Documenting the Memories

Me and my two boys, Jake and Jones, recently spent a day in Alice Keck Park amidst the new Fall blossoms and the duck pond. I am dressed in Mara Hoffman. My kids in NUNUNU, Lennon and Wolfe and of course, Aviator Nation. I see my boys who are in awe and sometimes annoyance of the picture taking process but also know they are deeply part of the meaning behind the store and that simply by being them we have created this great story of our unique family together. And I see this magical place that I get to call home and I see the beauty of the landscape and the space that is in that openness and the room for me to breathe and to raise my kids here. It is a beautiful picture—layered by the trees, the greenery and the moments of life—of us wandering the park, skipping rocks, hiding behind trees and being silly. We are captured.

The person behind the camera is Kelly Sweda. She is our store’s photographer and was one of the first women to join the creative team and to tackle what it was that's beneath the clothes, the beautiful goods that I was trying to create and how she could help me through pictures make that happen. Kelly’s photos are there to capture a mood, a lifestyle, a sense of purpose—it is less about the clothes and more about the feeling, the type of woman we are inviting into our world, who she is, what she represents, the various aspects of her world and how we can get to know her. Aside from being our badass photographer—she does this for a living. Her IG is way worthy of a scroll and if you are in the interest of having your photos taken in whatever unique family system you have, I highly recommend getting on her books.

I treasure these photos. I go back to them when I want to feel the feeling of me and my boys, me and my family, me and my people—it’s documented—moment captured. Email Kelly, she also travels to beautiful places and shoots pretty much strictly outside in beautiful and inspiring landscapes and if you do, send me a pic so we can ooh and ahh over how gorgeous you and yours truly are.

Thank you Kelly.
Jen