Earnshaw's | September 2015

O U R N E W & I M P R O V E D U LT I M AT E G E A R G U I D E

VOLUME 99 NUMBER 8

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FRENCH CLASS

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L A U R A T E N I S O N O F J O J O M A M A N B É B É TA K E S O N A M E R I C A

SEPTEMBER 201 5 $10.00

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PLAYTIME ALL THE TIME

SEPTEMBER 2015 FEATURES

Noelle Heffernan FkXb_i^[h

14 The French Connection

Audrey Goodson Kingo Cej^[h _d 9^_[\

IWo bonjour je XWXo XW] [ii[dj_Wbi _dif_h[Z Xo j^[ 9_jo e\ B_]^j$

20 Brit Pop BWkhW J[d_ied e\ @e@e CWcWd 8 X h[l[Wbi ^em i^[ fbWdi je Xh_d] ^[h <h[dY^#_dif_h[Z" 8h_j_i^#Z[i_]d[Z a_ZiÊ ZkZi je j^[ K$I$

34 Get in Gear 7cf kf oekh Wiiehjc[dj e\ ijhebb[hi" YWhh_[hi" ]WZ][ji WdZ ceh[ m_j^ j^[ ^[bf e\ ekh [nf[hj fWd[b$

FASHION 24 Out of This World Ifh_d] \Wi^_ed \eh XWXo cWa[i W X_] XWd] m_j^ XecXWij_Y Xh_]^ji WdZ Yebb_Z_d] fh_dji$ 4 ;Z_jehÊi Dej[ 6 JWba_d] Fe_dji 10 >ej Fhef[hj_[i 12 <h[i^ <_dZi 16 Ed Jh[dZ 42 8[^_dZ j^[ I[Wci 48 I^ef JWba Rockin’ Baby raincoat and overalls, Wheat one-piece, Happy Socks socks, Oh Baby! mask.

On cover: Molo metallic cape and onepiece, Oh Baby! crown worn around waist, Old Soles shoes.

Photography by Mark Andrew/ Kate Ryan. Styling by Mindi Smith/ Sarah Laird & Good Company.

Hair and makeup by Anja Grassegger/ Ray Brown Productions. Illustration by Vincent Moustache/Art Department.

Photocomposition by Tim Jones.

24

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9EDJ79J ?D<E Sales/Editorial Offices ), 9eef[h IgkWh[" *j^ \beeh D[m Oeha" DO '&&&) J[b0 ,*, (-.#'++& <Wn0 ,*, (-.#'++) WZl[hj_i_d]6/j^h[WZi$Yec [Z_jeh_Wbh[gk[iji6 /j^h[WZi$Yec Circulation Office :[XX_[ =h_c (,(&( :[jhe_j HeWZ" )&& M[ijbWa[" E> **'*+ J[b0 **& .-'#')&& Y_hYkbWj_ed6/j^h[WZi$Yec 9EHFEH7J; /J^h[WZi (,(&( :[jhe_j HeWZ" )&& M[ijbWa[" E> **'*+ J[b0 **& .-'#')&& Xen Zapis" 9^W_hcWd Lee Zapis" Fh[i_Z[dj Rich Bongorno" 9<E Debbie Grim" 9edjhebb[h

EARNSHAW’S INFANTS, GIRLS AND BOYS WEAR REVIEW ISSN 0161-2786 (USPS-320-090) The business and fashion magazine of the childrenswear industry is published 10x a year by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 36 Cooper Square, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003. The publishers of this magazine do not assume responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Periodicals postage is paid in New York, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. Subscription price for one year: U.S. $48; Rates outside U.S. available upon request. Single price copy, $5. Copyright 2011 by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC. Postmaster: Send address changes to Earnshaw’s Infants, Girls and Boys Wear Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853-8548.

Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Any photographs, artwork, manuscripts, editorial samples or merchandise sent for editorial consideration are sent at the sole risk of the sender. Symphony Publishing NY, LLC will assume no responsibility for loss or damage. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in USA.

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layette playwear outerwear bath bedding gifts accessories bonbebe.com | 212.695.6732

editor’s note The birth of my son forced me to unplug—and reminded me of what’s truly important.

The Only Thing

AFTER MORE THAN two years of interviewing our industry’s most inspiring leaders for my monthly Q&A, I have come to the conclusion that they all ^Wl[ ed[ j^_d] _d Yecced0 De ed[ YWd b_l[ m_j^ekj Wd _F^ed[$ Every month for the sidebar I ask, “What three things would you bring to a Z[i[hj[Z _ibWdZ5È 7dZ _d Wbceij [l[ho i_d]b[ YWi[" j^[ Wbc_]^jo _F^ed[ _i ed[ of those three necessary possessions. C’mon, people! Haven’t you seen Cast Away? How about a knife? Or some flint for making fires? A Wilson volleyball for company?

Je X[ \W_h" _jÊi [Wio je kdZ[hijWdZ m^o ekh f^ed[i ^Wl[ X[Yec[ Wi essential as food and shelter. No longer are they simply a source of communication; they’re an entertainment center, day planner and record keeper, all wrapped up into one conveniently tiny package. And that convenience is crucial for all the workaholics of the world.

Recently, my own ability to go off the grid was put to the mettle, for a very ]eeZ h[Wied$ ?Êc [bWj[Z je WddekdY[ j^Wj ed 7k]$ '-" co ied" @Wo" mWi Xehd$ I had been determined throughout my pregnancy to stay in the game, so to if[Wa$ Oek cWo ^Wl[ i[[d c[" Wbceij *& m[[ai fh[]dWdj" mWZZb_d] j^[ W_ib[i Wj j^[ 7k]kij [Z_j_ed e\ FbWoj_c[ D[m Oeha WdZ ;DA 9^_bZh[dÊi 9bkX$ M^[d you love your job, and the people you work with, it can be hard to put it on the back burner—even for the best of reasons. Clearly, I may need to join the _F^ed[i 7dedoceki YbkX" coi[b\$ 8kj b_\[ ^Wi W \kddo mWo e\ h[c_dZ_d] oek m^Wj h[Wbbo cWjj[hi$ M^[d co son’s delivery became unexpectedly complicated, leading to a week’s stay in the hospital, the only thing that could take my mind away from the physical pain was the sight of my sweet little boy, and my unending gratitude for the loving support of my family.

O[i" ? ^WZ co _F^ed[" WdZ ? eYYWi_edWbbo h[ifedZ[Z je j[nji WdZ YWbbi \hec close friends and family, but most of my time was spent snuggling my son and recovering. Of course, here’s where I have to cut my Q&A interviewees a Xh[Wa$ 8[\eh[ Wdim[h_d] Ç_F^ed["È j^[o Wbceij WbmWoi iWo iec[j^_d] [bi[ \_hij0 “I would say my family, but I guess family isn’t a thing, right?”

Right. Family isn’t a thing—it’s the only j^_d]$ FWhj_YkbWhbo ekh fh[Y_eki Y^_bdren. It’s just another reason why I love our industry. We get it.

Welcome to the world! Baby Jay arrived on Aug. 17.

AUDREY GOODSON KINGO

audrey.kingo@9threads.com

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Talking

Points Well Papered

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Juvenile product brands and First Candle unite to create flyers filled with life-saving information for new parents.

