BOGGIO Volume 2

BOGGIO

VOLUME 2, 2016/2017

The magazine bringing photography and art to life

Interviews:

Catalogue:

Editorial:

Features:

Amy Judd Will Greenwood

OUR BESPOKE PORTRAIT SERVICES

When WE Grow Up Exploring London

Remembering World War II

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editor’s letter Labour of Love hank you for picking up Volume 2 of the Boggio magazine.

Filling these pages is always a labour of love; more so this time around as I have been heavily pregnant while getting all the writing, interviews and photographs together. It’s a race to see who comes first: the printed copies or Baby Boy Boggio.

Perhaps it’s the hormones, but I really wanted to focus on family in this issue and the importance of recording our family’s journey. It’s something I am passionate about for my own children. One of my biggest acts of love, aside from wiping bottoms, is the annual Family Book that I create for my progeny. You can read more about these on page 48, including the interview I conducted with my father about his time hiding in the Italian Alps during World War II. I’m always humbled by the people who agree to be featured in my magazine. Rugby fans will recognise legend Will Greenwood, whose family I photographed on an almost sunny day in April. You’ll also love the interview with new mum and artist extraordinaire, Amy Judd, whose paintings are collected around the world. I am going to snap one up before she gets too popular.

Finally, you may be asking yourself what Prince George and I have in common and, no, it isn’t our immensely kissable noses. We both love designer Rachel Riley, who agreed to meet with me for our article on working in the children’s industry in the UK. Again, I am totally floored by the people who agreed to be part of this project.

And if you are wondering why I am dressed like Mary Poppins in my editor’s photo, it’s because I couldn’t do a normal maternity shoot (you can see more on our blog). I had to do a musical theme because that’s just how I roll. [Drops Mic]. Enjoy the magazine!

FOLLOW ME @juliaboggio Twitter and Instagram BLOG boggiostudios.com/blog

Julia Boggio Editor

Design by Gry Renate Muledal

Printed by Cambrian Printers

Cover Models are Jamie & Josie at Creative Kidz Styling by Emma Smith Hair & Make-up by Adele Sanderson 1

33 Catalogue: WHAT WE DO BEST See our specialised selection of bespoke portrait services 2

BOGGIO / CONTENTS

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contents

Interviews: 04

Editorial: 16

Bespoke shoots: 26

Features/News: 48

Fine Art Portraits

The Family Book

Our favourite artist talks about motherhood, her inspirations, and Lionel Ritchie

We caught up with some of the first babies we ever photographed to see what lies in their future

Learn more about our Fine Art photography and see some images from our Menagerie Series

Read Ugo Boggio’s personal story about hiding in the Italian Alps during World War II

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Amy Judd

Will Greenwood Rugby Legend Will shares his thoughts on getting children into sport

60 THE UK’S THRIVING children’s industry

When WE Grow Up

Exploring London with Children The Boggio family’s top suggestions on what to do with the little ones in the London, featuring Julia’s daughter

Annual Locations Updating family photos yearly is important, but also fun when you choose the right place

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NEWS & EVENTS News from the studio and special events to watch out for in 2016 and 2017

Meet eight incredible women who provide services and products to parents in the UK

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INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

interview

The Winged Artist When I first saw Amy Judd’s work, a visceral emotion struck me that I hadn’t felt before when viewing art: I really wanted to own one. The way she combines the delicate female form with mythology and avian references gives me a feeling of strength and serenity at the same time.

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INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

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Interview & Studio Pictures Julia Boggio

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INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

Her work is collected across the world, with Kate Hudson even naming Amy’s art as one of her top 20 favourite things in a recent article in In Style magazine. It’s easy to see why her work has become so popular: her painting is striking, beautiful and so incredibly feminine.

I went to her south Wimbledon-based studio to meet with her, cuddle her baby girl, and take a sneak peek at some of her work for the Affordable Art Fair. As I entered her space, I recognised her influences in the knick-knacks she has chosen to decorate the walls and shelves: a feather headpiece, a dusty antique dressmaker’s dummy and colourful butterflies in boxes next to smooth deer antlers. The subtle smell of the oil paint reminded me of my own father’s wooden painting box that I loved to rifle through as a child (without permission, of course).

Amy herself is completely down-to-earth.

Dressed like any other new mum with a 6-month-old baby, you wouldn’t know she was an internationally collected artist if she popped up in your NCT group. However, after talking to her for just a short while, I could easily understand how this softlyspoken, articulate women could create such beautiful masterpieces. >

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INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

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Welsh Moon and Star Goddess 30x40” 7

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INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

Tell us about your journey to becoming an artist.

My parents took me to international museums and art galleries when I was still in a pram. I was lucky enough to be introduced to the arts and shown how this could be a way of life. At school I struggled with the academic subjects despite my best efforts, but I could draw and paint, and from a very young age it became obvious that it was all I wanted to do. At 14 I started going to Life Drawing classes and was the youngest in the class, but quickly gained confidence and have worked with the female form ever since.

It was at University and then an MA at Wimbledon School of Art where I began finding my way towards what is my art practice now, concentrating on the female form and developing my painting skills.

I was never really taught how to paint it was a process of trial and error and experimenting. After finishing my MA, I took a studio nearby; soon after Hicks Gallery happened upon me at my Open Studios and began showing my work.

This was the beginning of my professional career. I developed my style from straight forward nudes to the surreal avian priestesses and whimsical figures with birds I am now known for.

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Was there a teacher or mentor who particularly inspired you to succeed when you were a student?

I did have some wonderful teachers, but the ones that really inspired me were actually my mother and father who both worked at my school. My father was also my History Teacher and although I did try to apply myself, I received a D at A level, so I was officially a lost cause in History.

However, my parents always believed in my artistic talents and, if it weren’t for their love and enthusiastic support, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

Do you remember the first time you came into contact with mythology and how did it start to insinuate itself into your work?

I remember having several books on Myths and Legends when I was young – full of exciting and beautiful illustrations.

One of my fondest, earliest painting memories was at junior school where I was given a wall to create a mural depicting the myth of Pandora’s box. I’m not sure this lead to me later being influenced by myths and worldwide folklore, but I did return to reading them after I saw Swan Lake

at the ballet. I was captivated by Odette’s transformation to and from a swan. It was a sublime idea and I began looking at other stories that told of this magical relationship between birds/animals and humans. This led to me painting my own visions of these myths, such as Leda and the swan and Diana and the Deer, but soon realised I could make up my own narratives creating new myths within my paintings. I was drawn towards more avian themes as a bird’s plumage is a joy to paint and works so well with the soft skin tones of my figures.

When I started introducing birds and feathers in my paintings, I soon saw they had a greater impact on the viewer. To many people these birds and feathers can hold a deeper symbology, representing many contradicting values such as beauty and death, peace and misfortune, vulnerability and strength simultaneously.

How did it feel when Kate Hudson listed your paintings as one of her top 20 favourite things in In Style magazine?

My mother was the first to tell me of this exciting news. Her neighbour brought the American In Style over and there I was in print. It was official: Kate Hudson

INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

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“One of my fondest, earliest painting memories was at junior school where I was given a wall to create a mural depicting the myth of Pandora’s box” adored me! It was a lovely surprise and strange seeing my name in a stylish magazine and associated with a celebrity I’m also a fan of. Not so long ago, I was also featured in American Harpers Bazaar with a four-page spread of my paintings in collaboration with some high-end jewellery designers. It is lovely to see my name and work all shiny and glossy in such fashionable international publications. This with other media exposure has lead me to start selling regularly overseas. I would like to thank Kate for her endorsement and hope one day to meet her. We can discuss rom-coms and art.

OPPOSITE Left: Moon Rabbit 30x40” Right: The Thinker 40x50” Below Seamstresses Golden Spear 40x60”

Do you ever have pinch-me moments when you consider that your work is collected across the world?

I am so chuffed people want to buy my work and have them up in their homes across the world. It is a great feeling making a living out of what I love. I am not hugely ambitious, just love being in my studio painting. My gallery is my

agent and I like it that way, so I can concentrate on my work. I don’t often think about the life of my paintings after they leave the studio and what it means to be successful. I just hope they go to good homes and are enjoyed.

What is your perfect painting play list?

Music is so important to me when I am working...a good set of speakers and vintage amp, and plenty of space to dance around in! I have several Spotify playlists to paint to, depending on my mood. Mostly I listen to folk, old and new, with a dash of country: Johnny Flynn, Laura Marling, Frazey Ford, Joni Mitchell, JJ Cale, Paul Simon, Creedence Clearwater, Johnny Cash, and Kenny Rogers.

If I have a lot to do and need to get my head down, I love Daft Punk, as it gets me in the zone and energises me. My guilty pleasures though (which I don’t tell very many people) are Lionel Richie and Neil Diamond, and, yes, I did have front row seats at the O2 when Lionel came to town.

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INTERVIEW / AMY JUDD

You recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. How has having a child affected the way you work? Has having a daughter given you any new ideas for concepts you’d like to explore in your painting?

I love being a mum, it has changed my life so brilliantly. However, my work style hasn’t changed; I haven’t yet had the head space to try new ideas out or see how I would introduce motherhood into my work. Mia is such a character and it’s been amazing seeing her grow. Perhaps I will do some portraits one day and see what comes of that. I certainly haven’t had the urge to introduce storks with little bundles of joy into my compositions.

