Pip Edward On Her Unbreakable Bond With Her Son

The next generation of boys will play an integral role in the ongoing fight for gender equality. Here, fashion designer Pip Edwards reflects on becoming a single mum at 27, and her unbreakable bond with her “bestest friend.”

My dearest Justice,

To the one constant in my life, I want to thank you, Justice. I find myself in reflection mode, as I’m approaching 40 and you approach 14. It’s been a jam-packed ride doing life with you. I can’t even remember what my life was like before you were born – my real life started with you! I want to thank you for being my absolute rock; I want to thank you for being my only anchor. I want to thank you for being my bestest friend ever, my confidant, my roommate, my annoying little brother, my voice of reason, my reminder of what really is the sole purpose of my life. I want to thank you for being my passion, my drive, my ambition, my greatest challenge and, most of all, I want to thank you for being my son, my greatest achievement.

You’ve allowed me to explore the true grit of life; you allowed me to find and become my true self and, through trial and error, to work out who I really am, no matter the mistakes made along the way. There are times when I’ve had major mother’s guilt for working too much or missing out on many “firsts” for you at school, while I was building my career to set ourselves up, but you have always understood why it was the way it was and you’ve never judged nor questioned it.

Raising you as a single working mother was a lot to take on, especially at 27. Whether I showed you too much emotion, or whether my honesty was just too honest, thank you for allowing me to feel what life is really like for me, with, at times, no filter. I hope, in turn, that being exposed to this realness, seeing the world through my raw eyes, will set you in good stead for your incredible future ahead. Through life’s highs and lows, the drama and the tears, the twists and turns, and with all the laughs, the boundless love and crazy excitement and adventures that we find ourselves on … I am always learning, you are always learning. We are both learning and feeling every single day, and I’m so grateful that we get to do it together.