Earnshaw's | Infants', Girls', Boys' Wear Review | 2009 • February

INFANTS’, GIRLS’ & BOYS’ WEAR REVIEW

Drama Queens Expressive Details Reign for Tweens Keystone Cops

The Industry Polices Markups

All In The Family

Relatives Make the Perfect Business Partners

Spotlight: Chicago

Inside the Second City

FEBRUARY 2009 $5.00

THE ‘RACHAEL’ PARKA AVAILABLE AT SELECT STORES

DISTRIBUTED BY DARON FASHIONS GROUP (DFG) NYC 800 822 3340 HAWKEANDCO.COM

For more than 50 years, McDonald’s has brought

food and fun

to fans of every generation.

As one of the world’s most recognizable brands, McDonald’s icons, slogans and characters have become a part of POP-CULTURE.

Visit us at MAGIC to find out more or call 800-245-6207 to order. � +))2 F\=hgZe] l

Á <hhdb^ CZk >gm^kmZbgf^gm'

New York Buzz Dannenfelser (212)695-5151 Los Angeles Teresa Stephen (213)623-8155 Dallas Greg Morgan (214)643-0100 Boston Mike Neckes (781)407-0070 Philadelphia Martin Schiff (609)471-6189 Seattle Carrie Martin (253)851-1418 Atlanta Paul Daubney (404)577-6840 Chicago Windy City Kidz (312)467-5434 Miami Rolando Hidalgo (305)266-8745 Canada Ravi Dhaliwal (403)252-2200

March 8,9,10 2009 Jacob Javits Center

August 2,3,4 2009 Pier 94

October 4,5,6 2009 Jacob Javits Center

Photo & Business ID for Admission | ENK International | t. 212.759.8055 f. 212.758.3403 c h i l d re n s c l u b @ e n k s h o w s . c o m | w w w. e n k s h o w s . c o m / c h i l d re n s c l u b | w w w. e n k t r a v e l . c o m

EDITOR'S LETTER

Accentuate the Positive Recently a New York-based rep told me: “My good news is I don’t have any bad news.” I’ll take it. It’s been blahsville lately while everyone adapts to the new normal. I think we all need to make the effort to catch a glimpse of a silver lining where we can.

When everyone is down, it’s very easy to fall into the same funk—but it’s not productive or profitable. Even Mr. Yes-We-Can has been singing a sour tune lately. Instead of being the face of optimism that so many bought into, President Obama has turned into the harbinger of doom, which just proves that everyone needs encouragement and uplifting sometimes. So, yes we can find the positive and survive during these difficult times.

As we headed off to last month’s Children’s Club show in New York, my staff resolved to find some good news and make that the topic of conversation. Among the positive nuggets we unearthed: Domestic sales for BabyLegs grew by  percent last year while Anita Goodall, founder of Anita

Optimism pays off.

G, celebrated the th year of her company and many more as a cancer survivor. Terra Fazzio, owner of the Thread Kids showroom, considers it good news anytime a celeb has a baby, which she reasoned boosts children’s wear sales as moms see and clamor for what the stars have. On the retail front, Wendy Green of Treasures  U in Canton, Mass., found a new way to lasso in customers: through scrapbooking, which has prompted shoppers to spend quality time in her store.

One upside to the tighter economy is it forces everyone to work smarter. In “Hitting The Mark” (page ), buyers and vendors note a new focus on margin building. With consumers so focused on value and price, the entire industry is working to offer lines with meaningful bells and whistles.

Price is definitely a factor for mothers shopping for tween girls. Since their daughters still want a plethora of options in their closets, these moms are still shopping but with a goal of spending a little less

per ticket. In “Heir Apparent” (page ), Earnshaw’s takes stock of which tween apparel is moving and what’s stalling, juxtaposing it against the environment a few years back, when the fashions and faces in this category were different. The good news is that as much as they change, these girls stay the same. They still want clothes (and plenty of them) to express themselves and identify with their groups and idols.

Caletha Crawford Publisher & Editor in Chief

February NEWS 8 Apparel 10 Licensing 11 Retail

COLUMNS 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 24 54

What’s Selling Pampered Unwrapped The Goods Little Steps Coast 2 Coast Tween Scene Market Watch Viewpoint

IN EVERY ISSUE 5 17 59 59

Editor’s Letter Calendar Where 2 Buy Ad Index

44 VOLUME 93, NUMBER 2

FEATURES 28 Family Ties Relatives reveal what it’s like when blood ties are an innate part of their businesses’ DNA.

32 Heir Apparent Without a dominant

player, the mantle of “next big thing” in the tween category is up for grabs.

35 Hitting the Mark With profits top of mind, the industry talks margins and markups.

WEAR CANADA KIDS 38 Industry Directory The 2009 resource guide to Canadian manufacturers.

ON THE COVER: Surri dress; necklaces

by Catherine Stein Design. Photography

by Michael Brian. Hair and makeup by J Sterling for JSterlingbeauty. Fashion editor: Nicole Yee. THIS PAGE: Anita G dress; faux-fur vest

by Heir.

FASHION 44 Grace Tween designers downplay color in

favor of proportion and texture.

60 I Spy Designers take on the role of ringmaster with circus themes and prints.

EARNSHAW’S INFANTS, GIRLS AND BOYS WEAR REVIEW ISSN 0161-2786 (USPS-320-090) The business and fashion magazine of the children’s wear industry is published monthly by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 8 W. 38th Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10018-0150. 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 2009 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.

earnshaws.com

www.earnshaws.com

EDITORIAL Caletha Crawford Publisher & Editor in Chief Leslie Shiers Managing Editor Nicole Yee Fashion Editor Ellen Keohane Senior Associate Editor Melissa Knific Associate Editor Jacqueline Micucci Contributing Editor Jamie Wetherbe West Coast Editor Angela Velasquez Editorial Intern Nancy Campbell Creative Director Trevett Neal McCandliss Art Director Shakeema Haynes Associate Art Director ADVERTISING Erwin Pearl Vice President of Sales ext. 17, epearl@symphonypublishing.com David G. Gaunt Marketing Director (661) 251-2448, dgaunt@symphonypublishing.com Rita Polidori O’Brien Advertising Manager ext. 31, robrien@symphonypublishing.com Caroline Diaco Special Accounts Manager ext. 18, cdiaco@symphonypublishing.com Jennifer Craig Special Accounts Manager ext. 19, jcraig@symphonypublishing.com Patrick Thomas Sales Representative, Canada (514) 383-0916, pthomas@symphonypublishing.com Maureen Johan Classified Sales (781) 453-9310, mjohan@symphonypublishing.com Laurie Guptill Production

A D M I N I S T R AT I O N Melanie Prescott Circulation Manager Sanford Kearns Webmaster EDITORIAL AND EXECUTIVE OFFICE

8 West 38th Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10018-0150 Tel. (646) 278-1550, Fax (646) 278-1553 nyeditorial@symphonypublishing.com CIRCULATION OFFICE 21 Highland Circle, Needham, MA 02494 Tel. (781) 453-9310 ext. 24, Fax (781) 453-9389 circulation@symphonypublishing.com WEST COAST OFFICE 15674 Poppyseed Lane, Canyon Country, CA 91387 Tel. (661) 251-2448, Fax (661) 250-9912 dgaunt@symphonypublishing.com

SYMPHONY PUBLISHING NY, LLC CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300, Westlake, OH 44145 Tel. (440) 871-1300 Xen Zapis Chairman Lee Zapis President Rich Bongorno Chief Financial Officer Sid Davis Group Publisher

Trend Watch: In Reverse At the January Children’s C lub, m a nu f a c t u rer s offered functionality and versatility through reversiable apparel. “In today’s economy, it’s important for consumers to buy less but buy quality and also be able to get multiuse out of products,” noted Aiko Decelles, designer of New York-based Dan Dan. Her transitional fall collection offers a reversible tunic dress and coat for sizes  to , while Spring ’ features dresses and blouses that can be worn front or backwards. The front-to-back pieces are made from -percent European cotton and come in chocolate, aqua, polka dot, peach petit floral, whimsical spring floral and pink bamboo. The collection wholesales for  to .

Call () - or visit www.dandangoods.com. • Sam Hilu of New York offers a takedown version of its women’s reversible trapunto jacket for girls in sizes  to . The vertical-stitch quilted coat wholesales for  and is inspired by traditional Chinese style coats with a high neck and buttons. The line uses -percent-natural, surgical-grade cotton and mixes different prints on the inside and out, giving wearers a two-for-one value.

Call () - or visit www.samhilu.com.

Dan Dan

BT Kids Moves, Welcomes New President Last month, BT Kids opened a new ,square-foot showroom and office space at  W. rd St. in New York. “We will become more visible in a more convenient location,” outgoing president Paul Larsen said. “There are so many exciting things happening within our organization and this will make it easier to service our current retail partners and pursue additional accounts.”

In related news, BT Kids welcomed a new president Brian Root, former vice president of sales for Southpole Kids. Root said, “My goal is to grow Nicole Miller, Dr. Seuss and Umbro and to secure meaningful new licenses.” Call () -.

8

February 2009

• Launched in July , Sam and Sydney of Edina, Minn., offers “luxuries for the little ones” in sizes  months to . Offering bright, modern playwear in -percent cotton, the line features mix-and-match separates with hand-applied designs. Silhouettes include dresses with a ruffle hem, ruffle pants and tops, full skirts, one-pieces and shorts. The color palette combines brights like peach and red for girls and retro modern colors like rust, aqua and yellow for boys. Appliqué styles include two retro flower designs, a dog paw print, a car and numerals for birthdays. The Fall ’ line will include many reversible styles. The wholesale price range is  to .

Ca ll ()  Sam and  or visit www.

Sydney samandsydney.com.• Comfort and color define Mo’Bella, a Leesburg, Va.based monogrammable girls’ collection for sizes  months to  years (a romper set is available for  to  months). Made in the United States, the Southerninspired collection has found its niche in many gift-oriente d re t a i ler s .

