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Shevanne, Michelle and Danielle Helmer
Interview Phadria Prendergast
Words Destiny Fakoya
In an exclusive interview with the mother and daughter trio behind Helmer Lifestyle, WOTC caught up with Shevanne, Michelle and Danielle about life over the last 18 months, with new family additions and a company rebrand.
WOTC: What has it been like since things opened up?
Shevanne: It's been a challenge understanding the way customers behaviour has had an impact on marketing and our progress in the future. We had to think of the Helmer customer and who she is and how does she shops post-pandemic. She is a conscious customer beyond a single experience of buying a product. We wanted to create products made with love and intention – something durable and a timeless piece. Hence, the decision to reduce the promotion of handbags and try to diversify, which synchronised with the pandemic period, enough time to develop the idea. Since a lot of people were confined to their homes, we created loungewear which was a success, and we want to create homewear - an extension of loungewear. Our core ideal is family which includes fashion, cooking and lifestyle. We are evolving each year and our products need to reflect who we are and to broaden our range of products. Most importantly, we want to make a deep connection between the Helmer brand and experience with our clients. Lockdown helped us slow down and strategise as well as work with other artists in India, Bali and Africa which we were able to complete in a year and a half. This is the second phase of Helmer. As mentioned earlier, the bond of a family including the mother and child bond, we experience as business partners and in our immediate family is the legacy of two generations passed down through our products.
WOTC: How do you keep the vision alive as you are all in different countries?
Michelle: Shevanne and I were in different parts of London and Danielle was in Switzerland. But we remained connected with gym classes and online. So, we were used to using Zoom and FaceTime to connect with each other and the business has been running for a long time over the phone. We are so connected that the pandemic didn't affect us. Even our ideas were translated in spite of distance and our dynamic remained intact. What has slowed down is the customers and shipping, but our vision has been cemented further during the pandemic – in a sense, a reprieve. Being in different places makes us more open, creative and innovative due to the different cultures, attitudes and the trends in the different countries we are in; as the brand is to uplift and dress women in a way that gives them confidence and strength. However, a challenge is having a child alongside running a business. It makes it difficult to schedule our meetings online, but because Danielle and I are going through it together, we empathise and understand each other more.
WOTC: Where are you from originally, and where are the different places you have all lived?
Shevanne: I’m from Jamaica and I moved to the U.S when I was twelve, but I left quite quickly when I married at 21. I had Danielle at that age and my husband is Norwegian, so I moved to Oslo and I was there for almost 7 years. Then I moved to South France and that is where my children grew up and spent the majority of their lives, Danielle was 4 and Mimi was 6 months, that is their base and the source of their life. That's the 1st language for Mimi and the 3rd language for Danielle so in our household we spoke three languages for a very long time, changing between Norwegian in, French and English.
WOTC: What made you make the decision to move where you are now?
Shevanne: I move quite a lot, but I made the decision to move closer to my mum as she is in a nursing home with dementia. By staying close, I am able to check on her even though she doesn't know who I am - I know who she is which is enough. Our flat is close to the beach, so we spend time there. Since Michelle and my son were moving, I realised I had no reason to be in London anymore. But moving made me reassess my values and being close to the people I love and although this is not easy, the pandemic has taught us one thing; that we are on borrowed time, so my hope is to be closer to my children and grandchildren. If we can all live in one house and be around each other, that would be the dream.
WOTC: Danielle, what made you make that decision to move to Geneva?
Danielle: I made the decision as my husband had to move to Geneva for work and I could work anywhere. We went to boarding school here, so I was accustomed to Geneva, but I never wanted to come back because it was such a boring place. And in my 20s I lived in Paris, so I had no inclination of coming back – basically anywhere but Geneva. But we came back, and I gave birth to my son and it’s the perfect place to raise a family; instead of being cooped up in an apartment with a 1-year-old. Although I had Covid and was heavily pregnant, due to the support from family I was able to make it through that time.
Michelle: I just moved to Cairo with my husband who is Greek, with my 4-month-old baby, and we moved for my husband who is here for work. The pandemic prepared us as everything was going online, I was prepared to transition and move somewhere else. It was pretty much the same whether I was here or in London. And in Cairo they were not in Lockdown. I am currently on the North coast of Egypt as Cairo is way too hot, so we're here on vacation.
WOTC: What are your favourite luxury go-to pieces?
Danielle: An oversized pink jacket and I love jackets because you can wear different things underneath. We love Moschino and Etro mainly because the prints and classic pieces are amazing - and Zimmerman.
Shevanne: In the last three years, 50% of my shopping was second-hand so I could save the money to buy an amazing piece second-hand. I am trying to project what I truly believe of not over polluting the planet with excess clothing, so every time I bought something, I also sold something. It didn't always work but it did more or less I managed to keep it going but what I'm obsessed with are jumpsuits.
Michelle: In the last 5 years, colour has been my new obsession since I have moved from London to Paris. In London, you can really express yourself whereas in Paris it's quite basic and black as a uniform – I was able to develop an intense love for Etro and Moschino.
