So far Norman’s revamp is a hit. “The tailoring is great, the detailing is fantastic and the leathers are melt-in-your-mouth,” says Rees. “The collection has moved on a step. It’s still very Maia but more grown-up and sophisticated. And I love her use of color, the Yves Klein blues and intense orangey reds.”
British television and radio presenter Mariella Frostrup finds Mother of Pearl “original and fun,” much like the multitasking woman behind it. “Maia’s life is all about adventure,” Frostrup notes. “And for her sons, I think it makes for a thrilling ride.”
For design pointers, Norman regularly consults Hirst. “I get inspired by his very concise aesthetic—and he is amazing with packaging and clarity. He’s got a very good nose for business,” she says. A yin-yang dynamic appears to surface in every aspect of their lives. In their ménage, for instance, Norman is the macho one, organizing the food fights at birthday parties and taking the boys fishing and skateboarding, while Hirst cooks, bakes bread and gets on with his work at the couple’s seaside estate, his party-animal period firmly behind him. It’s natural, then, that Norman juggles the masculine and feminine with Mother of Pearl. She’s looking to add a jewelry line—perhaps crafted in Bali—and possibly to create a fragrance. “I’m not making it for a mass market, because I’ve always wanted to make a fragrance that has a little two-stroke-like motorcycle exhaust,” she says with a smile. “Just a hint of that.”