The fall collection features mostly leggings and tunic sets with bow or floral embellishments. For dressier occasions, Mo’Bella offers a long-sleeve dress with a drop waist and a full skirt. The -percent cotton collection features a vivid color palette of pink, red, turquoise and green mixed with gray. Call () - or visit www.mobellaclothing.com. • Named after the musk ox, a wooly Artic mammal, OX Kids of New York specializes in offering soft, luxurious fabrics for children sizes  months to  years. Each fall season, OX Kids will create a collection from a different fabric. For Fall ’, it’s royal alpaca, a soft, no-itch fiber that is hypoallergenic to most people. Made in Peru, silhouettes include a “smitten” (sweater with attached mittens), cuffed pants, jackets, crewneck sweaters, knit pants, a long-sleeve sweater dress and earnshaws.com

Robar Serves Up Mini Muffin a hat with earflaps. The color palette features natural hues like espresso, charcoal, soft gray, honey, cream and brown. Added details include hand-finished crochet and delicate ruffles. The wholesale price range is  for a hat to  for blankets and women’s wraps. Call () - or visit www.ox-kids.com.

• Available for newborn to size , Colourworks of Doylestown, Pa., brings bright colors and embellishments to simple silhouettes like tees, drop-waist dresses, slip dresses, hoodies and tanks. All pieces are dyed in-house. The line is embellished with -D

New York-based Robar, which manufacturers the Babyworks collection, has developed a new line, Mini Muffin, aimed at better department and specialty stores. The set-driven collection focuses on infant and toddler sizes and is designed as the perfect under- gift, according to Kim Power, Robar’s vice president of sales. “Mini Muffin has a Euro flair but it is Americanized and is still baby-ish enough,” Power said. “It will appeal to young moms but it is understandable enough to still be grandma bait.”

Mini Muffin, which launches for fall, comprises eight styles for boys and girls. The girls’ selection features pink with gray accents in solids, polka dots and sweet animal prints. Silhouettes include bubble skirt dresses with leggings, tiered dresses with gauzy overlays and kimono-style tops with ruffle sleeves and hems. The boys’ grouping mixes gray with tried-and-true blue in zipper cardigans, denim overalls and coveralls. Wholesale prices range from  to . Call () -.

Baby CZ Launches Swim OX Kids

silk flowers with batik appliqué stems and leaves; ’s-inspired -D fabric flowers in plaids, dots and tiny floral prints; train, sailboats and plane appliqués in stripes, dots and plaids; and lace trims mixed with photos for a scrapbook look. For fall, Colourworks adds long-sleeve knit dresses, hoodies and corduroy A-line dresses but most Spring styles are available year round. Wholesale prices range from . to  for dresses. There is no minimum order. Call () -. • Sweet Peanut of Vancouver offers a full wardrobe for the first  months with  basics for boys and girls. The essentials, made from -percent interlocking cotton, include a one-piece, T-shirt, kimono top, sleep sack, pleat dress, hoodie, booties, hat and bib. Eighteen prints and  solids are available; prints run the gamut of edgy (pirate skulls) to modern (red, interlocking geometric squares) to traditional (pastel pink and green dots). Preemie is also available. Wholesale prices range from  to . Call () - or visit www.sweetpeanut.com.

Corrections: Contact information was listed incorrectly for two companies in the January issue. The Web site for the new PADShowroom in Lake Forest, Calif., is www.padshowroom.com. To contact the Short Hat Co., call () -. earnshaws.com

Launching for Spring ’, New York-based Baby CZ by Carolina Zapf introduces a swimwear line for children sizes  months to . It includes classic one-piece styles with ruffle trims for baby girls, and both oneand two-piece options for older girls. Each style comes in a range of vibrant colors. For the boys, the line offers classic swim trunks in modern prints, which are exclusive to Baby CZ. Wholesale prices for the swim trunks range from  to ; girls’ styles run between  and . Call () - or visit www.babycz.com.

Petit Bateau Goes Organic Petit Bateau appeals to a new generation of mothers with the Bio: Milleraies of the Earth organic collection. Launching next month, the tight collection for newborn to  months is made from -percent organic cotton that carries the OekoTex label. Silhouettes for baby include a knit romper (a reversible style is available), knit jacket, reversible cardigan and sleeveless coveralls. Colors feature ecru and ochre; wholesale prices range from . for tees to  for a knit romper. Call () -.

February 2009

9

licensing news SpongeBob Turns 10

Humanity

Get ready—SpongeBob SquarePants is celebrating his th anniversary. Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) are marking the birthday of the most-watched kids’ show in history with on-air specials, promotional events, online initiatives and new products that highlight the popular property.

How has SpongeBob stayed on top? Hal Snik, NVCP’s senior vice president of domestic licensing, cited the character’s eternal optimism. Long-time SpongeBob apparel licensees Kids Headquarters, Freeze, Giant and Briefly Stated have also helped the brand persevere, he said.

“They’ve taken heart and soul of the show and brought it to apparel design.” Among the new licensed anniversary product is Humanity, which offers -percent organic, high-end embellished T-shirts for adults and children.

“We’ll have products from mass-market to high-end department stores. That speaks volumes to the appeal SpongeBob has to all ages and demographics,” Snik said.

Weeplay’s Tasty Addition

Angela and Vanessa Simmons, daughters of hiphop’s Rev Run and co-stars of the new reality show “Daddy’s Girls,” are extending their fashion empire to the kids’ world. Having launched Pastry sneakers followed by juniors’ apparel two seasons ago, the brand is now adding apparel for girls sizes - through a licensing partnership with New York-based Weeplay.

According to Weeplay executive vice president Joshua Wexler, the Fall ’ Pastry line will comprise girls’ sets and separates spanning denim, knits and wovens. While Wexler believes the label’s bright, urban style will appeal to all ages, he predicts  to  will be the sweet spot. “The [Simmons] girls’ sneakers have been really successful... The colors are fresh and fun, and will extend nicely into [kids’] apparel.” Prices had not been The set at press time, but Weeplay plans to target departSimmons sisters ment and specialty stores. Call () -.

TapouT Brand Enters Children’s Arena Thanks to a partnership with Kids Headquarters of New York, TapouT—a rapidly growing lifestyle brand centered on mixed martial arts—will expand its youth offerings to a wider assortment of children’s wear, comprising active wear, sportswear, sleepwear, swimwear, outerwear and more. Made for boys and girls sizes  to  and launching this month, the apparel—from tees to hoodies to infant one-pieces and beyond—reflects an edgy, ultimate-fighter attitude.

“We’ve had a phenomenal year and growth,” TapouT president Marc Kreiner said, noting the Grand Terrace, Calif.-based brand’s  sales exceeded  million, and the excitement surrounding the sport has now reached children. “Every kid wants to be like his dad,” Kreiner added, explaining that while his company sold some children’s basics on its own, it has teamed with Kids Headquarters for the manufacturer’s expertise in various children’s wear segments. Kreiner noted TapouT plans to add more licensees in the future. Call TapouT at () -; Kids Headquarters at () -.

10

February 2009

HOT PROPERTIES

• CopCorp has added Concept One as a (Not So) Scary Monsters licensee. The company will manufacture headwear, cold weather gear, bags and small leather goods.

Call CopCorp at () -. • Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) has signed new licensees for its boys’ properties Ben : Alien Force and Bakugan. CNE’s partnership with Jay Franco & Sons has expanded to include bedding, beach towels and bath accessories based on the new Ben  series launching this fall. Franco Manufacturing and The Northwest Company will produce bedding, throws, and other beach and bath items. Call CNE at () -. • SupperTime Entertainment introduces the Planet Color by Todd Parr brand, which aims to teach children kindness, consideration and politeness through colorful artwork. Bag manufacturer Four Peas of Chicago is the brand’s first licensee and has created a limited-edition line of toddler backpacks, lunch totes, supply bags, duffels and more featuring two of Parr’s designs. The  styles are made of PVC-free material. Contact Four Peas at () - or www.fourpeasonline.com. For other licensing opportunities, call SupperTime at () . • Plush manufacturer Animal Adventure of Hopkins, Minn., has created a collection of  plush aniPlanet Color

by Todd Parr

mals made with eco-friendly fabrics starring the FABric Animals by U.K. design studio Bang on the Door; as well as plush, character pillows and novelty items starring Withit, a U.K. character brand. Call () -. earnshaws.com

Third Time’s the Charm for Nicky Nicole

When MJ Lehman spread the word about her upcoming retail shop in the Cleveland area, some said she was nuts. And the naysayers had a point; there are virtually no kids’ boutiques in the region. But Lehman didn’t listen. In fact, she had plans for an entire chain of stores in Ohio. With her third location set to open next month in Westlake’s Crocker Park plaza, Lehman has proven a fact she already knew: The area was ripe for a fun, unique shopping experience for girls ages 4 to 14.

Armed with 21 years of experience in retail, topping out as senior vice president of merchandise for a national chain, Lehman launched the Nicky Nicole tween destination retail concept in 2005 in Hudson and quickly added a sister location in Woodmere the following year. Step inside one of her shops, and you’ll immediately know which demographic she’s targeting. Though the décor is primarily pink, “it’s not fairy-ish,” Lehman assured. Custom fixturing announces that the stores

are different from your average mall chain.

Building on her years in the craft and gift industries, Lehman is passionate about extras, which she scouts online and at gift shows. “Gifts and jewelry sustain us,” she said, listing Bungalow 360 handbags, Fashion Angels kits, and Molly ’n Me accessories as prime resources. “I get to know the principals at these companies and make sure they know who we are,” she said, explaining how she often gets sneak peeks at new products.

Though she has her faves (Lemon, Junk Food, Mighty Fine, LA Made and JK Tees rank high), Lehman explained the apparel mix is less about brands and more about styling. “The Nicky Nicole look is hip, young, colorful—but also appropriate,” she said, noting casual school clothes sell best. “Shoppers aren’t spending their money on party clothes. Dressing up for Easter means wearing something other than jeans.”

Lehman noted one of the toughest parts of sourcing is finding goods that aren’t crazy-expensive. “The market doesn’t get it. High-end lines just don’t sell through,” she stated. Nicky Nicole appeals to a wide clientele thanks to price points that make it easy for a girl to afford a tee or accessory with her own money. And they return often because there’s never a dull moment at Lehman’s stores, thanks to a slate of events where girls stay busy making jewelry and decorating sweet treats.

