The Moms

Jennie Hearing

Fashion DesignerPhotography by Lauri LevenfeldStory by Lauri Levenfeld

Today is a super treat! I am not only highlighting an amazing client, Jennie Hearing of the fabulous, organic kids brand Luna Leggings, but a dear friend. A mother of three, a designer, and an entrepreneur…Jennie is someone I greatly admire for her vision, clarity, balance, harmony, and intelligence. I don’t know how she does it but Jennie not only balances her own family with such grace and care, but her community and the world around her as well. Stay here for an amazing read on creativity, sustainability, fashion, and love. And if you ever thought finding chic, eco-friendly, sustainable products a chore, you will be so pleasantly surprised with Jennie’s laundry list of incredible resources to share.

 

I am a mom to 3 amazing little buddhas, Sienna (6), Amber (almost 3), Sage (4 months) and loving wife to my truly supportive, awesome husband Arden. I am also the designer + founder of Luna Leggings.Luna Leggings are hip, fun, fashionable organic cotton tights for girls. Launched a year ago, we are now in over 75 boutiques and department stores worldwide, and on track to expand into children’s apparel (including boys!) in 2014.

Running Luna Leggings is part business, part fun! which I try to always keep in mind. Inspired by my girl’s need to wear cute + comfy tights, the business was created quite organically with my role as ‘mom’ always remaining the priority. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is ultimately important to me, and I focus to not let work interfere with family needs.An organic, environmentally-friendly, healthy lifestyle has always been a passion of mine as well. The foods we choose, the products we use, and the activities we engage in and share with our children are all important to feeling good about ourselves + as productive members of society. Living in the Bay Area we are so fortunate to have access to such amazing natural, local, sustainable food options.

I’m constantly seeking greater education and resources to support a healthy environment, and try to bring these changes to our family. I’m also passionate about travel. Although having kids has slowed down our ability to get too crazy, Arden + I are heading to Tokyo this summer for our first international children’s apparel tradeshow Playtime. A local mom, raised in Tokyo, has recently expanded our presence in this uber-cool fashion-hub. This fall Luna Leggings will be hitting the Japanese market in the high-end department store Isetan, as well as the prestigious Sakura marketplace. We are super excited to visit this amazing country to experience the amazing food + culture.

 

Where do you live…

We found Rockridge in Oakland 6 years ago and we have never been happier. It is the perfect balance between urban + suburban.

We now walk to school, the nearby lake-park, as well as our main street of shops, restaurants, and best local market ever- wild, line caught fish, local marin sun farms meats+eggs, highwire coffee roasters serving the best cappuccinos ever. It is also walkable to Bart train, just a 20 min ride into SF. You can’t beat it!

 

A few of our favorite things…

For newborns, nothing beats my fav eco-friendly Speeses. Super cute, all organic rompers and comfy throw on basic pieces with darling little screenprinted designs. Friend + founder Rachel has expanded creativity to a variety of outlets including new pieces now come from Under the Nile and Kate Quinn Organics. Also, all-wood Haba teethers and baby toys are staples, and I don’t leave home without Sage’s Sophie the Giraffe, who we’ve nicknamed ‘Gigi’. This rubber squeak toy is made of natural rubber and food grade paints.

Amber has inherited my shoe fetish! I adore the locally-based Livie+Luca with their cute styles and function rubber soles. Fashionable + functional is sometimes hard to find- Livie + Luca has both. Another staple are Natives– their color choices are gorgeous! Sienna is our artist, sitting for hours engrossed in sketching and coloring. Croquis sketchpads are a must for designing garmets, with pages of figure templates to adorn. I’m constantly inspired by the unique styles she creates! And, of course, Roominate creative design kits, created by 3 women engineers from Stanford, are the perfect tool to build 3-dimensional dollhouses that you can add your own personal style to. And last, indoor/outdoor kitchen play is an all-time fav in our family and Green Toys eco-friendly tea + chef sets are a must.

My girls are a definite mix of glitz+glam and tomboy- every day is different depending on the mood. Sienna loves to get creative, often layering Crewcut simple pieces with frilly skirts, Naartjie flowy jackets, and Luna Leggings. Amber fixates on a particular outfit – often comfy Luna Leggings and tunic tops from Tea Collection. I’m sometimes forced to wash items daily until she’s ready for a change.