My painting style may not have changed, but the way I work has. I started bringing Mia to the studio, but it became clear it was just too hard and unfair on her, so now I grab short bouts of time in the studio when I can get my husband to take her, working weekends and evenings. I find being a mother has made me far more decisive and efficient and I get lots more done in a day. Work/life ‘balance’ is more of a ‘juggle’. It’s tough, but fun!

Conceal Reveal 30x40”

You can see Amy’s work at Hicks Gallery, Wimbledon hicksgallery.co.uk Facebook: Amy Judd Art

What advice would you give to other artists looking for representation?

I was very lucky that my Gallery happened to come to my Open Studios down in south Wimbledon. He offered me a show and the rest is history. I know this hardly ever happens, but my advice is to get seen.

No one will see your talent if it’s stuck behind your studio door.

Be pro-active and get an online presence. My best exposure has been on social media, like Facebook, Pinterest and bloggers. These have a life of their own and keep going without you having to do a thing. More importantly, get your work out there physically by organising your own shows – better still joint shows with like-minded artists. Enter competitions, do open studios. You never know who will come.

thank you Thank you to Amy for the wonderful interview.

Watch out for information on a planned collaboration between Amy and Julia in 2017.

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BOGGIO / NEWS

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NEWS You can check out our blog boggiostudios.com/blog for the latest news from Boggio Studios, including latest shoots, photography advice, upcoming special events, and interesting posts about topics and products we think you might like. We are planning a revamp of the blog in 2017.

Fine Art Days Julia will be offering Fine Art Days in special locations around London in 2017. This will generally involve renting a unique space for the shoot; for example, like the location used for the Menagerie Fine Art images on page 26. There will be extremely limited availability on these days, so to make sure you are one of the first to hear about it, please make sure you are signed up to our newsletter (www.boggiostudios.com).

boggiostudios.com

Collaboration with Amy Judd In 2017 Julia and Amy are planning to work on a collaboration to help create amazing portraits for clients of the studio. Watch this space (and sign up to the newsletter so you are first to know, www.boggiostudios.com).

To learn more about Amy Judd and her amazing paintings, go to page 4.

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Capturing Every Season Everyone may complain about the British weather, but it sure does help to create amazing natural beauty that makes great backdrops for family, pregnancy or couple portraiture. This year, consider updating your family portraits in the lavender in summer, or with the gorgeous leaves of autumn. Just make sure to book your location shoot early as there is limited availability. Find out more on page 12.

Children’s Portraiture Winner

Congratulations to Julia for winning the top prize in Children’s Portraiture at this year’s SWPP competition.

Although she had many images in the finals in different categories, the one that triumphed was “The Girl in the Red Hat”. One judge was heard to say that he could see this image eventually hanging in the National Portrait Gallery. High praise indeed.

See pages 26 & 34 for more fine art photography

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SHOOTS / ANNUAL LOCATIONS

ANNUAL LOCATIONS Words & Photography by Julia Boggio

Last summer, I took my daughter and her best friend to the lavender fields to take some pictures of them together. While I looked down to fiddle with my camera and looked up again, they spontaneously had assumed this very loving pose. I quickly took the shot before the moment passed. It’s now one of our favourite images of them together and we’ve decided to take them to the fields every year for a shoot.

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LOCATION SHOOTS / ANNUAL

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These ‘moments’ are more likely to happen on a location shoot than a studio shoot, thanks to the freedom children can feel outside, whilst studio photography takes great skill in lighting and posing and is a much more controlled environment that can be utilised whatever the weather. With location the skill comes into choosing the right canvas, where the lighting is right, so that wonderfully relaxed moments can happen. That being said, some of the most relaxed moments I've ever captured in a photograph were 95% created by me guiding the subjects. The outdoors is less predictable and more varied in background, with a greater potential for a wide range of shots in one session.

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SHOOTS / ANNUAL LOCATIONS

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If you are interested in a particular spot for your family, pregnancy or couple shoot, please do let us know, or ask us for recommendations for beautiful locations we could visit on your shoot. Call 020 7042 9777 or email smile@boggiostudios.com.

And there are just so many beautiful places to be photographed in the UK. Even the rain can make an interesting story for a family photoshoot, dressed in the quintessential pair of Hunter wellies with colourful umbrellas. My favourite time, without a doubt, is the autumn. From a photographic point of view, nothing can beat the light and the colours.

Bluebells or apple blossoms in the spring, lavender fields in the summer, pumpkin patches and parks in the autumn – each creates a unique set of images with a different feel. I have one client who is moving abroad and, after doing an autumn shoot this year, wants me to come to Paris to photograph her family in the spring in their new home. As the song goes, “I love Paris in the Springtime.” Some clients choose to have their family photographed year after year in the same location.

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

Charlie INDIA the Olympic Medalist

the Writer

FREYA

the Ballerina

the Veterinarian

EMELIA

the Swimming Instructor

the Board Game Tester

the Explorer

tessa THEO

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ALICE

EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

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when we grow UP What do our future generation dream of?

We caught up with some of the first babies we ever photographed at the studio to see what careers they have in mind.

Styling by Becky SeageR Make up & Hair by JulES Cardozo-Marsh Photographs & Words by Julia Boggio

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

Suit and shirt by Hugo Boss; Bowtie by No Added Sugar; Glasses by Zoobug

India the Writer

“I love adventure books. If I wrote one, someone would get lost and find magical things that lead them home.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

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Jumper and skirt by No Added Sugar; Beret by Bonpoint; Glasses by Zoobug

tessa the Board Game Tester

“If I could make a board game, I’d make it a code game that the whole class could play, with a purple board with ice cream characters.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

Jacket and sweatshirt by Scotch Shrunk; Skirt by No Added Sugar archive; Glasses by Zoobug

Emelia the Veterinarian

“I love vets because they look after animals and you might even get to look after your favourite animal. Mine is a dolphin, called Lily.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

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Swimming tankini top & swim shorts by Beanie and Bear; Hat Stylist’s own

ALICE

the Swimming Instructor

“If I were a swimming superhero, I would be able to swim really really fast and have a jacket that makes me fly so I can dive back in.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

charlie

Blue vest by No Added Sugar; Medal and gym leotard Stylist’s own

the Olympic Medalist

“I want to be a long jumper!

I can jump over 2 people already.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

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Dress by Tutu du Monde

FREYA

the Ballerina

“I like going on stage and spinning really fast.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

Trousers by Stone Island; Shirt, hat and accessories Stylist’s Own

THEO the Explorer

“To go to the jungle, I would pack animal biscuits, chocolate milk, and a light saber.”

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EDITORIAL / WHEN WE GROW UP

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Can you identify the babies?

These are the original portraits that Julia took of these career-minded kids when they were under one year old. Are you able to tell who is who?

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1. India; 2. Tessa; 3. Alice ; 4. Emelia; 5. Freya; 6. Theo; 7. Charlie 25

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SHOOTS / FINE ART PORTRAITS

fine art PORTRAITS

I was very lucky when I was little. While my classmates spent their summers at the Jersey Shore, my father took me to Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland to show me the wonders of Europe – a rare thing for an American child. A keen artist, he introduced me to the Prado and Louvre at the age of seven. One of my prized possessions was a reproduction of the Mona Lisa that lived in my bedroom into my teen years.

Words and Pictures by Julia Boggio

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“Little Friends�

From the Menagerie series 27

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SHOOTS / FINE ART PORTRAITS

“The Photographer’s Daughter” From the Menagerie series 28

For me it is no surprise that my photographic interests have taken a turn towards creating fine art portraits. I love the painterly quality and harkening back to a more classical style. I enjoy coming up with the concept, working with the stylist to create the looks, and drawing the lighting plans. As a photographic artist, these images are helping to satisfy my soul and I feel they are incredibly special.

Fine Art Portrait sessions generally take at least half a day in a studio – sometimes longer or shorter depending on the concept – but the work really begins long before the shutter button is pressed. I recently did a Fine Art shoot for a mother with three children, who wanted to create a beautiful set of images for her husband’s birthday. The first step was to understand from the client what appealed to her, then I translated that into a written brief that I used to communicate to the team (stylist and make up/hair artist) what we were striving for (three looks for each child). The stylist, in turn, translated the brief into specific items of clothing that would help to achieve the looks. She went to the client’s house to look through the children’s wardrobes to see if they already had any clothing that she could use. Next she went shopping to gather the remaining items. On the day, she was on hand to dress each child for each shot, which involved ballet clothes, suits, amazing dresses, and even a vintage boxing set up.

The pre-planning and actual shoot are just the beginning; post-production is also detailed, especially as I usually take these images on a Hasselblad camera which sees more tone and picks up more detail than my Canon camera that I use for lifestyle portraits.

Good news – the father was absolutely blown away by the images and wants to come back for another shoot soon.

“Boy & Lion” From the Menagerie series 29

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SHOOTS / FINE ART PORTRAITS

Enquire about having a bespoke Fine Art Portrait shoot of your own or put your name on the waiting list for Julia’s limited-edition Fine Art Portrait days. Contact us on 020 7042 9777 or email smile@boggiostudios.com.

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PHOTOGRAPHY / WHAT IS FINE ART?

