Earnshaw's | September/October 2023

THE RYLEE + CRU COLLECTIVE

THE RYLEE + CRU COLLECTIVE

Thank you for nominating us!

We are so humbled and grateful for your support in nominating us for not one, but two categories. Don’t forget to vote!

Vote today at EARNIEAWARDS.COM

-The Rylee + Cru Team

GIRL

imagination, offering unique and artistic clothing for the modern child.

CATEGORY - NEWBORN

With a focus on modern natural baby basics, each Quincy Mae piece is made with organic materials.

FEATURES

This page: Ayanna is wearing sleepwear by Esme, teddy bear by Pelucherie

Theo is wearing shortalls by

Photography by Zoe Adlersberg/See Management; styling by Mariah Walker/Art Department NYC; hair and makeup by Clelia Bergonzoli/Ray Brown Pro. Special thanks to Generation Model Management, Zuri Agency. Teri B Talent & Model Management and State Management.

CREATING THE PERFECT MIX

Every business owner knows that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to customers’ tastes, needs and purchasing decisions. An ideal mix of merchandise not only speaks to to the product categories but also to a variety of brands; it’s key to stock the tried-and-true while leaving space in your budget and on your racks and shelves for novel vendors.

This baby/toddler issue is all about creating the perfect mix of storytelling—of veterans with decades of experience and the introduction of newer companies that we found at trade shows, on social media platforms and through our exceptional and hardworking network of childrenswear sales reps.

We kick things off with our ocean-themed “On Trend” for a swimmingly fun smorgasboard of brands. Then we delve into our features with a Q&A with Managing Director François Vachon on his 37-year-old family business, Creations Robo, and how he has found skillful ways to expand and improve. We also profile the creatives behind 45-year-old accessory company Wee Ones, Gina Faust and Senior Product Designer Marcella Ahearn; they continue

to bring novelty to hair bows season after season and year after year. When it comes to fresh faces, there are many in this issue: from 3-in-1 bassinets to DIY perfume kids and bedding to bottle bags. Check out the round up of companies with distinct products and unique approaches in feature story “Newer Kids on the Block” as well as Australian newcomer Confetti Blue in the spotlight in “Final Cut.”

Finally, you will want to feast your eyes on our stunning fashion, “The Age of Innocence.” Bathed in pristine white, our baby and toddler models are the epitome of newness. It’s a creative challenge each issue for our team to conceptualize and execute the season’s looks and they certainly did it again.

We hope that this issue has something for every one of our readers. If you’re a retailer or sales rep and you’ve discovered a new brand you think we should highlight, please drop me a line at Michele. Silver@wainscotmedia.com. As we go to press, we are receiving the votes for this year’s Earnie Award recipients; perhaps this is your year! Good luck to all the nominees and we will see 22 of you in the winner’s circle.

Michele Silver Editor-In-Chief

CATCHING QUALITY ZZZ’S

U.K.-BASED SNÜZ rolls out its SnüzPod4 bedside bassinet to the U.S. market, ensuring safety, comfort and style for both babies and parents. As parents continue to seek solutions that foster bonding and promote safe sleep practices, the SnüzPod4 elevates bedside sleeping with its thoughtful, innovative, quality features and sleek design.

The 3-in-1 design enables the bassinett to transform into a bedside or a portable variation, it has breathable mesh materials for air flow that helps regulate baby’s temperature for an ideal night’s sleep and for the caregivers’ comfort and convenience, the functionality of adjustable height.

Snüz was created in 2013 with the vision of providing stylish sleep solutions for parents and is part of the Green Sheep Group, which has more than 17 years of experience in the nursery and sleep industries.

Snüz

MAKING BANK FOR CHARITY

TO HELP INSTILL the idea of giving back at a young age, childrenswear manufacturer Pink Chicken of New York has developed its “Pinkie Bank” initiative. Parents can purchase one of the pink chicken banks from the website (pinkchicken.com) or their local retailer that carries the brand. During the month, caregivers help their kids to earn and collect money to fill up their bank—perhaps through bake sales, dog walking, raking leaves for neighbors, or completing their chores for the week. Then, customers can select a charity to donate to at Pink Chicken’s “Giving Back” page.

