With her natural elegance, gentle gaze and contagious joie de vivre, meet Florence. Since her arrival in the city of Calvin, she has embarked on an entrepreneurial adventure, developing with Sara, the creator of "Jacotte Tricote", an exclusive children's line in wool and cotton knitted by a group of super grannies.

Florence, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
I'm 35 years old, a Breton at heart, a Parisian in love and an adopted citizen of Geneva, where Pierre and I moved 8 months ago with our little Léopaul, who turned 1 a few days ago! The transition was a difficult one for me, as I had to leave a job I loved, although building a new family life for three in a new environment is exciting!

You're what they call a "mumpreneur". What are the ingredients for reconciling your personal and professional life?
Flexibility (hours), patience and organization (I take 100% care of Léopaul).

When and how did your adventure with Jacotte Tricote begin?
Shortly after our arrival, Leila, the wife of a colleague of Pierre's we knew in Paris who had also moved to Geneva, introduced me to Sara, the designer of Jacotte Tricote. We hit it off immediately. She wanted to develop a children's line, and with my 12 years' experience as a baby designer in luxury ready-to-wear, collaborating was a no-brainer! The result is Jacotte Tricote Enfant, a line of timeless wool and cotton pieces, lovingly knitted by our Geneva grandmothers.

Has Léopaul become your muse?
Yes, in spite of himself 🙂

He's now 1 year old, how do you feel?
Better since he's bigger, because there's more interaction and sharing. It's true when people say that you're not born a mother, but you become one. It's a daily guided apprenticeship with ups and downs.

Cool vs. uncool during pregnancy?

Not cool:

You can no longer walk at the same speed.
Other people sometimes make you feel "diminished" and that's frustrating because you want to shout that everything's fine, that you're not made of sugar and that you don't need to be protected (#independentwoman).
From gestational diabetes at 7 months to strict diet until delivery.

Cool :

You feel strong and powerful because you carry life and nothing can stop you.
You're pampered.
Incredible physical sensations when the baby moves.

In the end, all the cool aspects far outweigh the uncool ones.

9 months is a long time! It may sound selfish, but I didn't particularly enjoy it. Your life changes radically, with certainly less individual freedom but so much compensation in return and the feeling now of being the 7th wonder of the world when my son looks at me 🙂 For me, it's one of the most beautiful experiences a woman can have, even if it's not easy every day.

Pregnancy clothes or not?
Apart from a pair of pregnancy jeans, I've adapted my wardrobe.

To sport or not to sport? Secrets to staying in shape during and after pregnancy?
During pregnancy I didn't do any sport (not even before), but in retrospect I should have done some to avoid back pain after giving birth. Geneva is a city that invites you to take care of your body, which is why I recently joined the Silhouette fitness center where I go once a week with my sister.

Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding?
I chose not to breastfeed. I'm a modest person, and I wanted Pierre to be able to feed Léopaul as well, and enjoy special moments of sharing and bonding with his child.

"We have to trust ourselves because all the answers are within us."

Any advice for mothers-to-be?
Don't put too much pressure on yourself by thinking that being a mother comes naturally. Every day is a new adventure with its own set of discoveries. You have to trust yourself, because all the answers lie within you. Above all, we need to be honest with ourselves, accepting our choices without fear of being judged (#perfectmomdoesn'texist!).

How important was it for you to remain feminine during those 9 months?
Pregnant, you're radiant, you look good, you have beautiful breasts, you breathe happiness, so being feminine isn't difficult, but afterwards... Hormone crash, fatigue, hypersensitivity. You're not sure where you fit in as a woman, or if you even have one anymore. The first few months are really complicated in every way.

Your beauty ritual during pregnancy?
Take care of my skin and cream it well (Weleda oils and Avène cream). Drink a lot and get as much sleep as possible. I was careful about what I ate, except for the first few months when I was a walking belly.

Choosing a name?
15 days before Léopaul's birth, we still hadn't agreed on his first name. Our only certainty was that we wanted one made up of two short names. In the end, we came to a consensus, but here's a word of advice: never ask other people's opinions.

What are your 3 favorite childcare accessories?
The Minois range of baby products, Bonpoint sweet almond oil and the Charlie Crane bouncer.

Which stroller?
The Bébé Confort until 6 months, then the YOYO, so much more practical in town.

A culinary craving?
Asian noodles.

Geneva life vs. Paris life?
Since we don't go out as much because we're exhausted, life in Geneva suits us. No, seriously, there are far fewer places to go out than in Paris. We used to live in Montmartre, where life never stops. Geneva is a quiet, pleasant city (especially in summer) where everything can be done on foot, which is a huge plus, especially with children.

Do you go to restaurants with Léopaul?
At lunchtime, yes, but not too much because in the evening he has his bedtime ritual and so we follow his rhythm.

Any tips for a Kids Friendly restaurant or café?
Les filles indignes because it's bright, accessible and very Kids Friendly.

If you had to define your life as a mom in 1 word?
Adventure.

Life as a couple after baby?
Continuity.

Social life after baby?
Different.

To relieve the pressure, where do you go?
Into the chocolate cupboard (preferably milk chocolate).

What's your next family trip?
This summer to St-Briac in Brittany, where our whole family will be, and normally New York for a romantic getaway in September.

Your philosophy?
Dream and be amazed every day. Life is beautiful.