Emily Meyer, founder of Tea Collection clothing for kids

The Tea Collection’s tagline is “Little Citizens of the World” – and that fits for more than one reason. Their children’s clothing embraces a global aesthetic, and the company’s founder, Emily Meyer, is one of the biggest “little citizens of the world” I know. Her genuine love of world cultures shines through with every new season. Given my mixed-culture background, the way she rejoices in the world’s differences is something I both personally relate to and really respect.

Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Emily Meyer: “Travel is the best education. Just go there.”  “Seeing is believing.” and “The universe is in charge.”

AW: What inspires you?
EM: The mix of colors, patterns, textures and materials of interior design.
 
AW: What color are you loving right now?
EM: A palette of ocean blue, lime green and charcoal, with a subtle accent of pale taupe metallic is really rocking my world right now.

AW: What are you currently reading?
EM: Design blogs galore on my Google Reader iphone app.

AW: What is your favorite city/location/destination?
EM: Right now, my new [old] home in Palo Alto, CA.  

AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
EM: I’m lovin’ disco & soul music right now (Chaka Kahn, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross), and singing at the top of my lungs in the car!!

AW: What is your favorite dessert?
EM: Ice cream, always.  

The designer with her young son.

AW: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
EM: Having an incredible family – being happy and content with my life, right now, just as it is.  

AW: Who are your heroes?
EM: My husband and my mother.

And please complete the following:

The purest sensation of the joys in life…
 …make(s) me laugh.

Best way to ease first-day jitters? Send a friend along with them! These fun Zoo Backpacks feature a cute owl or dog and make an extra-special school supply for your little student. Kids can pack up some familiar items and favorite toys for reassurance, plus, who wouldn’t love to have these friendly faces on their side?

Another fun school accessory is the Robot Lunchbox in pink or blue. They’re a big hit in the lunchroom for their playful style, and, like the Zoo Backpacks, they’re also healthy, with no phthalates, PVC or lead. In my book, there’s no better way to start school off right!

Sentimental photo of Serena's grandparents.

Meet the founders of Serena & Lily: Serena Dugan, a textile designer and artist, and Lily Kanter, a former baby boutique owner and savvy businesswoman. The two joined forces with a shared vision of reinventing the children’s market, and now they’ve brought their talents to the “grown-up” market, as well. This design duo is known for their sophisticated textiles that incorporate dynamic color and pattern combinations, as well as for their room décor and gifts.

Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Serena Dugan: Do what you love.
Lily Kanter: It’s good to have goals!

Inspirational art.

AW: What inspires you?
SD: True originality.
LK: Good friends and kind people.

AW: What color are you loving right now?
SD: A lipstick-ey shade of magenta.
LK: Sunshine yellow.

AW: What are you currently reading?
SD: Love & Limits by Elizabeth Crary (required reading for my 2-year-old!)
LK: Half the Sky

AW: What’s your favorite city/location/destination?
SD: It’s a tie right now between Jodphur, India and Marrakech Morocco
LK: Zanzibar, Africa.

India, one of their fave locales.

AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
SD: Van Morrison would be my go-to favorite.
LK: 60’s/70s – Elvis Costello, James Taylor, and Carole King.

AW: What is your favorite baby gift you received?
SD: My gifts that were handmade or hand-embellished. So special and thoroughly one of a kind!
LK: A hand knit sweater.

AW: What is the baby product you can’t/couldn’t live without?
SD: Honest answer: the Papasan swing. giggle-friendly answer: Sophie the Giraffe — beloved by both children.
LK: My glider.

And please complete the following:

Serena Mitnick Miller art

…make(s) me laugh.
SD: My son Fisher (age 2)…a nonstop riot.
LK: Some of the things my kids will say!

My proudest moment in parenting was…
SD:  When Remy (our 4-month-old girl) finally came home and things were dicey with our 2-year-old. Then, after a couple days Remy cried and Fisher brought Remy a pacifier and his lovey. Very proud moment!
LK: My 2-year-old would not stop kicking the seat on the airplane and I was holding his legs as best as I could and finally the man jumped up and scolded him. “You are not going to kick my seat all the way back to Oakland!” My 2-year-old’s response was “Stupid man!” I think it was the first thing that ever came out of his mouth other than Mommy or Daddy….Oh dear, I’m a fabulous parent.