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“The Horse Mistress” Upper Equestrian Farm in Henton 31

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BUSINESS / THE CHILDREN’S INDUSTRY IN LONDON

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / WHAT WE DO BEST

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the catalogue PHOTO SHOOTS FINE ART iconic portraits; gracious portraits with your PREGNANCY bump; in their first 10 days NEWBORN; BABY’S FIRST YEAR when they change so quickly; make memories with your FAMILY; HORSES and other beloved beasties; COUTURE PORTRAITS for when you want a smashing photo of yourself; images with the love of your life in COUPLES

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FINE ART

catalogue: fine art

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FINE ART

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Fine art portraits are generally photographed on a Hasselblad camera

by Julia

Iconic portraits Our fine art portraiture is a collaborative process, shaped by your ideas and our creativity. We want to know what kind of portrait you’ve always wanted and we’ll work to make it a reality for you. A fine art portrait session is a chance to have a truly magnificent experience while creating works of art.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / NEWBORN

catalogue: newborn

Artistic and personal images from baby’s first photo shoot

Best taken within the first 10 days of life

“Boggio Studios came highly recommended to us and we absolutely love the photos that the team took of Etta and Artie.”

– Holly Branson 36

THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / PREGNANCY

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catalogue: pregnancy “A huge thank you to Julia and Boggio Studios for the most memorable photoshoot our family has ever had. You captured my pregnancy and our newborn with all of our children better then I could ever imagine. And exceeded all of our expectations in the process. We feel truly blessed to have had this opportunity not to mention so much fun putting it all together.”

– N a t a l i e Ta b b a r a

Best taken between weeks 32-36 of pregnancy

Being pregnant, you’ve probably never looked more vibrant, radiant or content. A pregnancy photo session is a stunning way to capture this momentous life-changing event.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILY STUDIO

catalogue: family in the studio

capturing real moments Family portraits are an important part of our history. They tell us where we’ve come from, where we’re going and how we’ve come to be the way we are. Family photos capture passions, interests, loves and relationships.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILY STUDIO

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“Julia Boggio has been our go-to photographer for the past 4 years. Julia has captured two pregnancies, two newborn shoots, and two first birthday shoots. We could not be happier with her work and will keep on going back to her.

Her patience and stubbornness to get the perfect picture is what sets her apart from all other photographers I’ve been to.”

– Nathalie Blattner-Beebee

Captured in a studio or in your own home

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILY LOCATION

catalogue: family on location

a location family shoot is about creating a story in images that’s unique to you.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / FAMILY LOCATION

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There are many amazing locations for family shoots around London.

Just ask us for ideas.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / EQUINE & PETS

catalogue: equine & pets

we love your furry family members, too Pets and animals are often the other half of our selves, so they deserve to be photographed in a way that captures their personalities while also hinting at the relationship you share.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / EQUINE & PETS

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Pets can be worked into most of the shoots that we do, so let us know what you’re thinking. If you are after an equine shoot, please talk to us to discuss style and location.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUPLES

catalogue: couples

Couple Shoots can take place in a studio or on location.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUPLES

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for couples that are having an anniversary, getting married, or just on holiday in London Romance is definitely alive at Boggio Studios. Couples come to us from all over the world to experience our unique range of shoots.

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUTURE

catalogue: couture headshots

“The best photographer I’ve ever worked with. EVER! Not only does she make you feel relaxed, but she can actually tell you how to stand and look your best.”

– Katy Hill –

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THE BOGGIO CATALOGUE / COUTURE

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trust your image We specialise in making men and women of all shapes, sizes and ages look amazing in photographs. Whether the image is for work, social media or just because you want to, we can help you unleash your inner star.

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FEATURE / THE FAMILY BOOK

Keeping our stories alive A few years ago, I created the Boggio Studios Family Book. As with most things, my own family was the guinea pig. Book one started just before my daughter’s birth and carried on until her first birthday. The books started out as being a collection of photographs of things we did, holidays we took, and memories we had made. But then when the poppies came to the Tower of London, I thought the books could be so much more. The poppies gave me a good opportunity to interview the living relatives we had who remembered World War I and World War II. So I set to work, interviewing James’s and my parents and also James’ grandmother, Bronwen, who passed away recently. Her passing makes me so glad that I did the interview when I did because, when these matriarchs and patriarchs of families go, so do all their stories. With that in mind, I wanted to share some of my own family’s personal history. This is the story my father told me of his time hiding in the Italian Alps as a young boy during World War II.

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FEATURE / UGO’S STORY

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Interview by Ugo Boggio. Pictures by Federico Boggio I wasn’t born in World War I. I know that my father, Federico Boggio, was rejected from the draft, I think because he was too skinny. At the time being rejected from the draft was an insult. He couldn’t bear to go back to his town. So he basically started eating loads and working out until he had enough muscle mass to go back and try again. This time, he was successful. I don’t know much about what he did during the war, but I don’t think he ever went to the front. I think he was guarding munition dumps.

After the war, he came down with the Spanish Flu. They didn’t know how to treat it. He had to wait until a bed became available because someone else died. When he finally got a bed, they treated it with rum. Somehow he managed to survive. Many people died of the Spanish Flu. My father was a bonafide bachelor until he was about 48. He went to confession one time and the priest gave him hell because he was leading a dissolute life. And so he decided to find a wife. My mother lived next door to him. He’d probably never even talked to her before. She lived with her brother, Agostino, and his family, as she was an orphan since she was 9. When I looked up her brother on the internet, all I could find out about him was that he was a rabid fascist. His claim to fame was that he was the youngest person in the famous March on Rome with Mussolini. Anyway, he pretty much treated my mother like a maid. She had no education and probably

no hopes of getting married. Until my father decided he needed a wife. He asked for her hand in marriage and Agostino was happy to let her go. My brother was born the following year. I was born when my father was 51.

It was a good marriage. The biggest friction between my father and my mother was his mother and his sister. If I can remember correctly, my grandmother was a bit of a witch: domineering and stubborn. I understand that my grandfather didn’t really like her anymore. His sister, Aunt Nina, was just a lazy bum. She lived with us until she died, around 1981. My poor mother basically went from a family where she was treated like a maid to another family where she was treated like a maid. But aside from that, her relationship with my father was good.

I was born when World War II was in its second year in 1941.

I came at 7 months. We had a gas-supplied tankless water heater.

From what I understand, the gas supply suddenly flared up or something and my mother got scared. And shortly after I was born in the Pinna-Pintor Clinic, which was a private clinic up the road.

At this time, Italy was still on the side of the Germans. The RAF had started bombing Torino about a year before I was born – always at night. They didn’t care what they hit. The US Airforce bombed during the day. They also didn’t care what they hit.

So this is what I was born into. My father decided to get us out

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FEATURE / UGO’S STORY

of Torino and took us to Conselve, where my Aunt Maria (my mother’s sister) and Uncle Roberto lived (near Padua). My father had to stay in Torino because he was considered an essential worker, working for the railroads in administration. He had started with the rail service as a telegraph operator when he was a teenager.

We didn’t stay in Conselve long and the reason was this: it was too difficult for my father to come to visit us because it was very far and the train service was unreliable due to the bombings. So he got upset as he realised I didn’t know who he was and I was calling my uncle “papa”. He took us back to Torino and, from there, we went to Oulx in the Susa valley. What’s interesting was that Mussolini had changed all the foreign names of towns. Oulx is a French name, so he changed it to Ulzio. But after the war, they changed it back.

This time, my grandmother, grandfather and Aunt Nina went with us. My grandfather died in Ulzio. I’ve already mentioned how well my mother got on with my grandmother and Aunt Nina. Between that and the privations of wartime, you can imagine what a fun time this was for everyone.

I remember that my mother was in a perennial search for food to feed us. We would eat whatever we could find, which was mostly polenta with anything you could find to put on it. Sauce. Sausages.

Milk – polenta in milk was a staple. My mother fried it. She cooked it. Put sugar in it. Polenta was our main food.

She used to go out into the mountains, looking for milk.

Sometimes she took us with her. In the wintertime, we would take a sled and then sled home down the mountain, which was fun. Once, I remember the Nazis saw us and were shooting at us.

We lived in two different places in Ulzio. The first was near the railroad station, but this was not a good idea. Railroad stations were prime targets for the Allied bombers overhead. So we moved to another place in the centre of town. From what I remember, the second house was owned by the head of the partisans, whom the Germans called “banditen”. Auchtung, Banditen! signs were everywhere, to warn other Germans that there were partisans in that area.

I remember when we lived near the railway station in Ulzio, there was a barracks nearby. It was a Russian POW camp. Every time I walked by, there was a Russian guy that would call me “Misha”.

Through the bar, he gave me some very hard bread. I think he must have had a son in Russia who was my age.

Certain things were very valuable. Like paper. We would collect every piece of paper that we could find so we could make papier mache balls out of them, so we could burn them in the stove. They didn’t last long, but they lasted long enough! My mother had this contraption. She made big pots of soup in this funny pot that was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Then she had a wooden crate with sawdust and burlap in it. She had done it in such a way that she could fit the pot snugly inside it perfectly. Then she had a top of more sawdust and burlap to hold it in place. And would make this soup on the stove and once it was cooked, she’d put the pot into her contraption and the damned thing would stay warm for days.

It meant that we didn’t need to build fires all the time and use our precious papier mache balls.

