8 minute read

Bebe and Me

from Mini Magazine Holiday 2018, Arielle Charnas

from Mini Magazine Holiday 2018, Arielle Charnas, page 94

City Girls

Inspired by her passion for elegant ambiance and intimate moments, new mom (to son, Lyon) Elizabeth Minett founded Cander Paris— a luxury candle line made in France in partnership with world-renowned French perfumer Emamnuel Philip. Having recently relocated with her family from California to Miami, Minett shares with Mini the importance of creating a home, no matter where you are.

MINI | We’re thrilled to have you in Mini! Let’s jump right into it. Tell us about Cander Paris and how the brand came to be.

ELIZABETH MINETT | Cander Paris was started out of my passion for exquisite fragrance, and creating that cozy ambiance at home. It is a luxury scented candles brand, made in France. Our perfumer is based in Paris, and it’s a dream and honor to create beautiful and timeless fragrances for people and their living spaces.

MINI | What candles do you have burning at home, especially during the cozier months?

ELIZABETH MINETT | I love Cander Paris Scent 01. It was the first fragrance created for the brand, and it’s a gorgeous warming scent for the home with notes of of pine, firewood, and citrus.

MINI | Tell us how you manage to run your brand—created in Paris— from Miami.

ELIZABETH MINETT | We recently moved to Miami from Malibu, so I’ve always lived away from the action, so to speak. My partner is from LA so we’ve always been stateside. It takes organization and making the most of my time when I’m in France. We used to spend four to five months of the year in France, but when I had Lyon, I couldn’t travel much for about a year. Every working mom will know that it takes balance, organization, and planning to manage these things. I’m much less spontaneous than I used to be— alas!

MINI | Since you recently moved from California, what are you missing most from the West Coast?

ELIZABETH MINETT | You know I’m not a person who looks back much; I value new energy and forward motion. In that sense, I don’t miss it, but I would have to say I miss the view from our home in Malibu, and that sushi restaurant in Little Tokyo.

MINI | But what are you loving about Miami?

ELIZABETH MINETT | People keep a nice balance of family and personal/leisure in the sense that you can be at a hip restaurant for dinner, and people will be there with their little kids. I love that. It’s very European. You don’t see that so much in LA. I also love what Craig Robins has done with Miami Design District. And the parks— lovely, clean parks for children.

MINI | How would you describe your home?

ELIZABETH MINETT | My homes have always been very minimal, perhaps because I’ve always traveled a lot and haven’t put enough time into filling [them]. Our home is always tranquil. I used to have friends that would say they wanted to take a nap when they got to my house, but they might have just been bored AF. I think it’s important that a space evolves over time, and is a reflection of your life story, not the latest interior design blog. I love vintage pieces because they are so full of character that is hard to achieve now with big box store recreations. I have started slowly but surely collecting art; that’s a lifelong pursuit but it brings such a story and individuality to the home.

MINI | Since you’ve moved across the country, what helps you to make a new house feel like home?

ELIZABETH MINETT | Fragrance for sure helps, because scent is the strongest memory and if you can keep that wherever you go, then you will always be at home.

MINI | Let’s talk motherhood! What has surprised you most about motherhood thus far?

ELIZABETH MINETT | I’m surprised by the constant surprises! Everything is new, a discovery, and a learning curve. It has refreshed my life and creativity in ways I can’t describe. It’s like constantly being on the frontier of the unknown that lies ahead. That’s a great place to be in life because it’s where the magic and wonder exists.

MINI | What is your greatest parenting worry or fear?

ELIZABETH MINETT | I admit to having major mom guilt at times! I’m sure every day I have a thought about whether I’m doing something right or good enough for my son, but the great thing is that they don’t know any better yet! Jokes aside, I think being present and conscious is what stops the worry and fear, because those things can’t co-exist. If I’m completely present and in the moment with my son, I can’t worry about the future or past.

MINI | What is most important to you in raising your son?

ELIZABETH MINETT | My intention is to raise a son who is kind, emotionally intelligent, and can be a confident and secure man in this new female future, where women have power like never before. It’s important that he loves strong, intelligent women and doesn’t feel threatened, but instead lifts them up as partners in crime. It’s important that he’s funny too; I’ll be really disappointed if he isn’t funny.

MINI | What have you found to be hardest aspect of motherhood thus far?

ELIZABETH MINETT | Realizing that most people won’t understand what I’m going through or juggling (work, motherhood), even the people closest to me. But there’s probably a mom out there who’s reading this and feels the same way, so in that case, we’re understood.

MINI | Where have you seen the biggest changes in your life since becoming a mom?

ELIZABETH MINETT | My life has changed in the best way. I used to love nothing more than spraying a crowd of people with champagne, while dancing on a table to thudding house music. Now, waking up at 7 a.m. to my son’s smiling face, is the best feeling in the world and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I’ll probably have a relapse.

MINI | Tell us how you decided on your son’s name.

ELIZABETH MINETT | You know, some people think it’s a bit hippie, Lyon (pronounced like the animal), but actually it’s an old British name, commonly used as a last name (Lyons). When I was pregnant, I was looking at pictures to hang in his room, and I came across a picture of a lion, and it struck me that he has this energy like a lion. You know those intuitive pregnant woman feels... so that was it. His legal name is actually after his Papa, Edward, but we call him by his middle name.

MINI | As a busy working mama, tell us what a typical work day looks like for you.

ELIZABETH MINETT | I work three to four days a week at the moment, but will always have breakfast with Lyon, and at the end of the day, we go to the park or have some similar quality time. I’ve been told it’s the quality not the quantity.

MINI | How would you describe your personal style?

ELIZABETH MINETT | I have a friend who’s a person al stylist and she once described my style as Parisian Calabasas Chic, and I thought that was pretty accurate. A bit of hoochie Calabasas mom streetwear mixed with Parisian simplicity and sophistication. Since becoming a mom, I’ve started wearing a lot more vintage than before.