With Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece

Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece is a master of the arts, but not in the way you’d expect. When she’s not performing her royal duties, or taking care of her five children, she’s crafting delicious meals in her kitchen, and giving advice on the best cooking ingredients or the most festive holiday décor. Beyond her culinary and home improvement skills, however, lies a unique passion for baby-fashion. Her brand, named Marie-Chantal, offers traditional clothing for babies and kids, combining preppy and playful, modern and elegant.

Here’s our conversation with this amazing mother, and fashion designer, who talked with us about her brand, her beauty, her daily life, and her inspiration.

I wanted to create a brand that had everything. A pretty girls’ line from casual wear to party wear, a fun boys’ line and a beautiful baby collection.

BWB: What was the inspiration for starting the line in 2001 and what did you feel was missing in the marketplace?

When I was pregnant with my third child, I was always going from shop to shop – from casual wear, to formal wear, from tops to bottoms. I was always running around picking up what I loved from different places. I wanted to create a brand that had everything. A pretty girls’ line from casual wear to party wear, a fun boys’ line and a beautiful baby collection. I thought it would be a great idea to offer a gorgeous range for children that encompassed everything children might need in their wardrobes day to day. Our collections are sold across three global channels: retail, wholesale and online – we have two boutiques, a UK and a US website as well as being stocked in Harrods and Selfridges.

We design our children’s collections to celebrate the heritage and nostalgia of childhood – beautifully crafted clothes that children enjoy wearing.

BWB: Can you give us a few words that describe the Marie-Chantal brand best?

At Marie-Chantal our aim is to curate children’s wardrobes to inspire stylish mothers and children. We design our children’s collections to celebrate the heritage and nostalgia of childhood – beautifully crafted clothes that children enjoy wearing. The words that describe our brand are nostalgic, traditional, quality, approachable and playful.

BWB: What inspired your latest collection?

For this Spring/Summer collection I was inspired by the freshness and vibrant energy of spring – I love to see the signs of spring bursting through, blowing away the winter drabness. We have gorgeous heritage Liberty prints and subtle stripes in cool blues and summer greens. Our baby collection has soft summer knits and delicate prints. It’s all wonderfully exciting!

Life with a big family is always an adventure and my happiest moments are spending time with my children and husband.

BWB: What do you do to carve out time for yourself after work and taking care of your five children!

I prioritise. My family comes first before anything. I always try and strike a balance between work and my family. I’m a great delegator at work and have a fantastic team in the office I can rely on. I keep social engagements to a minimum and try my best to create a healthy home environment. It’s important to be there for them but also to create a work ethic and set examples. Life with a big family is always an adventure and my happiest moments are spending time with my children and husband.

BWB: Describe a typical day in London for you.

Up at seven making breakfast, something healthy/ yummy for the children and getting my two youngest Odysseas and Aristide ready for school. My day is often spent with the team. We are on tight schedules for the next collection so they keep me focused. If I have a break in the day I am always working on new ideas for my blog. I wanted to create a lifestyle blog for mothers, a place where they can find creative ideas for children’s rooms, delicious and healthy kid-friendly recipes as well as arts and crafts and exhibitions. Everything on the MC Blog has an MC twist. I have had a phenomenal response from my followers, which is very encouraging. Then it’s home for the kids to get their dinner ready. We usually dine out two nights a week.

I also try to get to the gym at least three times a week and adore Barrecore.

BWB: What is your wellness routine in London? When you’re traveling?

If I have the time I’ll go spinning before work, I just love spinning and loud music. I also try to get to the gym at least three times a week and adore Barrecore. I love to draw, paint and cook in my free time. Not to mention clean house and reorganize – that’s my form of meditation. I’m a Virgo – I love my exercise, cooking and being creative.

We also love going out to the country on weekends to ride horses – it’s so good to get some fresh air! I play with the kids and keep just as busy during my downtime as during the week. Five children even as teenagers are just as, if not more demanding as babies!

I’ve been a fan of Dr. Lancer from Los Angeles for 15 years as well as Crème de la Mer

BWB: What is your beauty routine? Can you share some of your favorite brands?

For me it’s all about my hair – if it looks good then I’m happy. For my beauty regime I don’t do too much, I keep it simple; wash my face with a good cleanser and moisturise, put on some bronzer and a lip gloss and I’m ready to go. I’ve been a fan of Dr. Lancer from Los Angeles for 15 years as well as Crème de la Mer. I also drink about 2 litres a day of water and try to eat healthy.

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BWB: What are your favorite places in London?

London constantly inspires me – it’s never still and that’s why I like it. Heritage, history and culture – it’s one of the best cities to live in. It is wonderful having access to the latest art exhibitions, theatres and museums. I also love the Royal Academy of Arts, so I always tell people to visit it when they are in London. There is always something super interesting going on there.

The Tim Taylor Gallery and Hamilton’s Gallery in Mayfair are my two favorite art galleries; their exhibitions are so inspiring.

London is really child friendly, and there is so much to do that kids can never get bored and you can take them everywhere. Battersea Park is so beautiful and not as hectic as Hyde Park. My children love the Battersea Park Zoo. For eating out, we love to go to Yauatcha, River Café, and the Fire House.