“Events create awareness and enthusiasm and keep your name out there,” she said. Birthday parties are a weekly occurrence in the stores, and girls love the Webkinz parties and “Project Runway” events. “It’s not about the sales but whisper marketing,” Lehman reported. —caletha crawford

Pink Chicken to Open Store Just two years after Pink Chicken launched its bohemian-inspired girls’ line, the New York apparel company is opening its first store. “Everything for us has happened organically,” said owner/designer Stacey Fraser, whose business began above her garage in Amagansett, N.Y., where she and her family spend their summers. This May, Fraser will open a 200-square-foot Hamptons boutique in a former ice cream shop on Main Street. The location is ideal not only because it’s close to summer home, she said, but because the area’s laidback resort feel echoes Pink Chicken’s aesthetic. The line offers ’60s-inspired print dresses, rompers and diaper covers as well as knits and leggings for girls sizes 12 months to 8 years; Fraser has also added a handful of coordinating women’s dresses.

Fraser plans to decorate the store with ’60s-ish yellow and pink wallpaper and a kitschy cherub chandelier, and a country fair–inspired celebration will take place for the opening. “We’re really excited to show who we are as a brand,” Fraser said, noting she hopes the shop will help promote awareness of her

earnshaws.com

line. In addition to Pink Chicken’s full collection, Fraser will also offer her favorite beach add-ons from outside brands— including her top pick for a sandal, boys’ tee, doll, puzzle and more. —melissa knific

February 2009

11

> > G E O RG I A ’ S TO P T U R N S

Chatti Patti

Le Top

Alphabet Soup

Tigerlily Kids

Chocolate Soup

Karen Daniell blended her two passions—children and retail—when she purchased Alphabet Soup in Tifton, Ga., seven years ago. The 3,000-square-foot restored train depot caters to clients rooted in the Deep South. Daniell later tacked on the Brown-Eyed Girl shop specifically for tweens and juniors. She seeks age-appropriate apparel with a bit of whimsy: “No grown-up looks.

My customers love showstoppers.” The kid-friendly store tempts customers with a frequent shopper program and Friday specials.

Overwhelmed by traditional stores, Tigerlily Kids owner Margaret Dodd saw the need for a hip boutique in , Athens, Ga. “I’ve traveled quite a bit, so I have an eclectic eye for kids’ clothing,” she said. Her 1,300-square-foot shop specializes in funky, fashion-forward apparel, but a large selection of unique toys has built a solid birthday business.

Set in an affluent area, Dodd credited part of the store’s success to its location in a popular shopping center. “[Many] customers stroll in on their way to or from another store,” she noted.

This 2,500-square-foot boutique relies heavily on proven brands and a few “wild cards” each season to test the waters of Atlanta, said Victoria Lippincott, district manager. “If they do well, we get that vendor again the next season,” she said. Established in 1970 by a husband and wife who wanted beautiful clothes for their daughter, Chocolate Soup has sister stores in Kansas and Texas that offer similar merchandise. A playroom keeps children happy while sales and specials satisfy parents on a budget.

that can be paired with a blouse.

• Jeanine Johnsen: blue liberty print dresses.

• Chatti Patti: peasant tops in funky prints and coordinating ruffled pants.

• Le Top: pink leopard dress sets with brown leggings.

• Good Lad: brown jumpers with flower appliqués.

• Rubbies: gray, blue and black longsleeve swing tops and dark gray leggings.

matching bolero jackets in black, brown, pewter and gold.

• True Religion: straight-leg jeans in dark and medium washes.

• Wati: brightly colored tunic-length dresses with ruffle accents.

• Neige: navy knit dresses.

• Alphabet: bubble dresses and skirts.

• S. Rothschild: black belted wool coats.

• French Toast: blue cowl-neck sweaters with a knit waist tie.

• LittleMissMatched: white pajamas with multicolored hearts, stars and stripes.

Infants/Toddlers

• Amanda Remembered: chocolate

floral corduroy bishop dresses.

• Bailey Boys: shirt and pants coordinates in football and tractor prints.

• Le Top: knit playwear with zebra and monkey patterns.

• Pixie Lily: pink or blue knit gowns with crocheted edges and matching caps.

• E-Land Kids: plaid one-piece rompers for boys.

• Bella Bliss: classic piqué cotton dresses with gathered sleeves and a round collar.

• Mad Sky: kimono-style rompers with a bluebird and heart print.

• Le Top: turquoise “Zoo-rific” dress set with footed striped leggings for girls; periwinkle velour overalls with a striped shirt for boys.

• Anavini: light blue smock dresses with a brown collar and sash.

• Good Lad: Scottie dog vest, shirt and black pants sets.

Girls 4 to 6X

• Whimsy Wear: bright peasant dresses with three-quarter sleeves.

• La Jenns: hand-smocked, bishop-style

portrait dresses with satin ribbons.

• Chatti Patti: flounce pants and peasant tops in polka dots or damask.

• Tea Collection: navy sleeveless dresses

12

Pixie Lily

February 2009

Boys 4 to 7

• Le Top: Wedgwood blue airplane shirts and pants with a matching bomber jacket.

• Spudz: screenprinted pirate T-shirts.

• E-Land Kids: argyle sweaters and sweater vests in navy or brown.

• Charlie Rocket: graphic tees.

• Mulberribush: sports fan sweaters in green.

• Baby Togs: three-piece holiday sets of tan corduroys, a red turtleneck and reindeer sweater.

• Tiny Bubbas: “Before and After” dinosaur long-sleeve shirts in blue.

• French Toast: navy blue cargo pants with adjustable waist.

Girls 7 to 14

• Haven Girl: blinged-out tunics with leggings in black, turquoise and brown.

• Paulinie: sleeveless party dresses with

Boys 8 to 20 • Miniman: plaid dress pants.

• One Kid: navy striped thermal tees.

• Tea Collection blue woven cotton

button-up dress shirts.

Accessories/Gifts

• Bows Arts: ribbon hair bows.

• Mia: ballet flats.

• Mullins Square: terry robes and towels with colorful appliqués.

• See Kai Run: pink Mary Janes.

• Eeboo: tea party games.

• Bella Tunno: terry bibs and coordinating

binky clips.

• Wee Ones: grosgrain hair bows in vibrant colors.

• Schylling: thumb toys with animal and flower themes. —ANGELA VELASQUEZ

earnshaws.com

Kumquat snap tee and ruffle pants

Kushies onepiece with zipper closure Little Me one-piece

Tiny Bundles embroidered bodysuit and cap

Flip coverall

Emile et Rose jersey romper and hat

Little Mates

Jacqui’s Preemie Pride outfit

Classic designs herald babies’ early arrivals.

–Angela Velasquez

Sprout organic cotton set

ChuckleBerries coordinating set

Purple Mountain gift set 14

February 2009

earnshaws.com

Pinnington Bags

Anne Geddes Teams With Skincare Line Epicuren Baby of Los Angeles has partnered with child photographer Anne Geddes on an all-natural skincare line for babies and expectant moms.

Geddes’ images are featured on the chemicalfree products ($14 to $60 wholesale), which are infused with aromatherapy

Swaddle Couture

oils. The line includes a daily wash, lotion and diaper spray (sold separately or in a keepsake box). Call (800) 690-1610 or visit www.episencial.com.

Lambs & Ivy Designs for Stationery Retailer Stork Avenue, an e-store offering personalized invitations and baby announcements, is collaborating with baby bedding manufacturer Lambs & Ivy of El Segundo, Calif., on a line of stationery.

Bob Hunter, president of the Coral Gables, Fla.based Web site, said such partnerships promote

Global Goodie

“tremendous brand extension” for retailers. He also noted the relationship was natural for Lambs & Ivy, as it has already expanded beyond bedding into gift items. Stork Avenue currently offers six card designs that work as birth announcements, birthdays or christenings. Hunter is considering wholesale opportunities. Visit

www.storkavenue.com.

• Rockaway, N.J.-based Pinnington Bags introduces a line of fashionable yet durable diaper bags ($165 wholesale) made from interior design fabrics. Three styles are available: the August (with a ruffled zipper-top), Anna (a ruched zipper-top) and Emily (a messenger).

Each is handmade with mixed prints, including floral and damask, on cut velvet, silk and wool and features a laminated cotton lining, two side bottle pockets and five interior pockets. A laminated cotton changing pad is also included. Visit www. pinningtonbags.com.

• Swaddle Couture of Los Angeles adds character to the swaddle category with simple embellishments like layers of tulle that circle baby like a skirt and neckties affixed to baby’s chest. The cotton wraps come pre-packaged and wholesale for $19 to $22. Call (310) 466-2397 or visit www. swaddlecouture.com.

• Global Goodie of San Diego debuts a line of tees, one-pieces and bibs inspired by ethnic foods.

Each piece features a different graphic such as “General Tsao’s Chicken” (a chicken dressed up in military garb) and “California Roll” (surfing seafood). The 100-per-

cent cotton items wholesale from $5 to $15. Visit

www.globalgoodie.com.

• Santa Cruz, Calif.based Aunt Bucky offers a vintage-inspired collection of dresses ($65 wholesale), crib bedding ($30 to $160) and pillows ($70 ) for little ones. The smock dresses can be worn as a tunic as a child ages. Each dress print features a different animal theme as well as an appliqué (owls, dogs or elephants) and wooden buttons. Bedding and pillows incorporate similar prints. The mix-andmatch décor includes bumper sets, crib sheets and bed skirts. Call (408) 386-8294 or visit www. auntbucky.com. • New York-based Eff & Vee offers a line of 100percent jersey cotton clothing for 6 months to 6T and books to encourage healthy living. Twenty food-related characters—including Beatrice the Banana (doing the splits) and Kenny Keen Bean and Lenny Lean Bean (running)—are featured on one-pieces, tees, tanks, bibs and more. The hand-painted 32-page books include the same characters.

Each item or gift set is packaged in produce netting. Wholesale prices are $4 to $15. Call (607) 351-7161 or visit www. effandvee.com.

