While you may not know Maud Barrionuevo's name, there's every chance her impeccable taste has influenced your wardrobe...
As the Head of Buying at 24 Sèvres – following an illustrious career at its Parisian brick and mortar home, Le Bon Marché – it is Maud’s role to determine what luxury items will find their way to our wardrobes.
Working with brands like Givenchy and Alexander McQueen on a day to day basis, it’s not surprising that her style is effortlessly Parisian and enormously chic. But how does she go about getting herself ready in the morning, particularly with a busy family life as well as a demanding career? To find out, we took a look inside Maud’s mornings and have taken some serious tips along the way.
Photography: Karolina Kaczynska
Talk us through a typical morning in your home...
When I’m not on the road for work, I have a few rituals that set me up for a good day: first up, a very large cup of green tea and a 10-min Barbara Sturm face mask if time allows. I then wake up my children and get breakfast ready while they read. We usually have fruit juice and cereal or a fresh brioche, and the hardest part is getting them away from their books when it’s time to head to school. Usually my husband heads out first for a morning work-out, and I walk my daughter to class. It makes for perfect quality time for us girls.
What’s your approach to dressing in the morning?
I’m not an impulse dresser, and I like to take the time to pick out my outfit for the day. I rarely repeat looks, and I always start with a piece I want to wear that day, usually an accessory (a bag, a pair of shoes or the woven belt I just bought in Mexico for example) to build around. My children still do me the pleasure of letting me pick out their outfits for the day (even my son!), so I usually plan the night before.
What beauty products do you use in the morning?
I love Dr Barbara Sturm, which we just launched on the site, especially the Face Cream, Anti-Pollution Drops, and the Face Mask which I love to do in the morning to kickstart the day. I’m a big fan of By Terry’s Ombre Blackstar cream eyeshadows, which are easy to blend for the perfect smoky eye. At the moment, I’m also loving Glossier’s Berry Balm Dot Com, which I just picked up on my NYFW trip, but I’m always switching up lipstick colors.
What do you eat for breakfast?
I may perpetuate a bit of a French cliché, but I like to pair my half-liter green tea with a pain au chocolat or fresh brioche. At the moment, I’m obsessed with La Parisienne carrot-passion fruit jam, which I spread on my toast. My son is also addicted, so it’s not uncommon that a jar disappears within a week!
What about coffee?
Never.
Do you exercise or meditate?
I love Nathalie Constanty’s barre fusion classes, which I take when she’s in Paris.
What are your time management tips?
Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. I like to be organized, and well prepared. This applies at home too, where I try to prepare everything for my children and myself the night before (be it outfits or meals). I have also passed this onto my children so that they take ownership of their chores and tasks at home as well. I like to think a well-oiled machine runs more smoothly, whether at the office or at home!
Talk us through your role at 24S?
I manage a team of buyers for our womenswear and menswear sites, the latter having just launched this month. On top of the assortment for both sites, I also oversee special projects with brands, like our recent partnership with the LVMH Prize. The best part of the job is that it’s constantly evolving, and new brands and new talent are constantly coming onto the scene. It keeps things exciting.
Three brands we should all know about?
Definitely Thebe Magugu, who just won the LVMH Prize. We are thrilled to have some of his pieces on the site already, and I can’t wait to watch his career flourish.
The new direction at Bottega Veneta has been fantastic.
We just launched menswear, and I absolutely love what Kim Jones is doing at Dior Homme.
Manu Atelier recently launched footwear, and I love the retro-inspired lace-up Duck boots and multi-strap sandals.
What’s the biggest challenge you think working mothers face?
Balancing personal and professional lives requires organization, and it’s important to have a strong support system to do it all. I have a strong network of friends and family, and of course, my husband. The key: fight the guilt. Whatever it is you’re doing in that moment, be 100% present for it.
Finally, the best advice on motherhood you’ve ever been given ?
A great mother doesn’t have to be perfect.