little luxuries fashion magazine by shawna cohen

trend

YOUNG LADIES IN BABY DIOR AND GROWN-UP LOOKS FROM CHRISTIAN DIOR FALL 3453

LITTLE LUXURIES

H

arper Seven Beckham, the youngest child of David and Victoria Beckham, was just eight weeks old when she appeared at the top of InStyle’s Hot 100 Power List— beating out grown women like Lady Gaga and Emma Watson.

It’s absurd, to say the least, but then again this is a kid who was rocking Chloé tights and Stella McCartney jumpers long before she could coo. A-list moms and their mini-me’s aren’t the only ones playing dress-up. High-end labels from Lanvin to Armani are targeting a whole new generation of pint-sized fashion plates and their mothers—women who have no qualms about spending upwards of $200 on a Burberry onesie or Dolce & Gabbana booties guaranteed to make your ovaries ache. Long embraced by Europeans, the designer childrenswear trend has gained momentum worldwide, particularly in North America. It’s no longer a rarity to spot a stiletto-clad mom carting around her baby in a Missoni-designed Bugaboo, Prada diaper bag tucked safely below. Designers and retailers alike are getting hip to the fact

70#FASHION

| october '()'

that women with children crave quality and style—not just for themselves but for their little ones, too. 0ese precious items also make for some pretty fabulous baby gi1s; the packaging alone is to die for.

Over the past few years, major players such as Marni, Lanvin, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta have launched designer children’s lines, following in the tiny footsteps of pioneers like Ralph Lauren and Christian Dior.

Diane von Furstenberg and Stella McCartney have partnered with big-box retailers such as Gap Kids and Target to create more affordable collections for the mini masses, and even some moms. (Don’t think for one minute that women weren’t trying to squeeze into McCartney’s tiny cashmere sweaters and band jackets.) “Many women view their children’s style as an extension of their own,” says Colombia-born Shayne Cohen, co-owner of Oxygene boutique in Florida’s upscale Bal Harbour Shops.

Oxygene has been around for nearly three decades—it was one of the first stores in North America to offer designer childrenswear—but it wasn’t until last year that it merged its womenswear and childrenswear into a single retail space. Now, celebrities »

fashionmagazine.com

photography: runway by peter stigter

Lanvin coats? Dior shoes?

Marni sweaters? Designers are reinterpreting their ready-to-wear collections for the playground set.

By SHAWNA COHEN

trend

like Katie Holmes and Jennifer Lopez, as well as Cohen’s regu- shops designer for her six-year-old daughter, Parker. Some of lar client base, which includes tourists, many from Brazil, can her favourite outfits—a 3.1 Phillip Lim knit dress and cardigan and a Ralph Lauren cashmere onesie with a matching blanbrowse Christian Dior coats ($2,300), Roberto Cavalli dresses ($675) and Lanvin flats (from $305) before heading to the back ket—were received as gi1s. 0en there’s the Baby Dior holiday of the store for their adult-size equivalents. “Six years ago, my dress and jacket set—a hand-me-down from her sister-in-law. clientele was grandmothers looking to spoil their grandchildren,” She places these special pieces safely in storage bins, in hopes of she says. “Now we have young mothers buying designer clothing someday passing them down to her grandchildren. “0e quality for their kids—they have an appreciation for fashion and design is amazing,” she says. “0ey are built to last.” On a recent trip to London, this mother-daughter duo visited a Stella McCartney and they’re willing to spend the money.” store, where Parker got a sleeveless blush-coloured dress with Even those on a budget are willing to splurge every now and then. Twenty-nine-year-old Edmonton mom Katie Hanson gold polka dots. Perfect for a family trip to Mustique they have Milroy, co-owner of online retailer Dotebaby.ca, purchased a planned this winter.

Burberry sleeper and Missoni jumper (on sale) for her unborn 0e Stella McCartney label is a popular choice for little ones. baby. “It wasn’t very practical—it was dry-clean only—but with 0e fact that McCartney herself has four kids doesn’t hurt; leave your first child you’re willing to go out and get all of the fun, it to a mom to mix form with function. In August, the 41-yearimpractical things because you’ve never done it before,” she old designer launched a limited-edition children’s book, Little says. Like many moms, Milroy, whose daughter McKenna is Miss Stella, based on the Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves, now 16 months old, reserves these luxury pieces for special occa- to coincide with her capsule collection for tots. “If you had told sions like weddings or holidays. “Fashion is very important to me as a kid that one day I would be a Little Miss character, me,” she says. “We have fun with it but I don’t want her wear- I would have laughed you out of the room,” says McCartney. ing high-end designer labels every day. I think there are other “Taking that story and character to the next level just seemed natural. We have brought fashion to the Little Misses of the things to focus on.”

When Diane von Furstenberg partnered with Gap Kids in world.” Domenico Dolce, one half of Dolce & Gabbana, is also March, budget-conscious Toronto mom Dana Ezer, 33, loaded inspired by the children in his life. “I have nephews and I spend up on these fashion pieces, in various sizes, for her then eight- lots of time with them. I o1en imagine them wearing our colweek-old daughter, Yael. “Does my newborn really need a lection,” he says, referring to the label’s first childrenswear line, blazer? Probably not,” she says. “But I view it as an unneces- aimed at newborns and kids up to age 10, which hit stores in sary luxury. Besides, I have such a small window for controlling July. “We have put a lot of care and attention into the creation what she wears.” For now, she’s taking creative liberties. “My of this children’s range, using the same fabrics as our men’s and daughter is part of my alter ego,” she says. “I like being able to women’s collections.” put [her] in something I’d never have the nerve to wear myself.”

Practicality is also key. Even the most style-conscious mom On the other end of this spectrum is celebrity stylist Rachel is looking for some form of it: No one wants their toddler Zoe. Who could forget the tour of baby Skyler’s walk-in closet throwing a tantrum on the monkey bars because she can’t on ABC’s Nightline? Highlights included Tod’s loafers, cus- move in her designer sundress. “Kids play, they roll around, tom-designed Missoni cardigans, Casadei sandals and a Gucci they spill things on themselves,” says Cohon. “Who wants to bomber jacket with a price tag over $1,000. Many of these items be a bubble-wrap mom?” But dressing your newborn in a cashwere received as gi1s from the designers themselves. Suzanne mere onesie on a crisp fall day is a different story altogether— Cohon, president of ASC Public Relations in Toronto, o1en that is truly fashion to drool over.

72#FASHION

| october '()'

fashionmagazine.com

photography: runway by peter stigter; beckhams by splash news/corbis; zoe by johns pki/splash news/corbis

FROM LEFT: LACE LOOKS FROM DOLCE & GABBANA’S FIRST CHILDRENSWEAR LINE AND THE FALL 3453 COLLECTION; VICTORIA BECKHAM AND HER MINI-ME, HARPER; RACHEL ZOE’S SON, SKYLER, STRIKES A POSE