Savvy, skillful, and driven, it seems like Jessica Mulroney has the know- how to actualize anything she sets her mind to. Get to know the fashion strategist as she discusses ambition, family, and self-awareness.
Jessica Mulroney masterfully leads her life on several levels, balancing a family of five with three children, a married life, and a multifaceted career, which includes running an international charity, consulting companies on PR, marketing, and social media strategies, in addition to being one of the country’s preeminent bridal and personal styling experts. Known as one-half of Toronto’s most polished power couple, her influence extends to fashion through a broad network of Canadian designers.
You seem to have made all the right decisions in your life. What guides you in making the correct choices in your work and personal life? Well, I don’t know about making “all the right decisions.” We’ve all made mistakes and taken detours in life. All I know is I’m proud of the life and the family that I have built. What guides me? I ask myself a few questions: Is this a new challenge? Will it take me somewhere new in my career? Does it open up new possibilities? Throw in some gut feeling and woman’s intuition and that’s pretty much my process!
How would you describe the woman that you are today, and what accomplishments are you most proud of? I am a woman doing her best to live her most complete life. I strive to be a great mother and wife, all while feeding that part of my soul that is just for me. It’s tricky to nail that every single day, but on the average, I’m doing okay. I am most proud of the fact that all three of my children are growing into incredible, compassionate, curious, and kind people.
You are currently working on multiple projects at the same time. Why is it so important for you to be a successful and accomplished businesswoman? “Find something you love and be as good at it as possible,” is advice I heard a long time ago. I love all my projects, from fashion to philanthropy. I think I am good at them and doing them well makes me feel good about myself.
You obviously have a lot going on. How do you stay sane and balanced while organizing your time to make every task, appointment, and activity fit into your daily schedule? Has keeping a good work-life balance been a challenge for you? Here is something I know to be absolutely true: taking time for yourself is not an act of selfishness – it is an act of self-awareness. You cannot be the best mother or wife unless you are your best self, first. Working from that fundamental truth informs a lot of my day-to-day decisions.
You have been involved with a few charities, notably The Brain Project and The Shoebox Project for shelters, which you co-founded in 2011. The Shoebox Project has since distributed more than 91,000 shoeboxes filled with cosmetics and toiletries. Why is it so important to you to give back and help the community in various ways? Because to live a life that does not extend beyond your friends and family is a walled-off existence, devoid of generosity and warmth. That isn’t how I was raised and it’s not how I would ever live my life.
You are very invested in the bridal industry and this year will mark your 10th wedding anniversary to Ben Mulroney. What do you do together to stay connected and continue to grow as a couple? Honestly, we find romance in the most simple things: an evening of take-out and binge watching, an early dinner before our kids go to bed. Grand gestures are great and we love seeing them in movies, but it’s the little things that make us smile.
You work closely with Canadian designers through styling and marketing. How did you start collaborating and supporting local artists? Why is it so important to you to collaborate and support local artists? I have worked in nearly every part of the fashion industry: from design and distribution to manufacturing and retail. I know how tough it is and it’s only getting tougher. If I can help these talented people get a break that they so richly deserve, I will do it.
Any advice for other multitasking, career women? You’re not going to nail it every day, so don’t be hard on yourself. Some days, your career will take precedence and other times, your family will take the spotlight. Aim to get it right over the long-term and it will save you a lot of stress.
In the day and age of endless possibilities, what do you yearn to see in the future? I’d like the world my daughter grows up in to be kinder to women of ambition and I’d like the world to reward people who are generous and gentle.
Photographed by Alex Evans
Written by Mayillah Ezekiel for Dress to Kill Magazine’s spring issue