Karine Claassen
A few years ago, I saw a documentary series that blew my mind. Called “Life in Colour”, the series explores the lives of Belgian citizens with different skin tones and how racism and discrimination had impacted the way they grew up. I watched the series twice. Karine Claassen created the series after giving birth to her son Otis Mumba. Becoming a mother exposed the need to explore her own childhood, and talk about it with peers. Being a young mother myself, I could totally recognize Karine’s stage of life, and state of mind.
I’m often attracted to people who can’t be boxed, I find them intriguing. Karine is exactly such a person. She has the talent to create unique stories and trigger interesting conversations. Combined with her own layered personality, my attention was instantly drawn. Quite impulsively, I sent her a bottle of Rosehip Oil Serum to congratulate her on the beautiful series she had made. Several months and messages passed, and Karine naturally evolved into a fan of the brand. Inspired by her talent, it felt so natural to me to feature Karine as our next Muse, curious to know more about her driving forces and her relationship to motherhood.
All pictures in this feature are by Margaux Van den Bossche, dear friend of Maiwe and Antwerp-based photographer. The pictures were taken at Patina.
Hi Karine, can you introduce yourself?
Sure, my name is Karine and I’m 34 years old. I consider myself a professional storyteller. Today this means I create documentaries and work on television programs, but who knows where it will take me in the future? Telling stories, connecting with people, that’s the essence of my work. I’m a mother too, my son Otis Mumba is almost 3 years old.
How is your relationship to your work? Do you have any dream projects?
I’m very dedicated to what I do. When I start a new project, I get totally committed. But I do try to mark my limits, that’s different than before. I used to put my work always first. Now I come first, and I try to let go of that perfectionist perspective where you can always push a little more. It comes at a high cost though, so I try to have a healthier relationship to my work now.
When it comes to a dream project, I cherish special memories for the documentary “Dwars door Amerika”. It was made ten years ago, right before Trump got elected. I took a road trip through the USA to probe how my peers were experiencing life in a pre-trump era. I would love to travel with Otis Mumba in the future, and pass these cultural experiences to my son that truly enrich life.
"Giving birth to my son changed absolutely everything for me. Motherhood has forced me to come much closer to myself, my true essence. "
Three years ago, you became a mother and Otis Mumba was born. How has motherhood impacted you?
Wow, what a question. Where to begin? Giving birth to my son changed absolutely everything for me. Motherhood has forced me to come much closer to myself, my true essence. It felt as if I didn’t have another choice. I started noticing who I really was, and that it was time to stop lying to myself. Before being a mother, things went so fast. I was at every party, my career was growing. To the outside world, it looked as if I was totally on top of my game but to me it didn’t feel like that at all. I felt empty. My life is very different now.
"I practice profound self-care now. This means I really take care of my body and my own well-being. I make time for sports, sleep and a consistent routine."
How is your relationship to your body and your skin?
Also this has changed completely after the birth of Otis Mumba. For example, I used to hide myself under layers of makeup. I’m a firm believer of how the skin mirrors your inner world. How you feel mentally, but also when it comes to nutrition and how you take care of your body in general. I practice profound self-care now. This means I really take care of my body and my own well-being. I make time for sports, sleep and a consistent routine. My life is often quite boring, actually (laughs). I need that time out to centre myself. I live in the countryside now, this helps me a lot to create this new lifestyle.
"I use The Rosehip Rescue Balm for just about anything. For my son, for my entire face before going to bed, for dry spots. Its versatility is amazing."
What do you find in Maiwe? Do you have a favourite product?
I think Maiwe has a very strong story. I also feel how linked it is to you as a person, and how you have made the brand come to life. You can feel there's thoughtfulness in everything, in the communication, the branding, in the curation of the ingredients. The beauty market is very saturated, there are so many brands out there. But I’m convinced that those who have excellent products combined with a good, solid story will stay upright. I love to be taken on a ride into one’s universe, and Maiwe does exactly that for me. You know, there’s a lot of commercial ‘bullshit’ being told, and consumers really do see through that. There’s none of this at Maiwe, it’s simply pure, honest, and the value for money is excellent.
The Rosehip Rescue Balm is my favourite product. I use it for just about anything. For my son, for my entire face before going to bed, for dry spots. Its versatility is amazing.
The Rosehip Rescue Balm
"I use it for just about anything. For my son, for my entire face before going to bed, for dry spots.
Its versatility is amazing."
