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Vogue's fashion editor Kate Darvill on having a career while raising five children under the age of five
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
11th May 2018
KATE DARVILL
Our senior fashion editor Kate Darvill shares the joys of having a sports team-sized family and explains just how she copes with the chaos.
Poised, elegant, affable and unflappable, Vogue Australia’s senior fashion editor Kate Darvill is known for her calm demeanour and fierce organisational skills honed after more than 15 years in the industry. Joining the Vogue team a little over three years ago while mum to twins Matilda and Jack, now aged four, she has since had a second set of twins – Stella and Olive, aged two – and last year announced she was expecting her fifth child, due next month.
Falling pregnant has always been quite an interesting story for me. My paternal grandparents were both twins and so growing up I was always told I might have twins of my own. The idea always appealed to me, but I somehow forgot this when I fell pregnant, until I saw those two little flickering heartbeats appear on the monitor. When the doctor left the room, my husband, David, and I literally danced and jumped around the ultrasound room. We were beyond excited – we felt like we’d hit the jackpot.
The second time around we went for an ultrasound we brought Matilda and Jack, who were barely one at the time, and we all piled into the ultrasound room. David yelled “Two!” when he saw the monitor. I was in total shock and disbelief. I remember having one of those life-changing moments thinking: ‘Wow, this is my life … this must be what I am supposed to be doing!’ And then also feeling an overwhelming urge to sleep for the next five to 10 years!
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
As for the latest instalment … David and I were embarking on our first big kid-free holiday when I found myself doing a pregnancy test in the bathroom at London airport on our way to Greece. I remember feeling overcome by the thought it might be twins again, or even triplets! And I felt emotional. Not because I didn’t want another child, but because I couldn’t imagine how I was going to be able to spread myself as a mother across all the needs of my children.
During this pregnancy I have reflected on that and have realised there is more than enough love to go around. I see the joy that all my kids get from each other, and I know this baby is going to be more welcome and loved than any other soul in this world. I have four very excited little helpers who are ready to step in as big brother and sister. Look out, baby!
My husband and I always knew we wanted a large family. I come from a family of four kids and David from a family of six kids, so a big family felt quite natural to us. To be honest, having twins felt like a bonus and a bit like jumping the queue! We’ve always felt very, very blessed.
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
While we certainly have our moments of chaos and noise in many ways we feel like our path has been made easier by the close age of all the kids. Once the girls hit the one year mark, it felt like a game-changer for me. All the kids could eat the same breakfast; we could suddenly all go to the park and play happily; everyone had a nap in the middle of the day and I had a moment of peace. Now everyone is a bit older and my constant joy is seeing my children playing happily all together. And I love to see the different bonds forming between all of them.
Like any family though, we have our fair share of tantrums and squabbling, and everything has to be done, times four, which is testing and frustrating at times. I do think one of the biggest challenges I face is having or keeping my patience.
I think my kids teach me to be a better person. You grow up a certain way and it’s only through trying to be a good role model to your children that you self-reflect and then try to be a better improved you – to be the person you want your kids to grow into.
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
As a working mum you lose time more than anything. There’s more that I would like to give to work, to my friendships, my relationship, but I just physically can’t. Though I do think it’s really important for my husband and I to find ways to have time together and remember what it was like before we had kids and to reconnect.
I regularly get asked by people how I cope and manage and I find it a hard question to answer. The simple answer is, I just do. I feel like any other mother: some days are easier than others and there are also times when I feel like I’m not coping. But I know everyone is battling through the same concerns and feelings.
I’m a fairly practical person: I’m organised and internally process a lot, make quick decisions and just get on with it. I don’t sweat the small stuff. And I get a lot of support. My husband is amazing; an incredible hands-on dad. We are a great team and keep things fun. We enjoy the kids and embrace the life a full house of kids brings. On the three days a week I’m at work, we have an au pair, and we have family around us, which is helpful and so important to us.
When I was young, my idea of a career was that I’d just work until I had children and then be a stay-at-home mum. But during maternity leave I soon found I did want to go back and after returning, quickly realised how much I love my job: the balance and creativity is so important to me now. When people ask me how I manage to keep a job, I tell them work is the thing that keeps me sane.
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
Organising fashion shoots for my job means I have a systematic way of working. I try to think ahead and be one step ahead of myself in order to get things done efficiently. My wardrobe has changed since having kids. While fashion is my job and passion, shopping for myself is not much of a priority for me nowadays as I don’t have the time. I stick to a simple wardrobe of basics that go together easily and am always looking for clothes that help me looking pulled together, but with minimal effort.
When I started in this industry, I remember a woman I worked with commenting that you really can’t do it all and that something has to give – whether it’s the kids, career, marriage … something – and I thought there could be truth in that. But, so far, I do feel like I’m coping and I do feel pretty proud of what I have managed to achieve.
My growing family means everything to me. I’m excited to see what the next chapter has in store for us with this special little one joining the fold soon. I’m continually learning how to be a better mother, and enjoying watching childhood again through my children’s eyes.