Aunt Bucky earnshaws.com

February 2009

15

U

UNWRAPPED > > N E W G I F TA B L E I T E M S

Gem Bébé scented soy candles

Rock N Moms patent leather baby bag

Bob’s Your Uncle “Dinosaur Soup” book of kid-created recipes

Go Belly Go due date necklace

Well Deserved

Cool swag to pamper momsto-be. By Angela Velasquez

AimeeJ brag book

Lighten My Labor Phases of Labor body products kit

Tree by Kerri Lee wooden doorknob sign

Muze cotton T-shirt

Isoki diaper clutch Wish Upon a Star handpainted sonogram frame

16

February 2009

earnshaws.com

Market dates and events.

FEBRUARY 4-6 FFANY Millennium Broadway Hotel & FFANY Member Showrooms New York, NY www.ffany.org

6-8

Deerfield, IL (248) 478-1732 www.midwestchildrensapparelgroup.com

8-11 United Boston Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wear Show 75 McNeil Way Dedham, MA (781) 407-0055

Charlotte Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market Charlotte Merchandise Mart 2500 E. Independence Blvd.

Charlotte, NC (704) 376-8243

6-9 Denver Apparel & Accessory Market Denver Merchandise Mart Denver, CO (800) 289-6278 www.denvermart.com

7-10

Ballyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Las Vegas, NV (973) 340-0256 www.kidshow.cc

17-19

12-14

Magic Marketplace Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV (877) 554-4834 www.magiconline.com

WSA Show Mandalay Bay Convention Center & Sands Expo Las Vegas, NV (818) 379-9400 www.wsashow.com

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Event Shoe Show Renaissance Hotel, Newark Airport Elizabeth, NJ (718) 769-4251

15-18 Toy Fair Javits Center, New York, NY (212) 675-1141 www.toy-tia.com

16-18

Midwest Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel Group Embassy Suites

KIDShow

3ILLY 3OULSŠ Ă&#x160;

LĂ&#x17E; L>LĂ&#x17E;}>}Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160; V°

/FX GVO GVOOZ GBCVMPVT

GPPUXFBS GPS UIF TJMMJFTU TPVMT

$POUBDU JOGP!4JMMZ4PVMT DPN XXX - Ă&#x17E;- Ă&#x2022; Ă&#x192; DPN

CALENDAR

FBDI QVSDIBTF TVQQPSUT

&"3/4)"8 #",&34 %0;&/ 41&$*"PSEFS BOE HFU QBJS GSFF XJUI PĂľ FS DPEF 44&4 FYQJSFT

22-23

MARCH 1-3 MACASO Embassy Suites BWI Linthicum, MD (215) 782-9853

3 19

g

THE GOODS Skivvydoodles pajamas

At Home shorts set Runaway Rabbit slipper

Pillow Fight

Laura Dare layered nightgown

Nowali slipper sock

Boys and girls battle for the best sleepwear. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Angela Velasquez

P.J. Salvage thermal union suit

B. Steps pajamas Karmel Corn Velcro slipper

Piddies felt slipper 18

February 2009

earnshaws.com

Market dates and events.

MARCH 1-4 United Boston Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wear Show 75 McNeil Way Dedham, MA (781) 407-0055

2-3 Illinois Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel Group The Gateway Center Collinsville, IL (800) 223-3377 www.midwestchildrensapparelgroup.com

5-6 Midwest Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel Group Embassy Suites North Indianapolis, IN (248) 478-1732 www.midwestchildrensapparelgroup.com

8-10 Midwest Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel Group Embassy Suites Livonia, MI (248) 478-1732 www.midwestchildrensapparelgroup.com

8-10 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Javits Center, New York, NY (212) 759-8055 www.americasmart.com

CALENDAR 12-15

Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market Dallas Market Center Dallas, TX (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com

12-15 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center Dallas, TX (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com

20-24

28-31 Midwest Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel Group Embassy Suites Deerfield, IL (248) 478-1732 www.midwestchildrensapparelgroup.com

28-29 Memories Expo Ohio Expo Center Columbus, OH (740) 452-4541 www.memoriesexpo.com

28-31

Bubble New York 269 11th Avenue New York, NY www.bubblenewyork.com

11-13

28-31

Charlotte Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market Charlotte Merchandise Mart 2500 E. Independence Blvd.

Charlotte, NC (704) 376-8243

LA Fashion Market California Market Center Los Angeles, CA (213) 630-3600 www.californiamarketcenter.com

Atlanta Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel & Accessories Market AmericasMart Atlanta, GA (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com

8-10

Kids are tough on clothes.

Apparently itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of the job description....

Stylemax The Merchandise Mart Chicago, IL (800) 677-6278 www.stylemaxonline.com 3 21

For more information: Bill Bosch National Sales Manager, X 2142 (888) 671-8754 ClassroomUniforms.com

LS

LITTLESTEPS > > F O O T W E A R R E TA I L A N D S T Y L E

Get Inked Seeing that sheepskin boots continue to be one of the hottest must-haves in the footwear category, Stacy O’Leary and Alisa Ochoa have taken the craze to another level with their tattoo-inspired line. Henderson, Nev.-based Penelope Wildberry offers double-faced sheepskin boots with airbrushed one-of-a-kind embellishments.

Penelope Wildberry shoes are available for newborns through adults.

Baby booties come in sizes  to  months ( wholesale); children’s  to  (); and juniors’  to  (). Top designs include a skull with a bowtie, a heart with wings, the phrase “Love is Precious” with a crown, a silver dragon and an electric guitar. Some designs are gender-specific (i.e. a pink boot with hearts), but many are unisex.

While boots are Penelope Wildberry’s bread and butter, the brand also offers embellished flip-flops and is adding a line of soft-sole shoes made of kidskin ( wholesale) for kids  to  months. Penelope Wildberry is seeking highend boutiques and department stores for distribution, and has already found a home in Neiman Marcus, Fred Segal, Kitson and Lisa Kline. Call () - or visit www.penelopewildberry.com. — 

Oodles of Fun Catering to the -to--year-old demographic, Simple, a division of Goleta, Calif.based Deckers Outdoor Corp., has launched a new, tiny sneaker collection.

“We had a gap in the -to- size range for toddlers,” brand manager Monica DeVreese noted. “It was a huge void in our children’s product.” Knowing that the size range—added to their infant and older children’s (sizes  to ) collections—would help with store placement and complete the kids’ offerings, Simple designed the line for a Fall ’ entry.

Three styles are available for boys and girls sizes  to —the Poodle, a T-strap with Velcro closure for girls, plus the Doodle lo-top and Noodle hi-top—all inspired by the brand’s environmentally-friendly ecoSneaks. “We wanted these to be bright, colorful and novelty-ish,” DeVreese said. Made from a washable eco-certified suede and lined with certified organic cotton jersey, the shoes come in a variety of solid colors (navy, olive, pink, purple, green). For girls, the suede is sometimes mixed with a Liberty-inspired floral print. The designers used natural, non-marking rubber for the soles and a combination of recycled PET and latex for the stretchy laces.

Wholesale prices range from  to . Call () - or visit www. simpleshoes.com. —..

20

February

2009

Keeping It in the Family A family-owned and -operated store for almost  years, Haase’s attracts a very loyal clientele. “Everyday I have people come in who say, ‘I got shoes here when I was a kid,’” said Bruce Caliva, who currently runs the New Orleans-based business with his wife.

Caliva’s grandfather Boris Haase first opened Haase’s Shoe Store in . Ten years later, after moving to a location on Oak Street in the city’s uptown historic shopping district, his family opened an adjacent children’s apparel store called the Young Folks Shop.

Caliva—who started working at Haase’s in —estimated that  percent of his business now comes from children’s shoes.

“The shoes really drive the clothes.” And the majority of Haase’s clothing business tends to be infant and toddler wear, he added.

In addition to children’s items, the store also sells some adult shoes and clothing as well as gift items. “We used to sell a lot more of them, but after [Hurricane] Katrina we cut back to a few basic adult shoes, concentrating on the core business, which is children’s,” Caliva said. Top brands in the kids’ shoe category include Stride Rite, Keds, Jumping Jacks, FootMates, Willits and Kepner Scott.

On the apparel side, solid performers include Feltman Brothers, Petite Me, Hartstrings and Imp Originals.

Caliva attributed the business’s long-term success to the fact that it’s one of the few fitfocused stores left in New Orleans. “There’s not many of us left,” he said. One of the biggest changes Caliva has seen over the years is that children’s feet are wider. Shoes have changed accordingly, with fewer manufacturers making shoes with narrow widths, he noted. There are also fewer domestically made products, he added. “Now it’s all offshore and if they run out, it’s six months before they get more product in.” As a result, he has learned to order deeper to keep items in stock. “We sell a lot of old-fashioned hard soles and double-buckle closed-toe scandals,” he said. “I do some trendy things, but nothing real trendy. That’s not what people are coming here for.” — 

earnshaws.com

Market dates and events.

APRIL 3-6 Denver Apparel & Accessory Market Denver Merchandise Mart Denver, CO (800) 289-6278

13-14 United Boston Children’s Wear Show 75 McNeil Way Dedham, MA (781) 407-0055

16-19 TransWorld’s Jewelry, Fashion & Accessories Show Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL (800) 323-5462 www.transworldexhibits.com

MAY

4-7 Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market Dallas Market Center Dallas, TX (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com

7-9 Women’s & Children’s Chicago Apparel Market Merchandise Mart Chicago, IL (800) 677-6278 www.mmart.com

CALENDAR

(404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com

24-30 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas, TX (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com

JULY 7-15

10-12 FFANY Hilton New York & FFANY member showrooms New York, NY www.ffany.org

13-16 Atlanta Women’s and Children’s Apparel/Accessories Market AmericasMart, Atlanta, GA

Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart, Atlanta, GA (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com

9-12 TransWorld’s Jewelry, Fashion & Accessories Show Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL (800) 323-5462 www.transworldexhibits.com 3 58

1-2 Memories Expo Garden State Exhibit Center Somerset, NJ (740) 452-4541 www.memoriesexpo.com

29-June 2 LA Fashion Market California Market Center Los Angeles, CA (213) 630-3600 www.californiamarketcenter.com

31-June 2 Denver Apparel & Accessory Market Denver Merchandise Mart Denver, CO (800) 289-6278

JUNE

THE LARGEST CHILDREN’S SHOE SHOW IN THE USA UNDER ONE ROOF Over 200 Lines of Children’s Footwear

THE CHILDREN’S GREAT EVENT SHOE SHOW Back To School 2009 Market

Sunday & Monday February 22 & 23, 2009 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM THE RENAISSANCE HOTEL

We have arranged for a Special $109 Group Rate For Retailers that would like to stay at the Hotel.

