
An Inside Look At The World Of Designer-Mama Jenni Kayne
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photography by Katrina Dickson
Of course, no one “has it all,” but one could be fooled after peeking in on the life of L.A.-based designer Jenni Kayne. With an awe-inspiring, airy home, two beautiful children (Tanner and Ripley), a decade-old eponymous fashion line, three expertly curated stores, multiple collaborations, and the lifestyle blog Rip + Tan under her belt, this mama has a lot going on. And seemingly with ease. Below, she invites us into her home and explains the reality behind it all.
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“My life has changed entirely. I’ve become much more selfless, I’ve learned to concentrate my attention more on others, and I’ve had to figure out a way to balance all of the different moving parts in my life. Time-management is key!”
Jenni wears vintage army pants from The General Store with a Jenni Kayne Latte Fisherman Crew. Ripley wears a Bonpoint Chord Dress with Zara shoes.
- “I just love the idea of having a family, watching them grow up and learn, and spending quality time together.”
- A girl and her dolls.
- “I’m always nervous about the kids getting hurt or about their feelings getting hurt by others. I can’t help but be extra-protective!”
- “We actually came up with the name Tanner the day we were going to the hospital. We just read it in a baby book and both loved it. We came up with Ripley’s name at a dinner party when we were listening to a friend tell a great story about her brother Ripley. He was super eccentric and lively, and Richard and I just looked at each other and agreed that whether we had a girl or boy, we’d name our next baby Ripley.”
- “My favorite part of the day is taking baths together and catching up on their day. They both have such different and amazing personalities, so it’s really special getting to know them and see how they grow each day.”
- “Snuggling in the morning, watching a movie, and then taking a family hike. We love going out to brunch. Then I’d go horseback riding with Ripley while Richard skateboards with Tanner. At night we’d have bath time, cook dinner together in the kitchen, and end the day with a family movie and popcorn.”
- Cutest collection of odds and ends.
- “Tanner is really inquisitive, sensitive, creative, excited, and sweet. He’s at this age where he’s super into projects, like building Legos. He can sit and focus on these creative projects for hours at a time. Ripley is hilarious, smart, a leader, and just has the best personality. She loves to use her imagination and can entertain herself for hours!”
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Dreamy little dress.
Ripley wears a beautiful dress gifted by Bonpoint.
- “I think I’m very similar to my mom in the way we live, our family values, and how we parent, but we’re different in the sense that my mom stopped working when we were younger. Logistically, that makes your day-to-day very different!”
- “Definitely my mom and one of my best friend’s mom who passed away from cancer. Growing up, her house was always the center of everyone’s social life. She opened her home to everyone, always had freshly-baked cookies, and was just so inclusive. I strive to be like that as my kids grow up!”
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Tea for two!
Ripley plays dress-up in a dress from Fire and Creame.
- “Master the art of distraction! My girlfriend has 3 daughters, two of which are twins. I've always marveled at how she does it. She taught me that the trick is to distract—change the subject and make the conversation go in a positive direction.”
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“Go easy on yourself because you never realize how powerful hormones are until you have children. Try to relax, enjoy the process, and don’t get too stressed out.”
Tanner wears a Nico Nico tank top and pants.
- Legos for days!
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“I think it’s really important to make time for yourself so you feel good. For me, that’s riding and exercising. It’s important to be present when you’re with your children. Decide what that is, whether it’s taking them to school every morning or doing a special class together. Figure out what works for your family because you can’t do it all! Richard and I go on dates alone at least once or twice a week and we don’t let kids sleep in our bed unless they are sick. We also try to get away every couple of months, even for a night or two, to spend time together and enjoy our relationship outside of the kids.”
Jenni wears white Imogene + Willie jeans with a Jenni Kayne ivory henley.
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“I believe that children’s rooms should be clean and simple, but also whimsical, because they can be! For Tanner we went with a safari theme using neutral colors with pops of orange, which is my version of a ‘boy’ color. As his interests have developed, we’ve added decor pieces to reflect his love of surfing and skating. Because I had a boy first, I wanted Ripley’s room to be extra-feminine! I was inspired by the idea of a Parisian dollhouse, but still wanted to keep the design minimal.”
Ripley wears a pink Trico Field dress.
