TOPAZ HORIZON: Topaz Talks to Nichole and Stacey of Honeycomb Children's Clothing

Sunday, October 02, 2016

Topaz Talks to Nichole and Stacey of Honeycomb Children's Clothing

I'm so thrilled about this month's Topaz Talks because I get to share with you, my dear Loyal Readers, two of the most hardworking mothers I know. Meet Stacey Lato and Nichole Mercado, sisters, stylistas, and the women behind the brand for all things cute and chic, Honeycomb Children's Clothing.

Honeycomb is all about fun and stylish clothes for kids 9 months to 7 years old. The styles are inspired by Nikki and Stacey's own kids, their love for fashion, and the shopping they do all over the world. But the clothes aren't just all about looking good, they feel good, too. Comfortable and durable, these outfits will be enjoyed by kids whether at playtime or at fancy affairs.

Today, I have a little chat with Nikki and Stacey so we can get a little peek into their lives as moms in fashion retail. Although Nikki is my good friend, we hardly ever talk about work! For example, although I celebrated Nikki's business venture last year, I actually didn't know why she did it. I just simply accepted it as part of the amazing things my amazing friend does. I really ought to set aside time from my crazy kids and spend an afternoon with my friends again! Our lives are passing by so fast and I'm not fully aware of what's happening in their lives!

Anyway, here's my little chat with these inspiring women. Listen in!

The shopping has improved a lot in Manila. Why did you start a clothing line for kids?

Stacey: My sister and I have always wanted to work on something together. We’re both moms who enjoy dressing our kids up in stylish and unique outfits. We decided to have clothes made for our own children and share these styles with other kids as well.

Nichole: We also really wanted to create interesting pieces that were suitable for playtime but had more flair. Clothes that are fashionable, but still very youthful and practical.

How's it like working with your sister? What is your position and what do you do?

Stacey: Working with my sister is the best! There’s a feeling of security knowing I can trust my partner in the business.

Nichole: It can be crazy, but also crazy wonderful! I completely trust my sister, and that’s very important in business. Plus, we’re both moms and we get that our kids will always come first no matter what. We get to schedule our workday around our children’s schedules, and that’s definitely not something I’d be able to do if I were working with someone else. No one else would understand that I could only take meetings during school hours or that I could only go fabric sourcing while my son’s napping. I’m very lucky to have her as my business partner.

As for our positions in the company, we just like to call ourselves co-owners. We really aren’t into fancy titles. Our company is still fairly new so it’s important to us that we learn the ins and outs of this business together so we could properly set the direction of the company together as well.

What are the challenges of being a working mom? What do you enjoy about it?

Stacey: What’s difficult about being a working mom is that there are inescapable instances when I have to be out and leave the kids. I sometimes feel left out when the family did something fun without me. Another challenge is lack of sleep. I usually work late at night, when the kids are all asleep.

But what I enjoy about it is seeing the products of our hard work. I’m so happy when I see our designs worn by beautiful children, knowing that our clothes became part of a memorable event in their lives. Lastly, I enjoy working with my sister, Honeycomb is my excuse to call and see her.

Nichole: Trying to stay focused on one thing is definitely challenging. I work from home most of the time, so there tends to be a lot of interruptions. I try my best to give my full concentration when I’m working, but when my son’s begging me to play with him I just don’t want to ignore him either.

What I love about being a working mom is the life balance. I have time with my child and my adult time, too. I find that working allows me to maintain and nurture my sense of self.

You are both so stylish. How do you plan your outfits considering you're working women and moms?

Stacey: Getting ready in the morning is something that I look forward to every day. Whether I have plans of being out of the house or not, I make sure that I pick out an outfit that will make me feel good, put on some make-up, and fix my hair. To make outfit planning easier during weekdays, I usually put out all possible outfits for the week during the weekends. This gives me fewer options to choose from on busy weekdays.

Nichole: There’s not a lot of pre-planning on my part. I just wear whatever I feel like wearing for that day. It could be a silk skirt or a pair of jeans, but it’s important that I always look polished! Even if I’ll just be working from home that day or running errands, I always make it a point to slip into something nice and put on makeup. It makes me more inspired and energized to be productive.

What are your plans for Honeycomb Children’s Clothing?

Stacey: We have a lot of upcoming styles scheduled for release. We are also starting to add children’s accessories in our shop. Plus, bazaar season is just around the corner.

Nichole: Right now, we have a pop-up store in Power Plant Mall, but we’d love to have our own shop eventually. It’s great that our web-shop makes us accessible all around the world, but having a physical store will help our customers appreciate the products even more.

Thanks so much, Stacey and Nikki!

Honeycomb Children's Clothing is currently on sale. I love these marked-down dresses. I wish they made them in my size! (Please make them in my size, Nikki!)

Georgina dress, P650

Lily dress, P650

Ramona skirt, P380

Riley shorts and jacket, P750

Buzz on over to their online beehive (www.honeycombkids.com.ph) to shop shop shop! You can also follow them on Instagram and Twitter (@honeycombkidsph for both accounts), and like their Facebook page, Honeycomb Kids Ph.