What is your grandmother's name?
Annie Frankenhuis-Cohen

What is her story?
My grandmother, Annie, grew up as a farmer's daughter in the north of the Netherlands. Her mother died when she was young which meant that all four daughters had to help out on the farm. My great grandfather noticed that my grandmother was very good at maths and so he taught her to do the bookkeeping.

In her 20s, my grandmother met her husband Sam and moved to Amsterdam where Sam had a small bathroom shop. My grandmother did the bookkeeping for the business and they managed to open a second shop, while raising their first child Joop. At the beginning of the 1930’s Sam fell ill and died after a short illness. At his death bed my grandmother promised to continue the business they had built together. My grandmother was only 23 - a widow, a single mother, left with two businesses to run and anti-Semitism increasing in the Netherlands and Europe.

She moved the business to the east of the Netherlands where she had a good network. With the business growing she needed a bigger team and was looking for a Head of Buying and Sales and this is where she met Eduard my grandfather; the love of her life. Just before the Second World War they secretly got married as it was already forbidden by the Germans for Jewish people to marry. To increase the family’s chances of survival my grandmother and grandfather hid in the countryside miles away from their sons, who were sheltered in Christian families. My grandmother missed her children terribly and cycled during the night with fake papers for several hours to still see them whenever possible with the risk of being found by the Germans and deported.

Post the war, things were hard. My grandmother and grandfather were reunited after the war with their sons. The business was completely robbed by the Germans, the Nazi’s had seized their original home and refused to leave. My grandfather literally had to fight them out of the house as the police were still very anti-Semitic after the liberation and refused to help.

Annie immediately saw an opportunity in the destroyed country; houses had to be rebuilt and people would need new bathrooms, but there was a lack of building materials. She contacted all major architects and city governments and made big deals for building projects. Together with my grandfather, Eduard, she ran the fast growing business, providing jobs to several hundreds of people.

After the war they had two more sons and a daughter. My grandmother was a lover of art, music and fashion, always supporting young artists, musicians and wearing couture outfits. She also did a lot of charity work, and founded an elderly home for Jewish people in her hometown. She also sheltered refugees in her own home, these refugees were mainly classical musicians and she helped them rebuild their careers in the Netherlands. She was knighted by the Dutch Queen for her efforts.

My grandmother and grandfather were a power couple, complimenting each other, always having an incredible sense of humour and in love till the end. She became an impressive 96 years old, leaving behind her 5 children and 19 grandchildren.

What has your grandmother taught you?
Always focus on the future, whatever you are going though there are bright times ahead!

How is your grandmother an inspiration to you and others?
Being an incredible business woman and entrepreneur as a woman in her time made her exceptional and a role model to me, my family and the many employees of the business. What I love about her is that she did it all while being the CEO of a big company and a caring mother of 5 who fought for the jewish community and creatives.

She inspired others including myself to see the joy and beauty in the arts and fashion. She created a beautiful world for herself with a big house full of modern art and antiques. Always impeccably dressed and up for a party. It was this magical world always organising concerts and lectures at her house, dinners with beautifully set tables. Fun parties and family holidays. I also loved how she was sporty, having a passion for horse riding, skiing and driving, but always being a ‘lady’.

After she passed away she donated her body to science and after the ceremony we came together in her former house and her best friend organised a big dinner for all the children and grandchildren and had set the table exactly how my grandmother would have. With beautiful damask table linen, porcelain, flowers and silverware. I remember we were all telling stories about my grandmother as she was quite a character and we had to laugh and cry so much; it was so beautiful and I just wanted to wrap myself in the moment forever. I decided to dedicate my graduation collection to this moment, literally making clothing out of my grandmother's old table linen, old wardrobe and silverware. I wouldn’t be where I am today, without my amazing Grandmother.

Tell us one word you would use to describe your grandmother.
Strong

What is your mother's name?
Jane Han

What is her story?
My mother has never been considered a "good mum" in the traditional Chinese culture sense, and not even a "good woman" either because she was always making different choices to those of her peers. Born in the 1970s in a small village, my mum's story starts with her quitting the "best job" at a government-owned business that everyone dreamed of. Instead, she moved to the south of China and chose to start her own business, against the objections of family and friends. At the same time, she got divorced without hesitation and started her role as a "single mum”.

In the 2000s, she was considered a successful businesswoman rather than a "good mother" who took care of her children all the time at home.

She has been divorced several times, and even as a single parent she still bravely pursues her own love, regardless of the views and thoughts of those people around her. She has always been a brave, hard-working, persistent woman that never follows blindly and fearlessly expresses herself. It was her perseverance that allowed her to become who she is now.

What has your mother taught you?
To be adventurous and stand up to challenges, be true to yourself and don't let anyone or anything limit you.

How is your mother an inspiration to you and others
In my mother, I see a strong female power. She may not have had a self-belief that she is an independent woman, but the energy is there. As a driven person always full of confidence, it seems like nothing can stop my mum, which inspires and motivates me all the time.

Tell us one word you would use to describe your mother.
Extraordinary

What is your mother's name?
Lindsay Keswick

What is her story?
My mum was born in 1960s Britain. The middle child, with an older brother and younger sister, she grew up in a supportive family, moving to the Suffolk countryside when she was young. They would go on family holidays in the caravan, travelling around the UK and Europe during the school holidays. I love hearing stories of these days, with them playing games and making bets. One favourite story is my grandad losing a game and having to run around the caravan naked!

Naturally very intelligent, my mum worked hard at school and went onto university to study Law and Languages, selecting Swedish and German. During her year abroad she spent time in Stockholm and Berlin - living there during the Cold War, when the German capital was divided into West and East Germany. We visited Berlin when me and my sister were younger and I was fascinated by my mum’s stories of her time there. She went onto Law School after university and met my dad - they had a set seating plan for the year and my mum and dad were sat next to each other.

My parents lived and worked in London for several years before having me, and then two years later my sister. My mum worked for big law firms, but wanted to have a career change and move in house. She found her dream job, as the Legal Director of a FTSE 250 company and we all moved to Suffolk, only 4 miles away from where she grew up and my grandparents. My dad quit his job and became a stay at home dad to look after my sister and I and allow my mum to pursue her career - this family set up was very rare in the early 2000s. My parents were a great team, always communicating and ensuring that my sister and I were supported and had the best opportunities. We went on family holidays and travelled far and wide - all over Europe with the caravan in tow, just as my mum had done as a child! It was the best time, making memories as a family.

Sadly, that bubble burst in 2015 when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and later passed away that same year. My mum was just amazing throughout it all, supporting my dad and me and my sister - keeping everything going while continuing to work. She is a real powerhouse, a career woman all while balancing family life. She is now a mixture of my dad and my mum - fulfilling both roles and just being the best mum anyone could ask for.

What has your mother taught you?
To go for it, to explore and be curious about the world.

How is your mother an inspiration to you and others
She has kept going throughout the tragedy of losing the love of her life, my dad - and done so with so much grace and elegance, always supporting those around her when needed. My mum has carved a strong career for herself, all while being the best mum to me and my sister, Beth. When I become a mother I want to be just like her - fearless and forgiving, supportive and encouraging, loving and always there.

Tell us one word you would use to describe your mother.
Brave