Giovanna Fletcher speaks exclusively to OK! about her new Deichmann collection and busy mum life (Image: Giovanna Fletcher Edit exclusively at Deichmann)As a busy mum of three, Giovanna Fletcher is all too familiar with the day-to-day challenges life can throw your way, from picking the right shoes that will see you through that day’s school run, work and appointments to learning to accept that sometimes things just won’t go your way – no matter how meticulously you planned it. To help give other mums a helping hand, Giovanna, who has sons Buzz, ten, Buddy, eight, and Max, six, with husband Tom Fletcher, has just launched her latest autumn/winter edit with Deichmann, which promises affordable and stylish footwear for every occasion, inspired by her daily life as a mum. Here, Giovanna shares her parenting tips for staying organised, how her and her family are spending Halloween, and why boots are the one thing she can’t head into autumn without. READ MORE: Emma Louise Connolly’s tartan ballet pumps are autumn-ready as fans call them ‘perfection’ READ MORE: Boux Avenue’s £22 ‘beautiful’ and ‘cosy’ platform slippers look just like UGG’s £95 pair Hi, Giovanna. Your new Deichmann edit has launched – could you tell me a little bit about your inspiration behind it? It’s my second season working with Deichmann and this time round we wanted to do ‘a week in my shoes’, so there’s something for every occasion. Whether you’re on the school run, pottering around the garden, going to an appointment, going to work or on a night out – whatever it is, there’s a style in the collection for everyone to enjoy. I love summer and I love wearing flip flops, but when you start putting together an autumn/winter collection you suddenly start getting really excited about heading into boots season. This collection has all different types: high top boots, biker boots, heels, tall ones, long ones, plus cosier bits and trainers in there too. If there was one piece from the collaboration that you had to bring into autumn, which would it be?
Giovanna shares her latest Deichamnn collection
(Image: Giovanna Fletcher Edit exclusively at Deichmann)
I’m definitely going towards the boots – but which ones? There are some really gorgeous biker ones, they’re almost like a Chelsea boot with an elastic panel on the sides, which makes them easy to put on – because a boot that’s easy to put on is very much appreciated. I’d either go for one of the low biker boots, or there’s a long leg boot that’s really gorgeous, and that looks really lovely with a pair of jeans and a blazer. You can wear a boot with anything; skinny jeans or tights and a dress, the options are endless. And you can wear the styles for multiple occasions, is that right? Absolutely. I think as a parent you’re here, there and everywhere, and your day can consist of so many different things, so you want to be able to wear shoes that are versatile. The big thing about the edit and what Deichmann does so well is that it’s all been designed with style and comfort in mind, but affordability as well. Deichmann really does pride itself on creating footwear that is accessible to a lot of people. It sounds like being a busy mum is an important factor in why you chose to work with Deichmann as well? Yes, it’s the life I’m living. Every single part of the day I have to factor in where the kids are and what they’re doing, so it makes sense that it feeds into the work that I create as well. I’m living a life that a load of people can relate to, so I know if working with them makes life easier for me, then hopefully it makes life easier for other people as well. How do you keep everything organised and running smoothly?
The new edit is full of gorgeous cosy footwear for autumn/winter
(Image: Giovanna Fletcher Edit exclusively at Deichmann)
I have to think three steps ahead. You have to try to stay organised otherwise it all does fall to pot, so organisation really is the key. To avoid the morning chaos I have everything laid out in piles, so when the kids wake up in the morning they put their uniform straight on, and that’s one massive thing already done. That does mean they have breakfast in their uniforms, which sometimes can mean a quick change, but you feel one step closer to being out the door. It sounds like you’ve got it down to a fine art! Is there one thing that you couldn’t get through your daily routine without? It’s not a gadget or item, I think it’s the kitchen side. Because when the boys come home in the evening, I get all their books out, we know what homework they’re doing and we know what book we have to write in, then in the morning it’s just a case of putting all those piles back in. If it wasn’t for the kitchen side, I would be a disorganised piece of chaos – I should just take my kitchen side with me wherever I go!
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How do you keep track of everything you need for these busy schedules? I just try my best, and I know school WhatsApp groups get a bad rep, but actually I heavily rely on them, just to go, ‘Oh yes, they need wellies’, ‘Oh yes, they need that’. I think relying on the resources that are there is really important. And also cut yourself some slack when you forget things or they don’t go to plan. Bearing in mind we’re both Tom and I are authors, when one of them was in nursery, we forgot their first World Book Day. And you’ve just got to go with it and go, OK, we failed. It’s about trying not to get stressed about stuff when it all falls apart, and you can only do what you can do. Just be as organised as you can, put everything into piles, and hope it works out! Speaking of costumes, with Halloween coming up, what is your family doing to celebrate? We love trick or treating; usually we go over to my sister’s house because the kids love walking around the streets. In terms of costumes, there have been various times throughout the year when we’ve watched something and been like, ‘Oh we should do that!’ At the moment the thing that’s stuck is Home Alone, with Max as Kevin, the older brothers being Marv and Harry, and then me and Tom being Kevin’s mum and dad. It might change, but that’s been talked about for a long time. Amazing idea – do you go for a DIY costume or do you buy them?
Giovanna shares her three boys with husband Tom Fletcher
(Image: Instagram/@tomfletcher)
Oh we’re totally DIY. Then if we haven’t had time to properly make things, me and Tom usually have a quick run through the shops to see what we can make work. A couple of years ago there was a Halloween party and Tom’s sister [Carrie] had decided she was going as the little girl from Hocus Pocus. We were surprising her and we were like, right, Tom can be the little girl’s brother and I’ll be the girlfriend. But there were so many layers in that costume, with me in a jumper and Tom in a bomber jacket; we were really hot, thinking this was a bad idea. We love a last-minute DIY costume! I love it! When I had my 21st birthday Tom and I went as Batman and Robin, and I spent ages sewing sequins on our capes – and I’m awful at sewing. But it was so much fun, and it made the enjoyment of that event span a much longer period because you’re enjoying the build up. It sounds like you’re quite a crafty family – are there any activities you love doing together? In the summer we’re mostly outside running around the woods, but heading into winter it’ll be more sitting around the table. Tom has this amazing ability of getting all the kids to sit round and draw, whereas if I’m like, OK guys, pens and paper are out, no one comes! I don’t know whether it’s because Tom loves doing it himself so they’re intrigued, going ‘Oh what are you doing, I’ll do a bit of that’. I’m sure there’s something you do that Tom thinks, ‘How does she get them to do that?’! There probably is! I’ll have to find out what! Giovanna’s new autumn/winter edit is now exclusively available at Deichmann. The price range for the whole collection is £19.99 – £69.99.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnFashionShoppingGiovanna FletcherParentingTom FletcherChelsea