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j^Wdai je j^[ fem[h e\ fWcf^b[ji _i J^[ 8effo 9ecfWdo" ademd \eh _ji X[iji[bb_d] b_d[ e\ 9#i^Wf[Z dkhi_d] f_bbemi$ M_j^ j^[ bWkdY^ e\ d[m fheZkYji if[Y_\_YWbbo \eh fh[]dWdj mec[d" _dYbkZ_d] XeZo f_bbemi WdZ XWYa h[iji" _j cWZ[ i[di[ \eh j^[ YecfWdo je fWhjd[h m_j^ <_hij 9WdZb[ ed fhecej_d] iW\[ WdZ ^[Wbj^o fh[]dWdY_[i" iWoi :_]_jWb CWha[j_d] Fhecej_edi CWdW][h C_c_ Me]j[Y^$ 7 ÇFh[]dWdj ;cfem[h[ZÈ XheY^kh[" m^_Y^ m_bb X[ Z_ijh_Xkj[Z m_j^ Wbb e\ j^[ fh[]dWdYo f_bbemi WdZ XWYa h[iji iebZ Wj 8WX_[i ÇHÈ Ki j^hek]^ekj j^[ o[Wh" _dYbkZ[i WZl_Y[ ed [l[hoj^_d] \hec jWa_d] fh[dWjWb l_jWc_di je Yekdj_d] XWXoÊi a_Yai$ ÇJ^[h[ _i ie ckY^ [nY_j[c[dj WhekdZ [nf[Yj_d] W XWXo" o[j j^[h[ Wh[ iec[ c[iiW][i j^Wj YWd Yh[Wj[ \[Wh eh Wdn_[jo$ Iec[j_c[i j^[ X[ij mWo je h[ZkY[ Wdn_[jo _i je ]_l[ j^[ jef_Y iec[ Wjj[dj_ed$ M[ X[b_[l[ j^Wj j^[ ÉFh[]dWdj ;cfem[h[ZÊ c[iiW][ Z[b_l[h[Z _d j^[ h_]^j First Candle’s pamphlets show le_Y[Æj^Wj e\ [cfem[hc[dj babies in safe sleep positions. j^hek]^ [ZkYWj_edÆYWd h[ZkY[ Wdn_[jo"È Me]j[Y^ [nfbW_di" WZZ_d]" Ç?d j^_i b_\[ ijW][" ademb[Z][ jhkbo _i fem[h$È <_hij 9WdZb[ Fh[i_Z[dj 9^h_i 8bWa[ ^ef[i j^[ fWhjd[hi^_fi m_j^ Bel[ je :h[Wc WdZ 8effo m_bb _dif_h[ ej^[h YecfWd_[i _d j^[ Y^_bZh[dÊi _dZkijho je Z_ijh_Xkj[ b_\[#iWl_d] \bo[hi Wbed] m_j^ j^[_h fheZkYji$ ÇFWh[dji e\j[d ZedÊj b_a[ je j^_da e\ iW\[jo WdZ Wle_Z_d] WYY_Z[dji m^[d _j Yec[i je j^[_h XWX_[i" Xkj [l[ho fWh[dj j^_dai WXekj m^Wj a_dZi e\ fheZkYji j^[o mWdj j^[_h XWX_[i je ^Wl["È ^[ fe_dji ekj$ Ç8o fWhjd[h_d] m_j^ j^[ cW`eh `kl[d_b[ fheZkYj XhWdZi WdZ h[jW_b[hi" <_hij 9WdZb[ _i WXb[ je Yh[Wj[ W iW\[jo c[iiW][ WhekdZ j^[ fheZkYj WdZ X[ ikh[ fWh[dji j^_da WXekj iW\[jo _d W mWo j^Wj _i h[i[WhY^#XWi[Z" fei_j_l[ WdZ XhWdZ#if[Y_\_Y$È ÆAudrey Goodson Kingo

children’s world

Apparel | Accessories | Shoes | Gifts Décor | Maternity | Juvenile Products

Spring to Style

Olian Maternit y

Rush to Children’s World, where you’ll find all the latest trends and designs in one convenient destination.

PHOTO: Rockin’ Baby

Joy folie

Wee Ones

Upcoming Markets October Children’s World at Atlanta Apparel October 15 –19, 2015 The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market® January 12 – 19, 2016 February Children’s World at Atlanta Apparel February 4 – 8, 2016 Select Showrooms Open Year Round For a full list of Market dates, visit AmericaMart.com

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Talking

Points

C

Room for More

Expanding into apparel lets nursery décor brands tap into a new customer base and provides the cohesive lifestyle look today’s parents crave.

REATING A PICTURE-PERFECT nursery is a time-honored tradition for many an expectant parent, but today’s social-media-savvy moms and dads are taking the concept to a new level. “We call them the Instagram families,” says Amy Richardson-Golia of kids’ clothing brand June & January. “Everyone just wants their nursery to end up on Pinterest.”

And sure, social media plays a big part in the trend, but it’s also due to a growing demand for a more modern, curated aesthetic, even for baby. These days, “the nursery is an extension of your own personal style and home,” adds Pam Ginocchio, co-founder of nursery design website Project Nursery. “The days of everything being so juvenile or matchy-matchy or having to be a separate entity are gone.”

And it’s not just the nursery that’s getting a grown-up makeover. An increasing desire for cohesion—from wardrobe to décor and beyond— presents a prime opportunity for nursery outfitters and baby clothing brands to overlap, whether through collaborations or by venturing into new categories. Take June & January, for instance: Recognizing that the same people who love her brand for its playful, modern prints would be interested in corresponding nursery décor, Richardson-Golia partnered with fellow Brooklyn-based small business owner Elizabeth Rees, founder of Chasing Paper, for a line of removable wallpaper panels. “A lot of our following is [made up of ] new moms looking to do their kids’ nurseries, or they’re into doing small DIY projects with their kids,” Richardson-Golia explains. Rees notes that it was obvious Richardson-Golia’s bold prints and cool colors would make cute wallpaper—plus, the two brands’ target demographics were similar. The resulting collection, which launched in June, features three of June & January’s best-selling prints in multiple colorways.

Diversifying your portfolio by branching out into new categories is a triedand-true business tactic, but it means taking a chance. For smaller brands, the bonus of partnering with like-minded

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peers, in addition to capturing new consumers, is that working with someone who knows the ropes is easier and less risky than going it alone. Richardson-Golia says that she’d always wanted to break into nursery décor, and joining with Rees let her test the waters without getting in over her head. “Collaborations are the way to grow a business,” Rees attests.

Of course, it’s not all small independent businesses getting in on the cross-category action. Skip Hop, which offers an array of mommy musthaves (like diaper bags, bedding, toys and accessories) recently expanded into the layette category with a debut collection this January—a move that Ellen Diamant, the company’s chief creative officer, says is right in step with their mission to infuse everyday essentials with sophisticated style and smart features. The basics that make up the collection, like bodysuits, baby gowns, pajamas and hats, reflect the brand’s contemporary aesthetic and allow for a coordinated look, from diaper bag to one-piece. “We build and merchandise our line to allow for a lifestyle to come to life for our consumers,” Diamant states, adding that the Skip Hop layette collection “reflects key trends that are happening in nursery gear, like the chevron pattern.” In a similar vein, children’s e-tailer Land of Nod extends its whimsical design sense—much of which comes from collaborating with a host of buzzworthy surface designers and illustrators, like Ashley Goldberg—beyond décor and textiles to baby apparel and accessories.

The consensus is that consumer demand exists for these types of crossover products, particularly among design-conscious Millennial parents, who want their nurseries to work with the rest of their space.

“Having things that are very ‘nursery’ defeats the purpose of a more sophisticated or design-oriented home,” Rees declares. And once again, social media emerges as a driving force. “In the age of DIY, Pinterest and over-sharing, our consumer loves to curate everything in her life,” Diamant notes. “Every moment is a photo opportunity waiting to happen—and we give her the tools to do it.”

—Kirby Stirland Skip Hop recently brought its playful prints to layette.

9/8/15 3:26 PM

BŬ s 7 B 4"-&4!36''-&#6554 $0.

HOT PROPERTIES

California Love

Cherokee Global Brands heads west for its new kids’ label.

THE CHEROKEE GLOBAL Brands portfolio is getting a dose of California cool with the addition of Point Cove, a new brand of casual clothing, footwear and accessories for boys and girls ages 2 to 14. The first collection is slated to launch at mid-tier department stores in the U.S. in Spring ’16.

“We believe it is an opportune moment for us to operate as an extension to our licensees’ infrastructure at a time when many partners are reducing head count,” says Henry Stupp, CEO

of Cherokee Global Brands.

Point Cove includes sportswear in easy-care cotton, knits and lightweight fabrics. Vibrant colors and playful patterns adorn basics, like graphic tees and hoodies, while trend-right items like jumpsuits, rompers and embellished blazers round out the assortment. The debut collection will retail from $7.99 to $22.99. Contact Mark Nawrocki, EVP of new business development, at markn@cherokeeglobalbrands.com for more information. —Kirby Stirland

Bold Moves Amy Coe and Tawil & Associates link up for a bright new venture.

Want to swap traditional pastels and patterns for bright hues and bold prints? Look to Amy Coe’s new specialty collection for tots, arriving Spring ’16 via a partnership with Tawil & Associates.

Mitchell Tawil, CEO of Tawil & Associates, says Coe’s stylish, fashionable designs appeal to a broad demographic. “We have been fans of Amy for quite some time, and when we had the opportunity to work with her to extend her brand across retail, we jumped at it,” he says.

“The freedom to create a full line for boys and girls, with lots of dimension for the retailer, was a joy,” Coe adds.

Coe’s latest collection with Tawil & Associates follows a seven-year partnership with Babies 1 0 ; 7 H D I > 7M I $ 9 E C I ; F J ; C 8 ; H ( & ' +

“R” Us that ends this year. The new line, aimed at department stores and specialty retailers, includes layette, playwear for infants and toddlers, dresses and accessories for sizes newborn to 4T. Saturated brights, cheerful florals and playful screen prints adorn everything from tees to dresses to one-pieces. The line will wholesale for $5 to $15. Contact Mitchell Tawil at MTTawil@ tawil.com or (212) 279-3211 for more details. —K.S.

Girl Power

Betsey Johnson partners with G&W for a characteristically fun and feminine collection.

GIRLS JUST WANNA have fun, and G&W Industries hopes they will do exactly that, thanks to a new partnership with Betsey Johnson. Launching at Lord & Taylor and on Betsey Johnson’s e-commerce site for Fall/Winter 2015 before becoming available wholesale, the new Betsey Johnson Kids collection will include more than 75 styles for girls ages 2 to 16.