OLD SCHOOL GAMING

WOMAN-OWNED and mother-run company eeBoo, which has been in business for more than 30 years, has launched new puzzles, art supplies and foil-stamped miniature journals for Spring 2024. Fresh products include the Rainbow Memory and Matching Game, dominoes in themes of “Giant Shiny Shark” and “Giant Shiny Forest,” a pre-school Bingo game and a cupcake-themed spinner game, and puzzles that feature crystals and gems and amphibians.

The Spring 2024 collection joins the brand’s commitment to creating beautifully designed products that feature exceptional art from emerging and award-winning talent, reflect diverse representation and promote respect for the planet and its resources. All products are sustainably made, using recycled materials and vegetable-based inks. “We always strive to provide quality products that build, challenge and expand a child’s imagination and offer them opportunities away from screens, playing on their own, and interacting with family or friends,” says Founder Mia Galison.

eeBoo

Pink Chicken of New York

ON TREND

Under the Sea

Baby sharks, sea turtles and mermaids emerge out of their ocean habitat and onto swim trunks, hats, one-pieces, into a board book.

Bellabu Bear

Angel Dear

Bibi dia

Shade Critters

Kickee Pants

Nosy Crow

Kissy Kissy

Feather 4 Arrow

Coral Reef

Q&A

SEIZE THE MANUFACTURING DAY

No longer a single-brand company, Creations Robo has expanded exponentially, covering nearly every segment of the childrenswear industry.

François Vachon, Managing Director

FRANÇOIS VACHON HAS BEEN quite busy these past seven years. The managing director of Montreal-based Creations Robo has added not one or two but five new brands for the children’s wear company that’s been the sole home to Coccoli, the brand launched by his mother Marian Vachon in 1995.

But Coccoli’s story goes back to 1986. Marian was an English teacher as well as a gifted seamstress with an eye for fashion—she made the clothing that her sons wore throughout their childhood. Marian also had moxie and that trait has certainly been inherited by François, as he has searched for creative ways to diversify and grow the business.

As François recounts the story, he and his younger brother were both in grade school and their mom was ready to take on a job outside the home, perhaps even something

NEWER KIDS ON THE BLOCK

TRVL

Irene Herold loves fun acronyms. So much so that she used one to name her company: TRVL. TRVL produces just what the letters look like: travel accessories that are lightweight, functional, durable, and– since this is a mom-owned company–wipeable and machine-washable.

Herold first launched TRVL with adult products and in October 2019, she rolled out a children’s line with yet another clever acronym, with a nod to airport protocol: TSA, which stands for TRVL Signature Accessories. The TSA collection offers backpacks, bottle bags, lunch bags, duffle bags, and accessory bags in the signature “Roadie” shape—an all-purpose pouch that comes in three sizes.

BY MICHELE SILVER

Prior to TRVL, Herold had a long career in private label, developing a variety of products for large, national brands. Armed with market research and her own mama instincts, she felt there was plenty of space for her stylish and durable concept with environmentally friendly materials. “As a mother of two, I knew the products I relied on when my girls were young and I saw design attributes that I felt were missing,” Herold explains.

As part of her local-meets-international business model, the exclusive and sophisticated prints are created in-house and colormatched while the materials are sourced globally. So, customers won’t see TRVL’s patterns anywhere else–and that’s certainly one excellent way to stand out in the market. Another is practicality and the fact that TRVL’s products are designed for caregivers on-the-go.

TRVL has has its own showroom in Atlanta and a presence at the Dallas market, which has partly led to the approximate 200 accounts for the acronym-loving company. Herold plans to exhibit at I Love Playtime/ Kid’s Hub in 2024 to continue to grow her business. “We value creating long-term relationships with our stores, and we really do consider them in our design decisions. We love being able to grow with you!”

Created for functionality but crafted with an artist’s heart, these Pinterest-worthy products should be on your buying radar.