Call 866.234.2535, ask for Children’s Great Event Rate

2-4 Licensing Show Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, NV (888) 644-2022 www.licensingexpo.com

THIS IS YOUR SHOW!!!

> > S P OT L I G H T I N G FA S H I O N S N AT I O N W I D E

Pure Prophecy

The Finer Things The South’s sprawling plantations and whitewashed porches set a romantic stage for Lawrenceville, Ga.-based Alexandria Couture. Evoking old-world charm, the girls’ brand specializes in fine dresses, coats and gauchos befitting of little Scarletts the world over. “Our designs resonate with clients close to home and as far as Japan,” said designer and former children’s boutique owner Regina Bell.

“The pieces have a classic quality that’s hard to find in other special occasion wear.”

Designs may be reminiscent of styles from a bygone era, but Alexandria Couture has made a mark of its own. “We love to work with vintage, ‘Gone with the Wind’ silhouettes, but our designs are simplified,” Bell said. “It’s our way of making them timeless.” Though the apparel is U.S. made, Alexandria Couture relies heavily on luxurious European fabrics such as silk chiffon, charmeuse and soft linen, which get embellished with frothy layers of ruffles and lace. Dresses for  months to size  include modern halter styles and tiered, doll-like smocks.

The brand also designs custom gowns.

With wholesale prices running from  to , Alexandria Couture targets stores that cater to customers who appreciate quality fabrics. The Spring ’ line includes dresses cut from iridescent dupioni silk and vintage rose-print fabric, as well as leggings for dressing down. Bell plans to add boys’ wear and shoes for fall.

Call () - or visit www.alexandriacouture.net. —angela velasquez 22

February 2009

More than  years ago, Hugh Dinning’s Chinese Tao master suggested he create a collection of baby clothes in organic cotton. “He explained to me how newborns, with their pure skin, are the most susceptible to infections and disease,” Dinning said. The words reverberated throughout his career in women’s wear and during Spring ’, Dinning and a team of like-minded partners launched Our New Earth (a.k.a. ONE) in response.

The Australian babywear brand proudly uses chemical-free plant dyes and bleaching agents with premium fabrics made from a blend of organic and biodynamic cottons. “Biodynamic cotton is the strongest and healthiest cotton,” Dinning explained.

ONE’s debut collection features a wide range of practical separates in gender-neutral shades of yellow and green in sizes  to  years. The brand’s signature birdie pattern is especially popular, Dinning noted. In addition to a new range of sweaters, ONE is adding bedding made from combed and Indian silk cottons. Targeting top-tier department stores and specialty boutiques, Dinning’s first priority is to maintain the apparel’s quality.

Wholesale prices range from  to . Call () - or visit www.our-new-earth.com. —a.v.

Southern Charm For years, friends Laura O’Neill and Ashley Williams kept up a long-distance design relationship. “When Ashley moved away to Chicago, we shared design ideas by e-mailing pictures back and forth,” O’Neill explained. In , the duo founded Frances Elizabeth Originals. “Our first line, and the company for that matter, was created via the telephone and computer,” O’Neill said.

Based in Atlanta, Frances Elizabeth Originals offers traditional looks for girls in fun fabric combinations. Sizes range from  months to . “We like little girls to look like little girls,” O’Neill noted. The Spring ’ line includes the brand’s signature ruffle pants, dresses and tie-back tops in floral, polka dot and gingham prints. “We’re known for coordinating prints, but we have a ball choosing new fabrics and styles each season,” O’Neill said. The collection also includes swing dresses, bright bathing suits with white crochet trim and a white eyelet cover-up with jacquard floral straps. Many pieces can be monogrammed.

O’Neill noted that while the company targets upscale boutiques, it is conscious of retailers’ economic concerns and is helping them reduce any financial risk by offering trunk shows. “Allowing customers to order exactly what they want cuts retailers’ out-of-pocket expenses and guesswork,” she said. Wholesale prices run  to . Call () - or visit www.franceselizabethoriginals.com. —a.v. earnshaws.com

DRESSING THE MIDDLE YEARS <<

Between the Lines

TS

TWEENSCENE

Boy drama, lunchroom gossip, pesky brothers... No wonder tween girls obsess over these books and take a page from their favorite character’s style.

By Angela Velasquez

Dancing queens will twirl for:

Middle-school sophisticates will covet:

“Sugar Plum Ballerinas” by Whoopi Goldberg & Deborah Underwood Despite two left feet and stage fright, Alexandrea lands the lead role in her school’s dance recital.

“The Clique” by Lisi Harrison Fashionista Claire finds it’s tough being the school’s Queen Bee—and even tougher if you’re the one getting stung.

Lola et Moi dress

Sister Sam leggings; LA Made vest; It Jeans tee

Lola et Moi denim skirt; Danskin tank and sweater

Mellow blazer

Culture vultures will devour:

Tech-savvy girls will snap up: “From the Files of Madison Finn: Off the Wall” by Laura Dower Diaries are so 2000. Cyber stylista Madison uncovers the truth behind webs of online gossip and secret chitchat.

“The Diary of Melanie Martin: How I Survived Matt the Brat, Michelangelo and the Leaning Tower of Pizza” by Carol Weston Sometimes Melanie feels like a tourist in her own family and no more so than on a family trip to Italy.

Ragdoll & Rockets tunic; Lola and James skirt

Rooster NYC coat; It Jeans pants

Paulinie Collection shorts Erge cardigan; Fine tee

earnshaws.com

February 2009

23

Market Watch: Chicago

Reps in this region report that stores are broadening their product selection to capture more dollars, shoppers continue to snap up gift-oriented items and color is flooding into the Midwest.

BY ELLEN KEOHANE & MELISSA KNIFIC

Heidi Centen, Robert Centen and Associates What challenges do you face in this market? The region is really spread out and most of us who work here have huge territories.

What trends are you seeing? Some of the high-end boutiques are asking for something less expensive

Mim-Pi What trends are you seeing?

The stores are into very fashionforward, slightly edgy looks.

They’re getting away from traditional, but I think it will be back.

Europeans lines do best here and tend to be the trendsetters.

Are there any trends you wish would disappear? Maybe skulls and that Ed Hardy look— that’s kind of on its way out.

What are your hottest collections? My most popular line is Catimini. It’s a French line with a very sophisticated look for the

24

February 2009

because of the economy so they aren’t turning away customers who might be out of their price range. I’m also seeing a little more color. People don’t want just pink and blue.

What collections are hot?

We recently picked up Hatley. It has some cool, creative prints and is a super-high quality, eco-conscious company with an extensive line of sleepwear, playwear, rain gear and gifts.

What new lines have you taken on? Baby Essentials, which has cute sleepwear and playwear up to 24 months; Flip from Sweet Potatoes, which has a little better price point; and Lil’ Miss Diva.

What is your advice for retail success in ’09? Retailers need to diversify their mix. Clothing-only boutiques need to bring in other things that may turn faster, like gift-y items—though they can’t be all things to all customers.

Lil’ Miss Diva

little ones yet it’s fun and whimsical. Also, Giggle Moon, which offers sweet pastel colors.

What new lines have you taken on? Mim-Pi from

How does the Chicago market stand out?

It’s a very economical

Are there any trends you wish would disappear?

I would like to see the seasons get longer, which would give us all time to catch our breath.

the Netherlands. It has lots of layering, skirts and sophisticated colors.

place for reps and buyers to work. The hotel rates are reasonable. Parking is

What are your hottest collections? Le Top and Rabbit Moon are my major lines.

What is your advice for retail success in ’09?

Balance out your store

free. The location is great.

It’s very easy to find and get to and there is public

Both are doing very well.

What is your advice for retail success

with a little bit of everything—apparel, shoes and gifts. You don’t want

transportation.

What trends are you seeing? Buyers are sticking to

in ’09? The stores that are

your store to have all one look. You need classic, edgy and traditional.

their regional shows rather than venturing out. In terms of apparel, the strongest

more serviceoriented and

categories are layette/infant as well as gift items.

People will continue buying

cater to their customers are the ones that are

gifts for showers.

going to do well.

Martha Swibes, Elite Kids, Inc.

Bruno Adams

earnshaws.com

Rabbit Moon

Ron Caplan

How does the Chicago market stand out? At one time you had certain customers that carried “better” and others that carried “moderate.” Now, everybody offers a little bit of everything.

What challenges do you face?

A lot of the business today is show-driven. There are only so many hours in a day, so when you have a lot of lines like I do, it takes a lot of time to show them all.

What trends have you witnessed? We’re selling a ton of tutus and pairing them with tees. Also, we’re seeing more feminine colors like purple

Appaman

for boys. In general, we’re seeing more colors.

What do you think is missing from the market? I wish corduroy pants would get an update for boys.

What are your hottest collections?

E-Land Kids, Haven Girl, Globaltex, Gossip Girl and Goodlad.

What new lines have you taken on?

Nesting Baby and Bellarisa.

What is your advice for retail success in ’09? To spend more time in their stores and listen to what their customers want to buy.

How does the Chicago market stand out? The Midwest may have felt the economic slowdown before the coasts did. We have been ahead of the game in finding great well-priced, goodquality lines—even before the East and West coasts needed to find them.

What challenges do you face? When stores write their orders at different markets and then find the lines at another store near them.

What trends are you seeing?

Mix-and-match playwear at

earnshaws.com

Nesting Baby

Kristine Prugh, Twinkleberry & Son, Inc. great price points and items to “wow” the gift-giver. Also, the customer is always looking to pair things back to denim.

What are your hottest collections? Daily Tea, Claesen’s and Appaman.

Do you have any suggestions for vendors? Create moderately priced pieces that can be mixed and matched but aren’t required to complete an outfit.