- “Tanner loves his stormtrooper and skateboarding photos, and his vintage baseball glove leather sofa. We love curling up there to read. He also loves his hand-embroidered quilt on the end of his bed that Ripley gave him when she got home from the hospital. Ripley’s obsessed with her Michael Muller horse photograph, her pink princess bed, and the swan above her headboard. She also loves her dolls and their doll beds on the floor next to her!”
- “Hopefully! Not now, but maybe in a few years.”
- One little monkey jumping on the bed.
- “Classic, simple, and uniform.”
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“The idea of a uniform has become super important because you just don’t have the time! Style is important, but being practical is equally so.”
Tanner wears a navy Nico Nico jumpsuit.
- “High-waisted jeans, Jenni Kayne mules and sweaters, Jenni Kayne button downs, Gravati loafers, and The Great t-shirts.”
- Taking in a little R&R.
- “Denim, a Jenni Kayne sweater, and Jenni Kayne mules. I live in this uniform!”
- “I never have time to shop—I actually only go once or twice a year! When I do, I go to The Row, Céline, Creatures Of Comfort, and of course, Jenni Kayne! I also shop online for anything practical.”
- “Most of my shopping is done online!”
- Our favorite Holztiger wooden animals.
- “Satomi Kawakita stud earrings, a Sophie Buhai horseshoe bracelet, and a PB 0110 crossbody bag.”
- “I try to keep my beauty routine as natural as possible. I wash my face with Evan Healy Tea Tree Cleanser, then apply an Evan Healy HydroSoul, Earth Tu Face Balm, and finish with Beautycounter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer.”
- “Every morning I wake up and make a drink, which is coconut kefir mixed with lemon, cayenne, and aloe. Then I have a glass of water with The Beauty Chef Glow Inner Beauty Powder. I also try to drink tea once a day with Sun Potion Tonic Herbs. I alternate between Pilates, horseback riding, Tracy Anderson, and yoga."
- Dress-up paradise.
- “I am an American fashion designer of the brand Jenni Kayne! I have three stores—one in Brentwood, one in West Hollywood, and one in Montecito, with a few more California locations opening up in 2016. We carry Jenni Kayne apparel and accessories, as well as home decor and amazing third-party brands. I am also very passionate about my lifestyle blog Rip&Tan, which features everything from entertaining, crafting, and profiles of my favorite creatives.”
- “I would describe my brand as modern, minimal, and effortless! My aim is to create pieces that span both age and seasons—that perfect shoe or sweater that you revisit time and time again.”
- “I started my line when I was just 19 years old, so I have definitely grown with my brand and learned so much along the way! At the beginning I did everything myself, from designing to sampling and production. I believe it’s really important to build a strong team that supports you. Once I started a family of my own, my love for the home and entertaining grew and led to the creation of my lifestyle blog.”
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“Being creative!”
Jenni wears Saint Laurent high-waisted jeans, a Jenni Kayne Fisherman Crew, and Gravati loafers. Ripley wears a Bonton dress with Zara boots and Tanner wears a green Nico Nico jumpsuit.
- “Right now I love our Mule Slide. It elevates any outfit.”
- “Travel, landscape, and time away from work!”
- “It’s imperative to have an amazing team to support you so you can focus on the parts you’re best at and leave room for your family.”
- Sibling love.
- “I make a conscious decision to balance my time. When I’m home with the kids, my phone is away and my laptop is closed so I can really be present.”
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“I do travel, but at this point I can bring my kids with me, which is really fun. I try to limit traveling alone to once or twice a year.”
Jenni wears a Jenni Kayne Fisherman Crew, Jenni Kayne Pants, and Jenni Kayne Pony Hair Mules.
- “The D’Orsay Flat.”
- Baskets galore!
- “We have three new stores opening in 2016 and I recently did a collaboration with Pottery Barn Kids that was so much fun.”
- “Be prepared—it’s more work than it looks!”
- “I absolutely love LA. I grew up here and my family lives here. However, I would definitely live in a more remote place. I love spending my summers in Lake Tahoe and I always tease that I’m going to move there permanently!”
- "We have been trying to get out more on the weekends. We go to a lot of museums and aquariums. We love hiking and going to brunch."
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