Checking In with Stylist Monica Rose and Stylish Baby Alaia

Friday, May 10, 2013, by Natalie Alcala

Baby Alaia in action. Photos via Monica Rose.

Lest you forget, Mother's Day is this Sunday. In honor of the main event, we sat down with one of our favorite mamas, superstar stylist Monica Rose, to see what she's been up to since last year's holiday. Turns out, she's working on her first capsule collection, she had another baby (and he already owns Hermès) and her adorable daughter Alaia Rose (aka Baby Alaia) is starting to dress herself, which, judging by the above photos, is going pretty well.

Congrats on your new addition! What's his name and when was he born?
"Thank you! My son is named after his daddy, Salvador Lukas Barbier. He was born on April 23rd, 2013."

What brands did you turn to when you were pregnant this time around?
"I never wore maternity clothes until the very end. I just kept buying everything in medium and large sizes. Towards the end, I did wear maternity Jet Jeans and J Brands along with my Chloe Susanna studded leather boots because they were my go-to shoes. When your pregnant it's really all about comfort."

Has it been a challenge dressing a boy versus a girl?
"No, not at all. When I shop for my daughter, I usually buy from the little boy's section. I like to mix and match her wardrobe since she's not a fan of the color pink or purple."

Are there any androgynous hand-me-downs from Alaia's closet that will work for him?
"Yes, Salvador Lukas has some amazing hand-me-downs that I kept from Alaia's wardrobe."

Baby Alaia is growing so fast! Does she dress herself yet?
"She's getting so big and growing up so fast. And lately, Alaia definitely enjoys to dress herself. I usually give her options to pick from and she lets me know what she wants to wear depending on her mood."

What brands or stores will you be turning to for dressing your baby boy?
"Recently, I went to Eggy Boutique and bought him a lot of good stuff from Stella McCartney. Salvador has these onesies from Kicky Pants that I bought from Bal Bambini that I adore! I do love to shop at H&M, Zara Kids and BabyGap as well."

What's the most most lavish item in his closet right now?
"At the moment because he is still so young, he doesn't have to a lot of lavish goodness in his closet. However, I did receive an amazing pair of Hermès booties from a designer friend for him as a gift. I also got him a Gaultier motorcycle black leather jacket from Opening Ceremony a while back."

You do a great job dressing fellow mom Kourtney Kardashian and mom-to-be Kim. How do their styles differ?
"Thank you! Kourtney was very boho sleek yet very polished during her second pregnancy and she was open to try anything. Their styles are very different but I enjoy the challenge. It makes my job a lot more fun and exciting."

Do you have any cool projects in the works?
"I'm working on my first capsule collection with Lovers + Friends, which I'm super-excited to present. It launches this coming winter and I couldn't be happier!"

Awesome! Finally, what are your plans this Mother's Day?
"I'm going to let my family surprise me."