“Betsey Johnson’s grandchildren are a huge inspiration for her, so it was only natural for her to create a children’s apparel line,” says Albert Maleh of G&W Industries, which will manufacture the collection, stating that the company’s reputation for high-quality product and fashion-forward thinking poises them to properly execute Johnson’s vision.

The Betsey Johnson Kids collection will feature a range of on-trend styles that remain true to the designer’s quirky, bold and unapologetically girly aesthetic. Moto jackets, peplum sweaters, printed leggings, floral hoodies and jogger sets will be emblazoned with animal prints, florals, hearts and lips and accented with faux fur, ruffles, sequins, tulle, quilting and appliqués.

The line includes two- and three-piece sets for sizes 2 to 6 and separates for sizes 7 to 16, and will wholesale for $21 to $46.50. Contact G&W Industries at (212) 736-4848 for more information.

—K.S.

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RESH FINDS

American Girl

American-made favorite, City Threads, is expanding once again: Husband and wife team Shayna Samuels and Joe Willis are adding a full girls’ collection to their repertoire for Spring ’16. Offerings will include sportswear, pajamas, underwear and layering pieces for girls ages three months to 14 years, all featuring the brand’s signature comfortable, functional styling and made using domesticallygrown 100 percent cotton. Available in a rainbow of bright colors—with a few sequined appliqué designs thrown in for good measure—each piece is designed to be mixed-and-matched. Known for its solid basics, the company will continue to offer wash-and-wear pieces for both boys and girls, with wholesale prices ranging from $8 to $20. Learn more at citythreads.com.

Fresh takes on classic silhouettes for atypical tots.

Sun Safe

New Zealand-based protective swimwear brand Little Red Fish made its first splash in the U.S. at ENK Children’s Club in August, but the company has over a decade of experience shielding tots from the sun with its line of 50+ UV wear.

Available for boys and girls from newborn to 14 years, the collection includes swimshirts, board shorts, bathers and bikinis in an array of classic stripes, with the occasional pop of color and print. Wholesaling for $7 to $17.70, the entire collection is made with the brand’s signature tightly-woven fabric, rather than chemicals, for ultimate sun protection. See more at littleredfish.com.

East Meets West

European Holiday

Looking for timeless designs in ultra-luxe materials, like cashmere, alpaca, merino wool, velvet and bamboo?

Enter Casilda y Jimena, introduced stateside by Nubë 9, a specialized distribution company of high-end European labels. All of the brand’s apparel, including cardigans, one-pieces, rompers, dresses, shorts, skirts, blouses, shoes, hats and a complete layette line, is handknit in a soft, neutral palette. The current collection incorporates Liberty of London prints, but Spring ’16 will bring four new and exclusive fabrics made in Italy. Available for boys and girls ages newborn to 10 years, the collection wholesales for $35 to $105. Visit nube9kids.com to learn more.

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Debuting for Spring ’16, Lil’ Trunks will outfit boys and girls, sizes 3 months to 6X, in an array of bright colors and playful prints. Silhouettes are simple—think rompers, A-line and shift dresses and tunics—and materials span wovens and knits. Founder and designer Sushmita Utpala grew up in India, but now calls California home and, fittingly, brings an eastmeets-west aesthetic to her inaugural collection. For spring, bold colors like turquoise, coral and lime collide with hibiscus and dahlia prints for girls, while boys’ patterns include bumper cars and rickshaws. Unisex offerings feature the brand’s signature elephant print. Wholesale prices range from $17 to $26. Check out liltrunks.com.

Stargazing

Can’t get enough of TV’s most famous family? Kardashian Kids is expanding beyond Babies “R” Us and Nordstrom by offering its collection wholesale to specialty boutiques beginning this holiday season.

The line, designed by Kourtney, Khloé and Kim, launched in 2014 for girls only, but has grown to include styles for both genders as well as larger sizes, from newborn to size 7 in boys and 6X in girls. Spring ’16 serves up new fabrics like perforated leatherette, bonded lace, chambray and French terry on a wide range of silhouettes, including jumpsuits, blazers, outerwear, tees, leggings, layette and accessories.

Wholesale prices range from $11.50 to $21.50. Visit jupicorp.com to learn more.

Soft Focus

Roxanne Bryan launched Bella Simone by assembling the label’s line of soft-soled baby shoes in her Brooklyn, NY, living room, with a production line composed of family and friends. The resulting capsule collection for boys ages newborn to 18 months launched in Fall ’14, and since then, the line has expanded to include girls’ shoes, also for newborns up to 18 months. The complete collection now offers a range of silhouettes and patterns, from high-top booties to ballet flats and even rhinestone-embellished Mary Janes. The brand made its trade show debut at the August edition of ENK Children’s Club, offering new boot and loafer styles in lighter-weight materials for Spring ’16. Wholesale prices range from $25 to $35. Visit bellasimonenyc.com to learn more.

New England Charm Weathering the Storm

Danish outerwear brand CeLaVi docked in the U.S. at the August edition of ENK Children’s Club, with a sunny array of raingear, boots and snowsuits. For Spring ’16, the collection will include breathable polyurethane jackets with matching rubber rainboots in vibrant colors and prints. Look for heavier options in the winter, like new snowsuits with matching neoprene boots. The line also offers long wool underwear, rain sets (jacket plus overalls) and rain hats, all wholesaling for $12.50 to $45 for boys and girls ages newborn to 12 years. Visit celavi.dk/en/ to learn more.

Kate Bowen, founder and designer of Petit Peony, found herself craving farm country after a stint in the big city, so in the summer of 2014 she moved to Vermont. Just before the arrival of baby No. 3, she began sewing coordinated clothing for all of her daughters and a collection was born. The line debuted at ENK Children’s Club in January 2015, and Bowen notes it’s inspired by its New England locale—think traditional silhouettes, like dresses and leggings for girls ages six months to eight years. Prints are whimsical, including balloons and mermaids, all set against premium and organic cotton for easy washand-wear. Accessories include diaper covers and bow ties for boys.

Made in the U.S.A., the brand wholesales for $10 to $38. Check out petitpeony.com to learn more. ( & ' + I ; F J ; C 8 ; H ; 7 H D I > 7M I $ 9 E C 1 3

IN THE BAG

The French Connection

Ahh, the romance of Paris . . . The food! The fashion! What mom wouldn’t want to be an American in Paris? From the Eiffel Tower, to macarons, to the effortless glamour of French women, the City of Light is endlessly alluring. This Francophile mom, pining for Parisian chic, takes cues from her Continental counterparts, favoring simple stripes, primary palettes—think reds and blues—and luxe details, like ruffles and sumptuous materials. And she’ll pass on these European tastes to her little one with apparel, toys and gear, all reflecting a certain restrained elegance. As soon as her new arrival is able to fly, the two will likely jetset to France to be dazzled together—all while decked out in the most stylish of Mommy & Me get-ups, of course. —Laurie Cone

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1. Bonpoint magnetic Eiffel Tower toy 2. Kissy Kissy Pampered Poodles playsuit 3. Apple Park Frenchy Fox plush 4. Little Giraffe Luxe Rib Stripe blanket 5. Feltman Brothers Nautical Collection hat and sweater 6. A.D. Sutton & Sons diaper bag 7. Livly footies 8. Iscream cosmetic bag 9. Aden + Anais bandana bib 10. Angel Dear Pink Fuzzy Poodle blanket 11. Lollaland Lollacup with BooginHead SippiGrip.

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1 4 ; 7 H D I > 7M I $ 9 E C I ; F J ; C 8 ; H ( & ' +

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM JONES

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OnTrend Nandy & Molly skirt Truly Me romper

Jak & Peppar romper

Rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Baby dress

PPLA tank top

Over the Top shorts

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Pink Chicken caftan

Ode to Jeune top

Henny & Coco bracelet

Fringe Benefits Lulaland blouse

The fashion climate is warming up to extravagant, maximalist styling, and that can only mean one thing: more embellishments. Moved

by Emilio Pucci’s bohemian rhapsody of paisley prints and tassel-bedecked gowns, as well as Preen’s distinctly exotic, fringe-tiered dresses and separates for spring, childrenswear designers gave pompom trimming and decorative tassels a whirl. The result?

Everything from skirts and tops to swimsuits and caftans are ready to twirl. Accompanied by colorful floral patterns, free-flowing silhouettes and festive ruffles, festooned tassels and pompoms are sure to put some swing in little ones’ steps. –Tara Anne Dalbow

Losan

Kate Mack pants Paisley People swimsuit ( & ' + I ; F J ; C 8 ; H ; 7 H D I > 7M I $ 9 E C 1 7

OnTrend Lily & Momo purse

Mud Pie swimsuit

Rylee + Cru dress

Suoak button-down shirt

Pebble plush toy

FCTRY night light

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Lemon Loves Lime T-shirt

Fashion Angels watch

Pop Cutie necklace

RUNWAY PHOTOGRAPHY FROM PITTI IMMAGINE BIMBO.

