#AllCoopedUp with Amy Williams
Spring is finally here, and things are truly starting to feel renewed! I know I’m not alone in my gratitude for the sunnier, longer days, warmer evenings, and most of all - for starting to feel safer and back to normal day by day. With more businesses and restaurants starting to open, I’ve decided it’s time to step out of my quarantine look and refresh my wardrobe for spring. My sweatpants will surely miss me! Accordingly, this week we have an interview with Amy Williams, CEO of Citizens of Humanity, a Los Angeles-based denim company. You don’t want to miss her go-to pieces and recent online shopping indulgences... Enjoy! -Jenna
What’s your profession and what does your weekday routine look like now?
I am the CEO of Citizens of Humanity, a Los Angeles-based denim company with three brands within our family including Citizens of Humanity, AGOLDE, and GOLDSIGN.
Prior to COVID-19, I worked from home a couple days a week and commuted down to our headquarters in Los Angeles for the rest of the week. The early days of the pandemic were really challenging at work, for our team, and as a family. I feel incredibly fortunate to work as part of a team that came together during this time, found ways to help our community, and pivoted all efforts to produce face masks in bulk. I am grateful for the added time with our almost 12-year old twin daughters, who have really embraced the distanced learning.
My day usually starts with an early morning breakfast with the family, a Peloton or Mirror work out, and a 7:30am homeschool start time for our twin daughters who have been doing 6th grade virtually since August. We always try and have lunch together in the afternoon, and then work until about 5:30pm. The evenings consist of a lot of board and card games, TV documentaries, cooking, and baking more than ever before! We also love to spend as much time safely in nature as we can and spend many evenings calling family and old friends who we haven’t seen face-to-face in some time.
Are there any objects or spaces in your house that have a new appreciation for? Anything you’ve come to loathe?
I have a newfound appreciation for our kitchen, which I compulsively organized during the early days of the pandemic. An organized pantry can do wonders for one’s mental state at a time where we can control far fewer things!I have always loved my home office but appreciate it even more now. Since day one I could easily move into a quiet workspace while the girls enjoyed band practice, Zoom lessons, or afternoon snack time.
Describe your at-home quarantine uniform.
Very similar to my pre-quarantine uniform, but now barefoot. I am most often wearing a variation of a black or white shirt with jeans from Citizens, AGOLDE, or GOLDSIGN. These chillier days I often wear a sweater from Jud, my newest brand obsession.
Who are you quarantining with? Do you feel the need to “get away”?
My twin daughters and my husband. Over the Summer, we kept our bubble to a small group of three other families. We’ve loved this time together, and sense that we would go back to things much more intentionally in the future. I am craving time with family in New York and England as well as some weekends at the beach this Summer – something to look forward to.
What’s the last thing you purchased online? Regret or obsessed?
New sunglasses from Matchesfashion.com, as I plan to be outside as much as I can in the coming months. I also purchased new furniture for one of our daughter’s room, as they are now in separate rooms!
Any shows, podcasts, or books you’re loving right now?
In the effort to buy less, but buy better, I have a rekindled appreciation for the library. I love that I can reserve books online and pick them up myself, like a kid on Christmas morning. I plowed through and loved Lori Gottlieb’s “Maybe You Should Talk with Someone” and Brit Bennett’s “The Vanishing Half.” I am currently reading “Rodham: A Novel” by Curtis Sittenfeld and have “The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk on the list next. Apple TV+’s new show Ted Lasso made me laugh and cry. I am also really looking forward to Taryn Toomey of The Class’ new podcast.
Do you have any new quarantine activities or rituals?
I am newly addicted to the Peloton we have had for a few years now but had only used a handful of times before last year! A quiet walk by myself or with the girls has become a weekend ritual of ours. We’ve also started baking bread, growing our garden, and doing nightly meditation.
Any go-to cravings or recipes you’ve been loving? Favorite restaurants for takeout?
We have been cooking a lot. It’s so nice to gather in the kitchen at the end of the day and spend time creating something together. We just took Cristina Tsoi’s baking class and are big fans of Milk Bar. I have fallen in love with baking bread during quarantine with the help of the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook.
What is your creative outlet and how are you making space for it?
My job is a major creative outlet, as well as my new baking hobby. Right now, the girls are taking an art class and “teach” me the lessons afterwards. We are currently working on portraits and making friendship bracelets. I am really looking forward to learning how to do pottery with the girls once things normalize. I also found a 35 mm camera on eBay and am excited to learn how to use it and take proper photos again!
What’s been the biggest challenge for you throughout this?
Being far away from family, friends and our work family, who we all love and miss.
When this is over, I can’t wait to ___________.
See our family in New York and England, as well as spend time in person with the team at work.
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