6 minute read

MAMA MUSE

from Mini Magazine Spring 2019, Claire Holt

from Mini Magazine Spring 2019, Claire Holt, page 82

MAMA AND ME

Supermodel Karolina Kurkova has been a force in the fashion world for decades, but now this supermom is branching out into the world of kids and baby with her children’s wellness line, Gryph & IvyRose, as well as a new collab with baby gear brand CYBEX.

MINI | Thanks for inviting us into your home! Do you have a favorite room?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | The kitchen is my favorite as that’s where everything happens! It’s where we hang out, create memories, and can be one as a family. We bake, we make smoothies, or chop food, and the boys can play while I prep dinner.

MINI | Talk to us about your kids’ rooms. What are some of your favorite elements in their rooms?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | Both of my kids’ rooms are fairly simple and clean! My youngest has the CYBEX pig which is a plastic pig that’s a fun toy but also a beautiful décor piece. Marcel Wanders designs them. They both love to read so we made sure their rooms are full of books. Tobin’s favorite toy is the Playmobil. He has a lot of Playmobil soldiers and ships and a lot of military pieces. He’s my historian. Noah loves animals and has a lot of little figurines.

MINI | How did you decide on your children’s names?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | The name Tobin Jack was special to my husband as our son was named after two volunteers from a children’s home that he grew up in part-time in Florida. The two volunteers have since passed away and we wanted to honor them, and also loved the names! Noah’s name came to me while I was breastfeeding.

I love the story of Noah’s arc and I felt like it fit. Lee is Noah’s middle name and it’s also my husband’s and his father’s middle name.

MINI | We know schedules can be hectic— so tell us about yours! What does a typical day look like right now?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | I wake up between 6:45 AM and 7:00 AM when I’m home. I make myself hot water and lemon, and then I make tea for my nine-year-old with a little oat milk and honey, or I make him a smoothie with strawberries, oatmeal, banana, flax seeds, cacao nibs, and a little vegan vanilla protein powder.

For breakfast, I make them anything from scrambled eggs to bread and butter, to oatmeal to a yogurt parfait with granola and berries. Once they’re dropped off at school, I try to get some exercise in for an hour, do laundry, make phone calls. I pick up my three-year-old at noon and we go to the playground or swim for a bit. Then we head back and he watches his TV shows and I organize the house and prep for dinner. We pick up his brother around three and bring him a snack. Then we do dinner, bath, games, read, and bedtime. After they’re asleep, I tidy up and finish some work.

MINI | What do you think about the idea of “having it all?”

KAROLINA KURKOVA | I think the idea of having it all is possible if you are willing to give in in certain places at certain times, but that obviously varies day to day. Having it all means something different to everyone. For me, I feel fortunate to have a family and be able to do what I love and I never take that for granted.

MINI | What has surprised you most about motherhood?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | It’s how much love you can have for a human being. When I had my first, I thought there was no way I would be able to love a second one as much, but I love both so intensely, so deeply, so profoundly. That really surprised me. Women have such a gift— we multi-task, endure, and take on so much.

MINI | How has motherhood changed you?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | There is nothing that would replace the happiness and the connection and relationship with my kids. Of course I want to do things— I want to create; it’s just my nature to be creative and proactive and learn and explore. That’s important, but not for a full cost of not having a good relationship with my children. I need to be there for them when it really matters, or when they really need me. I love seeing my kids and all their moments that they have, whether good or bad, sad or happy. It’s beautiful to be there and guide them.

MINI | What is your greatest parenting worry?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | My greatest fear would be them getting hurt badly, or sick. The rest you can just kind of figure out and learn from.

MINI | What is most important to you in raising your children?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | Their happiness is what’s most important. I also find it so important to teach them to have good manners and values. I want them to be healthy, compassionate, understanding, and loving.

MINI | Give us the rundown on your CYBEX collab. How did the partnership come to be?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | I instantly connected with the founder, Martin Pos, because we’re both Czech. We realized there were kids’ mobility products missing from the market that were both stylish and sustainable, along with being safe, so we worked together to collaborate on this line with these factors in mind. We chose a timeless color and used recycled yarns and fabrics. I love that this line is so full of love— we even included a little red lip on the products to symbolize this.

MINI | Looking back to those first few days as a new mom, what would you tell yourself?

KAROLINA KURKOVA | In the first few days, I learned that that it will just keep getting better and more fun, but also harder. Being a mother has made me stronger!