Sugar Rush Desigual

It’s no mystery that kids like sweet treats, but these confections are parent and dentist approved. Enticed by the candy-colored collections shown at Creatures of Comfort and Christopher Kane for fall, children’s designers shrunk the trend down to bite-size. Swirled ice cream cones, Technicolor macarons, striped popsicles and juicy gummy bears are all on the menu for Spring ’16. Intricate appliqués and flashy accessories appeal to a tween’s sweet tooth, while handdrawn doodles in subdued shades are easier to swallow for baby (and mom).

From rattles and rings to dresses and button-down shirts, these sugary creations look good enough to eat. –T.A.D.

Iscream backpack

Herschel Supply Co. backpack

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Q& A

Brit Pop

The business-savvy leader of one of the U.K.’s bestselling mother and baby brands, Owner Laura Tenison explains why JoJo Maman Bébé is well prepared to top the charts in America, too.

COMING TO AMERICA in search of sales growth is a natural next step for many international children’s brands, but selling to even a slice of the American market can be a huge hurdle. First, manufacturers must account for stricter safety standards and testing requirements in j^[ K$I$ J^[d" j^[h[Êi j^[ YedkdZhkc e\ i^_ff_d] ]eeZi WYheii j^[ ]beX[$ 8kj j^[ X_]][ij gk[ij_ed XhWdZi ijhk]gle to answer is how to get on the radar with shoppers across such a demographically diverse and geographically large landscape. ;dj[h BWkhW J[d_ied$ J^[ \ekdZ[h WdZ emd[h e\ 8h_j_i^ Y^_bZh[dÊi XhWdZ @e@e CWcWd 8 X " J[d_iedÊi heWZ cWf for U.S. expansion could serve as a primer for companies looking to find a new crop of customers in America.

8[]_dd_d] m_j^ [nj[di_l[ cWha[j j[ij_d] je [dikh[ j^[ brand’s French-nautical-inspired designs would be wellreceived with American moms, to investments in everything from sales reps to a new distribution warehouse in New Jersey, her deliberate planning has positioned the brand to resonate with both retailers and parents alike.

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CWcWd 8 X \hec W (*#fW][ cW_b ehZ[h YWjWbe] _d '//) je W -+#ijeh[ h[jW_b `k]][hdWkj _d j^[ K$A$" f[h^Wfi _jÊi not so surprising that the brand’s American expansion ^Wi ]ed[ ie iceej^bo$ Oek YekbZ [l[d iWo J[d_ied ^Wi been preparing for this moment since she was a child, when she spent her time making clothes for her dolls.

She launched her first fashion endeavor, a menswear line, in college. “I had a little fashion company, but I struggled to grow it bigger than literally making the clothes myself with the help of a couple of outworkers. I found that in order to grow the business I needed more capital than I could beg or borrow, and I wasn’t prepared to steal,” she says with a laugh.

Many aspiring designers would have thrown in the jem[b" Xkj J[d_ied X[]Wd Z[l_i_d] W bed]#j[hc ijhWj[]o instead. “I decided that the way around the problem of being undercapitalized was to launch a company in the service industry, because I realized I could borrow a litjb[ X_j ceh[ ced[o" b_a[ ("&&&"È i^[ h[YWbbi$ ÇJ^Wj mWi W j_c[ m^[d j^[ 8h_j_i^ m[h[ gk_j[ [nY_j[Z WXekj Xko_d] property in France because we were going through a very

BY AUDREY GOODSON KINGO

Q& A UP CLOSE WITH

LAURA TENISON

What are you listening to right now? The honest truth is I’m listening to our office dog, Truffle, snoring peacefully.

What are you reading? Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. It’s about the exploitation of women in modern industry.

It’s really scary and a really fascinating book.

What’s the best movie you’ve seen recently? Sometimes when you’re stressed and exhausted what you need is total escapism and a really good belly laugh. I

saw Ted 2 recently, and it was utterly hysterical.

What’s your favorite way to spend a free afternoon? Cycling along the French canal.

Favorite drink? A nice cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

What three things would you bring to a deserted island? I’m afraid I have to say my iPhone with a solar charger (if I’m allowed it), an Opinel, which is a French workman’s penknife that I never go anywhere without and my puppy, Ruby Tuesday.

big recession in the U.K., and property prices were still extremely expensive. But French rural properties were available quite cheap. I had a lot of friends who were just beginning to want to get on the property ladder, and while the U.K. was outside their reach, in Brittany you could buy a nice little cottage.”

So Tenison took her £2,000 and launched a real estate company in Brittany, France. Just three years later, she was able to sell the business and use the money to launch JoJo Maman Bébé in 1993. Her time in Brittany, however, led to more than just the cash she needed to get the company off the ground—it also inspired the idea for the brand itself.

Shortly before she planned to go back to the U.K. and launch her menswear line, Tenison suffered 20 broken bones from a head-on car collision, which landed her in the hospital for months. In one of those strange twists of fate, she shared a room with a young mother, who often bought clothing for her kids from her bed. “During the next few weeks, I got to know the childrenswear market quite well, because I was in traction and she would throw catalogs to me in my bed, and I would read them.

As I got better, I started thinking there was a gap in the market here for a good, French-nautical-inspired childrenswear catalog,” Tenison remembers.

“I took to the streets in my wheelchair, and did a market research survey,” she continues. “When I was talk-

ing to moms across the British Isles, they said, ‘Yes, we like the idea of French-style children’s fashion, but what we really want right now is maternity wear.’ So my first collection was very, very small—it had about 30 styles, of which I had about 20 maternity and 10 kids. It was always the idea that I would grow the brand back into childrenswear, but if I could market to the pregnant mom, she would then obviously have a baby, and then those babies would grow.”

As those babies grew, so did the collection, which now offers everything from maternity wear and layette, to sportswear, outerwear, accessories, gifts and toys for kids up to size 6. Though JoJo continues to send out a catalog to its customers, the majority of the brand’s U.K. sales now come from its 75 retail stores and its website, which launched in 1997. Today, the company earns around $75 million a year, and with sales in America taking off, Tenison reports, that number is only poised to grow.

In recognition, Tenison herself has earned many accolades, including a spot on the Queen’s birthday honors list and an honorary doctorate of business from the University of East London. Not surprisingly, she lists “business growth” and “seeing year on year increases in sales” as some of the best parts of her job, but she also gets a thrill when celebrities like the Duchess of Cambridge step out sporting a JoJo style. (That white maternity coat she was snapped wearing? It sold out in minutes.) But “more than anything,” she adds, “I like seeing children on the street wearing our designs. To this day, where we’re making hundreds of thousands of garments, I still get a thrill if I see a toddler walking down the street in JoJo.” JoJo has been a bestselling brand in the U.K. for more than 20 years. What inspired you to cross the pond?

Three years ago we realized the British Isles are a very small market, and we were getting more and more interest from our international clients. So we did some marketing in 10 different countries to see where the most interest would come from. We’re very careful never to invest until we’ve tested a market. And after our little bit of market testing, we found that America was the most receptive part of the world. American consumers like our price points, they like our practicality and our fun British designs.

How did you conduct the market testing?

We tested each market initially by running some advertisements on Google directing people back to the U.K. website but with local landing pages. So if you were dialing in from an American URL, you would have seen a landing page on the front of your screen that would say, ‘Hello, we’re a British mother and baby brand. We’re happy to ship to you in America.’ At that point, all the distribution was coming from the U.K., so obviously it wasn’t particularly convenient, because there’s a long lead time for orders and the shipping was very expensive. But it gave us the ability to analyze the local markets and see who likes our images.

It was a consumer test, but you knew you wanted to go the B2B route in America, right?

At this stage, we knew we wanted to go into wholesale in America to get the brand known as quickly as possible, but we felt that at the end of the day, it’s the consumer who is buying the clothes. When moms go to the drawer in the morning to dress the baby, if they go for the JoJo outfit first, we know that we’ve got a repeat customer, and they will go back into the store and ask for JoJo again. >44

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Mayoral jacket, Egg by Susan Lazar T-shirt worn around neck, Molo one-piece and socks, Doodle Pants leggings, Paxley sunglasses.

Tia Cibani Kids striped organza cape and hooded knit cape worn underneath, Munster Kids jumper, Molo bib, Oh Baby! mask, Happy Socks tights, Old Soles shoes.

Opposite page: Egg by Susan Lazar knit onepiece, Caffè dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Orzo metallic skirt and flower pins, Oh Baby! mask, Old Soles shoes.

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Andy & Evan cotton jumper, Kidscase bib worn as cape, Misha and Puff knit hat, Oh Baby! star headband worn as belt, Happy Socks socks.

Opposite page: Hootkid cape, Kapital K one-piece, Mini A Ture bathing suit, Doodle Pants leggings, Bella Simone shoes, Oh Baby! mask, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own belt.