Liz Lange with her son and daughter.

A household name in maternity, Liz Lange needs little introduction. She saved us from maternity smocks and muumuus, and was one of the first designers who showed us that pregnancy could be fashionable.

In addition to being a great designer, Liz is an activist, a role model and a philanthropist. She goes above and beyond in her communities, doing great things for women, children and families. She’s down to earth and a really nice person – Liz is the real deal.

Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Liz Lange: I have many mottos: “Life is a party — are you dressed for it?” “Until someone does something new, no one thinks its a good idea.” “Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock!”

AW: What inspires you?
LL: My children inspire me.  They are so kind, funny and smart and my daughter already has her own sense of style.

AW: What color are you loving right now?
LL: I am loving all shades of blue.

AW: What are you currently reading?
LL: The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and I can’t put it down!

AW: What’s your favorite city/location/destination?
LL: NYC – where I grew up and am now raising my children is my favorite city in the world and it’s my home.  But I love Rome, Capri and Paris to visit.

Beautiful Capri, one of Liz Lange's fave vacation spots.

AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
LL: I love all types of music from opera, classical to top 40.  I am a huge Verdi and Tchaikovsky fan, but then again I adore Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas!

AW: What was your most favorite baby gift you received?
LL: Personalized Burp cloths with my children’s names on them (my daughter is 9 and she still likes to sleep with hers!).

AW: What was the baby product you couldn’t live without?
LL: Wipes!  I used them on my children when they were babies, and we still use them. 

And please complete the following:

…make(s) me laugh.
My children make me laugh (they are so funny), but so do Alec Baldwin, Martin Short, Steve Carell and Tina Fey.

My proudest moment in parenting was…
When other parents tell me how polite my children are when they are over (it’s also my most shocked moment!).

These products go beyond being gentle enough for your baby; they’re made from natural, plant-based ingredients – the kind you can understand when you read the label. They’re safe, healthy, nontoxic, and biodegradable, which is not only good for your baby, but for everyone else in your family (not to mention the planet!).

Moms will especially love our laundry detergent, since clothing and bedding is one thing your baby is always in contact with. It’s also a way to keep any organic fabrics you invest in chemical free. But it doesn’t stop there: the line also includes gentle and effective dish soap, surface wipes, all-purpose cleaner, and more.

Of course, this expansion of our giggle Better Basics line was a no-brainer for inclusion on my A-List, because giggle Better Basics is made up of those great everyday products that we believe in enough for them to wear the giggle name. They already have my stamp of approval, which means they’re also a perfect candidate for the A-List!

PB: "While I'm especially interested in urban wilderness, I also love unique gardens like this one in Madrid."

This week, we’re getting to know Peter Brown, author and illustrator of The Curious Garden and Chowder. His books are some of my favorites, and this interview made me want to know even more about him. We share a mutual love of the Highline in New York, which is the epitome of a “curious garden.” Enjoy this fun interview: it’ll make you smile as much as one of his books!

Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Peter Brown: Who am I to judge?

AW: What inspires you?
PB: I’m very interested in the juxtaposition of seemingly opposite things, especially when it involves nature.  Urban wilderness is one of my favorite subjects, one which I explored in my book “The Curious Garden.” The most famous example of urban wilderness was probably the High Line in New York City. The High Line was an abandoned railway that became overgrown with wildflowers and grasses and trees, and in 2009 was converted into a public park.
I’m also interested in the similarities and differences between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom, a subject I touched upon in my upcoming book “Children Make Terrible Pets.”
 
AW: What color are you loving right now?
PB: I don’t have favorite colors, I have favorite color combinations. These days I’m using a lot of “earth” tones, like mustard, sepia, and forest green, combined with bright pink and bright blue-green. Here’s the cover of my upcoming picture book “Children Make Terrible Pets,” available September 2010, where you can see this palette.

