Friends of Fridah: Anna Vidovic

First on the journal we have Anna Vidovic . Anna is the founder of lifestyle brand Philé. I met Anna first as a bride when she was a magazine editor and I was photographing her wedding. She wore an amazing custom silk ensemble (with pants, iconic) and was one of the chicest brides I had come across. Bold and beautiful, considered but unfussy. Fast forward to today and I feel an unspoken bond and camaraderie that comes from starting and building our brands, and learning to do that in balance with being a mother - me gleaning business advice or timely encouragement from Anna that she seems to drop each time we have crossed paths.

We shot at Annas (newly renovated) home on a rainy morning with her daughter Phoebe.

5th April 2024, Sydney, Australia.

Anna, it was so nice to spend the morning in your home. It feels so spacious and practical but then you have these amazingly considered and almost decadent touches in sparse spaces that give it a gallery like quality. I know this isn’t a soft lead in but your artworks were some of the first things that caught my eye, tell me about purchasing art. Do you plan it, search for it or is it spontaneous?

AV: That’s very kind of you to say. I love art, I purposefully buy pieces as I find them. For me, art shouldn’t be a medium to decorate - if it doesn’t make me feel something, it has no place in my home. Most recently, I commissioned Indivi Sutton to create two large pieces for my living room - she uses pigment powder on raw linen that seems to literally radiate. They really ground the entire room. In the same space I have a piece by Tom Mackie, a New Zealand artist who builds the actual frames and makes it as much a part of the artwork as the canvas, and Stephen Bird, a mixed media artist doing really interesting and colourful work. One of my favourite pieces is a framed tapestry woven by Poppy Kural.

Mornings.

I’d love to talk a little about your mornings. With kids mornings are a whole other thing. Whats the first thing that happens for you? Who wakes up first etcetera

AV: Usually it’s my ten-month-old Phoebe who wakes up first at around 6am. Tomi takes her into the living room and gives me another 30 minutes in bed. Renata (my four year old) joins me and watches the ipad as I try to snooze, and then it’s up and breakfast for them. I have a peppermint tea while I make them breakfast, then put them in front of the tv while I quickly slap on an outfit and some sunscreen and we are out the door.

Is there any version of a morning that you have found best sets you up for a good day of work?

AV: I recently got a Peloton as I was finding it impossible to make it to my classes, so I’ve been squeezing in a class most mornings after sitting the kids down for breakfast. I even jump in the pool afterwards to cool down, it’s a really nice start to the day. My mornings - my whole days really - are a juggling act.

I try to make things easier for myself by subscribing to a weekly organic veggie and fruit box and outsourcing as much of the house stuff as I can, but when it comes to feeding the kids, I like to prepare their meals myself. I usually make a big batch of pancakes on a Sunday night using whatever I have in the fridge - I alternate between beetroot, zucchini, spinach or sweet potato, and I throw in a banana, a couple of eggs, spelt flour and hemp seeds. They both eat them and are really easy to cook up quickly.

Showers or baths - morning or evening?

AV: A bit of both, but I’ve been trying to squeeze in a couple of magnesium night baths into my week as they really help with my sleep and stress.

Do you like a long shower or are you a quick get it done type?

AV: Long and steaming hot. I know they aren’t great for your skin and hair but I just love them so much. I usually apply a hair mask, do a body scrub and even my skin routine.

Hair & Beauty.

As I mentioned, your hair is looking so lush and healthy. Talk me through your hair care and that amazing brush.

AV: I have a cut every six weeks with John Pulitano at Headcase Hair to keep my ends fresh, and I also do regular masks, but I really love my shampoo and conditioner by Virtue Labs. I’m also all about a healthy scalp - I learnt about this in my beauty editor days. We should treat our scalps with the same care that we do our face. I love a good scalp scrub (Christophe Robin) and a scalp massage using my YS Park brush.

Are you doing skincare morning and night? What’s the basics of the routine at the moment.