What is your advice for retail success in ’09? They really, really need to watch what’s selling, look at their gross margins and focus on the lines that are performing.

How does the Chicago market stand out?

We look at outerwear and fall merchandise with different eyes.

Because we have a four-season climate, we need to turn over merchandise much quicker.

What challenges do you face? We are more price-conscious and conservative, so we have to be more careful.

What trends have you witnessed? I see a move to darker tones rather than pastels, and I see velour coming back a bit. Buyers want a clean, high-style look.

What are your hottest collections? Baby Togs

How does the Chicago market stand out?

We got hit by the economy first. We’re middle America—it’s a much harder territory.

What challenges do you face? We think we’re fashion forward, but we’re not quite there yet. It takes us a year to understand trends. You have to baby step the trends and know what’s coming up.

MishMish

Valerie Schanes, J B Vogue

Roy Nemko, RoyOneStopShop

and Universal School Uniform (Stani Corp.).

What new lines have you taken on? St. Lawrence Textiles’ Baby’s Own and Crème de la Crème.

Do you have any suggestions for vendors? In tough times, you want to go with winners. Don’t go with “maybe” or “perhaps.”

What is your advice for retail success in ’09?

Don’t give up—the last quarter will show a lot of success for all of us.

Retailers should focus on the end of the year, not the tough season we’re entering now.

What trends have you witnessed? We’re just getting into straight-leg pants, and layering is huge—especially for boys.

What are your hottest collections? Wes & Willy, Monster Republic, Mish-Mish, Cotton Caboodle, Kids Inc. and Sara Sara.

What new lines have you taken on? Pinc Premium and Harper Felix.

Any suggestions for vendors? They have to take existing trends and update them. Also note we are the most priceconscious territory.

What is your advice for retail success in ’09?

Change your thinking but stay the course— this too shall pass.

February 2009

25

sweet T

ADVERTORIAL

hough the term evergreen gets bandied about a lot lately, only a few properties truly have their roots in past generations while continuing to flourish in today’s market as Strawberry Shortcake does. She’s at once the sweet character moms remember and the contemporary friend to which girls can relate. This fall, the property bursts onto the scene with a new look, new licensing partners and a new movie.

“We’ve never wavered from Strawberry Shortcake’s true values from when she was created back in the ’s,” stated Tony Chien, director of marketing for American Greetings Properties, which is the outbound licensor for the property. “The appeal with moms is that Strawberry Shortcake is still the optimistic, positive and wholesome girl they played with when they were young.”

With trust that runs that deep with consumers, it’s clear to see why Strawberry Shortcake is no creampuff at retail. Since the property’s relaunch in , it has evolved into a full entertainment franchise that has earned . billion in worldwide retail sales. That’s a sweet deal for its slate of licensees, which span the toy, home entertainment, softline and accessory categories.

Over the years, Strawberry Shortcake has continued to evolve with updated artwork and new storylines that evoke a range of play patterns.

“Every year we come out with new imagery to make her on-trend, fashionable and fresh to little girls so licensees can incorporate it into their product development,” stated Lisa Streff, senior vice president of domestic consumer products for Cookie Jar, the property’s global licensing agent.

“American Greetings is amazing at identifying the important characteristics and elements that are essential to carry forward in the brand.”

Fans keep a close eye on Strawberry Shortcake each week via her animated show on Cookie Jar’s Saturday morning Kewlopolis cartoon block. Her latest incarnation will be featured on DVD with the launch of Fox Home Entertainment’s “Sky’s The Limit” in September. The release will be supported with a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign, which will include TV, print and online advertising as well as a soft launch of products in the back-to-school, bedding, apparel and publishing categories as well as toys from Hasbro, the new master toy licensee. ©TCFC By tapping into Strawberry Shortcake’s long history, American Greetings and Cookie Jar have developed a menu of products designed to entice girls of all ages. The property’s core collection appeals to girls  to  through imagery and products that sweeten her wholesome image with aspirational traits and sophisticated styling. The companies also tap into the tween market with a retro feeling Strawberry Shortcake on trendy items like message tees. Finally, moms can help their daughters get an early start with the brand thanks to bedding and juvenile products that showcase classic Strawberry Shortcake.

With endearing traits, contemporary styling and a winning product strategy, Strawberry Shortcake has all of the ingredients for continued retail success.

Just Desserts Strawberry Shortcake continues to be a recognized performer and a powerhouse property at retail.

• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has shipped more than 10 million units of Strawberry Shortcake DVDs. • Penguin Putnam has sold more than 11 million books through its publishing program.

• Koch Records has sold nearly 500,000 CDs to date.

• The property was nominated for three LIMA awards in 2007: Best Overall License, Best Character Brand License and Best Character Brand for Hard Lines.

T-shirt from Fortune Fashions

treat Strawberry Shortcake’s recipe for success

Strawberry Shortcake Licensed Categories: T-Shirts Fashion Apparel Sleepwear Loungewear Daywear Outerwear / Jackets Cold Weather Accessories Activewear Headwear Back to School Bags Footwear Socks / Hosiery Hard / Soft Accessories Hanging Underwear Intimates Layette Sets

©TCFC

Jacket from MTC Apparel

27

Sharon Spencer with her daughter and future Lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Squirtz partner, Shannon Stewart.

Family Ties Entrepreneurs discuss the advantages and drawbacks of going into business with loved ones.

BY NICOLE YEE

An old German proverb claims that blood is thicker than water, and for the children’s wear industry that seems to be the case, given the large number of family-owned and -operated apparel, footwear and accessory companies. Look into the executive suites at stalwart powerhouses like Kids Headquarters and Baby Togs and trusted mid-size firms such as Zutano and Le Top and you’ll find people who share genes and/or last names holding the top jobs. The tradition continues as a new crop of startup founders has opted to tap into the family tree while launching into the industry. For many, it’s an obvious choice: They have the family business mentality hard-wired in their DNA and were raised in homes where mom and dad were also business partners. But whether run by a husband and wife, parent and child, or a pack of industrious siblings, these family-run companies all share an entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for their products and close relationships with their kin.

Lil’ Squirtz Friends and family of Shannon Stewart and her mother Sharon Spencer always tease the two about how they can possibly work together. “I always say I couldn’t imagine working with anyone else,” Stewart said. The founders of Vancouver, Wash.-based infant and toddler line Lil’ Squirtz, Stewart originally developed the concept for a children’s collection based around broderie perse, a French appliqué technique, and knew she couldn’t do it without her mother, a skilled seamstress with a background in textiles.

The mother-daughter team, who handle about  percent of the business, began working out of Stewart’s garage with Spencer handling the manufacturing, patternmaking and designing and Stewart overseeing sales and marketing. While Stewart admitted she initially had reservations about working with her mom, the outcome has far exceeded her expectations and she enjoys the extra bonding time when they travel together for work. “It has strengthened our relationship,” Spencer added. “We saw each other in a new light once we were away from the home environment.”

The pair admitted they didn’t realize how their business would impact the entire family—a side effect that can be both positive and negative. “It’s hard not to talk shop all the time,” Spencer said.

“We have to watch ourselves. If it’s family time, we write it down and discuss it later.” Another challenge has been viewing one another as equal business partners and not mother and daughter.

Now, “I can’t think of her as my little girl,” Spencer said.

Coccoli François Vachon of Coccoli never thought he would work for the infant apparel company his mother Marian founded in Montreal in . Although Vachon helped out as a teen, doing odd jobs like sorting hangers, and worked part-time in the shipping department during college, he confessed to joining the family business mostly out of convenience. According to Vachon, it wasn’t until he was  that things really clicked. “I became an adult,” he said. “My mom was very patient and knew I had to grow up and become more comfortable in the business.”

Having been at Coccoli for  years now, Vachon sees a bit of himself in his younger brother Laurent, who joined the family business two years ago. “My brother and I will bicker over petty stuff,” said Vachon, who is careful not to do it in front of the com-

earnshaws.com

pany’s -person staff. “My family is very vocal and we do argue a lot, but it’s definitely less and less now with my mom. We’ve worked together for so long, we’ve already argued about everything possible.”

Vachon, who has a degree in fashion marketing and manages all of Coccoli’s exports, sales and billing, is grateful for the wisdom his mother has instilled in him and has immense pride in the Coccoli brand. “She taught me things you couldn’t learn in a school book,” he said. “She taught me that your name—your brand—is gold.” Hard work is another tenet Marian values at her company, and her children are no exception. “She has higher standards for us than the other employees,” Vachon said. “It’s important to her that her kids have [a solid] work ethic.”

Vachon would love to see his children eventually join the family business and has every intention of leading the brand’s growth for the next  years. “My advice to others in my situation is to shut up and listen,” he said. “After you’ve proven yourself, then you can put your  cents in. Act how you would with any other boss.”

Laughing Out Loud Before founding Boston-based apparel line Laughing Out Loud, Bill and Mila Cole worked together remodeling homes in Beantown. When the real-estate market grew soft, the Coles decided to pursue more lucrative options and eventually turned to Mila’s native Peru, where her family has connections in apparel manufacturing. Currently, Bill handles the company’s marketing initiatives (in addition to another full-time job) and Mila heads design and manufacturing. She has even enlisted the help of her mother, who lives in Peru and serves as her “right hand” in production.

Between Bill’s hectic travel schedule and Mila’s trips to Peru where the line is manufactured, the duo has found it difficult to juggle family time, work and their personal relationship. “I’ll get e-mails from him at two or three in the morning,” Mila said. “We often have to discuss work late at night when the kids are asleep.”

But according to Mila, the end result is worth it all. “When a family member notices and appreciates your work, that’s better encouragement to me,” said Mila, who admitted it can be difficult to constructively criticize a family member. Still, “It’s better hearing compliments from someone you love.”

Mila believes the key to maintaining a successful family business is communication and being realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole. For example, she quickly realized she and Bill could not handle all aspects of the business and has since hired a designer to help with the technical aspects as well as an accountant. “You need to be able to build on their strengths and fill in for their weaknesses,” she said.

Madison Parker The parents of -year-old twin daughters, Elijah and Christine Wells started out on separate career paths—Christine works in sales for the hospitality industry and Elijah is a music producer.

