembourg.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, mother of 7-year-old Princess Estelle & 3-year-old Prince Oscar, was a big fan of Seraphine maternity clothes, as were all three Swedish Princesses.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden, mother of 5-year-old Princess Leonore, 4-year-old Prince Nicolas & 1-year-old Princess Adrienne, chose Seraphine for the most special occasions while she was pregnant.
She commissioned this stunning bespoke maternity gown to wear to the prestigious Nobel Prize presentation ceremony in Stockholm.
Mother of two boys, 3-year-old Prince Alexander & 2-year-old Prince Gabriel, Princess Sofia of Sweden discovered Seraphine through her sister-in-law Princess Victoria.
She wore this full Seraphine outfit recommended by Crown Princess Victoria, who had previously worn both pieces.
The mother of 6-year-old Prince George, 4-year-old Princess Charlotte & 1-year-old Prince Louis, Kate relied on Seraphine maternity dresses & coats for royal occasions throughout her pregnancies.
This week on the blog, we’re taking a
behind the scenes look at our charity partnership with Frip Ethique – Oxfam’s
social enterprise, based in Senegal.
For the past 4 years, we at Seraphine
have been donating all of our un-sold stock & un-used samples to the scheme
– approximately 14,000 maternity garments so far!
By donating unused maternity clothes, we are minimizing our waste & helping Frip Ethique to fight poverty & make a positive impact in Senegal.
Frip Ethique means ‘ethical second-hand clothing’. The scheme employs 36 full-time workers based in Senegal, most of whom are women. Their job is to sort clothes donated to Oxfam and sell them on to local market traders.
So not only does the scheme
provide permanent, fair employment for its own workers, but it enables over 500
small traders to make a living running their own businesses.
All profits from the scheme are invested back into Oxfam’s work fighting poverty in Senegal.
Life at Frip Ethique
The women working on the scheme are paid
a fair wage, offered job security, sick pay and a pension. These are just a few
of the things they had to say about how Frip Ethique had positively impacted
their lives.
“Working at Frip Ethique has changed my life. The work is good. We work together; we laugh together. It’s changed everything.” – Charlotte Lopy, Clothes Sorter
“Now my children are all at good schools… I’ve worked at a lot of places but this is the best… We’re well paid, we’ve got job security, and we have sickness benefits and pension.” – Amy Collet Gueye, Stock Manager
Here at Seraphine, we are passionate about reducing our impact wherever we can. We are proud to work with Frip Ethique, minimising our waste & making a difference to the lives of people in Senegal.
Dust off your Charleston skills ladies, we are officially back in the 20s! As we enter the 2020s many parents are looking back to the glitz & glamour of the jazz age for a touch of vintage baby-naming inspiration.
When it comes to colour names, the last decade was all about bold bright shades like Scarlet, Violet, Saffron & Blue. But 2020 is ushering in a new age of softer pastel hues.
The name Grey, in particular, has been climbing up the charts & can work for both boys & girls.
Of course, not everyone’s looking as far back as the 1920s for naming ideas. One of this year’s top baby name trends is a little more recent!
Many of those becoming parents this year were kids or teenagers in the 90s & some are choosing nostalgic 90s inspired names.
Names we love:
Brittany Nicole Austin Amber Nicholas Kyle
4) Baking Boom
According to the SSA (Social Security Administration), Baker is one of the fastest climbing baby names in the US at the moment. And Baker is just the cherry on the cake when it comes to the blossoming baking baby name trend…
Keeping on top of
things isn’t always easy. It’s hard enough alone, but add your partner, kids
& childcare options into the mix and it can start to feel like you’re
fighting a losing battle!
Enter, Coorganiz – the new family organisation app designed by mums, for mums.
Set up in 2017 by entrepreneurs and mothers Anne-Béatrice Sonnier and Emma Berger, the app is designed to help parents manage their busy lives more easily, coordinating between partners, grandparents, nannies and anyone else who helps out with baby.
You can share your little one’s schedule – from doctor’s appointments to your childcare rota – especially helpful for those heading back to work. And as your child grows, the app can handle all their weekly activities, play dates, appointments & more.
Everyone in your group will have up to date info, with automated reminders for all your events – Coorganiz takes care of it all.
On top of this, you can share shopping lists, to-do lists, notes, documents, images & contact numbers with everyone who needs them. So you can be sure that everyone looking after your little ones is on the same page & has access to all the info they need.Coorganiz is available both on the App Store and Google Play as well as on your desktop with everything you need to organise your family life.
Almost 100,000 parents
are already using Coorganiz to help them stay organised. Why not give it a try
& see what all the fuss is about!
The secret’s out – the Pantone colour of the year is… *drumroll please* Classic Blue!
Described as a timeless and enduring blue hue, Classic Blue offers elegance & simplicity.
Suggestive of the evening sky, it’s a reassuring shade that is said to highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era – whether that’s from one decade to another or from pregancy into motherhood!
Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director explains what inspired this year’s choice:
“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation.”
Our favourite thing about Pantone’s choice this year is that it’s SO easy to wear!
It’s such a dependable shade, you can wear it anywhere. Whether at work, at home, or even for special occasions, a classic blue dress will never be out of place and we have plenty of gorgeous options for your maternity wardrobe.
It’s also the perfect shade for an accent accessory to complete your outfit. Add a blue bag, scarf or even a statement pair of boots for a truly eye-catching addition.
During pregnancy your body is changing so quickly, that turning to such a dependable shade can be a wonderful way of feeling more comfortable & confident in your new curves.
Presenter & musician, Myleene welcomed her third baby
this year – little Apollo.
She relied on Seraphine maternity occasion wear for red carpet events, galas, premiers & more! She also loved our skin to skin top after Apollo was born.
Australian Actress & star of A Discovery of Witches, Teresa
Palmer welcomed her third baby in the spring – a little girl called Poet.
She celebrated International Women’s Day with friends wearing one of our signature knotted maternity dresses – the same style loved by the Duchess of Cambridge.
The couple, who recently celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary, learned the happy news by way of a gorgeous gender reveal with Hello! Magazine.
Ola is currently six months pregnant with her first baby, but her pregnancy journey didn’t have the smoothest start. After three years of trying naturally, she conceived on her first round of IVF.
Ola wore a stunning Seraphine maternity gown in soft mist grey for the big reveal, then slipped into our cosy grey roll neck afterwards – the perfect neutral colour palette for a surprise gender reveal.
Ola confessed, “If you take a while to conceive, you end up not worrying about what sex the baby is, you just pray that it will be healthy.”
Her husband James agreed, “I never used to believe people when they said that but it’s so true. It doesn’t matter, girl or boy, it’s a miracle either way.”
Gender Reveal Outfits
Whether you know your baby’s sex & want to let friends
& family know, or like Ola & James, you want the surprise for yourself,
a gender reveal is a wonderful way to break the happy news!
When it comes to the perfect gender reveal outfit, check out our collection of stunning maternity cocktail dresses online. We’ve got options in pink or blue if you want to drop a hint, or a whole range of more neutral colours & prints if you prefer to keep people guessing.