We love everything Pink Chicken. Don’t miss Pink Chicken’s Fall ’13 Collection- we’re collaborating with them this fall on 3 fun, colorful fall + holiday Luna Leggings! Their ethnic-inspired prints and darling dresses, tunics, and tees are a staple for my girls!

Our girls will soon share a room so we’ve recently had bunk beds built. All our new linens come from Serena & Lily. I cannot sleep on any other sheets! The indian-inspired colorblock are my favorite.

The most important beauty regime is sleep! I find I’m choosing sleep over work more often these days. When I sleep, I can tackle even the most stressful of days. Sick kids, work deadlines, busy days- all can be handled with greater composure and patience if I’m well rested. Sleep isn’t just for feeling good, looking good, it’s important for my kids to have well rested mama.

I only use organic, chemical-free hair + body products- knowing that your skin absorbs everything I cannot imagine using anything but wholesome products on a daily basis. I love all Lush soaps, almond, coconut, and olive oils for the skin. Ecco-Bella’s Vanilla moisturizer is a staple. I won’t wear any scent with young babies at home and this provides a light fragrance that’s a perfect substitute.

As my skin ages I do find I’m seeking more intensive care for face, so I will sacrifice a little ‘naturalness’ with more enhanced facial products and make-up! There are a few staples- lip gloss, bronzer, mascara.. I’m not that strict!I opt for more casual, sensible fashion, adding a touch of polish and funk when I can….favorite designers: Dolce & Gabbana, Trish Westcoat-Pound of Haute Hippie (formally with Michael Kors and Theory), Jade Jagger for jewels. I can’t have too many skinny jeans, tees and (preferably wrinkle-free) blazers. Low-heel booties and ballet flats are also necessities. Throw on a statement piece of jewelry-dangly earrings or a pendant necklace-or a fun, print scarf, and I’m ready!

Being a good parent includes patience, respect, discipline, and fun. Again, finding a balance in this is key. I love introducing my kids to new things- new experiences, activities, knowledge. We have endless opportunities to do this in the Bay Area with the enormous array of classes, learning centers, kid-focused adventures. However, what I truly value is simplicity. I yearn to instill a belief in them that happiness + enjoyment can come from what’s already around us. We don’t always need something new, unique + ‘fun’ to do, but can appreciate and get so much from what we have right around us- pens + paper, glue, glitter, nature, time together, laughter…My husband, my best friend, my soul mate, has always been so supportive of my interests + needs. Aside from encouraging me to dive into the business, he is always right by my side to attend industry events, support travel to India, trade-shows, promote sales, and abe a trusted business advisor!

He is my biggest fan, and I love that I can always truly count on him for giving me time when I need it. At our core, we are totally in sync- lifestyle, passions, values, desires. Though we are quite different in how we handle things. I learn and I am inspired by him. He’s always taught me that we’re not victim to our natural tendencies, but that we can create our own reactions and thought processes to affect change in our lives. After 11 years together, I now understand that relationships really take hard work. We cycle and grow as individuals. But as long as we maintain love, communication, respect, and trust, and make time to really be with one another, we remain close. Not always easy! But so important to keep our connection strong so we can manage everything else in life.

 

Best advice you have been given as a mom?…

People always tell you to enjoy this time as it goes so fast! It sounds so generic but now with my oldest graduating from kindergarten and my youngest 4 months old, I truly feel this is sage advice.

I remind myself of this, esp. in harder more stressful times, and it let’s me appreciate the chaos of our day a bit more. It’s all about perspective and where you choose to focus your energy. When you focus on the positive, surround yourself with positive, inspiring people, you can create your own reality.

Luna Leggings would not have survived without my connections to and inspiration from such high-energy, super-positive people like Lauri (Awww!!), for example, among others. Seek these people out whenever possible, and weed out others that don’t add to this path.

 

Love you Jennie. You are a light! And check out Luna Leggings! All campaigns done by yours truly and Style Army, of course!

 

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2 thoughts on “Jennie Hearing

  1. Just Beautiful!! So proud of you Jennie!! You are inspiring in so many ways!! Lauri did a fantastic job capturing your fabulous family!! Lots of Love, Meg xo

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