A Day Well Spent With... Heidi Gosman, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Heidi Klein

The swimwear designer on the supplement that cures her jet lag, Sarah Chapman facials and her favourite tipple
Chloe Street17 November 2019

In 2002 Heidi Gosman and Penny Klein launched Heidi Klein - the UK's first one-stop holiday shop in Notting Hill.

“We set out to reinvent swimwear shopping into an exciting and enjoyable experience, while providing everything our clients desired in order to look and feel gorgeous on holiday; all under one roof,” explains Heidi.

Two years later they launched their own-brand swimwear label, with the aim to provide classic, well cut and flattering swimwear with cross-generational appeal.

The inspiration came from listening to clients, understanding what works and what doesn’t, and then creating a collection of exquisitely cut swimwear with an impeccable fit.

And oh boy did they succeed.

Heidi Klein is now sold in 150 stores in 39 countries globally, they opened a second boutique in Chelsea in 2004 and another in New York City this year.

The brand has a loyal following among celebrities and stylists, but also among real women with real bodies, who love its sophisticated aesthetic and incredible fit.

We caught up with Gosman to find out how she maintains a healthy lifestyle in between running a design team, travelling for photo shoots and being a mother.

Langkawi V-Neck Tunic, Heidi Klein
Heidi Klein

The morning is my favourite time of day. One reason for this is because no one else in my household is awake yet. I wake up early – 5 or 5:30 am. I then make my way to the kitchen where I am greeted by my beloved dog, Otto. I walk into the smell of freshly brewed coffee with cinnamon which I’ve prepared the night before.

Before I pour myself that cup of coffee, I’ll have a glass of warm water and lemon to kick start the metabolism. If I’m being super good, I’ll add a teaspoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar which is brilliant for digestion. I’m not a huge weekday breakfast person but really savour it during the weekends when the entire family can sit down together. Poached eggs are my specialty.

I’m not into gyms or classes; getting outdoors and breathing some fresh air is super important to me. I take my dog for a long walk each morning, whatever the weather. I love horse riding on the weekends too. I love their strong and graceful aura.

Heidi Gosman

My morning skincare regime in a word? Quick! I try to do the school run when possible and getting three children out the door is challenging on its own. However, exfoliating every morning is my non-negotiable! I find it’s the best detox for my skin and helps to boost circulation as well as shedding any dead skin cells. To really nourish and renew my skin I then moisturise top to toe with Sisley Restorative Body Cream.

I have a very simplistic approach to mindfulness. Whether I have 10 min or 60 min, I spend the early morning walking my dog. I find that it really clears my mind before I focus on all the exciting things happening in the world of Heidi Klein.

For lunch I love salads – avocado, kale, spinach and beetroot are my favourite ingredients with lots of nuts and seeds on top.

Heidi Gosman

I have never really been a snacker but I do like to have an apple or nuts close by in case I need a little energy injection throughout the day. Almonds and walnuts are my favourite. They are high in protein and apparently excellent for brain function.

If I find I am stressed at any point in the day, I pop out for a water re-fill. A minute to myself is usually enough time to calm down and refocus my energy. It also means I usually hit my 2L per day target!

We are trying to make a conscious effort to eat less meat for dinner. Our local fishmonger has a great selection of sustainably sourced fish so we are exploring new ways of preparing it. On other nights, we go vegetarian – usually with a simple lemon and ricotta pasta or risotto – whatever is in season. However on Sundays it slips horribly! A traditional roast my favourite meal of the week. It’s not just the food but the occasion...lots of friends and family sitting around the table for hours.

Heidi Gosman

Drinking during the week is not something I do very often but at the weekend I do love a nice glass of wine – especially when catching up with friends. In the summer months it has to be a nice cold rose but in winter, I would always reach for the bottle of red. Or if I’ve been out on a particularly wet walk, I’d warm up by a roaring fire with a delicious glass of whisky

I tend to have a little more time for a skincare regime in the evenings once the kids are in bed. I use Sarah Chapman’s Skinesis Ultimate Cleanser to clean off any oils or dirt from the day– it doesn’t dry my skin out and feels so fresh. Sarah is our neighbour in Chelsea and I love going in for skincare advice when I visit the Pavilion Road store. Then I cover my face in Sisley’s All Day All Year Moisturiser which really protects, tones and moisturises my skin. It smells divine.

Usually, if I have time after putting the kids to bed, I will enjoy a long hot bath. A real luxury for me is putting fresh white linen sheets on my bed which I spritz with lavender mist. I then prepare a pot of camomile tea and settle in with a good book or some work. I don’t watch TV so this is my favourite way to unwind before I sleep.

I love both baths and showers, but I always have a shower in the morning to get out of the door quicker. I do, however, enjoy a calming bath in the evening to help soak away any stress from the day.

I take a multivitamin every day and when travelling, especially on long-haul flights, I take WelleCo’s Super Elixir – a couple of sachets pre-flight help me overcome any jet lag.

Spending time with family shouldn’t be an extravagance but sadly in this crazy busy world, one-to-one time, without interruption, is rare so I always make time throughout the year to go away with my mum for a few days. We have recently come back from the Imperial Palace Hotel in Portofino. It was heavenly. The spa treatments were amazing and we had the perfect amount of time to catch up, sleep, eat good food and laugh a lot! These trips also give me a bit of peace and quiet from a hectic life.

Cairns Square Neck Rope Bikini, £115, Heidi Klein 

I try to have the Bespoke Facial with Sarah Chapman every few months. She is a skincare genius! I also love massages but rarely find time to have one, so when I travel, I like to experience the hotel’s spa. The benefits a massage provides in terms of getting the blood circulating is great after aeroplane travel.

My approach to wellness hasn’t really changed over the years, I’ve always thought it was important to maintain wellness year round and not because it looks good but because it feels good, which is really important when you are running a business and you’ve got kids and a full life.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in