Photograph by Alden Wallace

Venice-based accessories designer Kendall Conrad — known for the super-luxe shoes and handbags she designs and sells out of her boutique on Abbot Kinney Boulevard — is a style icon to many who admire the way she makes white jeans and a pair of flat leather sandals look more glamorous than anything you might spot on the red carpet. It turns out, however, that, as the mother of two teenage girls, in addition to her fashion expertise, she has a lot of parenting advice to share. Here, she imparts some critical wisdom and reminds us what is truly the only non-negotiable in life for anyone with children: a strong morning coffee.

My perfect Mother’s Day…
To start it off, a Bulletproof coffee in bed with the Wall Street Journal, then a day in the water at Rincon with a gourmet picnic with my family, friends and dogs and a beach bonfire at night.

Best advice my mother gave me about parenting…
Do not burden your children with your problems. My parents were wonderful this way — never complained or spoke of health issues, wanted us to live our lives and not to worry about them. I hope to do the same!

Favorite thing about being a mother…
Watching my girls grow into amazing young women.

And the most challenging…
Knowing when to give free rein, letting go and trusting that they will make good decisions.

I’d describe my style as…
Slightly tailored/uniform/luxe basics.

And my daughters’ style…
Fanny is beachy Seventies and Luisa is tomboy/minimal.

Our favorite stores to shop at together…
APC, Jil Sander, Zara and Chance.

A perfect afternoon with my girls…
Hiking on Santa Cruz Island.

The advice I will pass on to them when they become mothers…
To really listen to their children and hear who they are. Read a good book — fiction or non-fiction — at least an hour every day, and to teach their children a good work ethic, as they have learned, and to choose work that they love and are passionate about.

Follow Kendall Conrad on Twitter and Instagram.

Read more features from our Mother’s Day Issues, past and present.