Meet Devon Berrier: SF Mama and Founder of Layton
Devon Berrier
“Don't be afraid to ask for help! You never know who may have that exact answer you're looking for unless you ask.”
What do you do and what led you to this career?
In 2018 I launched a clothing line designed for breastfeeding mamas called Layton. After giving birth to our first son in 2012, I was shocked at the lack of breastfeeding functional clothing options available to new moms--especially styles that were event and work appropriate (Mama wanted a cute cocktail dress!) I struggled to find what I really wanted, and decided that it would be easier just to design my own. Nearly 7 years and multiple rounds of troubleshooting and sample making later, and Layton was born. Today we offer discreetly functional clothing for the fashion conscious breastfeeding mom, made from washable at home fabrics and manufactured in California. I love how the designs easily transition into the post-breastfeeding wardrobe to be worn well beyond the breastfeeding phase of motherhood. I think that being a new mom and breastfeeding and/or pumping is hard enough, getting dressed for motherhood shouldn't be!
What are the names and ages of your children?
Knox McHenry, who is 7 years old; Violet Austen, who is 6 years old; and Wells Morrison, who is 6 months old.
What has been your biggest career achievement thus far?
The first time a public figure wore one of our pieces and then posted about it (not sponsored!) was a huge pinch me moment. That being said, my goal when I first launched Layton was to identify an organization that the brand could partner with to give back to the community. It took some time for my team and me to figure out how we could add the most value when there are so many amazing organizations out there. In September we announced the Layton Gives Back Initiative, which identifies a different non-profit each quarter that we sponsor and donate a portion of our sales to. We also give the option to our customers to nominate a non-profit that they are passionate about on our website. I feel strongly about supporting those who don't have the ability to support themselves--especially when it comes to mothers and children. To be able to give back through the platform of my brand is something I am very proud of.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a mother?
There are too many to list! I do think the greatest thing I have ever done in my life is make awesome humans. Watching them learn something new or experience something new is special to witness. I cannot wait to watch them change the world in their own special ways.
And what is the most challenging?
The lack of sleep! Ha! In all honesty, it scares me that we are raising humans who are one day going to be out there in the world making decisions for themselves and interacting with people without parents watching over them. I just hope I am setting them up for success and doing my best to set a good example of how to treat people AND how to treat myself. Getting through the newborn stage and toddler stage feels like nothing compared to the reality that I am helping to raise actual people!
What is your best advice for someone new to your industry?
Don't be afraid to ask for help! I would never have been able to successfully launch my line without picking the brains of women who've ventured down this path before me--or who specialize in different aspects of the industry (social media, manufacturing, fabric consulting, etc.). As someone who didn't go to design school, I have heavily relied on advice from others in addition to my own research in order to make my line happen. Send out emails, make cold calls, DM people online--don't be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for advice. You never know who may have that exact answer you're looking for unless you ask.
What is your best advice for a new mother?
FIND YOUR PEOPLE! I cannot stress this enough. Motherhood is challenging and amazing and all the things balled up into one. Having someone you can call on to ask a question at 3am or cry to at 2pm is so valuable. When my first two were born I lived a block away from my good friend who had two babies around the same age. It felt like we were a team going through the ups and downs of new motherhood together. I didn't realize how incredibly special it was to have that until talking to other women who felt very much alone when they became first time moms. If your friends aren't having kids at the same time, or they parent differently than you do, find a group to join--through your hospital, your doula, your workout group, your neighborhood, Fashion Mamas (!)--having someone to lean on who knows what you are going through will help you get through those early (and sometimes scary) years of motherhood.
What's next for you? Do you have any exciting projects coming up?
We are mid-development for some new designs to launch in Spring! My goal is to continue to add to the collection with each season (or mid-season) to create a wide variety of options for mamas. I am currently developing some bump friendly pieces--to take mamas from the bump, to the baby and then beyond.
Follow Devon at @shoplayton