My father used to come visit us whenever he could, on the weekends mostly. At the time, everything was rationed. We had a coupon book with so many pages in it, like stamps without perforations. If you bought a kilo of bread, the panettiere would cut the stamp out of your book. You had a stamp for everything.

Meat. Bread. Cigarettes. Booze. So my father, who did not drink or smoke, would trade his coupons for foodstuff coupons then he would buy stuff in Torino, put it in a big backpack and bring them up to us.

The Germans were looking for people to send to labor camps.

They really didn’t care if you were Jewish or not. They would take anybody. One of the primary places they would look for people were the railway stations. They would just take people who were going to work, pluck them out and send them off to Germany. So my father learned not to wait for the train at the railroad station.

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He would wait just after the railway station and jump on after the train departed. The train engineers kindly took off slowly in order to facilitate these passengers. Same thing on the other end when he returned to the city after spending the weekend with us.

Like his granddaughter (Julia), my father was an avid photographer. He went everywhere with the camera. He used to bore us with that thing. He liked to take pictures of us and each one seemed to take 15 minutes. Once, we were going for a walk. My father always liked going for walks. Nearby there was a bridge called Ponte Ventoso, or the Windy Bridge. We were supposed to go for a walk there, but my father was taking the usual pictures. My brother was giving him a hard time. I can’t remember if we decided not to go or what, but the bridge was bombed that day. By the Allies, I’d like to point out. Thank you for my dad and his camera.

My father used to make us toy snow plows, as it used to snow a lot there. At the time a snow plow was pulled behind a truck and it was two pieces of wood in a V-shape, very heavy. So he made us similar plows made out of wood, about 10 inches on each side. My brother and I used to pull around our snow plows. But really I think he was tricking us into doing some actual plowing.

When the Germans finally decided to high tail it, they blew up everything they couldn’t take with them. They put them all in the main square and boom. As a result, half the windows in the village shattered. I remember it quite vividly. After that, all our windows had brown packing paper in them, to keep out the cold as best we could.

The French arrived next. They had ideas about that part of Italy, in that they wanted to annex it (which would have been the best thing that ever happened to that part of Italy). So the partisans fought the French and they left after a few weeks. From what I understand, Eisenhower or somebody had a man-to-man talk with Charles de Gaulle and told him to leave the borders alone.

After that we went back to Torino. I was 4 years old. I remember there being lots of bombed out buildings. Luckily our building was intact, despite the fact that we lived across the road from a military hospital, which – despite having a big red cross on the roof – was a constant target. The Mussolini Stadium around the corner from Via Barletta 3, where we lived, hadn’t been hit. They renamed it Stadio Municipale. Now it’s the Olympic Stadium. At the time, Via Barletta was practically in the country. Now it’s a buzzing part of the city of Torino. How times have changed.

Mussolini had slogans pasted on the sides of loads of buildings and it took them a long time to get rid of them. “It’s with the plow you till the soil. It’s with the sword that you defend it.” “The slippers and the armchair are man’s worst enemies.” He was an idiot.

We still had rationing for a while and then things slowly got back to normal. It took a few more years.

My grandmother passed away.

My father worked for the railway until he retired at 65 in 1955.

Then he went to work for a company that supplied heating oil. He used to keep the black books for them – hey, that’s the way it was.

When he retired at 70, he took up classic guitar and spent 8 hours a day practicing. He became quite good. He probably should have been a musician all along. He passed away in 1980 at the age of 89.

He had dementia in the end, even though he barely ever went to the doctor during the time I knew him. I was in Paris when my brother called me to tell me that he had passed. Julia, my daughter, got to meet him once, when she was 2 months old. We don’t have any pictures of this meeting.

My mother continued to live at Via Barletta 3. Finally she was nobody’s maid. She used to volunteer to help old people. Once, the local newspaper wanted to do a story about her because she was the oldest volunteer in Torino. The seniors she used to help were generally younger than her. She asked that they not print her name with the article because she didn’t want the people she helped to feel bad. They didn’t print her name, but they did run a big picture of her next to the article. Towards the end of her life, she went into a home in the mountains. She died at the age of 95 in 2005.

PRODUCTS / FAMILY BOOK

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create your own

family book It is estimated that, every two minutes, people today take more pictures than the whole of humanity in the 1800s. That’s a lot of photographs. To store them and keep them safe, we rely on hard drives or the Cloud. But once the images are there, can we truly count on them to be there forever and ever? Vint Cerf, the father of the Internet, doesn’t think so. He says, “We don’t want our digital lives to fade away...If there are photos you really care about, print them out.”

That’s why Boggio Studios created the concept of the Family Book. With it, we are working to ensure that your family has something tangible that they can look at and enjoy for generations.

Our aim is to take the staggering amount of graft that is needed to create an heirloom of this magnitude off your shoulders.

The Family Book can be started at any time – whether you are having your first child or your children are already older. Each book is an annual project, which marries professional photographs with your own snaps from holidays and daily life. Our Family Book package includes four professional shoots throughout the year, the design and one copy of the final book. We only take on 5 Family Book projects per year, so do add your name to the waiting list if you are interested.

If you’d like to make an appointment to see our Family Books in person, then please contact the studio on +44 (0) 20 7042 9777. We’re very proud of these albums and we would love to show it to you and hopefully create one for your family.

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FAMILY SHOOT / WILL GREENWOOD

1st canine king

the comedian

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future LEGEND

Future Rock Star QUEEN of FITNESS

current legend

2nd canine king

FAMILY

RULES

Most people know Will Greenwood as a rugby legend who was instrumental in bringing the 2003 World Cup team to victory.

Now he has turned his hand to sports commentary, charitable works, and being an amazing dad, who is passionate about getting all children to enjoy sport.

Interview & Photography by Julia Boggio

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INTERVIEW / WILL GREENWOOD

interview

I had the pleasure of getting to know Will and Caro well when we climbed that little mountain called Kilimanjaro for Borne in 2014. We fit in a family photography session quickly before Will heads to Paris for another sporting-related engagement. Life is never boring for rugby legend, Will Greenwood.

JB. How did you get into sport as a child?

What was your favourite sport?

WG. I come from a sports mad family – so from my early days in Rome, I chased everything, every shaped ball, to kick, catch, throw. I was never far from a sports club where Mum and Dad were constantly taking me along.

I absolutely loved playing football with my mates back in my Lancashire village when we returned from Italy in 1979. I used to play until Mum dragged me back in for tea.

JB. You are passionate about helping children discover rugby. How do you help your own children stay interested and engaged with sport?

WG. The most important thing for kids and sport is to create an enjoyable environment – fun with children of the same age is the best way to engage with them and create a passion that will last a lifetime.

JB. Some people would say rugby is too dangerous to teach in schools.

What’s your opinion?

WG. One injury is too many – I completely agree, but the way rugby is coached now at a young age, the focus is on health and safety and time with the ball in their hands. Contact is now introduced much later in the curriculum. The idea is to allow the children to 54

INTERVIEW / WILL GREENWOOD

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‘The most important thing we focus on is to give young children the confidence to enjoy a sporting arena with their friends no matter the level.’

LEGENDARY NUMBERS

2003

Part of the 2003 World Cup-winning squad

11

year

professional career

have fun to learn to play together and, as they increase their physical awareness, to introduce the contact side of the game. But it is important to stress that very few pastimes including physical exercise do not carry a risk.

JB. How do you balance fatherhood with your work and charity commitments?

WG. Ask my very patient wife… I am not sure I do – but I try.

That’s all you can ever do in life.

JB. You are active in supporting many charities. Which ones are closest to your heart and why? What project do you currently feel most passionate about?

WG. Caro and I are heavily involved in charities involving babies and in particular research into premature birth which can have a devastating impact on families. Borne is closest to our heart because it helps raise money for research conducted by a great man, Professor Mark Johnson. (www.borne.org.uk)

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number of international caps

31

international tries scored

800k SKY viewers

170k

twitter followers

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INTERVIEW / WILL GREENWOOD

‘Young girls or young boys – the advice is no different: create an environment of fun, group work, keep the activities moving, and have patience and a willingness to smile.’ some of the greatest names in sport or improving a thousand times over under the awesomely fun tuition of the England netball girls that accompany our holidays everywhere.

JB. What’s your most inspiring success story from working with a child at one of your holiday camps?

WG. So many to choose from. The key here is we are not looking to find the next Jonny Wilkinson or Sacha Corbin – great if we do – but the most important thing we focus on is to give young children the confidence to enjoy a sporting arena with their friends no matter the level.

JB. What is the ratio of girls to boys at Legend?

WG. 50/50 – no question – we are there already. The introduction of the England netball coaching community to all our holidays some years back made sure every member of the family could have their best holiday ever.

JB. Who could girls look up to as a rugby role model?

JB. My daughter is 5 years old. I played soccer and softball when I was growing up in the US and it’s important to me that she is active in sport as well. What advice do you have for getting young girls interested in sport?

WG. Young girls or young boys – the advice is no different: create an environment of fun, group work, keep the activities moving, and have patience and a willingness to smile. Mixing sport and kids throws up so much fun – everyone can help, I mean everyone!

JB. What was your inspiration for starting Legend Holidays?

