Mara Hoffman knew she wanted to be a fashion designer at only 8-years-old. After graduating from Parsons in 2000, her one-of-a-kind pieces soon caught the attention of legendary costume designer Patricia Field and stylists for budding artists Britney Spears, J.Lo, and Christina Aguilera. Then, 15 years into her thriving business—when her label was synonymous with brightly colored, graphic-print swimwear and garments—Mara decided to pivot her entire model to be a more sustainable one. A move that was inspired by her young son, Joaquin, and envisioning the world he would inherit.

In May 2024, she made the industry-rattling announcement that she’s taking a break from the fashion industry and putting a pause on her beloved label. In our conversation, Mara provides more context on her new move—and why it’s so important for her to lean into parenting right now. 

We talk about the importance of honoring not only the birth of things, but the death of things—which is made even more poignant after hearing Mara’s harrowing birth story, which includes losing one of her twin boys.  We also talk about cultivating self-love, parenting a teen, and so much more. 

*Trigger Warning: This episode includes an intimate story about infant and pregnancy loss, which may be triggering to some listeners. 

Follow Mara on social at @marahoffman

Today’s episode is brought to you by three mom-owned brands we love—Tubby Todd, Minted, and Ritual. See a list of their exclusive offerings for our listeners, below.

~Check out Minted.com and use code MOTHER15 for 15% off your order through December 31, 2024.
~Visit Ritual.com/mothermag for 25% off your first month of Ritual.
~Head over to TubbyTodd.com and use code MOTHERMAG10 for $10 off your first order.

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For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Mara’s inspiring business + life story, check out these great interviews:

Infinite Crescendo (podcast)
CFDA Awards Speech (YouTube)
The Cut (podcast)
StyleLikeU (podcast)
The New York Times (article)
Second Life (podcast)

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.