‘We just held each other’: Pip Edwards’ life flashed before her eyes. Then, she quit her job

For a long time, “turbo” was the word fashion identity Pip Edwards most often used to describe herself. And it wasn’t far from the truth. For more than two decades she’s been at the forefront of brands including Ksubi and P.E Nation (she co-founded the latter in 2016), while amassing a huge social media following.

Since stepping away from P.E Nation in 2024, and more recently from Ksubi, 46-year-old Edwards has been focusing on a new word: alignment. As mother to 19-year-old Justice Maximus Single, the son she shares with ex-partner and Ksubi co-founder Dan Single, Edwards says she has learnt to forgive herself for trying to have it all – and be it all.

But it was her experience of being within metres of one of the gunmen during the Bondi shootings last December that finally gave her the push to make lasting changes. Now, with a softer, slower approach to work and life, she’s taking on new projects that speak to her, including her first photo shoot with Justice for streetwear brand Superdry.

It’s been 10 months since your son moved to the US to pursue a career in basketball. How is it being an empty nester? The first couple of months were pretty hard. I kept busy, but I was always waiting for him to come down the stairs, or hearing his voice in the house. I’d pop my head into his bedroom. But as the year’s gone on, I’ve started to enjoy the space. We are both finding our own identities again, almost like a second time around.

Now that you are physically apart, have you found the way you and Justice interrelate has changed? When you’re so close, you can take each other for granted. Since he’s been away, the intention of communication has gone to another level. He’s the one instigating conversations. He has opened up a lot more; I don’t have to probe as much. I value that – there’s nothing he doesn’t know about me. It’s like we’re still together, just on opposite sides of the world.

You’ve mostly raised him solo while balancing a massive career. What is the one thing you realise you got right? I shared a lot of the truth of life with him along the way. There were no rose-tinted glasses. I’m an emotional and passionate person and I didn’t temper that just because he was a child. I explained the “why” behind my feelings. Some people might have thought I exposed him to too much, but the proof is in the pudding. He can read a room, he has immense empathy and compassion, and he understands the complex layers of women. The woman he eventually chooses to marry will be very lucky because he has been raised to respect and understand women deeply.

On the flip side of that, what have you forgiven yourself for? I’ve had to forgive myself for not being able to do it all perfectly. I was in survival mode for a long time: being the breadwinner, being present, keeping the engine running. I missed some milestones, such as swimming carnivals or award nights, and I felt guilty that I wasn’t there for every pick-up and drop-off. But my son gets it. He knows he wouldn’t have had the same opportunities without those compromises. I did the best I could, and it worked out because he turned out amazing.

How does your parenting style compare to the relationship you had with your own mother? My mum is incredibly devoted, which is where my own devotion comes from, but she was very strict. I was a well-behaved child, but with Justice I am way more liberal and open. I expect him to make his own decisions. Interestingly, my mother has become much more liberal with Justice than she was with me.

You and Justice recently did your first official brand shoot together, for Superdry. How was it being on set, and what have you taught him about work? I told him to be professional, but the client wanted us to be “us”. To me, it’s all about vibe and energy. He took to it like a duck to water, rapping, singing, making everyone comfortable. He’s been signed by [modelling agency] IMG off the back of that job because he was such a natural.

Is modelling something Justice has expressed interest in before? What are his career aspirations? His main passion is basketball, but he loves fashion. It’s in his genes. It’s not about making clothes – he loves wearing them. He’s his own little stylist; he rummages through my wardrobe and I rummage through his.

My girlfriend and I saw the gunman’s foot come down, and the gun. We just held each other and breathed.

Pip Edwards

Justice is back home now, but what has that year of living in the US been like for him? He’s home for a couple of months because his team didn’t make the playoffs. It’s been a big year of growth: moving countries, moving out of home, and finding his feet have been challenging. He’s had to learn to cook, clean and stand on his own two feet. It’s allowed him to appreciate what he has at home and gain a sense of reality.

You left Ksubi in January. What made you feel ready to step away from working full-time in fashion after 25 years? To be honest, it was the Bondi [shootings]. That, combined with Justice going overseas, gave me a new perspective. Life is precious and it isn’t permanent. I had ticked the boxes I needed to tick. It was the closing of a chapter of how I ran my career, which was at full pace, full tilt, 24/7. And that’s not sustainable – not for my health, not for longevity, not for my creative process. It doesn’t serve anyone, and it certainly was not serving me. I can choose joy and alignment, starting with setting up my own company that allows me to take on projects that value my worth and purpose. I’m taking back my sovereignty.

During the Bondi shootings, you sheltered under a car just metres from one of the gunmen. How are you processing that experience? Within three days, I started a lot of therapy. I knew the only way through this was “flipping the script”. Now, what I used to attach as a priority is not important any more. For 25 years I had attached worth to work and identity – maybe as a mother, maybe in P.E Nation. I’ve had to dismantle that.

How did Justice support you after the Bondi event? I was under that car, and all I could think about was him. I had to surrender to the fact that it could be over. My girlfriend and I saw the gunman’s foot come down, and the gun. We just held each other and breathed. Justice landed [from the US] while I was still in total shock, but having him home at that time was exactly what I needed.

You’ve been open about entering perimenopause at 37. What made you invest in women’s supplement brand Biolae? I want women to know their options. Now, I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I’m a curious person, and having the space to dip into different industries keeps me motivated.

You turned 46 last weekend. As you enter the second half of your 40s, how are you redefining success? I used to think that success was about accolades, acknowledgement or financial return. Now, success is inner peace and calm. It’s very different from the image I used to project. I’ve never felt more in my skin. External validation isn’t required any more.

How has this affected your personal and romantic relationships? The close people around me are aligned with my values. The same goes for romance: I have definitely hit a sweet spot. I really know who I am, finally. Today’s Pip is soft; she’s leaning more into her feminine era. She doesn’t have to hold the fort, or keep the engine running. It’s not all on her.

With Mother’s Day coming up, do you and Justice have any traditions? We always have lunch with my mum, but it will be lovely just waking up and having him home. I’ll probably just do all the things he likes doing – because that’s what mothers do.

How do you think the two of you are most alike? We’re both deep thinkers, and we feel things very deeply. We are both quite sensitive. Where we differ is that he isn’t reactionary, whereas I am “all in”. I’m still learning from him in that regard.

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