HATCH, simply put, is the maternity line coveted by celebrity moms, expecting influencers, and chic mamas everywhere. Ariane Goldman, the founder and creative brain behind the line, designs HATCH pieces so that women can comfortably and confidently wear them before, after, and during pregnancy.

I have known Ariane since my buying days at Gilt Groupe. We first met in 2011 when I was buying her wildly popular bridesmaid dresses, twobirds, for Bridal Week on Gilt. I actually remember the appointment in her SoHo office where she told us she was launching a new maternity line, Hatch, and showed us the early samples.  It was cool.  It was different.  It was J.Crew meets Barney’s and I loved it!

Since that meeting many years ago, her super chic designs have accumulated a cult following, and the line’s first storefront located in SoHo has become a haven for expecting moms and trendsetters to swing by for doula seminars, a bite from the cravings bar, and as of a few weeks ago, to scoop up luxurious new Hatch Mama Beauty products created to treat stretch marks, hair loss, and other pregnancy side affects.

We caught up with Ariane on our recent trip to New York at her absolutely gorgeous new store to talk about her impressive career, being a mama to two girls, and everything in between.

Career

Originally From:

88^th Street, Manhattan

Education:

Dalton School, University of Michigan

The idea for HATCH came about when you were pregnant with your first child and couldn’t find stylish maternity clothes that you could invest in and continue to wear after pregnancy. What was your initial vision for the brand and what were the most important steps that you took to launch Hatch from concept to reality?

AG: I was so inspired by the concept of bringing this conversation to life but I was so nervous to take the leap from a safe, corporate job without much risk. I would do one thing every day that would build the snowball, (design my logo, line up the vintage inspiration pieces in my living room so I’d have to see them every day, make one call to a factory). Eventually, the snowball gets so large it takes on a momentum of its own and you can’t do anything but roll with it and commit.

You have amazing HATCH ambassadors including celebrities and influencers. How did you initially spread the word about Hatch and build an impressive group of supporters?

AG: When I founded the company in 2011 it was quite challenging to get coverage as editors weren’t yet covering “maternity” or a changing body for that matter. I did what I could to get the designs in front of pregnant women who had no other options and with patience and perseverance (and Instagram!!!) slowly and surely the fanfare grew.

When designing pieces for HATCH, what do you keep in mind to be sure the pieces work for before, during, and after pregnancy?

AG: I rarely have a waistband or an element that makes the piece finite. In this world of smart consumers and disposable fashion, a garment has to be thoughtful and draped beautifully so that you can invest in it at any stage.  HATCH is about investing in this moment, feeling beautiful despite the unknown change occurring, and having something to rely on at any point (and very much after the baby).

You recently opened a gorgeous store in New York that feels like a place to hang out in addition to shop. Tell us about your vision for the store and the importance of community to your brand.

AG: Ahhhh, what a dream. I’ve been building HATCH as a brand for 6 years and finally we came to life offline. The website and online model is so beneficial in so many ways, however your customers can’t touch and feel you on a two-dimensional screen. The store at 17 Bleecker Street allows us to have community events (doula seminars, dad-to-be workshops on how to swaddle and change diapers, shopping parties, etc) and bring things to a three-dimensional experience. Retail is very much not dead, in fact for us it’s providing us wings we didn’t know we had.

Now that you have a beautiful storefront, what is next for HATCH and how do you see the brand evolving over time?

AG: Never not pursuing a new idea!! We just launched HATCH Mama Beauty. A line of 8 plant-based products to help women get through pregnancy and postpartum. Whether it’s stretchmarks, hair loss, swollen ankles, we’ve done the diligence and come out with a centralized offering to solve your biggest needs – safely- during this time.

Describe the HATCH woman:

Strong, busy, loving, conscious, curious, thoughtful, excited.

Three words to describe your working style:

Tough, empathetic, obsessed.

Motherhood

How has your personal style changed since becoming a mother? Are there any styles you wore before motherhood that you would never wear again?

AG: Ha! I think my age is affecting me more than motherhood. My body has changed a lot since nursing two girls so the days of triangle bikinis are behind me 😉 Outside of that, it’s about ease as I’m so busy I need to throw things on that do the work for me.. I don’t wear make-up so my clothes need to make me polished and look the part while not being too fussy. (Psst…the Slouch dress is my go-to!)

How has your outlook on your career / life shifted since having children?

AG: Funny enough, I’m more driven when I look at my girls. I want to spend time with them and carve out school pickups, ballet classes, weekends, but I’m more determined to make HATCH a meaningful brand that they can be proud of. I’m just getting started.

Your favorite way to spend quality time with your daughters:

AG: We go out to our beach house and have the most amazing mornings together. Time away from the chaos allows us to breathe and be grateful.

What tips do you have for mothers with full time careers striving to maintain a sense of balance?

AG: Martinis and don’t be so hard on yourself. We are setting an example of what hard work looks like and they won’t learn that in school.

Favorite clothing brand(s) for the girls?

AG: I do love Zara girls bc they grow so quickly and it’s affordable. I also love Stella McCarntey’s kids line.. it’s super whimsical and fun.

What do you hope to teach your daughters as they grow up?

AG: Work hard, play hard, and more than anything, make sure that you are excited to get up in the morning and do what you’re going to do.

Personal

How do you unwind in between HATCH and home?

AG: There’s a great bar on the corner down the block from my office. Often I’ll make a quick martini stop and catch up on emails I didn’t get to by day. (Shhh.. don’t tell my husband)

Morning routine:

AG: We live in the west village and Charlie (my oldest daughter) goes to school uptown so the bus picks her up at 6:55AM. Oy! I wake her up at 6:30AM, get her dressed and fed and walk her downstairs. If I’m lucky, Georgie sleeps through our hustle and she wakes up at 7:15AM to begin the same process, after which either I or my hubby drops her at nursery school by 9AM.

Never leave home without:

My physical planner (Yup! Still use one)

Favorite place in the world:

Marrakech, Morocco

Favorite meal in New York City:

En Japanese Bistro

Traveling to next

On a plane right now. 😉