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Go Gently Baby knit onepiece, Molo skirt worn as cape, Oh Baby! sword and belt.

Opposite page: Pink Chicken knit cape, Mini A Ture dress, Siaomimi shorts, Happy Socks tights, Bella Simone shoes, Oh Baby! feather headbands, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own gold collar.

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Oh Baby! romper and wand, Tia Cibani Kids silk ruffle top, Le Big socks, Bella Simone shoes, Misha and Puff knit hat.

Opposite page: Pink Chicken dress, Andy & Evan brocade shorts, Babe & Tess skirt worn as cape, Happy Socks socks, Oh Baby! mask.

Fashion Editor: Tara Anne Dalbow; grooming by Anja Grassegger/Ray Brown Productions; Photocomposition: Tim Jones

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2016 ULTIMATE GEAR GUIDE

GET IN GEAR A simple Google search of the word “stroller” turns up more than 40,000,000 results. Needless to say, the baby gear market is jampacked with products, from the tried-and-true to the technologically advanced.

Shopping for baby essentials can easily become overwhelming, but by offering a streamlined selection of the best items, you can make life easier on your customers. To make things easier for you, we assembled a panel of baby gear experts (see right) and asked them to weigh in on the top new products of the last year so you can help your customers gear up for life with baby.

By Kirby Stirland

3 4 ; 7 H D I > 7M I $ 9 E C I ; F J ; C 8 ; H ( & ' +

ON THE MOVE

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MEET OUR PRO PANEL Allyson Downey CEO/founder, Weespring After recognizing how stressful shopping can be for new parents, Downey founded Weespring, a digital platform that lets users swap baby gear tips with their Facebook friends. The mom of two will release her first book, Here’s The Plan, a guide to balancing career and family, next year.

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Chris Richardson Owner, The Kangaroo Pouch Parents flock to Richardson’s award-winning shop, which has two locations in Myrtle Beach, SC, for its impressive selection as well as the encyclopedic baby gear knowledge of its owner. That wisdom comes from the extensive research Richardson did when she quit her job in corporate healthcare to open a specialty baby store—as well as her experiences raising her son, who’s now 6 years old.

Leslie Venokur Co-founder, Big City Moms Since sisters Leslie Venokur and Risa Goldberg founded Big City Moms over a decade ago, it’s become a go-to digital destination for thousands of moms (and dads!) in search of expert product recommendations and parenting tips.

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Big City Moms also hosts the annual Biggest Baby Shower Ever expo in New York City, which introduces parents and parents-to-be to the latest and greatest in baby gear.

Ashley Lanxner Co-owner, Maison Baby While pregnant with her first child, Lanxner found herself in need of a reliable resource for moms in her community of Maitland, FL. So, she and her husband took it upon themselves to become that resource, opening Maison Baby, a gift and gear boutique. Her brood has since grown to three, while her business now encompasses both Maison Baby’s brick-and-mortar location and an e-commerce site, maisondrake.com.

Lindsey Winters Baby gear expert, Pish Posh Baby j^Wj _j ÇYWd jhkbo X[ j^[ edbo ijhebb[h oekÊbb [l[h Xko$È 9ecfWh[Z je ej^[h fh[c_kc ijhebb[hi ed j^[ cWha[j" j^[ C_nnÊi fh_Y[ fe_dj _i Ç_dYh[Z_Xb["È

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Atlanta-based mom of two Winters is a selfdescribed baby gear obsessive who specializes in car seats and strollers. As a customer service rep for e-tailer Pish Posh Baby (which also has a brick-and-mortar store in New Jersey), Winters guides shoppers into smart purchases by testing products and writing blog posts. ( & ' + I ; F J ; C 8 ; H ; 7 H D I > 7M I $ 9 E C 3 5

2016 ULTIMATE GEAR GUIDE

CARRIED AWAY

Lanxner reports that in her shop, Ergobaby’s 360 carrier is a family favorite. “Moms love it, dads love it and most importantly, babies love it,” she says. Its versatility makes it stand out; the carrier offers the wearer six positioning options, including the forwardfacing carry, which is a hit with dads, Lanxner notes.

Plus, it lets the wearer stay cool and comfortable while providing ergonomic hip and leg positioning for baby. “The ease and versatility the Ergo 360 carrier has brought to babywearing has changed the game and broadened the horizon of the culture,” she muses. “Ergobaby has shown us, especially with the 360, that everyone can wear their baby comfortably, easily and lovingly.” (ergobaby.com, MSRP: $160)

The Weespring community is “more than a little obsessed with Babybjorn’s Carrier One,” Downey quips, noting that it’s called the Carrier One for a reason— “because it’s the only carrier you’ll ever need.” Fans love its ease of use, she says, explaining, “It doesn’t require any acrobatics to put it on. You slip it over your head almost like a T-shirt, then clip a buckle around your waist.” Plus, transitioning from frontto inward-facing is a breeze. Plus, with a built-in seat for a newborn, Downey notes the Babybjorn “is designed for use from day one.” (babybjorn.com, MSRP: $189.95 to $219.95)

Babywearing is enjoying a surge of popularity—it’s convenient and allows for parentchild bonding. Beco gets the vote of not one but two of our panelists. For baby, Venokur recommends the Gemini, which comes in an array of quirky, artful prints. “It’s fun and fashionable and I love that it’s different,” she says. For growing tots, Winters points to Beco’s Toddler Carrier, which has a wider seat and the highest weight limit of all soft-structured carriers (at 60 pounds). “The extra padding and adjustable straps guarantee that parents will be as comfortable as their toddlers…almost!” (becobabycarrier.com, MSRP: $150 to $200)

GRAB BAG With little ones, messes are unavoidable and the Bogg Bag is up to the task. Available in a rainbow of 10 bright hues, Lanxner calls this durable carryall “the perfect kid-stuff-friendly tote” and says it’s especially great for pool days and beach trips—top priorities for her Florida clientele. Constructed of thick, pliable plastic and perforated with large ventilation holes, Bogg Bags are sturdy and easy to clean—“just hose it off,” Lanxner says. Three plastic pockets inside protect valuables like wallets and phones from the elements while keeping them easily accessible. (boggbag.com, Wholesale price: $30) In an age where our cell phones are also our clocks, planners and cameras, multitasking products are in demand. Accordingly, the Skip Hop Duet 2-in-1 Diaper Tote works overtime, with a removable diaper organizer concealed within a stylish faux leather bag. The inner bag can also be worn on its own as a cross-body carryall; plus, Downey says, “it’s nondescript enough that dads wouldn’t mind using it.” It helps that the outer bag, which comes in black and taupe, won’t cramp mom’s style. True to form, Downey adds, Skip Hop hasn’t skimped on the essential details, “like stroller straps, a cushioned changing pad and lots and lots of pockets.” (skiphop.com, Wholesale price: $65)

Richardson and her customers are fans of Petunia Pickle Bottom’s diaper bags, which are available in a range of styles (from backpacks to satchels) and prints (think embossed florals and chic geographic patterns). Her customers particularly loved the brand’s Spring ’15 totes because they’re stylish and functional. Standouts include the Downtown, the Altogether and the Wistful Weekender, which she says is “great for long trips or for moms with more than one child.”

Another selling point? These on-trend bags needn’t be retired once baby grows out of diapers. (petunia.com, MSRP: $139 to $185)

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2016 ULTIMATE GEAR GUIDE

“When I first saw [the Baby Shusher], I fell instantly in love,” says Lanxner. “It’s one of those products that makes you say, ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’” The battery-powered device recreates a gentle shushing sound that helps soothe fussy babies and lulls them to sleep. With timer settings and volume controls, “parents can safely sneak away without any interruptions,” Lanxner notes, adding that its small size makes it conveniently portable for on-the-go naps. Quite literally, it’s the stuff sweet dreams are made of. (babyshusher.com, Wholesale price: $17.60)

4Moms first enchanted parents with its MamaRoo and RockaRoo baby seats, but Winters is especially excited about the new BounceRoo. “It’s much more compact and portable than their other swings but still offers tons of great features,” she says, including a plush seat, three vibration settings and an overhead toy mobile. The BounceRoo is a cinch to collapse and easy to take on the go. Plus, it’s batterypowered, meaning no cords or outlets are required.