AW: What are you currently reading?
PB: I’m always working on one piece of Non-Fiction AND one of Fiction. Currently I’m reading A Different Nature: The Paradoxical World of Zoos and their Uncertain Future by David Hancocks, and Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov.

AW: What is your favorite city/location/destination?
PB: Of the places I’ve already been, I’d say my favorite was probably the mountains and fjords of Norway. If unicorns exist, they live in Norway.

AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
PB: To me, Jazz is the most versatile music genre. Some jazz makes me relaxed, some makes me want to dance, some is happy and some is sad. Most jazz is both happy AND sad, which is wonderful. Lester Young soothes my soul.

AW: What is your favorite dessert?
PB: Chocolate bread pudding that is a little crispy on top, and a little gooey inside.

AW: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
PB: Creating a life for myself where I get paid to do what I love.

AW: Who are your heroes?
PB: James Marshall, Busby Berkeley, Jane Goodall, Hayao Miyazaki and Jon Stewart.

And, please complete the following:
Curmudgeons make me laugh.

A concept sketch from "The Curious Garden".

Furniture lines are rounded instead of squared off.  What used to be black is grey or navy.  And what was painted is now natural.  There are a ton of woods.  A reflection of the times? With the chaos of the world the past couple of years, who can blame us for craving increased simplicity? As I walked the shows, I felt a clear desire for more breathing room, increased quiet time, and almost a yearning to go back to basics. 
 
Among my favorite examples of this trend was this Private Cloud for grownups that says, “I never want to grow up or get out of bed.” Nostalgically reaching back, this bed’s rounded lines, rocking frame, and soft, wooden style epitomizes the trend.

There was also this lovely bassinet with round edges and simple lines that comes in warm colors of orange and yellow. Not only is it softer, it was also pretty innovative: it converts to a rocking chair for middle-of-the-night feedings. Brilliant!

Lucy, her husband and two boys.

Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Lucy Sykes Rellie:

Fake it until you make it.  That means have fun, don’t be held back, never assume that you can’t do anything or achieve anything, and when you’re out of your depth, act the part and you’ll normally be fine.
 
AW: What inspires you?
LSR: The view from my bedroom window in our beach cottage in Water Mill, NY.  The trees are just starting to turn green again.
 
AW: What color are you loving right now?
LSR: Magenta, which is lovely when it’s paired with black & white.  I love the cheekiness of the Liberty of London for Target collection.  It’s old meets new meets now. Those florals have got me thinking again. 
 
AW: What are you currently reading?
LSR: Vicky Ward’s Jackie-Collins-meets-investigative-journalist book, The Devil’s Casino, and Derek Blasberg’s popcorn confection, Classy.

AW: What’s your favorite city/location/destination?
LSR: I just came back from our latest trip to County Carlow in Ireland with my husband Euan Rellie and our boys Heathcliff and Titus.  Everyone should go to stay in the Lisnavagh Cottages in Rathvilly.  They’re something out of the 1940s, surrounded by evocative rolling fields. (info@lisnavagh.com)

AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
LSR: Tchaikovsky’s ballets, especially Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty.

AW: What is your most favorite baby gift you received?
LSR: The simple white, striped towelling in which the nurses wrapped both my boys after they were born at St Vincent’s Hospital in the West Village, NYC.  Tragically, the hospital is closing this month despite our efforts to keep it open.
 
AW: What is the baby product you can’t/couldn’t live without?
LSR: Pyjamas from the Poppy Store, Brentwood Country Mart.  I’m so inspired by Heather Whitney, the co-owner and designer.
 
And please complete the following:
 
…make(s) me laugh.
LSR: “Jersey Shore”.  Have you seen the Vitamin Water ad starring Mike “The Situation” and David Wright of the Mets?  Watch it on YouTube.

My proudest moment in parenting was…
LSR: Titus Rellie singing the alphabet to me in the park yesterday.  He was even prouder than me though.

Like every NettoCollection piece, the Louis Crib and Changer are built to last forever – which is a very Netto approach to nursery design. But these new pieces come with a welcome twist: heirloom quality that’s also budget friendly. For the first time, this NettoCollection Crib debuts below $1,000 — making the best of modern more accessible than ever.