TRVL Signature Accessories

THE

OF INNOCENCE

PURE, PEACEFUL AND ALWAYS IN VOGUE, WHITE IS THE COLOR DU JOUR FOR OUR WEE MODELS.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZOE ADLERSBERG • STYLING BY MARIAH WALKER

Eliza is wearing a cardigan by Bonpoint and collar by Noralee

Saran is wearing a bodysuit by Gerber Childrenswear, skirt by Shade Critters, jacket by Boboli, sunglasses by WeeFarers, plush rabbit by Tartine et Chocolat Opposite: Noelie is wearing a dress by Mayoral

Ruby is wearing a dress and bloomer set by Little Me Opposite: Eliza is wearing a dress by Noralee and a tutu skirt by Tiny Victories

Azouviyan is wearing a bodysuit by Coccoli, a jacket and coordinating pants by Andy & Evan Opposite: Ayanna is wearing sleepwear by Esme

Lennon is wearing a romper Bela & Nuni, shoes by Baby Deer and a bow by Wee Ones Opposite: Joel is wearing a romper by Rylee + Cru

Ayanna is wearing a sundress by Oh Baby Opposite: Ruby is wearing a dress by Gerber Childrenswear

Hair and makeup by Clelia Bergonzoli/ Ray Brown Pro. Special thanks to Generation Model Management, Zuri Agency, Teri B Talent & Model Management and State Management.

continued from page 10

that appealed to her innate design sense. While accompanying her husband on a business trip to Italy in the summer of 1986, she was drawn to childrenswear brands that she saw in Vogue Bambini. She simply called the various company owners and offered to become their Canadian distributor. “As luck would have it, they had an extra sample set. She paid for it in cash and left with it that day, in suitcases,” François says. By the fourth season, her success must have shocked the European manufacturers whom she represented; all by herself, she had reached $1 million in sales.

By the mid ’90s, business for high-end European brands slowed significantly, mainly due to the low Canadian dollar. “So, as one does when imports become difficult, one turns to domestic production and launches their own brand.” As a nod to her inspiration in Italy, Marian named her company Coccoli, which in Italian, refers to a favorite Tuscan snack of small balls of fried dough, and it translates directly as “cuddles.”

After studying fashion marketing at Lasalle College in Montreal, François joined Coccoli full-time in 2000 as the Vice President of Finance. Marian is still working and a daily presence at the office, and it’s an absolute pleasure for her to see the expansion of her 37-year-old cuddly clothing for little ones. Earnshaw’s spoke with Francois about the evolution of Coccoli into Creations Robo, market trends across the industry and between the U.S. and Canadian border, and what the next five years might hold for this manufacturer.

Earnshaw’s: How has the Coccoli brand evolved from its beginnings to now?

François Vachon: The constant throughout the years has been to present color-coordinated seasonal collections and excellent quality sleepwear. We used to only offer cotton fabrics, but now we mostly work with modal. We only use the Tencel brand of modal, as it is the highest quality, exceptionally soft and most ecological. Our esthetic used to be much more classic: stripes, color block, fabric washes, and jacquards. Now have a big selection of prints in the collection–it’s fun to design and kids are drawn to them.

Earnshaw’s: How have you grown your business since 2016 and what specialization does each brand have?

FV: Creations Robo designs and produces Coccoli. In 2016, we entered into a distribution agreement with Brand 4 Kids (B4K), a Danish company, which was designing and producing Minymo—trendy, everyday fashion for boys and girls sizes newborn through 12 years—and we launched that in Canada and the U.S. B4K then acquired four more existing brands over the next five years: Creamie: refined fashion for girls 12 months to 14 years, Color Kids: outerwear (jackets and snowsuits), swim and athleisure; EnFant: urban fashion for boys and girls newborn to 10 years; and Fixoni: layette and knits for preemie to 3 years. That fact that one company supplies five brands is fantastic.

Coccoli from Creations Robo

The logistical and commercial workload is extremely efficient, and the importance of stability cannot be overstated. Brands 4 Kids is a major player in Scandinavia and an amazing partner. We see a very bright and long future together.

We continue to invest heavily in compliance and sustainability. B4K is especially strong in this area; a substantial amount of their production is GOTS certified, which is quite impressive. GOTS has higher standards than OEKO-TEX.

Earnshaw’s: What do you think sets your company and brands apart from your competition?