(4moms.com, MSRP: $99.99 to $119.99)

Richardson says her new mom customers love the Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper. As the only baby bassinet that can rotate a full 360 degrees, the Halo presents an alternative to bed-sharing that offers all the same closeness and convenience. It’s especially popular with moms who are recovering from Csections, since there’s no bending over necessary to retrieve baby. (In fact, mom doesn’t even need to get out of bed.) And its wide base makes it extra-sturdy

and “almost impossible to tip over.” Key features include a night light (“amazing in the middle of the night, when you need just a bit of light to get to your little one without waking everyone up,” Richardson notes), a nursing timer, a white noise mechanism that also plays lullabies and two speeds of vibration to help send baby off to dreamland. “I love it for so many reasons,” Richardson enthuses. (halobassinest.com, MSRP: $250)

SLEEP AID

THE CHILDREN’S CLUB New York City Oct. 18 - 20

KIDS SHOW Las Vegas Oct. 18 - 21

Offspring

1385 Broadway Suite 1800 New York, NY 10018 212-279-4150 Mark Zelen

West Coast

TeresaStephen 213-623-8155

Caribbean, Latin America & South Florida

Rolando & Ana Hidalgo 305-599-8717

Midwest

Richard Finkelstein & Al Zaiff 847-607-8543

Southeast

Paul Daubney 404-577-6840

Northeast

Bill & Sandie Ellsworth 781-326-3999

Texas / Southwest

Annette Cardona-Stein 214-637-4446

Mid Atlantic

Jack Harlan 215-805-1888

Western Canada

Jeff Swartz 604-681-1719

International

Nathan A. Mamiye 212-216-6008

VALUE MEAL A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but so does the Adiri MD+, a medicine dispenser “brilliantly disguised as a bottle,” according to Downey. Fill the syringe with medicine and insert it into the bottle to deliver a dose without mess or fuss. As Downey explains it, “Meds and milk (or any liquid you choose) remain separate until reaching your baby’s mouth.” The Adiri MD+ is sure to appeal to parents struggling with sick little ones: “Baby happily guzzles the beloved bottle and you happily ditch the old dropper,” Downey declares. “A musthave for every medicine cabinet!” (adiri. com, Wholesale price: $11.99)

Lollaland products are a hit both at Lanxner’s store and in her own home, so she had high hopes for their new glass bottles. The verdict?

“Lollaland did not disappoint,” she declares.

The brand’s new baby bottles are made of high-quality glass that can be safely heated and cooled without breaking or releasing harmful chemicals. Lanxner calls them “incredibly durable and whimsically fun,” as well as “incredibly functional and innovative.”

Her favorite feature is the slow-flow anti-colic nipple, which helps equalize the pressure within the bottle during feeding. “This minimizes the amount of unwanted air your baby takes in while feeding, thus maximizing comfort post-feeding.” (lollaland.com, Wholesale price: $6.50-$7.50)

How does Richardson describe the NumNum Gootensil?

Simply put, “It’s awesome!” The handy tool does double-duty as both a spoon and a soft teething toy, she explains, adding that it’s great for babies learning to self-feed, since it helps them get the hang of scooping up their food. Unlike a traditional spoon, the Gootensil has a flat head, so there’s no wrong way to use it ( just dip and eat), and its contoured, ergonomic design is comfortable and easy to hold. Available in two colors and texture variations (blue with a dimpled head for thinner foods and orange with a channeled head for thicker foods), the Gootensil is dishwasher-safe, hypoallergenic and free of PVC, BPA and phthalates. (numnumdips.com, MSRP: $9.99)

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8/13/15 2:43 PM

BEHIND THE SEAMS BABY

Well Rooted A former Pottery Barn Kids designer branches out with The Little Acorn.

A

FTER NEARLY 20 years in the children’s indusjho" 8h_Z][j A[bbo ademi W j^_d] eh jme WXekj a_Z#\h_[dZbo Z[i_]d$ Ie m^[d i^[ b[\j ^[h fei_j_ed Wi Z[i_]d Z_h[Yjeh Wj Fejj[ho 8Whd A_Zi je ijh_a[ ekj ed ^[h emd" i^[ ad[m `kij m^Wj i^[ mWdj[Z je Ze0 9edj_dk[ ^[h b_\[bed] fWii_ed e\ Z[i_]d_d] \eh XWX_[i WdZ Y^_bZh[d Xo Yh[Wj_d] ^[h emd XhWdZ e\ ^WdZcWZ[ fheZkYji$ J^ki" J^[ B_jjb[ 7Yehd mWi Xehd _d (&''$ A[bboÊi _d_j_Wb _dif_hWj_ed je bWkdY^ J^[ B_jjb[ 7Yehd YWc[ \hec ceh[ j^Wd `kij W Z[i_h[ je cel[ WmWo \hec YehfehWj[ fheZkYj Z[i_]d$ ?j mWi \Wh ceh[ f[hiedWb$ ÇJ^[ _dif_hWj_ed \eh j^[ dWc[ YWc[ \hec W Xeea co cej^[h mhej[ X[\eh[ i^[ fWii[Z WmWo \hec Xh[Wij YWdY[h$ It’s called The Acorn WdZ _jÊi WXekj j^[ b[jj_d] ]e e\ X[_d] ed[ j^_d] _d ehZ[h je ]hem je X[ iec[j^_d] X[jj[h" h[fh[i[dj[Z Xo Wd WYehd X[Yec_d] W c_]^jo eWa jh[["È i^[ h[YWbbi$ Ç?ji c[iiW][ ^Wi WbmWoi h[iedWj[Z m_j^ c[ WdZ _j i[[c[Z h_]^j je dWc[ j^[ XhWdZ W\j[h ikY^ W c[Wd_d]\kb c[iiW][ e\ ]hemj^ WdZ Y^Wd][$È <_jj_d]bo" A[bbo W_ci dej edbo je Yh[Wj[ fbWo\kb fheZkYji" Xkj Wbie je _cXk[ j^[c m_j^ W ZkWb fkhfei[$ <eh [nWcfb[" b[jj[hi WdZ _cW][i ed ^[h _j[ci" ifWdd_d] jeoi" Yh_X X[ZZ_d]" mWbb Whj" f_bbemi" XbWda[ji" X_Xi" hk]i WdZ ijehW][ X_di" Wh[ c[Wdj je j[WY^ Y^_bZh[dÆj^_da gk_bji [cXhe_Z[h[Z m_j^ j^[ Wbf^WX[j$ A[bbo Yh[Wj[i Wbb e\ j^[ Whj WdZ Y^WhWYj[hi ^[hi[b\" _dYbkZ_d] embi" jh[[i" heXeji WdZ \W_h_[i" WdZ [WY^ Z[i_]d _i [nYbki_l[ je J^[ B_jjb[ 7Yehd$ ÇM[ Wh[ if[Y_\_YWbbo ][Wh[Z je j^ei[ beea_d] \eh iec[j^_d] kd_gk[$ ;l[hoj^_d] _i cWZ[ Xo ^WdZ" [cXhe_Z[h[Z WdZ Wffb_gk Z \hec co emd Whj$ J^[h[ _i dej W fh_dj eh _Yed oek m_bb \_dZ [bi[m^[h["È A[bbo [nfbW_di$ J^_i WffheWY^ÆfheZkY_d] ed[#e\#W#a_dZ" ^WdZYhW\j[Z _j[ciÆ^Wi Y[hjW_dbo [Whd[Z j^[ XhWdZ W \W_h dkcX[h e\ \Wdi" \hec beoWb h[jW_b[hi

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je fb[Wi[Z fWh[dji$ 9khh[djbo" J^[ B_jjb[ 7Yehd _i _d el[h (&& K$I$ ijeh[i" Wi m[bb Wi i^efi _d BedZed" ?dZed[i_W" C[n_Ye WdZ @WfWd$ O[j A[bbo Ze[idÊj kdZ[h[ij_cWj[ j^[ heb[ e\ ieY_Wb c[Z_W _d ^[bf_d] ^[h Xk_bZ ^[h WkZ_[dY[" Wi m[bb$ ÇM[ ^Wl[ W \ebbem_d] e\ d[Whbo ',"&&& WdZ ]hem_d] ed <WY[Xeea WdZ m[Êl[ [nfWdZ[Z je ?dijW]hWc WdZ Jm_jj[h$ M[ hkd fhecej_edi WdZ Yedj[iji WdZ Yedd[Yj m_j^ Xbe]][hi$È FbWdi Wh[ Wbie _d j^[ mehai je WZZ Wd edb_d[ m^eb[iWb[ ehZ[h_d] ioij[c je J^[ B_jjb[ 7YehdÊi m[Xi_j[$ 7bed] m_j^ ]hem_d] ^[h edb_d[ fh[i[dY[" A[bbo ^Wi X_] fbWdi je [dbWh][ J^[ B_jjb[ 7YehdÊi e\\[h_d]i" jee" Xo [nfWdZ_d] j^[ XhWdZÊi jeo WdZ XbWda[j Yebb[Yj_edi" [if[Y_Wbbo j^[_h X[iji[bb_d] 8khh_je 8WX_[iÆicWbb ad_jj[Z Wd_cWbi" b_a[ f_]i" [b[f^Wdji WdZ Xkdd_[i" mhWff[Z _d XbWda[ji$ ÇJ^[oÊh[ W X_] ^_j$ J^[oÊl[ X[[d ie ikYY[ii\kb" m[ h[ ]e_d] je _djheZkY[ d[m Y^WhWYj[hi"È A[bbo iWoi$ M^eb[iWb[ fh_Y[i hWd][ \hec -$+& \eh W X_X je ''/$+& \eh W f_[Y[ e\ mWbb Whj$ 8kj [l[d W\j[h o[Whi e\ ikYY[ii\kbbo el[hi[[_d] ^[h emd XhWdZ" A[bbo WZc_ji j^[h[ Wh[ ij_bb Y^Wbb[d][i$ Ç?j i W l[ho kdfh[Z_YjWXb[ cWha[j j^[i[ ZWoi$È >em[l[h" i^[Êi Yed\_Z[dj J^[ B_jjb[ 7YehdÊi ^WdZYhW\j[Z ]eeZi fhel_Z[ `kij j^[ jof[ e\ kd_gk[ c[hY^WdZ_i[ jeZWoÊi h[jW_b[hi d[[Z je ijWdZ ekj \hec j^[ Yecf[j_j_ed$ 7i i^[ fkji _j" Ç? j^_da j^[ ijh[d]j^ _d W ijeh[ Wiiehjc[dj Yec[i \hec e\\[h_d] fheZkYji j^Wj de ed[ [bi[ ^WiÆX[_d] W b[WZ[h$È —Laurie Cone

CMC_Earnshaws_ThirdVertical_081715.pdf 1 8/17/2015 12:05

Chew on This Baby Teith bites into the children’s market with stylish, genderneutral designs.

