Mama said there’d be days like this. While the days the Shirelles were singing about long ago may not have been spent sheltering in place, I’ve been finding a sense of calm during the COVID-19 pandemic in similar words of wisdom from my own mother. In the spirit of mothers knowing best, I reached out to Rebecca Hessel Cohen, the super-stylish supermom and founder of LoveShackFancy, the effortlessly chic fashion label that has grown into an international home-and-lifestyle brand.
Things have come full circle for Cohen, who got her start dyeing dresses by hand with her mother in their Hamptons backyard. Nowadays she’s imparting her wisdom to her own two daughters while they’re staying home, building dollhouses from floral-print boxes, crafting bows, and, of course, teaching them the art of tie-dye. The ultimate hostess is trying to extract only the positive from these chaotic times, making the most of the days she wouldn’t otherwise have spent at home with her husband and daughters.
Below, Cohen shares with ELLE Decor how she’ll be spending her Mother’s Day this year and how you can make the most of it, even in lockdown.
ELLE Decor: Mother’s Day is around the corner—what are your plans for the day?
Rebecca Hessel Cohen: My husband and daughters usually treat me to a special breakfast in bed. In most years we would be celebrating at my mom’s home in Bridgehampton, where we’d have a delicious brunch in this adorable little garden shed that we’d fill with flowers if the weather allowed. We love to fill the house with flowers and our favorite foods.
ED: For everyone staying at home this year, what are the key components for an ideal Mother’s Day tablescape?
RHC: I love to lay a mixture of antique china, floral-print linen napkins, tablecloths, and placemats. Meri Meri is our go-to for all the fun and nostalgic cups and napkins when entertaining with the kids as well. And of course an abundance of flowers—the prettiest tulips, roses, and baby’s breath. I love spring flowers with plenty of color; there should be lots of yellow, mint green, and the brightest pinks.
ED: What else are you doing these days while you’re all at home?
RHC: We’ve gone back to our roots of hand-dipping and tie-dyeing fabrics at home. I spent so much time doing this when I first launched LoveShackFancy! It has been fun to go back and do it again with my girls now. I use our forever favorite fuchsia dye and local flowers that emit color.
ED: Any advice on how people can keep things as close to normal as possible?
RHC: I think we have found a harmony in all of this that is quite wonderful. My husband, Todd, grocery shops and cooks; I help the girls with their schoolwork. We find happiness in the simple things, like taking a stroll with the girls to pick flowers for the table. We come together every evening for a family dinner. And when I can, I like to take a long walk during the day, for my sanity. My savored nightly ritual is a glass—or bottle—of Pinot Noir.
ED: Is there anything new in the works for your home line?
RHC: I’m so excited for our second home collection—there will be lots more prints and colors for the tabletop in placemats, napkins, and runners. Also, we’ve just launched the most divine and cozy quilts, which work so well for entertaining with the family outside.
ED: Are there any other projects you can share with us?
RHC: We’ve recently been creating face masks in jacquard fabrics, with ribbon trim and a bow, to donate to the health-care workers on the front lines. We are producing them locally in Palm Beach, employing seamstresses who have lost their businesses in the pandemic. We’ve been posting on Instagram and asking our community to tag someone who needs a mask, and then sending them on. The response has been overwhelming. I had not realized that so many of our fans are nurses—they have been messaging me to tell me that when they’re not in their scrubs, they are wearing our dresses. I hope our masks can bring a smile to someone’s face in this difficult time.
