Nastassja, could you tell us a bit about yourself? Your origins and how you ended up living in London?

- Hello and thank you for having me! So, my family ended up in London when I was four years old. My mother brought us over from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I was born. We joined my father who had been in London for a few months prior setting up a home for us. Since then London has been my primary home, but a big piece of my heart remains in Rio, my spirit and ancestral home. I always miss Brazil and try to keep my culture alive, which can be tricky, but I have my family and a strong Latin American community around me. It's funny how I subconsciously have these Brazilian "quirks", which I'm passing down to my son Ezra without even noticing. For example, he will pick Brazilian food to eat over any other food I prepare for him. 

 

We would love to know more about your journey into social media. What motivated you to start creating content for your followers, and what was the inspiration behind the name "love from Leblon"?

- As a lot of people do, I had a private Instagram account where I would post things that I love  mostly architecture and photography of my travels before I became a mother. A few years ago I actually ran a small children's clothing boutique and Instagram was one of the fundamental ways of growing my audience. After I moved away from running the store, I realised how much I enjoy creating content and building a community, so I began Love from Leblon. Through my store's Instagram, I posted a lot about motherhood and Ezra, so it felt natural to start an Instagram page just about that. The name Love from Leblon is a homage to my hometown Rio, and especially my favourite strip of beach, Leblon. It's one of the quieter beaches in Rio compared to Ipanema and Copacabana. I used to sit in Leblon and watch the sunset at night when I lived there for a brief period before Ezra came along.

When collaborating with brands, it is important that they align with your values. Could you tell us about the values and qualities that are important to you when representing a brand? And what do you particularly like and find inspiring about The New Society?

- Yes, definitely! For me, it's the spirit of the brand. After a very hectic and to some extent, chaotic few years during and around the pandemic, I'm making a conscious effort to live slowly. I live with the approach that less is more, slow processes allow us more time to reflect and make more conscious and kinder decisions. A part of this is learning to live ethically and sustainably. The other side of it is consciously parenting gently. Collaborating with brands that align with my values means that my content and the journey I share on my grid are more honest and true to me. That's the reason I fell in love with The New Society! I love your approach to sustainability. Your designs are gentle, and calming and when we wear your clothes there are always happy memories revolving around them.

 

It is evident that your son Ezra is a constant companion in your life, always by your side. We would like to delve into the meaning of motherhood for you. How would you describe the experience of being a mother? Have you learned anything significant since becoming a mother?

- Ezra is definitely my partner in crime and I'm lucky that we get on not only as mother and child but as best friends. Being a mother is a gift, but it comes with its challenges. Society has taught us to self-sacrifice to fulfill our roles as mothers yet it also expects us to work and compete in every aspect of our lives with men. It's either all or nothing and that's a difficult reality to maintain, especially as men don't go through motherhood, though I do believe there are ways for society to balance this out. This is especially as a single mother. I am juggling many roles on a daily basis. 

I have learned so much after becoming a mother! I have learned to love unconditionally, to make healthy and conscious choices for a small human, and to embrace every moment in life. I've also learned to take ownership of my body, my health, and my choices. Early motherhood was tough, I felt that a big part of it was dictated to me, but now I definitely feel like I'm growing into myself, my role as mum and also taking the time to look after myself. I now live by openness, inner learning, and healing. I am true to myself. I trust myself. This is very much my motherhood. It's not perfect, but we can learn so much more from imperfection.

 

We would love to know more about how you effectively balance your personal and professional life. We have noticed that Ezra plays a significant role in your profile. Could you tell us a bit about how you manage to harmonize and enjoy both your personal life and your professional career?

- Yes, Ezra is always around, isn't he?! I have learned to slow down and enjoy every inch of his presence because he is growing up so fast. It was really tough at first being a young mum at home during a pandemic and trying to keep a business going while mothering and maintaining the house. Since separating and becoming a single mum I have made the conscious decision to look after "me" too and finally have the space to do that. Ezra's happiness is based on a foundation of stability, ease, joy, safety and love. I've had to learn to love myself and be at ease with who I am. The only way to do the parenting journey on my own. I have done so much inner work and I know how lucky I am to have Ezra in full-time education now, I have a bit of time on my hands to prioritise my health. I genuinely believe that it takes a tribe to raise a child and I'm eternally grateful to my family and community who are helping me to raise Ezra. It's freed up time for me to focus on my career. I suppose this goes back to the earlier discussion of the role of mothers in a fast-paced society.