It’s no secret motherhood comes with an assortment of unexplained superpowers. We don’t ask questions, we just live in awe of the light our Mothers emit. We enjoy the moments of love, we take on their teachings and we wonder how we got to be so lucky.
For Ava Matthews, this is undeniably true.
There's nothing she can't do.
This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating with beauty entrepreneur, Ava Matthews and acclaimed Australian stylist, Nicole Bonython-Hines. Their mother-daughter relationship is the perfect balance of family, friendship, love and support. And like a pair of old friends; these two aren't afraid to make a joke at one another's expense.
Nicole is a mother of five and self-professed grandmother of Australian styling. However, we’re more inclined to call her the ‘queen of Australian styling’, and we don’t think her children would disagree. For the last 37 years, Nicole has worked as a stylist predominately for magazine publications and in the music industry. Somewhere amidst styling big names like INXS and Kylie Minogue, Nicole decided to take on motherhood.
It doesn’t take much to find evidence of Nicole’s outstanding career and it’s clear that she’s achieved equal success as a mother.
A- “Mum always does what she says she’s going to do. She delivers on her word and her promise, which I think is a trait that not many people have these days. It’s more than reliable.
She’s very loving and she cares deeply for those around her. Not just me and all of us kids, but it’s my friends as well. She never wants us to feel uncared for and unloved.”
If Ava’s word isn’t enough to go by, the qualities her mother has passed on to her should be considered affirmation. Ava is the co-founder of SPF+ skincare brand Ultra Violette. Although new on the scene, Ultraviolet has sky-rocketed in popularity amongst Australians and it’s soon to venture into the international market. It’s safe to say her mum is nothing short of proud.
N- “Ava is fearless, I would never be brave enough to start my own company.”
While the two share many admirable qualities, they do have their differences, which includes a conflicting opinion of the cleanliness of Ava’s microwave.
N – “I went to heat up a cup of tea in Ava’s microwave and it has never been cleaned.”
A – “It has, I’ve cleaned it. She’s making out like I live in a frat house, it’s not that bad.
N – (laughs) I know, I’m just particularly anal.
Ava admits that since moving out of home, their mother-daughter relationship has had a chance to blossom into more of a friendship.
A – “I think it’s better now that we’re not living together. She’s such a neat freak and I’m not at all, I’m probably the opposite. I like communal areas to be tidy but I don’t care about bedrooms, I never have (but I need to).”
N- “I keep saying, she’s grown up now it’s time to stop being messy.”
A – “I know.”
N – “My mother said to me, leave the house like it’s about to be photographed.”
A – “She also used to say – ‘make your bed like the queen is coming to stay’, and I’d be like – the queen is not coming to stay.”
N – “So, I cannot leave the house or go to bed without everything being perfect.”
A – “I’m so glad I didn’t get that trait from you.”
It's evident upon entering Nicole’s home that this 'trait' and her natural styling ability, are a match made in heaven.
N- “This house has really just evolved; no deliberate choices have ever been made. If I was to start over it would be very different, I think. This is a real mix of old and new, some stuff I’ve picked up in op shops over the years, some stuff I’ve had since I’ve moved out of home.”
Not to be fooled by her modesty, we can confirm Nicole’s home is breathtaking, whilst maintaining a welcoming and warm atmosphere.
With her youngest two children almost set to leave the nest, Nicole admits she’ll struggle with a lighter schedule.
N- “I’ve got about 25,000 jars of chutney. I’m not very good with spare time. I’m so used to doing everything for everybody, it’s just weird going - oh what do I want to do?”
Words spoken only by a truly dedicated mother.