FV: Our company DNA is as wholesalers supplying independent shop and chains. We provide flexibility and support to our clients, based on a foundation of trust and mutual respect. Independent sales agents—showrooms—are key. When I speak to a sales agent, I am speaking to 50 to 100 buyers. They are in the field and have their ear to the ground. They guide buyers, and report back with issues that we can then address and fix.

Our specialty as distributors is we import the merchandise directly from factory. This is standard for brand owners but rare for distributors of European brands. We are bound to minimums, and we must respect early deadlines. However, these conditions were difficult to deal with at first but the advantages are that we can keep prices fair, and merchandise comes straight to our warehouse–it doesn’t have to go through Europe first. Finally, longevity and trust are important for buyers and sales agents. Designs can be up and down, but relationships are a constant.

Earnshaw’s: What trends have you seen in the market over the lifespan of your company?

FV: Buyers and suppliers have developed a cooperative dynamic. I love it. Shops are opening and closing much less than we’ve seen

“ WE ENJOY BEING PART OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY AND SEEING FAMILIAR FACES FOR DECADES.”

—FRANÇOIS VACHON

in the past. This allows for stronger and easier relations among buyers, agents and suppliers. We share information freely and can offer solutions with precision and promptness.

For example, if a client is overstocked in pajamas as we near the shipping date, they can request to cancel and replace it with other products that we have in stock. The buyer can do this themselves or with their agent. Ideally, no order would ever be altered or cancelled; but is it better for a client to take in products in that they don’t currently need? A strong IT system is crucial in order to make this possible. We are entering our second year with Nu Order and we love it. Nothing is more exciting than when the programmer makes improvements to our Enterprise Resource Planning!

Earnshaw’s: What, if any, are the key differences between Montreal and the U.S. markets?

FV: The buying trends I see are more on the urban-suburbanrural level. Urban shops, whether in Dallas, Chicago or Montreal, tend to have similar layouts and product mixes. The same goes for suburban and rural areas. Of course, some cultural trends remain such as softer colors being popular in the south and nautical themes working well in New England.

Earnshaw’s: What significant changes have you seen for your business over the last three years?

FV: Although that period was a massive workload and very tough on margins, it coincided with Minymo, Creamie and Color Kids hitting their stride, EnFant and Fixoni joining in the mix, and Coccoli adding sleepsacks and a stock product range. As a result, the company’s revenue increased significantly. We doubled our warehouse space and distribution capabilities, even during a materials shortage. We’ve had to create new positions and hire and train the right people for those positions. It’s been wild and exhilarating.

Earnshaw’s: What have been the most challenging parts?

FV: Putting the pieces of a business together and balancing growth/investment while operating the business. Researching and implementing new tools and methods and staying up to date with compliance—all things that don’t come with a guide books!

Minymo from Brand4Kids

Earnshaw’s: What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?

FV: Know when to quit and cut your losses on a project.

Earnshaw’s: What’s your five-year plan?

FV: Our five-year plan is to implement a marketing plan for stronger brand notoriety. We are going to work with our agents to get all six brands into every store we supply and support buyers and shops in all ways that we can so they can concentrate their efforts on offering attractive and easy shopping experiences to their customers.

Earnshaw’s: What’s the most rewarding part of being a part of the childrenswear industry?

FV: There’s a few factors. One is the functionality and cycle of our products: we love seeing our clothes being worn and then coming up with new designs every six months. We enjoy being part of the independent community of buyers, agents and suppliers and seeing familiar faces for decades. We value players that keep us connected such as Playtime, who organizes a beautiful and easy-to-set-up trade show; Bruce Scheck, from the Children’s Credit Coop and of course, Earnshaw’s.

EnFant from Brand4Kids

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LEWIS

Named after a quirky, lovable town in Maine called Lewiston, Lewis the childrenswear company was born in 2016. High school friends Liz Libré and Lizzy Ott were pregnant at the same time and were on the hunt for their baby gear; they wanted crib sheets that were child-like but not childish. With Liz being an illustrator and Lizzy an interior architect, they had their design talent in place. They started Lewis with a small collection of crib sheets, added coordinating nursery products and then slowly expanded into sleep and play— all while taking listening to their customers’ feedback.

