When Damasia launched her jewellery brand, Daphine, in 2018, her baby Félix was only two months old. She combines the life of a young mother, entrepreneur, active woman, add new identities as she goes along. Hailing from Argentina, she met a French husband in the United States, and came to settle in England. She’s a modern woman who designs jewels between the past and present. A passionate woman, who transmits her love for beautiful materials, heritage, and upcycling to her son Félix. 

You are Argentinian, lived in New York, where you met your French husband, and now live in London. How does this multiculturalism take shape in your life?

We read English books to Félix, dance to Latin music, watch French cartoons and follow a very strict American schedule with his nap and bedtime! We are quite strict with language, so I only speak to him in Spanish and Guillaume, my husband, speaks to him in French. He speaks English in nursery only.

Who, or what, is Daphine?

Daphine is my second child! I launched the brand with Philippine, my business partner in 2018, the same year that Felix was born. I call them my twins! Daphine offers timeless jewellery inspired by the collections of our mothers and grandmothers. We look to the past for everything we design and like to say that we’re inspired by heritage but always make sure it resonates with today’s woman – much like giving classic design a contemporary new lease of life.

How do you manage to manage both motherhood and work?

When I started Daphine, Felix was only 2 months old, so for the first year my office was at home. We started the business from my flat in London which was great at the time but stressful, and almost impossible, to try to manage both worlds at the same time. Daphine has grown up since then, so I work in an office. I try to separate office and family life as much as possible. Although this means I see less of Felix, for me it is now about quality more than quantity. I make sure that when I spend time with him I am 100% focused on him – and I try to minimise distractions.

What do you think of kid’s fashion in London?

I live in Notting Hill which has the nicest kids’ shops – Caramel, La Coqueta, Bonton to name a few. So, for me, shopping is always the traditional weekend stroll, strolling through the stores to see what’s new. For Felix, I shop brands like the ones I mentioned and also Smallable and Arket.

What’s your take on fast fashion for kids?

I like to dress Félix in fairly classic clothes, so I tend to buy less but invest in better quality. I always imagine that the clothes I buy for him will be passed on to my other children, so I choose pieces that I will be happy to keep and reuse in a few years. Felix inherited a lot of clothes from my family and my husband’s, so recycling, donating, and reusing is something that we’ve already incorporated a lot into our lifestyle.

How do you view education in Britain compared to what you have been used to in Argentina?

Felix hasn’t started primary school yet, so I don’t have a real opinion on the UK education system yet – but my first thought is that it’s too competitive! In my opinion, especially in the early years, we need to let kids be kids – play, get dirty, not insist on passing the tests that determine whether or not you will enter stilted prep schools. In Argentina, schooling is much more relaxed, for my part I went to a nursery school that had its own children’s farm!

Does Felix give his opinion when it comes to dressing?

He loves shoes! He always chooses his shoes – his favourite pair at the moment are white Supergas that Guillaume had personalised for him with the Argentinian and French flags.

Your plans for a weekend getaway?

The best weekends are always those spent at home in London, cuddling in bed in the morning and staying in your pyjamas until noon. I still haven’t mastered traveling with a toddler so I try to stay in London as much as possible on weekends.

You can find out more about Damasia’s jewellery brand, Daphine, here. Follow Daphine on Instagram.