A bevy of fashionable moms and their tots, along with stylists and The GREAT designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, celebrated the launch of their upcoming limited-edition diaper collection for The Honest Company on Saturday. The collection, called The GREAT Adventure, was unveiled at a private residence in East Hampton, with proceeds benefiting Kelly Sawyer’s Baby2Baby. The organization provides children up 12 years old who are from low-income families with diapers, clothing, and other basic necessities. Those who came out for the fun? Rachel Zoe with sons Skyler and Kaius, Molly Sims and her tots Brooks, Scarlett, and Grey, Dylan Lauren with kids Cooper Blue and Kingsley Rainbow, Stacey Bendet with daughters Eloise and Scarlet, and Rebecca Minkoff with daughter Bowie Lou. Over delicious Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches, we caught up with Jessica Alba, founder of The Honest Company, on her latest project.
What’s the backstory of this new collab?
We’ve [Emily and Meritt] thought about working together for a few years. We never stop working, so we relate on how working is a 24/7 job, just like raising a family. It’s kind of just the perfect timing, especially with what’s going on with the world today—to have women who have businesses that collaborate and give back is like having your cake and eating it too.
How do you know Emily and Meritt?
They’re my stylists, and we have a lot of mutual friends. They have so many different arms to their business, like licensing with Pottery Barn and their fashion line The GREAT. Plus they sold their denim line Current & Elliott, which I think is so many people’s dream in fashion—to start a company and then sell it. Their business is stronger than ever and they’re been friends since meeting in college. They’re smarties along with being very fashionable and being moms. It’s the American dream.
You’re based in Cali. Why did you want to celebrate the launch in the Hamptons?
Baby2Baby has never done an event on the East Coast on this scale, so I thought it would be a great way to introduce it, since it’s a national program. Also, because we spend so much time on the West Coast, we thought it would be nice to branch out. Our brands are relevant all over. The collection is called The GREAT Adventure, so we took an adventure! I love how beautiful and outdoorsy it is here.
What do you like doing when you visit the Hamptons?
This is my friend’s [Kelly Sawyer] parents’ house. They have an apple orchard and peaches that you can pick. It’s a simple, laid-back, and relaxed life. I also just like being in nature and playing outside until the sun goes down. It’s what you want when you live in an urban environment. This is luxurious to me.
Have you done any other traveling this summer?
I took the kids to Hawaii for a little bit. We did lots of swimming. Now my husband and I are back at work but it was nice to take that family time.
Congrats on expecting baby number three! Who changes more diapers in the marriage?
It’s whoever is around the baby the most, but whenever my husband [Cash Warren] is home he actually doesn’t let me change the diapers. He’s like, What else am I good for when you do everything else? It’s his way to bond with the baby. He actually likes it. But it’s been a long time, so hopefully he doesn’t forget that he likes it!
Does your beauty routine change as you transition from summer to fall?
When I’m pregnant I can’t use retinol, which I’m obsessed with. It’s a lifesaver for me because it feels like it reverses aging. It is what it is but I’ll get back to it. That’s the big difference for me now. I also usually moisturize more in the fall and winter—in the spring/summer I go for lighter products.
What else are you working on at The Honest Company?
I’m launching an anti-aging and anti-acne skincare line called Younger + Clearer. Our plant-derived acne treatment ingredient and a breakthrough clean retinol shine through as the hero ingredients of this line. At Honest Beauty, since we are all about clean beauty that works, we focused on creating high-performance formulas made with clean ingredients. It’s been in the works for a while now and I’m so excited that we are finally bringing it to market. The science behind it is really cutting edge, our Honestly Pure Retinol is encapsulated with tapioca dextrin and is made without the synthetic additives typically used to stabilize retinol. In further news, The Honest Company is launching a whole new cleaning line later this Fall so stay tuned for more info on that!