To achieve the child-like designs they wanted, they simply looked at the world the way that kids do. “Kids open our eyes in a beautiful way, and we try to harness that in our prints. Just take a walk down the street with a 3 year old and they will stop to see all the little creatures along the way–a blue jay, a clover patch, even a squished lantern fly,” they explain. “To help push this kid-like lens even more, our prints always start with ink and brush, allowing for imperfect line-work, emphasizing the wonder of the imagery even more.”

Thus far, more than 50 boutiques nationwide have embraced the playful freshness of the Lewis collection. Some of

not your typical baby or toddler designs by any stretch of the imagination. While they are working on the commercial success of their business, Liz and Lizzy also believe in giving back and sharing their success with some of the most vulnerable populations. To that end, Lewis partners with the non-profit Room to Grow, which supports families born into low-income circumstances from pregnancy through age three. The organization provides in-person emotional support to parents and children as well as many of the physical necessities.

When it comes to personal and professional mantras, this dynamic, artistic duo have a couple of simple ones: “Keep showing up, keep doing the work” and “Go into business with someone you trust implicitly.” Indeed, Liz and Lizzy have chosen to trust each other and their unique vision to bring Lewis to fruition and fully into the childrenswear industry.

TWEE

When a company has cake in the office on a weekly basis, you just know it’s a cool place to work. Evolved out of a project from her son’s preschool art class in 2017, Margaux DelCollo developed a line of handmade, eco-friendly art tools for kids, designed to help to increase grip strength and fine motor skills while encouraging creative play and imaginative making. She named her venture Twee.

DelCollo would consider herself an unlikely CEO; she has a B.A. from The New School for social research as well as two master’s degrees in museum studies. She has served as a director of education at various history museums in her home city of Philadelphia. However, she soon went full-speed into the business world with the launch of Twee, becoming a 2020 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow and graduating from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Twee has been featured on the Today Show and Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP as well as in Elle, Real Simple, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and The Wall Street Journal . She certainly seems to be following her favorite piece of business advice: The most expensive thing you have is your brand’s integrity—don’t dull it.”

Twee’s offerings are anything but dull. “When you are using something by Twee, you’re holding a tiny piece of art. Each piece is unique and individual because of the artists who make it. I want TWEE to be all it can be, which means continuing to release beautiful handmade art tools that spark imagination and creativity,” DelCollo says, adding that the company’s commitment to safety is equally, if not more important. “Everything we make is safe, eco-friendly and non-toxic.”

While asking DelCollo to choose some of her product favorites is like asking a parent which child they love more, she says that the Veggie Paint Sets, Mason’s Planets Handmade Sidewalk Chalk and the customizable TWEE made for YOU Custom Gift Box are at the top of her list.

Never one to rest on her laurels, DelCollo plans to roll out more charming items in the coming seasons and continue exhibiting at trade shows. She credits her friend and fellow boutique vendor Jaime Windau of Love Bubby with that stellar business advice. Twee exhibited at the January 2023 and August 2023 I Love Playtime/Kid’s Hub shows. “The store owners and buyers that we met there were fantastic! Meeting with new store owners and connecting with other vendors was the biggest highlight,” she enthuses.

With the powerful adage that’s her personal mission statement, “A calm sea never made a skilled sailor,” DeCollo is poised to weather any storms and make her mark on the industry.

Castle, sushi, alphabet, and planet sidewalk chalk from Twee

BOWS FOR DAYS

Meet the creatives behind Wee Ones, and learn how they keep this classic accessory relevent season after season as they enter their 45th year.

WEE ONES HAS sure come a long way from a handful of hair accessories created by a first-time mom trying to tame her daughter’s hair and accentuate her style. More than four decades later, the company designs, manufactures and distributes more than 10,000 SKUs to boutiques around the country. It is safe to say that Wee Ones is best-known brand of infant and girl’s hair accessories in the industry.

Miles and Gina Faust purchased the company in 2010; Miles runs the business side of things while Gina leads the design and marketing efforts. In 2014, their daughter Allie joined the to help develop the in-house capability of printing custom designs on their ribbons. We spoke with both Gina and Senior Product Designer Marcella

Ahearn about forecasting the trends, continuing to innovate and what’s new for Fall 2024.