WG. I think getting children involved in sport also has to be a family affair, so in the crazy life we all lead, the only time we are ever together as a family is on holiday. Family sporting holidays was the obvious next step. And in beautiful hotels and glorious weather – that also helps.

JB. What can families expect on a Legend Holiday?

WG. The best family holiday they have ever had – no question. For the boys and the girls be it learning how to play rugby or cricket with 56

WG. Maggi Alphonsi – so brilliant on the rugby field for England for so many years – but it is important for girls to have male role models as well and most of our World Cup winning coaches are family men themselves. We actively encourage the boys to play Netball as well – to learn from the best handlers of a netball in the business and to easily transfer that skill on to a rugby field. We do not split down the middle ever – all children are welcome to try all the sports and we actively encourage it.

JB. Before playing professional rugby, you went to university and worked as a trader for HSBC. If your own children came to you and said they wanted to pursue a career in sport, what advice would you give them?

WG. Get your education first and enjoy being a teenager. Work hard on your sport by all means, but the best people I have met in sport are rounded individuals who know much more about life than catching or kicking a ball.

JB. As parents, we always think our children are enormously talented. How can a parent tell if his child has real potential in sport?

WG. Get 3rd party advice! No parent should try to live their sporting life vicariously through their children – ever ever ever.

Parents are merely a conduit to opportunity for their children. Let them smile, make mistakes, laugh, cry and be there to pick them up.

Do not push them into doing what you want them to do.

INTERVIEW / WILL GREENWOOD

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Will’s favourites movie Point Break, Zoolander, Papillon best pump-me-up song Eminem, “Lose Yourself” food Calamari and eton mess book The Alchemist holiday destination Forte Village, Sardinia If you were on a desert island, what three things would you bring with you?

A ball, a pump, a puncture repair kit

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INTERVIEW / WILL GREENWOOD

INTERVIEW / WILL GREENWOOD

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Legend Holidays Legend offers one-of-a-kind luxury family holidays and sporting events.

The key difference is, they’re hosted by some of the biggest names in sport. Our aim is simple: to create legendary moments that families and friends can treasure.

We are about families enjoying sport.

The main thing is that you relax and thoroughly enjoy your time at one of our idyllic resorts. Our on-site sports coaching is for children aged 5–16 years, and led by some of the biggest names in rugby, netball and cricket such as Martin Johnson, Andrew Strauss and England Netball stars.

Vitality SportFest: 30th – 31st July 2016 Now in its 4th year, this unique family festival delivers one of the best sporting weekends of the year with the perfect combination of family, fun, sport and a whole host of legends. From Olympians Daley Thompson and Beth Tweddle to Rugby World Cup Winners Will Greenwood and Martin Johnson.

To find out when the next Legend Holiday is, check out the website at www.ourlegend.com

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BUSINESS / THE CHILDREN’S INDUSTRY IN LONDON

INTERVIEWS / THE CHILDREN’S INDUSTRY IN LONDON

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interviews

the uk’s

THRIVING

children’s industry

After I had my daughter, my mother-in-law commented many times on how, when she was a new mum in the 70s, there were no organised activities to do with her kids. No local music classes, no weekly library reading sessions, no yoga classes, no parenting magazines with what’s on listings – not anything.

Fast forward 40 years and there is now a thriving industry that revolves around supporting the needs of children and their parents. I met up with some of the businesswomen that work in the children’s industry today.

From clothing designers to bloggers and street dance academies, each of their stories is an inspiration to anyone who wants to make a business out of something they love.

Interviews & photography by Julia Boggio

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INTERVIEW / Jessica King

What made you pursue a career in kidswear versus womenswear?

I’d been working in womenswear and accessories for a few years when an opportunity came up at Alex and Alexa to head up a new retail concept they were launching. I was so inspired by Alex’s vision and entrepreneurial spirit and the ripples they were making in the kid’s industry that I couldn’t resist. Once I’d started in kidswear I was completely hooked. For me the industry combines all the best bits of women’s fashion – the trends, the trading, the buzz – with the things that really matter to me: working with lovely people, in a welcoming supportive environment and having the opportunity to really do something different.

The thing I love about The Mini Edit is the curated element; there isn’t excessive choice, which I can sometimes find overwhelming when shopping on other children’s clothing sites. How do you choose which items to feature?

When I’m making a selection I try to imagine how each individual piece will look on the site. Once you’ve taken that sweatshirt or dress away from the gorgeous showroom and all the branding, does it stand up on its own as something that will really jump off the screen at people? Our customers come to us for an edit of the very best pieces from each season, so we have to be really strict about editing down to those very special styles.

My friends keep complaining that there aren’t enough cool clothes for boys. What brands do you think do boys clothes well?

It’s funny because I hear this a lot and have to say I sometimes think that it’s the exact opposite! I think a lot of girls’ fashion tends to be a little cutesy or twee and it can be hard to find affordable brands offering something cooler, which is still age appropriate. We don’t split out our collections by gender because we genuinely believe a cool sweatshirt is just a cool sweatshirt, but if we had a little boy I think he’d be wearing lots of Little Eleven Paris, MSGM, Stella McCartney and, of course, Someday Soon.

You are about to have your first child. What brands have you been putting aside for her first outfits?

This baby is going to be a very lucky little girl! She’ll be coming home in head-to-toe Belle Enfant and then she’ll be spending her first couple of months in lots of Noe and Zoe, Mini Rodini and Bobo Choses.

What advice would you give to somebody wanting to go into the busy arena of online retail?

The online retailer Jessica King I loved Jessica’s website concept from the moment I walked into her launch party last year. Her idea? A strictly curated collection of designer children’s clothes that represent the absolute best of the many children’s fashion brands available. And by “best” I don’t necessarily mean most expensive (although it is very easy to spend a pretty penny on her site). I caught up with Jessica at her home to find out about her theory of fashion and to compare baby bumps.

Before you start out take your time and make a really solid business plan, be really clear on your long-term vision, do your due diligence and ask for advice and feedback. Ultimately, however much you plan, the way the business actually takes shape will be very different from what you had imagined, but having that clear vision will help steer you through the opportunities and challenges that will arise along the way.

The Designer Rachel Riley Do you remember the day you decided to start your own clothing line? What was the catalyst for making you take the leap?

Yes, I had made a collection for another children’s clothing company, but I thought to myself, why don’t we do this? I set up my own company, made the clothes and my husband (who is a photographer) and I photographed the collection. We mailed our catalogue out to all our friends and acquaintances. It was when we began to get lots of press that I knew we had the makings of a business.

Where do you look for inspiration?

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I find inspiration everywhere around me! It might be the colour palette

INTERVIEW / Rachel Riley

of a beautiful pastel blue and pink sky, or something I have seen in a film or a book. I love trawling through vintage fairs and have a personal collection of fabrics and children’s clothes from the thirties to the sixties. I also like to make things, so always have some embroidery or knitting on the go. At the moment I am knitting an Aran cardigan for myself in powder blue.

Personally, I love vintage clothes and am partial to an A-line skirt myself. Why do you think the vintage trend works so well in children’s clothing?

Classic clothing works for children because of their body shapes and the stage of their development. For example, dungarees on a baby boy who is crawling, or shorts that button onto the shirt for a toddler that keeps the shirt tucked in is neat and tidy. Gathered dresses are perfect for little girls once they start walking, and all our dresses come with bloomers up to an age 2, so the nappy is covered!

How did it feel the first time you saw Prince George wearing one of your designs?

I was absolutely delighted to see him wearing our clothes! The first time was a fantastic surprise, and on each subsequent occasion it has been a great honour. Being a Londoner I am so proud that the future King of England has worn our collections, and most recently we have heard that he has worn our shirt & short set for the Commemorative stamp for the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations.

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You know who Rachel Riley is, even if you don’t think you know who Rachel Riley is. You can see Rachel’s handiwork on the latest Royal Stamp, as Prince George is proudly wearing one of her designs. And that cute little red smocked outfit he wore to his christening? That was hers, too. Beautiful vintage-style designs, gorgeous fabrics and high quality are three things that come to mind when I think of Rachel and her work.

www.rachelriley.co.uk

What advice do you have for new children’s clothing designers?

To stand for something, and to do it fully. When I started classic children’s clothes were not in fashion, but I felt strongly for this style.

Confucius said ‘Wherever you go, go with all your heart’, we celebrated our 18th birthday on the 23rd April 2016 as we opened our first shop in Knightsbridge on St. George’s day as I thought it would be an auspicious day for the opening, being the Patron Saint of England.

As a business owner, I find the business side just as creative as the photography side. What’s your favourite non-design-oriented activity with regards to running your business?

I agree, as only part of my time is taken in designing, photoshoots and what might be called the creative side of the business. I also enjoy the financial planning and other aspects of running a business. I always think that starting from scratch is not for the faint-hearted, and each area needs to be carefully tended. My favourite aspect has to be production as I love fabrics and embroidery and making things, so I am interested in each part of the manufacturing process, starting with a piece of fabric and ending up with a finished garment.

If you weren’t a designer, what else would you do?

There are many things I still would like to do, but some of them only in my dreams! I would have loved to be a dancer, and use my body creatively, or work with interiors or antiques, or archives, as I love social history and have great respect for our Heritage. I love gardening and making things grow, or is that just a hobby? And I would like to write a book and I love to travel, so maybe a travel guide writer? And that is only for starters! It’s a pity we have so little time…

What’s next for the Rachel Riley, the brand and the person?