U

NISEX, GENDERNEUTRAL, androgynous . . . These buzzwords are often attached to trendy musicians and models, but these days they are taking a decidedly different turn as some apparel brands buck the gender norms in kids’ fashion. Baby Teith, launched in October of 2013, is a prime example: When owners Keith Walker and Tiffe Fermaint found they were expecting, they began searching for the perfect baby wardrobe.

But Fermaint, already a designer, was excited by the idea of making her own clothes for her little one—especially those that avoided traditional prints and colors.

“We’ve chosen natural themes, such as crystal and gem prints, along with galacticthemed patterns, including the moon and nebula. We also introduced a VHS tape glitch design that, like our other prints, has no relevance to gender,” Walker says of the collection, which is full of unusual prints for newborns up to 6T. Patterns are designed in-house, allowing Walker and Fermaint to indulge their edgy instincts. For Spring ’16, the collection will feature fresh colorways on signature prints—like updated blue and gold nebula patterns—on an array of silhouettes, including leggings, skirts, bodysuits, capes, bandana bibs, tank tops and headbands. New spring silhouettes will include digital-print skater skirts and dresses, and Walker hints at more science and nature-

themed prints to come. The complete collection, manufactured in Phoenix, AZ, using American organic cotton, wholesales for $8 to $25. It all adds up to a brand message that’s resonating with a variety of consumers. “We have attracted very loyal customers from all over the world that continuously mention how they have finally found a brand they relate to,” Walker says.

The couple began by selling on Etsy, and they still do, but thanks to encouragement from the label’s growing number of fans (and with a little help from a Kickstarter campaign), Walker and Fermaint debuted Baby Teith at Magic Playground in August.

The line is already carried in 11 U.S. boutiques, and the two are planning to attend more trade shows in the future. “To be honest, I don’t think there are many retailers that would view our clothing as anything but really cute, fun and stylish,” Walker points out. After all, while the collection may appeal to retailers looking for genderneutral options, Walker is aware that keeping the line fashionable is vital. “People want options and, quite simply, that’s what Baby Teith is doing—we’re giving people a fresh option from the norm.”

“We all love to see a little girl in a beautiful party dress or a little boy dressed in a smart suit, but, in general, we want children to realize that there are no limits to what they can achieve,” he continues. “A good place to start is by offering them the freedom to be an individual.” —L.C.

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Little Steps South African brand Shooshoos is poised to increase its footprint in the U.S.

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ILL BOWEN AND her fiancée, Tim Hartzenberg, were on the lookout for a business they could run together when they stumbled across Shooshoos, an established South African baby shoe brand.

“Debating how we would manage a business or re-brand a company was a standard dinnertime conversation for us,” Bowen laughs. In May 2014, they took the plunge, and bought the almost 20-year-old company.

Now, the two intend to leave an indelible footprint (pun intended) on the children’s shoe world.

Shooshoos first launched in South Africa in 1996, with an objective of uplifting disadvantaged communities by putting people to work making baby shoes. Bowen, now the newly-minted managing director and co-owner, first found Shooshoos while working as a babywear buyer for a retail startup. “I absolutely fell in love with the product and saw huge potential in the brand,” she explains. Still, the couple knew they would need to work on tweaking the line, by offering seasonal ranges, introducing new leather colors and updating its prints. One thing, however, never changed: Design and manufacturing still take place in Cape Town. “The more we grow our business the more jobs we can create in our beautiful country,” Bowen says.

All of the brand’s shoes, for boys and girls ages newborn to five years, are made by hand in the company-owned factory with nontoxic breathable leather and feature cushioned insoles, elasticized heels and wide toe boxes to accommodate chubby baby toes. Softsole styles sporting everything from ice cream cones to penguins are available for pre-walkers, while a range of flexi-rubber options, including ballet shoes, sneakers and sandals, are offered for toddlers. Wholesale prices range from $15 to $22.90, and Bowen says larger sizing is in the works.

The brand is available in 15 countries, with e-commerce sites in South Africa, the U.S. and Australia, but Bowen’s next big project is securing agents and retailers stateside. Even without U.S. retailers, response to the Shooshoos relaunch has been huge and is growing.

For Spring ’16 look for luminous leathers featuring funky designs like thunderbolts and flashes of lightning. —L.C.

ABC KIDS EXPO Booth #5335 800.998.1633 https://wholesale.mud-pie.com order@mud-pie.com

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Q& A

Come See What’s New

continued from page 23

It’s a very different route to market than you chose in the U.K. Why did you feel a new approach was necessary in the U.S.?

In the U.K., we no longer do any wholesale, franchise or concessions.

We own our own stores. For the U.K., we feel that’s the right route, since it’s a very small market. The U.S. market is so huge we wouldn’t be able to do that. It would take many, many years. That’s why we definitely rely on our trade partners to represent the brand.

Did you have to make any changes to the brand to adapt to the U.S. market?

We had an internal discussion about how we should approach the U.S., whether we should continue with our very British company ethos and branding or whether we should try and tailor it for the American market. But what we found through online sales was that our U.S. customers like the same things our British customers like. We have had to make some amendments for the American market; you have different safety rules from us, and there is quite a lot of testing all the products have to go through, which is very complicated. Your sizing is a little bit different. So we have had to adapt and improve to fit the market. I think it would be arrogant to say that you can take exactly one format from one country to another, but I think at the end of the day what’s important is maintaining our identity.

Right. That’s what your customers expect. How are you sticking to your British roots?

We are retaining our own customer service center in the U.K., so when our American customers need to talk to us, or email us, they can do so through our toll-free number, and we’re working late into the evening to accommodate East Coast hours. That means that our American customers are talking to people who are really knowledgable. We wouldn’t want to outsource our customer service functionality to a call service. However, we have been shipping from our distribution center in Wales for three years and that has meant some time delays, frustration with customs, etc. Setting up our new dedicated distribution center in Edison, NJ, will make things substantially easier. We already have 40,000 pieces of stock in the warehouse, and there’s a lot more arriving every day. The new distribution center means quicker fulfillment and easier returns for our customers.

You also heavily invested in your sales reps, right?

I launched JoJo myself. I made my first samples on my own sewing machine. It’s still an incredibly personal business to me. We have small company values, but we have grown. We do have a large number of staff now in the U.K. But when we were looking to appoint reps across the U.S. and Canada, we felt they were going to be ambassadors for the brand and it was really important they understood why we put so much attention to detail into the brand, and why we feel so passionately about quality in the clothing itself. So we did bring our reps over to the U.K., and we took them around our different sites.

I cooked them dinner in my house. I had to get an extra large table, because I think there were about 18 of us. [Laughs.] But that was quite important to me. We have every confidence in our reps representing the brand because we know we’ve trained them ourselves. And even now I’m in regular contact with our reps as much as possible. It’s

Phone (510) 324-8811 Fax (510) 324-8828 1(800) 978-8088

contact@angeldear.net www.angeldear.net

Angel_Earnshaw_2015_Septindd.indd 1

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Designed by a mom to stay put on baby’s kicking feet. the same with our team in the distribution center in the U.S. We’ve already been over twice. Some on my team are going over next week to make sure all of our orders are picked and packed and dispatched correctly. On one side as we grow the company, we can’t micromanage the whole world, but we can try as best we can. [Laughs.]

How are you helping your trade partners in the U.S. grow the brand?

With the launch of our new distribution center in Edison, we have offered an improved price point for our trade customers. We’ve also given them a recommended retail price point, which we have asked our website customers to honor and match. We hope that the larger websites will not try to undercut the independent stores. And we’re absolutely working with our reps to try and increase sales and brand awareness. We’ve increased our reps’ commission this season, and we’ve seen record orders from almost all of them. Yesterday, we were announced the No. 1 export business in Wales and the 11th fastest in all of the British Isles, and a great majority of that is due to the work our reps are doing for us, so that’s really exciting.