Earnshaw’s: What’s your approach for each new season?

Marcella Ahearn: When we design, we keep in mind that our customers look to us for classic designs, but also want something new and trendy. We always feature new Halloween, Harvest, and Christmas novelty collections, but for Fall 2024 we have Back to School, Enchanted Wonderland, Pretty in Pink, and the Trendy Girl collections. We always like to offer products that our customers can’t get anywhere else; a bow with a scalloped or stitched edge, or exclusive prints and patterns that match or complement their apparel.

Wee Ones

Earnshaw’s: How many SKUs do you typically roll out?

Gina Faust: Including our classics collection and seasonal fashion designs, we offer more than 10,000 SKU’s each season, with 1,200-1,500 of those SKUs being available for immediate delivery during the season in our in-stock program.

Earnshaw’s: What role does trend forecasting play in the design process?

Ahearn: This is essential to our design process. Throughout the year, we are continuously studying the trends in children’s and women’s apparel, home, toys, social media, and even pay attention to things like children’s movie premieres. We also conduct an in-depth color analysis of the apparel from brands that are important to our retailers, as well

as children’s apparel designers from around the world. This research helps us to make sure we are focusing on the most important trends, colors, prints, and patterns.

Earnshaw’s: What have been some of your favorite designs and why?

Ahearn: I love our holiday novelty headbands because I can use my product design skills and specialized equipment to build and layer characters or icons on a wrapped headband, which complement the prints on our most popular bows in the collections.

Earnshaw’s: What are your top-selling styles and why do you think those do well?

Faust: Our classic grosgrain collection continues to be a best seller year after year, offered in over 100 colors that will match virtually any apparel in our retailer’s stores. Our scallop and moonstitch bows are also popular because of the unique edges, and our holiday novelty collections are always a hit because of the one-of-a-kind cute prints, patterns and embroideries.

Earnshaw’s: How has custom printing expanded your business?

Faust: We continue to invest in technology, equipment and techniques that allow us to offer exclusive designs constructed from ribbon not available to other manufacturers. Creating custom trims, edges, prints and embroidery on a wide range of ribbons ensures that we always offer retailers collections that are on-trend, with designs our customers can’t get anywhere else.

Earnshaw’s: What is new for the baby collections?

Ahearn: We offer the most extensive line of baby accessories in the industry, including sun hats, ball caps and bonnets, but our customers love the add-a-bow band that can be paired with any bow in our catalog. In 27 colors, this specially designed elastic band allows baby to grow with the bow! In 2024, we will add a beautiful light blue color that has been one of our best-selling baby colors to date.

Earnshaw’s: What are some of your favorite new styles for Fall 2024?

Ahearn: Our new metallic and sequins options are among my favorites. We also know moms are dressing up their little girls in fancier styles again, so these shiny and bright designs are perfect for the holidays.

Earnshaw’s: What’s your favorite aspect of designing bows?

Ahearn: Designing bows at Wee Ones is fun yet challenging. It is a combination of fashion design, industrial design, and graphic design all in one. We are always innovating and exploring new materials and ways to make new products. So, every day is different and exciting.

Novelty Back to School and wrapped infant collections.

WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT, AND TECHNIQUES THAT ALLOW US TO OFFER EXCLUSIVE DESIGNS CONSTRUCTED FROM RIBBON NOT AVAILABLE TO OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

—GINA FAUST

FINAL CUT

Smells Like Kid Diversity

Confetti Blue out of Sydney, Australia, is the latest company helping to make the world a better place—this time, for neurodivergent children. Confetti Blue’s giftable DIY non-toxic perfume and body spray kits feature fruit, candy and dessert characters with diverse qualities that mirror ones shown by kids on the spectrum or with ADHD. Purposeful Peach is kind and affectionate, Wild Watermelon is high-energy and loves adventures and Wandering Waffles plays guitar but often can’t remember where she left it. There are also scented oils in yummy Chocolate Biscuit, Popcorn and Candy Banana. The company’s mission is to “make lasting change on humans everywhere so that 1 in 5 of our peers won’t be excluded, bullied, shamed or embarrassed because of their diversities.”