I love running a business, so I would like to continue to grow my business, and if possible expand overseas. I have always had a careful approach to expansion, so have taken it step by step, but if the circumstances are right then I would like to pursue that. I am also actively looking for agents in the UK to expand in our home market, too. Many people have not heard of our brand, so I would like our collections to be more widely available.

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INTERVIEW / Linda McLean

The blogger Linda McLean With almost 17,000 followers on Instagram, Linda is the doyenne of children’s fashion blogging in the UK. She noticed a gap in the market that she was uniquely qualified to fill and Smudgetikka was born. Now her blog is like a chocolate box of beautiful clothing and beautiful photography, each one more delightful than the last. She invited me to her chic home to find out more about her career trajectory and to get advice for others in the children’s fashion industry.

www.smudgetikka.com

You have a strong background in magazine publishing and fashion. What made you decide to start a blog?

I love magazines, but they are rapidly becoming unviable especially in the parenting sector. I could see things were shifting, ad revenues and circulations going down, so I decided to start blogging as a back up.

Why choose childrenswear over adult clothing when starting your blog?

I chose childrenswear as that was what I was fully engaged with because of my background with Junior magazine. It was easy to run the blog in parallel with my magazine work and, a big plus at the time I started in 2009, was that there were hardly any other blogs specialising in a more serious look at kids’ designer fashion as opposed to a lifestyle parenting focus.

How do you decide what to feature and what not to feature?

Mostly it is personal choice; if I think it’s good, then I reckon a lot of other people will think so, too! Also, I am attracted by strong visual images. The quality of the photography for me is a big part of the attraction, but usually, if designers have a good eye for garments, they are also concerned with the visual images for the collection too, it goes hand in hand for the best designers.

Why do you think the designer childrenswear trend has become so popular worldwide?

It’s transference. After you have given birth, it takes you a while to get confidence and your figure back, but you have a beautiful new person to dress and indulge. Also for myself and many fashion inclined women, you just want your child to be as well dressed as you are, in quality fabrics and with a cool image. Even if you are a traditionalist at heart, you will still want well-made clothing in cotton and wool, not synthetics.

There are so many brilliant British children’s clothes designer and yet the designer clothes trend for kids is still catching on in the UK. Why do you think this is?

I think there is a reluctance in the UK to be seen to be spending too much on fashion. It’s all about what a bargain I got or look at this great vintage coat I found, or hand me downs from relatives. In Europe there is a very different mentality. There is no problem to spend for a beautiful new label dress. Of course, the current financial situation doesn’t help any of this as families have less disposable income than ever before. Before the crash the situation in the UK was better for designer kids sales. It has been pretty tough since with just selective outlets doing well and a lot of the web stores selling a high percentage to overseas buyers. There is also an oversupply in the market now. When I started in childrenswear 19 years ago, I dealt with around 60 brands; now there are more than 700 that I see at various trade fairs in Europe and more in the US. If I were starting up an online boutique or store, what children’s clothes trade shows do you think are the best ones to visit?

Playtime Paris has a huge offering and is a great place to start out.

There is also an offshoot show in Paris with independent designers called the Kids Show, but you need more time to cover that, too. For a good view of what is available at the Italian designer level, then a trip to Pitti Bimbo in Florence is a must. It all depends what your focus is. For those who prefer Scandinavian design, then Ciff Kids in Copenhagen is the better choice. It is calmer and less frantic than Paris or Florence.

There are two London fairs as well to visit, but the selection is not as broad. They are good for picking up young new talent and they are Bubble London and Dot to Dot London.

What designers are the ones to watch? Best brand for boys?

Best brand for girls?

The buzz at the moment is all around Spanish brands, which show at Playtime Paris. Bobo Choses has been one of the most popular and 64

INTERVIEW / Estelle Lee

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their designer left to start her own line, The Animal Observatory, for this spring. Little Creative Factory is another popular choice on social media and Wolf and Rita, which is Portuguese. They are popular because the design is cool, simple and the price point is still affordable.

The Magazine Editor Estelle Lee What made you decide to start Smallish magazine?

Because reading about parenting after a while can be quite boring and I couldn’t find a single publication outside of the realm of women’s glossies that spoke to me as a person, and not a mother who didn’t have a clue. I didn’t need to be told what bottles to buy or music classes for kids in my area, which is not to say that there isn’t a need for those titles, but I wanted to read about the side of motherhood that interested me intellectually and from a lifestyle point of view. Smallish is about mothers, and not a child-centric magazine. I wanted to create a publication that spoke to you, no matter if you were pregnant with your first or your fourth.

Doing one issue a year of our magazine is a huge undertaking for me. What do you find to be the biggest challenge of putting out a monthly publication?

Finding interesting and relevant content isn’t the challenge! There are so many brilliant ideas and people out there. It’s the editing it all together and making it look beautiful that takes the time.

Many have said that the published magazine market is in decline.

Do you see evidence of this and what are your thoughts?

I’m not sure I believe that there isn’t a role for published magazines.

It’s just that publishers have to redefine themselves to meet the multiplication of platforms and behaviour. Women want to lie in the bath/bed/sunlounger now and then with a magazine, but they also have to snatch pockets of time whilst bathing kids, cooking dinner and so on… Mobile is all pervasive and we have to meet that challenge as publishers meaning that I have two jobs both on and offline.

What are your favourite types of features to work on?

The easiest ones to write are the ones you feel most inspired by. I’ve just interviewed Katy Theakston of Owl and the Apothecary. I could have spent all day chatting about motherhood and the universe. Ironically, shopping pages are hard.

How do you decide what is magazine-worthy and what isn’t?

It’s not as simple as whether it’s magazine-worthy or not. What suits one publication isn’t right for another. It’s a brand and there needs to be a good fit in terms of product, tone, timing and ultimately whether the editor feels excited by it. If I love it, there’s a good chance it will find its way in. That said, there are only a certain number of pages, so it is hard. Brands with well-considered imagery and a unique story have a head start.

What’s the difference between working on a children-focussed magazine versus an adult-focussed one?

Smallish magazine is one of the top UK titles for women with children. Every month, Estelle brings together a smart and engaging assortment of articles and information for busy mums like me.

I have turned to her pages on multiple occassions for gift ideas and inspiration – and been featured in the magazine many times, too. Estelle and I sat down to talk about the pressures of putting out a monthly magazine, motherhood and the publishing market.

Not much really in terms of the editorial skill set. It’s a magazine with a target audience of aspirational women who happen to be mothers.

Where do you want to take Smallish in the future?

To be the number one UK magazine for parenting both on and offline.

www.smallishmagazine.com

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INTERVIEW / smalls

The entrepreneurs Emma-Jane Adams & Catriona Pharo There is no greater advocate of merino wool than Emma-Jane Adams. For seven days as I climbed Kilimanjaro with her, I learned everything there is to know about merino. And there is surprisingly a wealth of information to know about this special kind of wool. I’ve since had the pleasure of meeting her business parter, Catriona, and hearing more about their highend brand of merino clothing for children, called Smalls.

www.lovemysmalls.com

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You love wool. I mean, you REALLY love wool. Tell us why.

E. Yes, I am very passionate about Merino wool in particular because it has seen me through three children and countless trips up and down mountains, skiing, sleeping and I know from first hand experience that it is truly wonderful. It’s funny when you meet people who have tried or used merino themselves – they are equally (almost) as excitable about it.

The fact is, it’s machine washable (without shrinking), it’s environmentally friendly (it biodegrades and comes from a very renewable happy and cute resource), and it’s totally what we are all about, which is buying less and choosing well. This may sound like a first world privilege reserved for those with bigger budgets, but it just isn’t. All this fast fashion and cheap quick product is a false economy.

Our products last, so you buy one or two and that’s it, there is no need for more vests or more pyjamas or more basics and you can hand them down.

Smalls go with everything, so you are able to dip in and out of fast fashion, but not be slave to it and at least reduce your contribution to that ever-growing freakishly high mountain of clothing growing somewhere on our planet out of our sight!

There is also the huge benefit of wearing a natural fibre next to your skin, and in particular your child’s skin. We harp on about synthetic fibres being bad for the environment and not breathable, but did you know your skin actually absorbs those synthetic chemicals within the fibres? Any kind of softening agent and plastics are absorbed, even though minimal, wouldn’t you rather not?! (My son’s school trousers are proudly promoted as being from recycled plastic bottles … WHAT?!)

Almost as much as you love wool, you dislike the word Mumpreneur. What are your feelings about this?

E: It’s probably my own issue, but I feel the M word belittles what Cat and I have achieved with our business. Why should we be labelled any differently to an ordinary everyday entrepreneur because we also happen have kids? So do a lot of people! I don’t see fathers being labelled Dadpreneurs.

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expertise and had them oversee the production for us. We made sure the factory had excellent EMA standards as it also meant a lot for us to be supporting a small community. We have learnt so much over the past 4 years about all aspects of production, so feel like experts now in relation to where we were at the beginning of this process.

What have you found to be the toughest aspect of running your own business?

C: The hardest thing for us has been juggling time. At the start we were both working hard, looking after three children each and trying to start a business. Actually, this is still the case!