February 2009

29

Rock Baby Rock’s Nancy and Palmy Kittimonthorn

The couple, who met in college, recently decided to launch Jersey City, N.J.-based Madison Parker, a children’s apparel line for infants to size  inspired by music and nostalgic images like Big Wheels, headphones and tape decks. “We’re doing this for our kids,” said Elijah, who added that the Coccoli’s Marian Vachon Madison Parker moniker is not an amalgamation of and son François their kids’ names but was inspired by New York’s upscale Madison and Park Avenues. “We want to see our kids grow up there.”

The couple has kept their day jobs and work on the line late at night and on weekends. According to Elijah, he brings the creative component while his wife handles the paperwork and more “organized” tasks.

“She is very detail-oriented and structured,” said Elijah, who confessed he can get sidetracked by his creative vi-sions. “I’m more trial and error and I have no boundaries. She pulls us back and says, ‘Hey, we need to worry about this.’”

According to Christine, their biggest challenge so far has been juggling office hours with family time. Their Bill and Mila Cole of Laughing solution has been to mix work and play on the weekOut Loud ends—for example, going on a sales call followed by an outing with the twins. “It’s all about balance and having a passion for what you do,” Elijah concluded.

Rock Baby Rock In , sisters Nancy and Palmy Kittimonthorn immigrated to the United States from Thailand with their family. Here, their parents opened Lucky Fashion, a manufacturer of adult and children’s apparel, and from an early age the sisters were expected to lend a hand.

Eventually, the girls decided to launch their own Los Angeles-based infant and toddler line, Rock Baby Rock. Palmy, who handles production, believes the two give each other more leeway because they are sisters. “We can finish each other’s sentences,” Palmy noted. “We trust each other’s point of view.” Nancy, who designs the line, also relies on her sister to be her buffer and—oftentimes—to clean up her mess. “I’ll get mad at people and burn bridges and Palmy will have to rebuild the bridge,” she said. Palmy added, “I’m the middle child. I’m used to negotiating and resolving the situation.”

Both sisters still work for Lucky Fashion (Rock Baby Rock is also manufactured in its facilities) and are proud to be taking their parent’s company to the next level. “Our parents are limited in what they can do due to language barriers,” Palmy noted. “They built the foundation and now their children are involved. The whole family has to be in it together. We wouldn’t be here without them.”

Gigi’s Married for  years, Rita Hernandez and Ariel Rubalcava met, dated and wed

30

February 2009

Madison Parker’s Elijah and Christine Wells

while both were employed at a television network in Florida. Now the founders of Gigi’s, a Miamibased line of girls’ footwear featuring detachable and customizable straps, the pair works hard to separate work from their home life—especially in front of their employees. “Ariel and I did it before in a corporate environment, so our story

earnshaws.com

Gigi’s Rita Hernandez and Ariel Rubalcava

each other,” she noted. “We built our company together from scratch. We have to be truthful with each other on every detail.”

Baby Bird Headwear

Twin sisters Heather and Heidi Palmer of Baby Bird Headwear

Rock N Moms’ Debbie Blurton, Kadie Martini and Erin Miramon

Primigi’s Bill and Gina LaRossa

Twin sisters Heather and Heidi Palmer clearly remember their first business endeavor together at age : selling handmade fairy wands and halos at local fairs and parks in Salt Lake City. “It grew from there,” Heather recalled. “We had a lot of fun working together and getting our products off the ground.”

With twin degrees in communications, the duo gained their fashion background from their mother, who owns a costume store, and they decided to launch the women’s hair accessory line True Birds and a girls’ collection called Baby Bird. With Heather handling the marketing and PR and Heidi focusing on design, both girls hand-sew all the accessories. “Working together comes natural to us,” Heather said. “It’s the twinship. We’re best friends and do everything together.”

One of the biggest challenges is making personal time for one another. “I live in Los Angeles and Heidi is in San Diego, so when she visits there’s so much to do,” Heather said. “Sometimes you feel like everything is about work. You need to make sure to take care of each other and also be a best friend and sister.”

However, Heather enjoys the fact that her sister already knows she has a strong work ethic and doesn’t have to prove herself. “There’s a point when I can be honest with her and tell her I’m tired and need to go to bed. With a business partner, I would feel guilty about taking a break.”

According to Heather, the key to a successful family business is pulling your own weight, being passionate about the product and working out the financial agreements well in advance. “Fifty-fifty may seem like the way to go, but things always change and you need to have a solid agreement in order,” she advised.

Primigi is a bit different since you’re not supposed to date your colleague,” Hernandez said. “Saying ‘that’s not what we discussed last night’ [in front of employees] is not professional; neither is introducing yourself as husband and wife at workrelated meetings or events.”

Similar to their days working in television, the two often butt heads—in particular when it comes to designing Gigi’s straps. “We like to argue and disagree, but that’s when the winning styles are created,” Hernandez pointed out. “The last thing you want is to have people agreeing with you on everything. I hate hearing, ‘If you like it, I like it.’”

Hernandez and her husband love the control and daily involvement that comes with running their own business. “It has made us more honest with

earnshaws.com

For about  years, Bill and Gina LaRossa, owners of Hingham, Mass.-based children’s footwear company Primigi, have literally worked side by side: The husband and wife’s desks are only two feet apart. The couple, who have worked together for a total of  years, were previously employeed by Bill’s family’s business, a shoe repair company founded by his grandfather. According to Bill, their working relationship was never unusual for them—Gina’s parents were partners in horseracing and Bill’s mom was also involved in his dad’s business. “It’s comfort- 355

February 2009

31

Blush

Heir

Apparent

Retailers continue to adapt to the changing tastes of tween girls while capitalizing on the shifting landscape of vendors in this category.

By Jacqueline Micucci

Catering to tweens can be lucrative,

but anyone who has raised one—or attempted to dress one—knows that hitting the right chord can be difficult.

With sophisticated tastes, developing bodies and moms who often still see them as little girls, retailers and manufacturers have to constantly adapt their offerings and walk a fine line. What’s hot and touted by their famous counterparts today is easily discarded tomorrow as times and trends evolve.

Every now and then, a brand comes along that fills the right niche at the right time. And the last couple of years have brought an influx of vendors trying to crack the tween code. For many, the impetus for jumping into or expanding within this market was the exit of favored brand Monkeywear, a collection out of Los Angeles that launched in ’ as a boys’ wear source and switched its focus to girls in ’. In its heyday, the dressy tween label won multiple Earnie design awards and a lot of praise.

Now, two years after its dissolution, questions remain: What does the tween consumer want? And has an heir to Monkeywear’s throne emerged?

For Amy Chang, owner and designer of The Collection by Sara Sara, which debuted in October , opportunities have sprung up in the tween market thanks to the changing times. “The tween market was definitely dominated by Monkeywear [before] and there wasn’t a lot of room for other looks, but now this is a completely new generation of tweens,” Chang said. “They’re less afraid of being different—at least, as brave as an year-old can be about that sort of thing. The market has diversified in terms of taste, look and trend.” She credits the popularity of tween-oriented TV shows such as “Hannah Montana” and “Wizards of Waverly Place” for making these girls interested in finding a unique, individual style that will make them stand out from their peers. As such, today’s silhouettes and prints are very different, Chang explained. “We were really lucky that The Collection debuted when it did.”

Chang noted Sara Sara’s offshoot line was a natural progression for the company and was inspired by the needs of her own daughters and nieces. “They were all getting a little older, adopting unique senses of style and really, in my eyes, they just became young women— classy and on the brink of something really beautiful,” she said. “We felt the void in the tween market and the formula just seemed to work—we’d start to do dressier dresses.” It wasn’t until the company set up The Collection at the next show that it noticed Monkeywear was no longer in the mix.

“A lot of people have tried to get their share of that Monkeywear market. There hasn’t been one line but several different lines that have replaced [those] dollars,” said Marilyn Klein, owner of the Klein Group showrooms including the Tween Scene, who cites The Collection by Sara Sara as an example. “Kitty Kat is another one of those tween lines filling the niche for not-so-dressy or casual dressy that these girls are wearing.”

earnshaws.com

Going casual seems to be the trend among some vendors, who view the dressing down as a customer-driven desire for versatility in the older-girl category. “Monkeywear was a very unique company that offered creative flair and dynamic spirit in the tween market. They established themselves over the years with innovative collections,” said Kimberly Swarth, sales director for Los Angeles-based Us Angels. With the introduction of Us Angels’ Blush line, it now competes in this market. Swarth credits the subbrand’s three seasons of success to the options its styling provides to its customers. “A girl can wear the dress to an occasion but also throw it on for a fun shopping day on the town with mom.”

Embracing Versatility Ilene Oren, president of the Ilene Oren Company, a New York showroom that represents  collections, has witnessed an increase in clothing that can go either casual or dressy. “What was a niche five years ago is a different niche today,” she explained. “People want to be able to dress up and dress down. That puffy, poufy dress? No more. My particular customer wants clothing that takes you day to night and through the seasons. They want as much use as they can get.”

Since launching Cherise, the older-girl counterpart to its original Le Fromage et L’orange line, company president Sachin Batra noted the market has changed and its offerings have followed. “When we started, we went out for that dressier market,” he said. “Originally, about  percent of the collection was geared toward the more dressy suit sets and embellishment dresses and  percent was more casual.” But due to changing buyer trends, Batra switched gears by flipping those percentages—a move he said resulted in a tripling of sales. “I was responding to what customers were buying from me. We have a dressy collection in Cherise, but this boho-kitsch look is where they want to go. I have to move with the times.”

In addition to the wearability that versatile items offer, the current recession means customers are extra price conscious. “Price point comes into play,” Oren said. “If you can hit under  retail, that works best. Then they can buy multiple dresses and not just one  dress. We go no higher than the  to  range.” Oren believes tween girls want to switch between different personas and fashion attitudes on a daily basis. “It doesn’t matter what they have in the closet; they want that new look. It has evolved into that type of market.”

Lisa Barretta Lloyd, co-owner and designer of Los Angeles-based Lipstik Clothing, concurred. Her response was to introduce the lower-priced Me Me Me collection last spring. This line also focuses on less dressy options because Barretta Lloyd believes tweens are more casual than they used to be. “Whereas before a dressy dress may have been a requirement, now a nice pair of jeans and a

February 2009

33

Tween Idols

dressy top or pretty tunic with leggings and nice shoes can do the job just as well,” she explained.

