StyleNest caught up with business women and yummy mummy, Charlotte Semler.

Back in 1999 Charlotte Semler founded Myla – the luxury brand that took the lingerie world by storm. Now a mum to twins and living in the idyllic Cotswolds countryside, Charlotte recently launched her newest venture, Charlotte & Co.  

Inspired by life in the Cotswolds and life as a new mum, Charlotte & Co. stocks everything from cute PJs to comfy cashmere casuals, gift ideas for friends and family to luxury womenswear. StyleNest caught up with Charlotte to get an insight into her life, loves and business ventures. 

Tell us about Charlotte & Co. how did the idea come about?

I’d just had my twins and moved from Notting Hill to deepest Cotswolds.  I needed both a new wardrobe and a new business to fit with my radically altered lifestyle.  The obvious solution was to launch a new brand of sleepwear, loungewear and fashion for busy mums like myself.

Your first business was with lingerie brand Myla, which you founded. It’s very different from your new venture. Was that something you set out to intentionally do, to challenge yourself and start something fresh?

Exactly! I wanted to start a fresh and new business that that I could structure to fit with my new working mum lifestyle.  It was a fantastic challenge to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and ask myself:  If I could build any business what would it be and what would it look like?

You now live in the Cotswolds – are you a country girl at heart?

I think I’m conflicted and always will be.  I love the raw beauty of the Cotswolds, every day I’m wowed by the landscape and timeless peace of the area.  But, London will always be part of me. It’s where I started designing and it has left an indelible mark on my style.

You sell beautiful bedding and homewear on Charlotte & Co, tell us, did your home and interiors style change when you started a family?

I have to confess that I don’t make a lot of style compromises for the kids.  But my interior design style has definitely morphed under the influence of the Cotswold landscape and architecture.  I couldn’t impose aching modernity on a 500 year old stone farmhouse.  I have drawn on my Scandinavian roots where it is traditional to blend old and contemporary styles.

Any top tips for storage ideas when you have kid’s toys everywhere?

Yes, if you are putting in a new kitchen put in 50% more units than you need for your kitchen stuff.  My twin’s toys are in the kitchen drawers and when they were babies even their clothes and changing stuff was kept in the kitchen drawers because that was generally where they were when it was time to get dressed after breakfast.  And where they needed clean clothes after lunch, after supper….

You also stock yoga and pilates clothes, how do you keep fit and healthy?

I do pilates and weights with a trainer once a week and I do a big 2 hour hike with a friend once a week.  On the other days I do some pretty hard-core hill walking. 45 minutes of low impact cardio every day works best for me.  The challenge is to get out there even when the weather is less than appealing.  I find my Charlotte & Co. silk wool thermals and down coat indispensable on cold and grey mornings. No excuses…

Describe your style in three words.

Luxury, simplicity, happiness.

Charlotte & Co. is the perfect site for gifts. Any top tips for our readers on gift ideas for friends, kids or husbands?

For friends there’s so much choice in our range.  For a big birthday our cashmere dressing gowns are hard to beat.  It’s an investment in luxurious comfort and perfect if a few of you are clubbing together to buy one great gift.  Our cashmere shawls and scarves, or a pair of cute cotton pyjamas are also sure-fire winners. For husbands the men’s cashmere hats and gloves make great gifts as do our luxury men’s thermal T-shirts and long johns.  They are perfect for outdoor pursuits.

How do you relax on your time off? Describe your perfect Sunday.

My mum lives close by and she’s the reason I get time off.  So my perfect Sunday is usually one where she’s taken the twins riding so Chris and I can lounge in bed reading the papers.  Then we’ll all meet up at Daylesford for brunch (best BLT in the country) and in the afternoon we’ll see friends or do some gardening as a family.

We’re always on the look out for family friendly restaurants. Are there any you could recommend in the Cotswolds?

The King’s Head in Bledington is an excellent Cotswold pub for family lunches.  There’s a great village green with swings and a stream with ducks in that the children love.

With your background in the lingerie business, can you offer our readers any top tips on lingerie shopping when they’ve lost some confidence or their bodies have changed after having children?

I often get asked by friends to go lingerie shopping with them after they’ve had kids, I really enjoy it and it’s the only way to go. Get yourself to a big department store with a huge range and great service (I generally pick Harrods) and start trying on.  Don’t assume that you will be the same size as before, so go in open-minded and accept your body.  If you’re struggling to love your post-baby body then take up exercise.  It will make a difference to your body but, more importantly, it has the power to change how you feel about yourself.

Do you have a beauty hero product you couldn’t live without?

Charlotte & Co. anti-wrinkle silk pillowcase – seriously, you’ll never want to sleep on anything else when you’ve tried it.  I take mine whenever I travel.

What are you currently reading / watching / listening to?

The Secret River by Kate Grenville and I’ve been listing to rather a lot a Dolly Parton recently (shh…don’t tell anyone).

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Be happy!

For more information or to shop online visit charlotteandco.co.uk