Emma is focusing on Smalls full time now and we discuss everything, including when we can fit in some ‘friend time’. Starting a business is new to us both, so we are learning on the job. And laughing a lot with it (crying only occasionally).

We have a good role model in Emma’s husband, James, who is an entrepreneur himself and is a London Business School entrepreneurship mentor. We always feel like we are going on Dragons’ Den when we present an idea or ask advice from him.

What has been the biggest high so far?

C: We are still in the early days so we know there will still be many hills to climb (literally) and bottles of champagne to pop. Our two best moments so far were receiving our very first samples and walking out of Selfridges as a new brand, with an exclusive order coming our way. We haven’t looked back!

Winning the Overall Best Product award at the Little London Awards was also amazing and surreal. After thinking we had missed out on any award and then being announced as overall winners at the end of the ceremony was incredible. We even got to have a photo with Caprice. We still laugh at the our face-breaking smiles in photos at the party afterwards.

Our two best moments so far were receiving our very first samples and walking out of Selfridges as a new brand, with an exclusive order coming our way.

We haven’t looked back!

When was the moment that you decided to open a merino wool clothing company aimed at the luxury market?

E: Standing in Cat’s kitchen having a glass of wine, I remember it very clearly: “We could call it Smalls,” Cat said and that was that. Smalls was born out of the need to dress our own children.

How have you divided the responsibilities of running a business?

C: Over the years we have naturally fallen into roles that we find we are better at. If there is a particular task or project, one of us will run it and the other will support. It’s amazing how we have such different and complementary skills (and very fortunate for us both). As we’re both juggling families, work and Smalls, our individual workloads are ever changing depending on who has more time. As mothers we seem to be constantly juggling with all the balls in the air at once. It’s tricky, but somehow it works (not without sacrificing a great deal of sleep) and eventually everything gets done. Somehow though, the To Do list seems to be ever increasing, never decreasing.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who are looking to start their first business with a friend?

C. Do it! Take the step, don’t doubt yourselves. It is true, there is no such thing as an original idea; however, as a good friend told us, “no one will be doing it the way you will approach it, and that is what makes your idea or product unique”. It is going to be much harder work than you ever thought it would be. It’s important to keep remembering why you are doing it and it needs to be something you really love, otherwise you won’t find the energy to keep going when it gets tough.

Lay out the parameters for ownership etc. legally from the outset, so there’s never any room for confusion or anxiety. Start as you mean to go on. Get your business systems in place as soon as humanly possible, so that when things do eventually get busy, you are ready and organised!

Listen to the experts and don’t be afraid to ask advice of people who are already running their own business. We have had so much amazing first hand advice from people that has been invaluable. Generally people are so happy to help and offer advice. Everyone in business has been where you are now.

Be brave, be prepared. Check and check again! Try and keep it fun and make sure you keep laughing together – whatever happens.

How did you go about finding the right clothing producer to make your products to your standards?

What’s next for Smalls?

C: This was so important for us and took a great deal of research.

Em and I are both totally new to this business, so it was a huge initial learning curve, but we knew what we wanted and what our ideals were.

The fabric had to be the best quality, traceable, ethically and sustainably produced, and from the world’s best producer of Merino, New Zealand.

For our first run we were lucky that our fabric manufacturer worked closely with a specialist factory in Fiji, so we took advantage of their

E. We’re looking forward to growing slowly internationally, as well as increasing steadily in our home market. Merino education is our biggest challenge and we are working hard again this year with the Campaign for Wool to raise awareness. We really feel there will be a tipping point; it is already beginning to happen and our goal is to be at the forefront of that. We will continue to grow our range and have lots of exciting ideas in the pipeline. Baby and Adult ranges are launching this year.

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INTERVIEW / Alice Thorpe

The dancer Alice Thorpe Over the past 10 years, Funky Moves has organically become one of London’s top street dance companies, with classes in Notting Hill, Wimbledon, Norbury and Wandsworth. My own daughter is an avid fan and now has a better arsenal of moves than I did when I used to wear Skidz and dance to MC Hammer. I spoke with Alice about how she decided to open Funky Moves and the challenges of running the business.

funkymovesdance.com

What was your path to becoming a professional dancer?

My passion for dance started at 3 years old when I went to my first ballet class. I was hooked and remember vividly saying to my parents that when I was dancing I felt so happy. This is a feeling that has lasted throughout my life and so it was an easy decision to make dancing into my career. I went to a very creative school that encouraged the performing arts and following your dreams. My family was also very supportive and, at one point, when I had a wobble and was thinking of giving up dancing, my brother gave me a stern talking to saying how lucky I was that I had a talent for something creative that I could make a career out of and that I should just go for it. So I applied to do a dance degree and went to Middlesex where I worked hard for a first class honours in Dance Performance followed by a scholarship to London Contemporary Dance School.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Being a professional dancer is such a mixed bag of amazing experiences and it’s the variety that I have loved. From dancing with fabulous groups of people in various contemporary companies, to performing in a Zebra catsuit and head at Twickenham Stadium, to being in Calvin Harris’ ‘The Girls’ music video. It’s the many different experiences that have been the best thing about it.

How did you get the idea of starting Funky Moves?

With all the amazing work you get as a dancer, there are also many in-between times where you are auditioning and waiting for the next job to come up. To fill these times you need part-time jobs, that are flexible and earn you enough money to live. I wanted to still do the thing that I loved in-between my performance jobs rather than uninspiring part-time work. I had no money to start a business, so I called in many favours and built a simple website and designed a logo and flyers and then just said yes to every teaching opportunity that arose. Very quickly I completely fell in love with teaching and also with running a company. The brand and the identity became more and more established and with that the company and the popularity quickly grew. As it got bigger, I realised it was an amazing opportunity to look after other dancers who were in the same position as me with many part-time jobs that they potentially didn’t enjoy. I would train the teachers up in the Funky Moves way and they became our fabulous Funky Family! It just all felt so right and maintaining being very genuine about our passion for teaching kids dance meant the company has always had a very solid and soulful feeling about it.

What is the gender mix in the classes?

When I first started the company it was 99% girls. I am so happy to say that many of our classes are now 50/50. It is one of the biggest shifts I have seen over the last 10 years and it is so great that dancing is so much more accepted for boys these days. If you can dance, you are the coolest kid in the class.

What is the biggest challenge of running your business?

I guess the biggest challenge in the beginning was doing everything myself. Then when it grew bigger, it was the amount of hours that I worked. Due to the general load of weekday classes and weekend parties, I would often work 7 days per week and start very early with the management side of the business and finish late after teaching. I wouldn’t have changed it though, as I loved every second of building the company into what it is today. I now have two other directors, Holly and Jess, who are completely incredible and it is so lovely to be taking the company to the next level with my Funky Management Team. I have just had my second baby, so they have been running the company and I am forever grateful that I have such a wonderful, loyal, creative team who are so passionate about Funky Moves.

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INTERVIEW / julia boggio

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Rachel Riley: I would love to know your version of the most difficult photoshoot you have experienced!

JB:It doesn’t always go smoothly. Sometimes you get the newborn baby that won’t sleep or the toddler that wants to grizzle. Thankfully, it tends to be the exception rather than the rule. As a photographer and mother, I have a pretty good arsenal of tools to use when trying to get the best out of children.

Jessica King: How has being a mother changed the way you approach your business?

JB: Motherhood has made me learn to switch off and focus on what matters in life. When I am with my daughter, I try not to spend my time on my iPhone or checking my emails. I try to focus my attention on her, playing games, reading books or going outdoors. I see too many parents giving technology or their work more attention than their kids and I don’t want to be like that. I’m not saying I’m perfect in any way and there are times when I’ve failed to do this, but at least the intention and the awareness are there.

Linda McLean: What made you decide to photograph children? They are hardly the easiest of subjects to work with!

JB: I’m starting to notice a common theme in some of these questions.

Ha ha! As the old adage goes, “never work with children or animals” and yet I do both. I think I enjoy working with children because, at present, that’s the stage of life at which I am personally. My daughter is a constant inspiration to me. I love to take pictures of her – the annual Family Books are a testament to that. And I’m excited to have a blue one soon to photograph, too. Perhaps as they grow older my interests will change. It’s likely. I can already see that my focus has changed since I began my company ten years ago. Only time will tell.

From Smalls: What do you think of the word Mumpreneur and is it a word you would use to describe yourself?

JB: I’m not a fan of the word. I think it’s another label that gave journalists a new hook to write a slew of articles about mums having entrepreneurial ideas. It makes the businesses that mothers start sound cutesy and less serious than big daddy businesses. I’ve had to deal with enough sexism in the photography industry; I don’t need to deal with it from entrepreneurs, too.

Alice Thorpe: What’s your favourite kind of shoot and why?

The photographer Julia boggio I’ve been a photographer for over 10 years, working with people of all ages to create amazing portraits, with clients that include royalty, celebrities and lovely families across London and the world.

Here are the questions that these fabulous ladies in the UK children’s industry had for me.

www.boggiostudios.com

JB: Right now, I’m really enjoying the Fine Art Portrait shoots and coming up with new and beautiful ideas to offer, like the Menagerie Shoot. The great thing about being a photographer is that my interests should constantly evolve. If I kept doing the same thing over and over, then I would stagnate creatively.

Estelle Lee: What do we want from photography in an age where the phone has become the camera documenting our daily lives?

