How did you come up with the idea for Pansy? What is your mission behind Pansy?
Pansy was an idea that my friend Rachel Corry and I came up with on a road trip from the Bay to Santa Barbara. We were both sandal makers at the time and avid thrifters and almost only wore vintage. Underwear felt like the missing piece because it wasn’t something we could buy secondhand. We asked ourselves, “What if we could make the most perfect underwear that was sturdy and organic and local and checked all these boxes in our idealistic brains?” We spent the whole drive dreaming up Pansy.
Our mission at Pansy is to make the most ethical, sustainable underwear, with as much love as we can.
Your life feels so vibrant and alive, do you have suggestions as to how to incorporate vibrancy and light into your day to day?
I am very sensitive to the sun and the seasons. I think living your life with as much intention and awareness as you can helps! Going for walks outside and observing the sun and the moon and any bits of nature around you. I fall in love with every sunset. If you can incorporate growing something into your routine, even a little indoor herb plant can help ground you and make you feel connected to cycles and seasons.
I like to listen to my body and sleep in and stay up as much as I need and never set alarms. I eat whatever I crave whenever I crave it. I don’t adhere to any regimen and follow my own path when it comes to daily living. Now that I’m in my 30s, I feel like I can rest a little and all of my principles and strong opinions can mellow because I have already laid a foundation for the world I want to live in and have surrounded myself with people who love and support me and how I need to live.
Who do you lean on for teachings?
I’ve never been one to rely on anyone in particular as a mentor or guide but I love to take in new information from lots of sources and distill it for myself. Now that I’m a mother, I have entered a whole new journey that requires new skills and research and I rely on my friends to share their experiences. Even if I end up doing things differently, I love to hear stories of how other mothers have coped. It makes me feel less alone.
What do you do when you wake in the morning?
I Breastfeed my baby, who is cozy next to me in bed, and we roll around for awhile. Then I make tea and we eat breakfast. Usually sheep's yogurt and fruit.
How do you end your day?
Depending on how tired I am, I put the baby to sleep and pass out next to him or get up and work or do whatever I want for a couple hours of peace. I am a bit of a night owl.
We are so inspired by your deep appreciation and documentation of food, and would love to hear how you approach the preparation and sharing of meals.
I love food; it is my greatest pleasure. I find the natural world so beautiful and whole foods are a part of its bounty that we can bring into our homes for nourishment. I am very simple with my cooking and sometimes prefer throwing things together depending on my energy level, which since having a child has waned a little. Before the baby, making food took up most of my life and I hope as he gets older it will be something we can share.
You’re a mom with a toddler (he’s amazing!), how has that shifted your life?
In almost every way! My world has expanded to give everything to him and to help him thrive. He is over a year and half now and I can do more things away from him and give more energy to my business and self care. It's a whirlwind! Trying to run a business with a young child is extremely challenging and overwhelming.
You live in Berkeley, can you tell us a bit about your life there? A sneak peek into what a day looks like there?
We have a very quiet life in Berkeley. We get to roam around our neighborhood and never really need to get in our cars for anything except to visit friends or work in the Pansy studio.
We wake up, eat breakfast, and go on a walk around the neighborhood. I then go to my studio for a couple hours while our baby plays with his Dad. I come home and nap the baby and try to get some work done and eat lunch while he naps. We typically go to the park before the sun sets and then play, walking to our local natural grocer and picking up food for dinner. We then cook and eat and start over again.
