Charlie & Friends: Meet Marion aka Fringe and Frange

Marion Gruber, free motherhood

Creative and inspiring, Marion is not content to be just a breath of fresh air in our Instagram feed. The influencer and mother of three children tells us about her vision of parenting and her desires for other places. Do you need to breathe? So read on!

Mom of three children in 5 years! Can you tell us how your motherhood evolved? Are you the same mom now as you were at the beginning?

Marion Gruber: I think it's in my nature to see the glass as half full. I make lists, plans, anticipate and prepare a lot of things, but it's more to reassure myself. However, when things happen (very often not at all as planned), I welcome them without a headache, enjoying all the little things in life. In my parenting, it's exactly like that. I am not rigid about schedules, I try to do the best I can, to make our lives easier at all costs.

And finally, it suits us well: children are super cool, we take them everywhere, they adapt to everything. Their bond is very strong, it's really magical to be a witness to that. And we involve them in all our projects, we talk a lot with them, despite their small age, and I have the impression that they love it.

I think I'm the same mom I was five years ago, yes, maybe fatigue (laughs). I always have tears in my eyes when I see them achieve something new, I always have that feeling of happiness that overflows in my heart, I tell myself every day that it is incredible what Guillaume and I have succeeded in doing. I am just constantly overwhelmed and I go to bed every day very tired of my days, but hey, it's a lower price to pay for all the happiness I have on the side!

Was having three children a dream for a long time or a desire that was built over time? The PMA course is certainly synonymous with a roller coaster... and a miracle too!

Marion Gruber: I always wanted to have three kids. This idea of large families and children with siblings to play with constantly, grow, and evolve has always spoken to me. And then with my first pregnancy, I realized that having three might not be that easy, and how lucky I was to have a baby in my arms already. When you have gone through an IVF journey like us, I think you really have to measure what a gift of life, a miracle and a chance it is. But... the desire for more never left me. And 14 months later I was pregnant with James. We could have said that it was OK, that we were really the happiest and luckiest in the world, but I felt like we were missing one. And then Luna came along, and I never had that feeling of “not enough.” I immediately felt that we were complete. The missing piece of the puzzle. I still can't explain it!

You have three beautiful children, written books, created a hat line, a crazy house, you make inspiring content, you have planned an incredible move. It almost seems “easy.” Do you have any advice to give for moments of doubt and keep your cool?

Marion Gruber: Thank you so much! It's not that it's easy, but challenges don't scare me, on the contrary, they are so inspiring, a real driver. I need to create things, to dream, for my balance. It's a lot of work, but since I love what I do, I do it with so much fun that it's even more motivating. And as for life plans... it's now or never, and I hate having regrets. Sometimes I have doubts, but I am lucky to be surrounded by very good people, so verbalizing things that worry me or seem unclear to my loved ones, family or collaborators immediately frees me up. I always tell myself that we must not lose sight of the objective and that in the end, success or not, the path to get there will be so many instructive and positive things that we must go for it. You rarely regret the things you've accomplished to the end, rather the things you didn't dare to do. So yeah, I always have projects in mind, so why not try to make them happen? I think being proud of your journey and your work is one of the best feelings.

Besides this project for Los Angeles, where are you at?

Marion Gruber: This is clearly THE current project: to change your life, to leave everything behind to start all over the world. Typically the kind of crazy challenge, which leads to constant questioning as the upheaval is crazy... but for which the result will be so worth the effort. For the moment, we are still in our immigration and visa files. We went there to find a house and visit the children's schools. It's getting real!

What essentials will come with you in your suitcases?

Marion Gruber: We're going to try to leave light — but in fact we're too passionate about a lot of things to get there! I need my sewing machine, knitting supplies, and hooks. Guillaume de ses guitars, I will take a good part of my dressing room, our sofas and some furniture we love and then our Charlie Crane high chairs, of course!

15 years of love with your husband, 3 children, you work together with Guillaume... Help us! What are your secrets for a couple that lasts?

Marion Gruber: We talk to each other all the time. All the time. We are lucky to be aligned with our projects and dreams. And then we each have our passions, our own moments. With children, our balance changes all the time. It's hard work to figure out how to adjust it to life in general, but you can take a step back and find yourself. Real teamwork, and lots of love!

While waiting for LA, we are always enjoying photos of your house in Hossegor. Why do you like Charlie Crane furniture?

Marion Gruber: Charlie Crane has been following us since Romy arrived 5 years ago. We saw her grow up in the LEVO lounger, discover food in her TIBU high chair, and then James arrived, he slept in the KUMI crib, and then Luna came to complete the picture, still comfortably seated in the same Charlie Crane furniture.

How does this furniture evolve with your children and in your home?

Marion Gruber: We have really gone through all the evolutionary phases of furniture.

After the KUMI crib, Luna is now sleeping in the KIMI bed, and one day, it will be opened so that she can get out and in as she pleases. We even pushed the envelope with the LEVO deckchair, which now welcomes children's babies.

Do you have a design desire at the moment? A room that makes you dream?

Marion Gruber: Yes! I dream of a Ray Wilkes Chiclet armchair for our next home...

What will we be able to see on your Instagram account in a year? Besides, will you always have to follow you on Instagram or on another network?

Marion Gruber: Let's hope for photos with pretty California palm trees in the background, and new projects to share! I like the photo too much to stop being on Instagram, but I'm trying to make more videos so I opened a YouTube channel and a TikTok account so who knows, maybe I'll be everywhere at once?

Thanks a lot to Marion for her time. Follow her on her Instagram account @fringeandfrange!