Have you noticed any differences between British and American shoppers?

When we announced on Facebook that we were coming to the U.S., a number of JoJo fans responded by saying, ‘We love the brand, but please promise us you’ll be offering the same quality that you offer in the U.K.’ I was surprised to hear that many customers felt that when British or European brands launch in America, the brands reduce the quality of the manufacturing. We were really pleased to be able to reassure all our American customers that we are manufacturing in the same factories. There will be absolutely no change on production quality.

Occasionally, we’ll have an American customer say, ‘I love your clothes, but your cotton is too heavy.’ And I’ll say, ‘That’s because it’s good quality cotton.’ Sometimes Americans are used to a light, thin cotton, and you’re not going to see that in JoJo clothing. We’re not going to reduce our quality because people in some cases have come to expect a more mass-produced garment. And I think that’s what our American fans are going to look forward to, because they love to receive Europeanquality product but at mid-market prices, and that’s what JoJo offers.

Is that what makes JoJo stand out from other European brands on the market?

I think so. One of the things you’ll find with JoJo is that we go straight to factory after we design in-house. We cut out a lot of the middleman. As a result, we can pass along really good quality at very reasonable price points. And I think there is a gap in the middle market in the U.S. for this type of good quality brand. We’re a private company. We don’t have to inflate our prices to keep anyone happy. We want to be a great value for the money.

Would you say there were any big turning points for the brand over the years?

As the brand has grown, we’ve been tempted to over-extend ourselves.

In good years, the banks and private equity firms have always been generous with their lending. They’ve been extremely encouraging

ABC KIDS EXPO BOOTH #5320

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Q& A about wanting us to grow the business larger than we felt comfortable with. That’s why the credit crunch of 2008 was an incredibly difficult year for us. It was the only year in our history that we didn’t grow the brand. The business was profitable, but we were relying on the banks for quite a lot of our working capital overdraft. That was the time when I decided I actually wanted to slow down my expansion and be less reliant on borrowing for our business growth. So I think 2008 was a turning point in a way, because it made me much more cautious about how to proceed. I think it’s really important in retail to have reserves; you never know when you’re going to have a bad season because of the weather or economic events. There are lots of things outside your control, and one should never trade to the last penny. You need to have reserves for those difficult periods, which are bound to come around again.

How important is your website to the brand’s overall success?

In the U.K., our website represents about 30 percent of our business, but our website is very much a service for our retail customers. We find that our customers are omnichannel shoppers. If they relate to the brand, they will look at the brand through retail stores, they will go online and they will talk to us through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And they will check their email for offers that bring them into the store. I think the future of retail has to be omnichannel—and this is where it’s really important that retailers don’t feel that websites are competing against them. They need to work together with their brands as a partnership.

Mo

in a flash!

It’s safe to say the era of one or two retail channels is over.

There will never be shoppers who only work through one channel anymore. That time is gone. I think we need to embrace omnichannel retail, because it is positive. When we first launched our stores, our mail order managers were very worried; they thought the stores would take business from the mail orders. And of course if we opened a store in a local area, initially our mail order customers may convert into store customers. But the store represents a shop front for the brand. Customers will come inside and buy, or buy online. We need to make sure everyone is supporting everyone. And I think independent retailers should be looking at having their own websites, as well, if they’re not already. In the U.K., you’ll find more and more local groups of independent retailers are bunching together and finding ways to attract their local customer base using some form of local retail shopping scheme, where customers can gain loyalty points. We love local independent retail and we want to encourage it, but I think we need to be realistic about the future of retail.

In an omnichannel world, isn’t there a risk of Amazon replacing all retail?

In some ways, of course, we need to be careful of Amazon and the like,

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but equally there are many things those vast retailers cannot do. And the one thing an independent boutique can offer is personal service— remembering a customer’s name, offering free gift wrap—these are the sorts of things that make a boutique unique. In the U.K., threequarters of our business comes from our stores, whereas online it’s all practical stuff. It’s basics. It’s buying the next size up in a pair of tights your child was comfy in. And about a quarter of our purchases in store are for gifts. People come in the store because they want something special, and they want it there and then. They don’t want to wait for delivery, and they don’t want to send it back if it doesn’t work. We expect a similar breakdown in the U.S. We anticipate that we will sell more of the good, old-fashioned basics that we’re wellknown for on our website, whereas in the stores, we are more likely to sell the gift items and the items that the consumer really wants to feel and touch before they purchase. That’s why we’re very keen to partner with boutiques that are specifically good at selling gifts.

What advice would you give to a specialty retailer looking to survive in today’s challenging retail climate?

You should always do your cash flow for cost. People don’t go out of business because they aren’t good at business or they don’t have a good customer base. They go out business because of cash flow problems, and they get behind on payments. I’m a very odd salesperson in that I often tell people to buy less, because I would rather they bought less and gradually built up trust in the brand than they overextend themselves and have stock left at the end of the season.

I want our stock to sell through at full price. I think people should trade cautiously; they should grow the brand systematically season by season. And, bulking orders together to make sure you reach the minimum order value is obviously important, because then you get your free shipping. Quite often I notice independent retailers don’t care if there’s a shipping charge, but actually on a small order, that shipping charge is eating away at their margin dramatically. And be strategic about how you trade. I often see retailers buying one of each size in a style, and I query why they do that because surely that little outfit is going to sell better on a 2-3 year old, so why buy one of each size? Make sure that you have enough of better-selling sizes that are going to sell out quickly. Otherwise, you’re going to have those split ranges far too early in the season, which doesn’t look great in the store.

Now that JoJo has conquered America, are any other countries on the radar?

We do sell to 40 countries, but it’s pretty reactive at the moment. We aren’t doing any proactive marketing right now. Ask me again in five years time, but right now we’re really concentrating on our American customers. It’s a very big challenge for us. In the U.K., we’re a relatively large company; we have a turnover of about £50 million. In America, we are still very small and we’ve got a long way to go. And even if we became as big as we are in the U.K., we’d still be a small company in America. We’re a small island, and you’re a big, big one. But we do not want to be a large company in America, We want to be a boutique retailer. We want to be that well-kept secret, that great little find that a mom will tell her friends about, but she doesn’t actually want everyone in the street to be wearing. We want to fill that nice little niche in j^[ cWha[j \eh W ;khef[Wd XhWdZ Wj ]h[Wj fh_Y[i$

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1.“Injiri is a new line I’m bringing in for fall. It’s based in India and offers exquisite dresses and blouses. The pieces look so simple, but up close, you see the beautiful details.” (showroom-blieck.com/ en/injiri)

6. Her customers can’t resist cuddling up with Jellycat’s plush toys. “We find people walking around the shop while hugging their choice of animal and loving how soft it is.” (jellycat.com/us/)

2. Also new to the shop, Baba believes Nico Nico will be a hit.

“The pieces look like loungewear. I think kids will really respond to it.” (niconicoclothing.com) 3. Seedling craft kits are a go-to gift item. “They’re great because there’s no right or wrong way to assemble them.” (seedling.com)

7. “I love Herschel Supply Co. backpacks for back-to-school.” (shop.herschelsupply.com/ collections/kids)

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8. Artistically-inclined tots flock to the store’s selection of Eeboo sketchbooks. “They’re cute and they come with fun, metallic colored pencils.” (eeboo.com/ home)

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4. Willaby’s teething necklace, made of wooden beads, is a locally-made favorite. “It’s such a beautiful style; we’ve had women buy it to wear as a normal necklace.” (willabyshop.com)

9. Wooden trucks by Manny & Simon are a top-seller because, “They’re perfect as nursery décor.” (mannyandsimon.com) 10. “Oeuf cribs aren’t overstylized and, although they are clean and modern, they pair well with more traditional pieces.” (oeufnyc.com)

5. Baba recommends KidWild Collective crib bedding. “It’s all organic, the colors are great and the patterns are mix and match.” (kidwild.com)

Seed Factory’s name is a perfect fit for the store’s industrial feel.

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THE CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLUB New York City Oct. 18 - 20

ABC KIDS EXPO Las Vegas Oct. 18 - 21 Corporate

Mark Zelen 1385 Broadway Suite 1800 New York, NY 10018 212-279-4150

Caribbean, Latin America & South Florida Rolando & Ana Hidalgo 305-599-8717

International

Nathan A. Mamiye 212-216-6008

North East

Bill & Sandie Ellsworth 781-326-3999

West Coast

Teresa Stephen 213-623-8155

Texas/Southwest

Annette Cardona-Stein 214-637-4446

Midwest

Richard Finkelstein & Al Zaiff 847-607-8543

Mid Atlantic

Jack Harlan 215-805-1888

Southeast

Paul Daubney 404-577-6840

Western Canada Jeff Swartz 604-681-1719