JB: I believe what families want is something that they can’t possibly take themselves: beautifully lit – whether it’s on location or in a studio, nicely posed – even if it’s a natural moment the photographer often influences this, and, most importantly, with all of them in it. I have many photographs of my husband and daughter having a whale of a time on holiday, which is why I hired a professional photographer when we went to Mauritius last year to take some pictures of us together. If people can’t see the difference between what I do and what they can do on their phones, then I’m really in the wrong business. But I’d be seriously surprised if they genuinely couldn’t see it. By looking at our Family Books, it actually illustrates this very answer in print, as it combines my professional images with the client’s snaps, including iPhone images. The difference is pretty clear; however, both have a place in the life of a family.

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LOCATION SHOOT / Places to take your children in London

Hat and Dress by Wolf and Rita; Tights by H&M; Shoes by Marks and Spencers 70

LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

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Words, styling & photographY

by Julia Boggio

London

GEMS

Whether you are just visiting or whether you’ve lived here all your life, there is always something new to discover in London. It’s one of the most walkable cities in the world and full of hidden gems for children.

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LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

Live Street Art Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel The Graffiti Tunnel is definitely one of our favourites. It’s like a street museum, where the art changes almost daily. It is a bit dark and sometimes there can be unsavoury smells, but it’s worth the trip. The atmosphere has always been friendly and non-threatening when we’ve been there. In fact, when we went to take this photograph, there was a guerilla rap video being filmed just next to where we were shooting. Always something interesting!

Closest station: Waterloo tube/train

Dress and Socks by Beau Loves; Hat by Caroline Bosmans; Shoes by Doc Martens 72

LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

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Double decker tea Afternoon Tea with a Twist If you are looking for a fun and interesting way to do afternoon tea, forget the stuffy old-style restaurants. Do it on a double decker routemaster instead. BB Bakery runs a bus tour around London that will have your little ones squealing with delight (age 6+ only). From first hand experience I can tell you that their cakes are sinfully delicious and they do a mean cup of rooibos tea. They also do an Afternoon Tea Boat Tour or you can order your tea to go in a picnic basket to enjoy in the outdoor space of your choice. And if you are in Covent Garden, their flagship shop is there, waiting to give you a soothing cuppa.

Bus tour phone: 020 3026 1188 / Website: www.bbbakery.co.uk / Shop: 6-7 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4HU

Dress by Little Wardrobe London; Tights by H&M; Shoes by Mini Melissa 73

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LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

Small car, big city Mini Tours A friend recommended a tour of London with Small Car, Big City. It’s pretty much the most British way you can see the sites, in the comfy confines of a beautifully refurbished Mini Cooper. Our tour guide, Jay, gave us excellent historical facts about London as we drove around that will definitely come in handy at the next pub quiz. And even though both James and I have lived in London for almost 20 years, Jay managed to teach us something new. One of our favourites was the door that often doubles as the front of Downing Street in films (like Love Actually). It’s not where you would think it is! The car can fit 3 passengers and Jay was great at engaging my daughter’s attention as well.

Website: smallcarbigcity.com

Shirt by Zadig & Voltaire; Pink undershirt by Smalls; Skirt by Caroline Bosmans; Shoes by Reveal; Jacket by Marks & Spencers archive 74

LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

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Landmarks Big Ben, Parliament If you only have one day in London, this is the area to cover. There are so many important British monuments and historical landmarks close to Big Ben, like St James Park, 10 Downing Street, Horseguards Parade, the War Rooms, the Mall and Buckingham Palace.

Unfortunately, to get an actual tour of Big Ben, you need to be a UK resident and sponsored by a member of one of the Houses.

Closest station: Westminster tube

Skirt by Bobo Choses; Shirt by Blune Paris; Shoes by Zara Kids; Glasses & socks Stylist’s own.

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LOCATION SHOOT / Places to take your children in London

Culture Southbank Southbank is a densely packed centre of culture, containing theatres, museums, restaurants, pop-ups, street performers and even a skate park. It’s the perfect place to go after you’ve finished exploring the more historical sites across the river. There are often free family activities going on at the National Theatre or on the ground floor of the OXO Towers. Continue walking and you’ll eventually get to the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe.

Closest station: Waterloo tube/train

T-Shirt with tie detail by Babe & Tess; Blue top by No Added Sugar; Trousers by Munster; Sunglasses by Molo archive; Shoes by Superf it 76

LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

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Hyde Park The Serpentine and Hyde Park We are lucky to have so many beautiful outdoor spaces in London and none has more to offer for families than Hyde Park. In the summer, the Serpentine is the perfect place to go for a paddle or row around the lake. Bring a picnic and visit the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground.

You can even have a horse ride with Ross Nye Stables.

If you are feeling particularly adventurous, seek out the Victorian Pet Cemetery. Tours must be booked through Royal Parks Website: www.royalparks.org.uk.

Closest station: Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Knightsbridge, Kensington High Street, Queensway, Lancaster Gate

Shorts by Bellerose; Swimsuit and headband by Bobo Choses; Shoes by Miss Riot; Sunglasses by Zoobug 77

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LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

Treasure hunting Geocaching This is probably one of our absolute favourite things to do as a family, not just in London, but anywhere in the world. Geocaching is like treasure hunting.

You simply download the app from the App Store (there is a fee for the full version, which we think is worth it) and check the map for any geocaches that are near your position. You then follow the hints to find the cache, but be careful not to let any of the Muggles know what you are doing! Discretion is key. Geocaching is brilliant because you can do it anywhere (except the Royal Parks, which don’t have any caches). You’ll be amazed at how quickly it becomes addictive and at how much the kids enjoy the secrecy of it.

Skirt by The Animals Observatory; Leotard by Hello Simone; Boots by Hunter; Cat ear socks by Emile et Ida 78

LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

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Foodie market Borough Market Our daughter loves Borough Market. It’s the perfect place to discover new flavours and explore old favourites. Like her parents, our little one seems to be turning into a bit of a foodie. She drank watermelon juice and ate a spicy salami as we wandered around the market during our shoot. For some reason I have yet to understand, she turned down a free sample of chocolate brownie.

But hey, whatever floats her boat. The full market is open from Wednesday to Saturday, with the latter being the busiest day.

Closed on Sundays.

Website: boroughmarket.org.uk Closest station: London Bridge

Jacket by Au Jour Le Jour; Shirt by Bobo Choses; Leggings by OshKosh; Shoes by Zara Kids 79

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LOCATION SHOOT / LONDON GEMS

also recommended

STOCKISTS www.the-mini-edit.com www.littlewardrobelondon.co.uk en.smallable.com www.alexandalexa.com www.theweedepartmentstore.co.uk www.childrensalon.com www.millymog.com www.childsplayclothing.co.uk www.cambridgebaby.co.uk www.littlesunflowers.com

V&A “I always loved to take my children to the museums in London – there is something for everyone, children at any age, and parents, too. My favourite one is the V&A and they always loved the Science Museum with all the ‘hands-on’ exhibits that they could touch and participate in. Of course, everyone’s favourite is the Natural History museum and our whole family could get lost in there for hours!” www.vam.ac.uk

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Daunt Books “I love taking the kids to Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street. It feels how a book shop should, and the wood paneling and glass ceiling makes it all that more nostalgic. The kids see it as a treat to go in and browse through the children’s section, we sit and read a bit if we have time, and each gets a book to take home. After that it’s an ice cream or hot chocolate in the Paddington Green playground just off Marylebone High Street.

Richmond Park “Our favourite place to go in London is Richmond Park because our 7 and 4 year old girls love being outside exploring, no matter what the weather is doing. We go there to cycle, climb trees, play football, have picnics, fly kites & roll down hills!”

Heather Waghorn, Personal Trainer

Rachel Riley, Designer

Emma-Jane Adams, Merino Entrepreneur

Kew Gardens “I have three girls aged 12, 9 and 6. Our favourite place to go in London as a family is Kew Gardens. We probably go 4-5 times a year and every time we go it’s a different experience, changing with the seasons.

Time seems to slow down once you walk through the gates.

We always take a picnic, warm weather or cold and in the summer months, spend hours lounging in the soft grass. www.kew.org

Pollocks Toy Museum “Pollocks Toy Museum encapsulates everything for me about childhood. Having been taken there as a child myself and soaked up all its theatrical glory, I was thrilled to be able to take my children there, too. It’s like stepping back in time – every item is from a bygone age: from tiny little paper-layered theatres to puppets and dolls. It’s a whole beautiful tiny world full of all things pre-computer.

And for me that is heaven.”

The Science Museum “Our favourite place has to be The Science Museum. As well as the space section and vehicles, we can literally spend hours in The Garden in the basement (particularly with the water and giant Lego) and in Launch Pad on the 3rd floor. We also love The Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park. It’s a place designed specifically for children and has something for all ages, from the amazing pirate ship to musical instruments and there’s a spinning bowl that grown ups can’t resist having a go on. Go on a sunny day and take a picnic and that’s your whole day sorted.”

Catriona Pharo, Merino Entrepreneur

Becky Seager, Stylist

Katy Wey, Party Pirate

0844 880 3580

purpledragonplay.com

Boggio Studios – The Luxury Photography Company T. +44 (0) 20 7042 9777 / E. smile@boggiostudios.com Based in Wimbledon www.boggiostudios.com