AV: It’s very basic indeed. I am breastfeeding so I’m not using anything active at the moment. It’s a double cleanse using whatever cleansing balm I can get my hands on (Drunk Elephant at the moment) followed by a gel cleanser by Gernetic Glyco. I will then use a hyaluronic acid - I love the one by Nimue as it’s actually in an oil formula. It’s then Gernetic Synchro 2000 and if I’m going out for the day, I use Ultra Violette Queen Screen, a little concealer under my eyes and a clear brow gel. I am so time poor, this is the extent of my routine day to day.

You were saying you’re staying on top of skin with regular facials, it’s very beauty editor of you and I so want in on it. The lady you’re seeing sounded amazing. Would you share her details and what the treatments are like?

AV: I am a believer in making effort for the big treatments that will minimise the need for daily intervention. I’m religious about my facials every six weeks with Natasha Double Bay. She’ll do a really deep clean that keeps my skin reliable, and just treat my skin with whatever it’s lacking at the time. She also does an incredible Buccal Massage, which was a game changer during my pregnancy and early postpartum days as it gives incredible results while also relieving jaw tension. I’ve been seeing her since my magazine days, but she’s been practicing for over 30 years.

Weekends.

What do you do to recharge? What kind of things do you love doing as a family?

AV: If I find a couple of hours to myself these days, it’s a walk followed by a swim, some Vitamin D and a book. For quality family time, we’re often at Centennial Park watching the horses (my four year old is obsessed) or straight to North Bondi pools followed by the Saturday fresh food markets. Both of our girls have grown up by the beach and love the water, so our quality time together usually involves the ocean or pool.

RK: Do you like to go out to eat or is it cooking at home?

AV: We used to eat out a lot more, but since having Phoebe, it’s just much easier to cook at home. I’m okay with that, I believe there are seasons in life and we are in our nesting season with two young babies, we just have to embrace it.

You’re running and growing your business Phile whilst having two young daughters, can you give us a picture of how much time is given to and are you mixing it with mothering or are you separating your time?

AV: It’s impossible to separate the two when it comes to your own business, but I’ve found a beautiful nanny who looks after Phoebe two days a week, and my mum and mother in law both help on the other days while Ren is at school so that I can try and work on the business.

A friend recently suggested that I implement worry hour, so If I get an email that would usually distract me from time with the girls, you reserve it for worry hour.

Philé has a beautiful message and ethos of shopping with purpose, leaving behind fast and consumption of even the most practical things. Have you always thought like this?

AV: Yes absolutely. I hate waste, and almost never throw out clothes or home things. I believe in buying less and buying well, always with the intention of keeping it forever.

When shopping for yourself, where’s the first place you’d look for everyday kind of clothes? Jeans, tees, etc.

AV: I love my Agolde jeans, but I also have great everyday denim from COS and even MNG. I wear tees from Jac+Jack or Bassike, and usually flats by the Row. I’ll throw on a vintage cardigan by Prada or Miu Miu when the weather cools down, and I just invested in the Maison Margiela Triangle Tote which has been amazing for fitting my laptop and leaving room for extras.

Evenings.

The day is done and kids are in bed. Do you get any time then for yourself? What do you do to unwind?

AV: Work. haha.

Do you read? What was the last book you read that you enjoyed?

AV: I love to read, but I struggle to fit it in. I’m making a concerted effort to finish the book I’ve been reading for a few months now, Eleni by Nicholas Gage. Before this I read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin which was brilliant.

Holidays.

Any holidays planned for this year?

AV: I will probably make it over to Portugal to meet with my manufacturers later in the year, but I don’t think I can leave for a little while.

Have you travelled internationally with the kids and how did it go?

AV: I travelled to Portugal and Greece last year when Phoebe was two months old. It was such a great time to fly, as she was so little and slept so peacefully in that little bassinet.

Is there anywhere you go back to over and over again, an annual family holiday type spot?

AV: We have a little house on my parent’s island in Lemnos, Greece and it’s the only place I want to visit with my girls. Back to basics, waking up to the sounds of roosters and goats, living simply in the village with fresh vegetables and fruits delivered to our door daily by generous neighbours. It really doesn’t get better for me.