My Story
Havivah means well loved and we love ALL mamas!
I’m a pediatrician, and a mama. I get it. Mamas want clothes that actually fit and make us feel beautiful.
After struggling myself to find clothes that fit me and fit my life, I decided to create the clothes I wished I could find when I was pregnant and nursing. I wanted clothes that I actually wanted to wear; that allowed me to still feel like “me;” that complemented my changing figure without being a body con, rouched nightmare or a shapeless tent; and that were high quality and comfortable. And now worrying about two instead of only myself, having clothes that were eco friendly and ethically produced took on an entirely new meaning. Importantly, I also needed clothes that were designed to allow me to comfortably do my work -examining patients and running around a hospital. I wanted clothes that were functional, with discreet nursing access, pockets, easy to clean, and that would hold up to everything I (or life!) threw at them.
Pregnancy is an exciting but very vulnerable time in a woman’s life. Your body is changing as you are nourishing this new life growing inside of you. And if you are breastfeeding, this continues even after the baby is born. These changes are amazing and wonderful, but also forever change your body. I want to help women to look at their body and celebrate those changes. Women should be able to feel pride and amazement at what their body has done.
-and yes, pregnant and postpartum bodies are beautiful!-
Just by saying that, and continuing to say it, I hope to change the narrative.
I believe that another way to help mamas love their bodies throughout all these changes is to make clothing that not only respects a mama’s style, but one that is also kind to all those wonderful new curves. The goal of Havivah Mama is to create a space where women can find clothing to feel like their most beautiful selves both during and after pregnancy.
On top of feeling beautiful, I know that mamas want to feel good about what they’re wearing. So we go further than just making beautiful clothing.
- Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing
- We take pride in the fact that we only partner with manufacturers and producers who follow the highest standards in terms of the fabrics we use and the people who create our garments.
- We seek to ensure the fabrics we use and the processes used to create them are kind to the environment.
- All of our clothing is sewn in either the US or Europe, where we are assured the people who are creating your garments are treated fairly.
- No throw away fashion. Our clothing is timeless and made to last, taking pressure off of the supply chain and landfills. We hope you will love these items for years and then pass them along!
- Comfort
- We use soft stretchy fabrics that move with you.
- Higher necklines and longer hemlines mean you can get what you need done without compromising your modesty. Who said you can’t wear a dress chasing your kiddos on the playground?
- Easy to Care for
- No precious fabrics that require special handling or complicated wash routines
- Smartly designed
- No item is launched without input from numerous Mamas. And we are always soliciting feedback and improving our designs.
- Inventive nursing access, so you can look fabulous and still pump or nurse without compromising your modesty!
- Pockets! Because what mama doesn’t need pockets?
I truly hope that you love these clothes as much as I loved creating them. And I’m always eager to hear feedback from my Havivah Mamas! Drop me a line anytime: andrea.r@havivahmama.com
And for those of you who just can't get enough! Here's even more info:
Are your clothes only for pregnant and nursing women?
No! We design with pregnant and nursing mamas in mind, but we want to make clothes that ALL mamas will love! Our clothes are functional and beautiful. They are loved by working mamas who want more coverage in a professional environment (hello?!? pediatrician here!). And by active mamas who want to be able to look stunning and not worry about exposing themselves while nursing or chasing their kiddos around. Heck, even women who aren't mamas or who are well beyond the pregnancy and nursing stages love our designs! We design for and love ALL mamas!
I'm plus sized, is Havivah Mama for me?
YES! We love our plus sized mamas! Maybe you were plus sized before pregnancy, or maybe became plus sized after! We think you're beautiful and want to help you feel like your most beautiful self! As I was launching my brand, one of the things I heard over and over again was from plus sized mamas who had such a hard time finding clothes that fit right if they could even find them in their size. I work with a designer who has experience designing for plus sized women. We also utilize 3D modeling technology which allows us check the fit on plus sized models. Before sending clothes to market, we have Havivah Mamas of all different sizes test the clothing to ensure they fit well on real plus sized Mamas! Currently we will be offering clothes up to 2XL, but will expand our offerings if we hear from you mamas who are interested in larger sizes!
What is Slow Fashion?
At its most basic, slow fashion is the movement of designing, creating, and buying garments for quality and longevity. As a mama, I want to leave the world a better place for my daughter. I also want to run my business in a way I can be proud of. Adopting an ethos of slow fashion allows me to step back and get out of the grind of quickly coming up with new designs and producing in large quantities with materials that won't necessarily hold up over time. Keeping our manufacturing and supply chain in the US supports our country's small businesses and ensures fair working conditions and living wages. It reduces waste because we aren't producing clothing we can't sell. Investing in the right materials and manufacturing ensures high quality items that will hold up over time reducing the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills. And because we can spend time prototyping and obsessively fit testing each design mamas won't need to accumulate ill fitting clothing that they won't wear. Of course, slow fashion isn't the cheapest option, but we believe that mamas will see the value of investing in quality items they will love and will be proud to wear for a long time!
How does your business support women and mamas?
Well, the fashion world is a very female dominated space so it hasn't been too difficult! I have been lucky to be able to partner with many amazing, talented and passionate mamas. From the designers who assist me in bringing my ideas to life, the seamstresses who create our one of a kind and small batch items, to the owner of the printing company who manufacturers our packaging and inserts, they are all mamas! Instead of relying on overseas clothing manufacturers, I partner with seamstresses and small shops to utilize work at home mamas to create the clothing in our collection. This is truly a brand made by and made for mamas!
When will you be launching?
I know, I can't wait either, but we don't want to rush this. And remember, good things come to those who wait! We're actively in different stages of the design and production of our initial collection. Over the next several weeks to months we will be rolling out different items. Check out our "Projects" tab for the latest updates on items in development. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media for all the latest updates.
So what exactly is the focus for your brand?
We're a brand that focuses on high quality, ethically sourced clothing and products. As I am building the collection of items at Havivah Mama, my goal is to be a place where a new mama can come and purchase everything that she needs to carry her through pregnancy and beyond. Being a new mama is overwhelming and I want to relive some of the burden of endless searches and comparisons by offering a carefully curated collection that a new mama can trust is high quality and fairly priced. Mamas will see over time that everything in our collection has been thoughtfully curated using only high quality materials and design. This is the vision that you will see unfold on Havivah Mama over the coming months!