Vogue Australia
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
11th May 2018
KATE DARVILL
Our senior fashion editor Kate Darvill shares the joys of having a sports team-sized family and explains just how she copes with the chaos.
Poised, elegant, affable and unflappable, Vogue Australia’s senior fashion editor Kate Darvill is known for her calm demeanour and fierce organisational skills honed after more than 15 years in the industry. Joining the Vogue team a little over three years ago while mum to twins Matilda and Jack, now aged four, she has since had a second set of twins – Stella and Olive, aged two – and last year announced she was expecting her fifth child, due next month.
Falling pregnant has always been quite an interesting story for me. My paternal grandparents were both twins and so growing up I was always told I might have twins of my own. The idea always appealed to me, but I somehow forgot this when I fell pregnant, until I saw those two little flickering heartbeats appear on the monitor. When the doctor left the room, my husband, David, and I literally danced and jumped around the ultrasound room. We were beyond excited – we felt like we’d hit the jackpot.
The second time around we went for an ultrasound we brought Matilda and Jack, who were barely one at the time, and we all piled into the ultrasound room. David yelled “Two!” when he saw the monitor. I was in total shock and disbelief. I remember having one of those life-changing moments thinking: ‘Wow, this is my life … this must be what I am supposed to be doing!’ And then also feeling an overwhelming urge to sleep for the next five to 10 years!
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
As for the latest instalment … David and I were embarking on our first big kid-free holiday when I found myself doing a pregnancy test in the bathroom at London airport on our way to Greece. I remember feeling overcome by the thought it might be twins again, or even triplets! And I felt emotional. Not because I didn’t want another child, but because I couldn’t imagine how I was going to be able to spread myself as a mother across all the needs of my children.
During this pregnancy I have reflected on that and have realised there is more than enough love to go around. I see the joy that all my kids get from each other, and I know this baby is going to be more welcome and loved than any other soul in this world. I have four very excited little helpers who are ready to step in as big brother and sister. Look out, baby!
My husband and I always knew we wanted a large family. I come from a family of four kids and David from a family of six kids, so a big family felt quite natural to us. To be honest, having twins felt like a bonus and a bit like jumping the queue! We’ve always felt very, very blessed.
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
While we certainly have our moments of chaos and noise in many ways we feel like our path has been made easier by the close age of all the kids. Once the girls hit the one year mark, it felt like a game-changer for me. All the kids could eat the same breakfast; we could suddenly all go to the park and play happily; everyone had a nap in the middle of the day and I had a moment of peace. Now everyone is a bit older and my constant joy is seeing my children playing happily all together. And I love to see the different bonds forming between all of them.
Like any family though, we have our fair share of tantrums and squabbling, and everything has to be done, times four, which is testing and frustrating at times. I do think one of the biggest challenges I face is having or keeping my patience.
I think my kids teach me to be a better person. You grow up a certain way and it’s only through trying to be a good role model to your children that you self-reflect and then try to be a better improved you – to be the person you want your kids to grow into.
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
As a working mum you lose time more than anything. There’s more that I would like to give to work, to my friendships, my relationship, but I just physically can’t. Though I do think it’s really important for my husband and I to find ways to have time together and remember what it was like before we had kids and to reconnect.
I regularly get asked by people how I cope and manage and I find it a hard question to answer. The simple answer is, I just do. I feel like any other mother: some days are easier than others and there are also times when I feel like I’m not coping. But I know everyone is battling through the same concerns and feelings.
I’m a fairly practical person: I’m organised and internally process a lot, make quick decisions and just get on with it. I don’t sweat the small stuff. And I get a lot of support. My husband is amazing; an incredible hands-on dad. We are a great team and keep things fun. We enjoy the kids and embrace the life a full house of kids brings. On the three days a week I’m at work, we have an au pair, and we have family around us, which is helpful and so important to us.
When I was young, my idea of a career was that I’d just work until I had children and then be a stay-at-home mum. But during maternity leave I soon found I did want to go back and after returning, quickly realised how much I love my job: the balance and creativity is so important to me now. When people ask me how I manage to keep a job, I tell them work is the thing that keeps me sane.
Photographed by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, May 2018.
Organising fashion shoots for my job means I have a systematic way of working. I try to think ahead and be one step ahead of myself in order to get things done efficiently. My wardrobe has changed since having kids. While fashion is my job and passion, shopping for myself is not much of a priority for me nowadays as I don’t have the time. I stick to a simple wardrobe of basics that go together easily and am always looking for clothes that help me looking pulled together, but with minimal effort.
When I started in this industry, I remember a woman I worked with commenting that you really can’t do it all and that something has to give – whether it’s the kids, career, marriage … something – and I thought there could be truth in that. But, so far, I do feel like I’m coping and I do feel pretty proud of what I have managed to achieve.
My growing family means everything to me. I’m excited to see what the next chapter has in store for us with this special little one joining the fold soon. I’m continually learning how to be a better mother, and enjoying watching childhood again through my children’s eyes.
Vogue Australia