Servicing Boutiques Curiously, while manufacturers trend toward more casual pieces, specialty retailers contend that dressier collections tend to serve them best. “Our tween department is our fastest-growing department because there is such a need for age-appropriate clothing for this age group—I see this as the biggest need in the marketplace right now,” said Louisa Kussin Yamartino, co-owner of Fritz & Gigi: The Children’s Shop, a -year-old store in Concord, Mass. “I cannot keep size  to  dresses stocked in my store. There are not many resources that successfully fill the challenge of pleasing mother and daughter. We carry several lines aimed at this dressy segment, depending on how dressy you need.” Yamartino said Splendid and Sally Miller satisfy her customers in the market for something dressy yet comfortable, while Plum/Pink Ginger and Alessia are dressy chic and Susanne Lively offers traditional styling. “Together, they comprise  percent of my -to- business,” she reported.

“There absolutely is a need for a dressier line, especially for special events such as bat mitzvahs, weddings and sweet s,” said Gayatri Bhalla, owner of Twixt, a two-year-old tween boutique in Washington, D.C. “I find with my customers I’m known as ‘the dress shop’... If girls need something to wear for a wedding, they come here,” she said, noting the store also sells a lot of bat mitzvah dresses, confirmation gowns and cotillion wear.

Bhalla’s most popular collection to date, Little Attitudes, is no longer in production. She bought out as much of the stock as possible when the company stopped making its younger line. “[Little Attitudes] dresses are fun, sparkly and cut well,” she noted. For very formal gowns, Twixt offers Smitherman and Barnwell, which Bhalla says is exquisitely tailored and perfect for more formal events such as confirmations. She steers customers toward Single Girls for cotillions and informal parties, and also offers her Cherise’s new boho own Twixt line of silk Avibe. line dresses for graduations and other spring/summer events. Poesia is another line of dresses Twixt offers as a fancier option that Bhalla said sells well. “The designer is from Shanghai and has an amazing eye for color and texture. It’s a label that’s hard to find.

That’s another thing about tween girls—they want something unique 355 34

February 2009

Retailers provide insights into what’s selling, what’s missing and what a girl wants.

Dawn Kosach, owner of Little Dragonflies in Center Moriches, N.Y.

teens they see depicted on television

What percentage of your store is de-

leggings, tunic dresses and layering.

voted to tweens? The tween business

Name some top performers. Tea, Kit +

currently represents about 30 percent

Lili and Pink Chicken.

of our floor. We would like to increase

What’s missing in the category? Unfor-

the variety of brands in this growing

tunately, much of what you see out there

market; however, due to the economy,

for this group, as well as younger girls,

we will be playing it safe and dealing

is inappropriate. It’s hard to find stylish

only with current vendors.

yet age-appropriate choices for children

How is your tween business? It has

over the age of four.

shows like “Gossip Girl” and “90210.” If I had to pick a few specific trends, I’d say

definite growth potential. We have really started to expand our horizons in the want our customers to grow with us.

Aimee Falgout, store manager, Pixie Stix in Boston

What are tween girls drawn to? We al-

What percentage of your store is

ways ask our tween customers for their

devoted to tweens? More than half of

input. This is so vital because they mir-

our store, but we also carry junior and

ror the fashions that their friends are

women’s lines such as Free People and

wearing to school or what their favorite

Miss Me for girls who grow out of 7 to

celebrity is wearing. Pinks and purples

16. We carry fashion-forward, everyday

always sell and, of course, anything

styles as well as dressy options for

with a touch of leopard. A touch of bling

special parties and dances.

never hurts.

What are tween girls drawn to? It hon-

Name some top performers. Haven

estly depends on the girl, and that’s why

Girl, Ooh La La Couture and Anita G

we carry a wide variety of styles. Many

clothing and Gossip Girl swimsuits.

girls still love the tunic-over-leggings

last couple of years, mostly because we

look, while we also have girls who live in corduroys and T-shirts.

Krysta Henderson, assistant buyer, and Katherine Yoo, buyer, Gilt Groupe, New York

Name some top performers. Flowers

by Zoe, Juicy Couture and Ella Moss.

How is your tween business? Our gradually adding tween when we see it.

Kristen Taylor, owner of Juvie in Los Angeles

Name some top performers. Lola et

How is your tween business? Price

Moi, Tea, Polo, 7 For All Mankind jeans.

points are becoming very important as

What are tween girls drawn to? They

are names they recognize. If a customer

want to look like Miley Cyrus.

is looking for value, they want a name

What’s missing in the category? Vari-

they can trust.

ety. It’s difficult to find high-end brands

What are tween girls drawn to? The

for tweens.

kids will always want to wear cheerful

tween selection is small, but we’re

options, but the parents are trending more toward classic.

Danielle Maguire, owner of Pipsqueak in Haddonfield, N.J.

Name some top performers. The big

What percentage of your store is

Ella Moss, Roxy, Quiksilver, Charlie

devoted to tween? It makes up about 10

Rocket, Wes & Willy. If I don’t promote

percent of our overall sales.

and blog and mention new lines in print

brand names are selling: Splendid,

What are tween girls drawn to?

ads, the brand won’t take off. —Angela

Tweens are interested in looking like the

Velasquez

earnshaws.com

$9.59

$10.99

$11.69

$12.99

Hitting the Mark With retail prices under greater consumer scrutiny, manufacturers strive to protect retailersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; proďŹ t margins and competitive edge. By Leslie Shiers

EARN_35 35

1/20/09 2:33:37 PM

ODAY’S SHOPPER ISN’T MINDLESSLY

tossing a pile of items onto the checkout counter. Careful perusal, weighing of options and—above all—price comparisons come first as people clamp down on their purse strings in anticipation of economic strife. While consumers still have reasons to spend on children’s products, the number on those tiny little price tags has ballooned into a larger issue.

“In today’s economy, retail pricing is very important because your consumer is thinking about how much they’re paying for a garment,” stated Marilyn Klein, head of The Klein Group showrooms in Dallas and Atlanta. As such, retailers must be highly conscious of both wholesale prices and the markups those prices will bear.

Where keystone pricing—doubling the wholesale price to determine the retail price—used to be considered standard practice, experts say the times-two factor is fading away because it no longer covers a store’s day-to-day expenses. “Keystoning is as old as retailing and is virtually obsolete—especially in an economy where consumers are frugal,” said David Fields, managing director of Ascendant Consulting in Ridgefield, Conn., who has advised both vendors and retailers on product pricing. Priscilla Hunt, vice president of marketing of New ICM in Dallas, agreed: “With today’s high overheads, keystoning is no longer in the realm of possibility.”

Rebecca Ebershoff, a rep based in the California Market Center, noted that most of the vendors she works with suggest a markup of at least . times the wholesale price. “Most [retailers] say they have to do that just to keep their costs covered,” she said, pointing to services such as gift wrapping as well as the various promotions retailers find necessary to maintaining inventory flow. According to Steve Russo, president of New York accessories company FAB/Starpoint, even Walmart—which has historically worked on the lowest margins—is working above keystone today with its softlines.

Department stores and chains typically have set margin structures and markdown strategies, and manufacturers often work with them to hit their desired retail prices. Many also require vendors to print their suggested retail prices right on the tag. “When you’re dealing with a department store, you’re entering into a margin agreement,” noted Atlanta-based rep Paul Daubney. When vendors determine MSRPs, they have to keep in mind department stores’ advertising, shrinkage percentages, employee discounts and the like.

Meanwhile, independents may not even stick to a specific markup percentage but will tweak prices as they feel relevant. Still, many boutique buyers reported using keystone as an initial multiplier,

36

February 2009

then tacking on a few extra dollars—however much they feel their patrons will be willing to pay. “I don’t see how you can mark up things a lot right now, even if you have a lot of costs,” said Meg Moore, owner of Juice Kids Haute Couture in Hartsville, S.C. “Sometimes how you get [a sale] is by being a dollar or two less.”

In the interest of controlling prices to the extent they can, more manufacturers are cementing suggested retail prices today, reps reported. While retailers can snip tags off pre-ticketed items if they want, these pricing suggestions set a bar in an effort to prevent competitors from selling the same product at different prices. “You obviously want consumers to think your store is fair and equitable,” noted Vincent Quan, a fashion merchandising management professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. “The last thing you want is to find someone with prices lower than yours.”

Of course, promotions and sales are a huge traffic driver in this day and age—just consider all the steep holiday discounts that had the retail world abuzz. Curt Clinkinbeard, director of training for the FAMEE Foundation, which helps small businesses develop customer relationships, warned independents against blindly following larger retailers and slashing prices. “Mom-and-pops feel like they have to follow suit to survive—it’s like lambs being led to the slaughter,” he said. “There are other ways to get through to customers than price.” Before retailers put goods on sale, Clinkinbeard said they must do the math to ensure the number of units sold at a lower price will result in greater revenue than fewer sold for more money.

“In some cases, it may be better to have the volume down  percent and hold margins than to discount and have the volume up.”

Klein also advised retailers not to panic: “You don’t want to run scared because your neighbor down the street is selling for percent off.” Put some things on sale, she said—not the entire store.

Margin Stretching “Margin building right now is the key,” Daubney said. He reports that retailers who previously would not consider buying the moderate lines he carries—like Little Me, Flapdoodles and Mom & Me— are now lured into his showroom because they know they can make more profit on those collections. Daubney advises retailers to do their homework before they embark on a buying trip. “If you don’t know your margin history, you’re in the dark,” he said.

Armed with the knowledge that retailers need to get the most out of each buy, manufacturers are looking for ways to keep prices down and increase the perceived value of each garment. “The last

earnshaws.com

owns The Duck Pond in Tustin, Calif., expressed disappointment two months, I’ve been focused on price,” stated Moshe Avisar, U.S. in a lower-priced line she bought. “We didn’t sell one piece,” she resales manager for Closter, N.J.-based Mish Mish. “I try to think like ported, adding that the designs looked great on paper, but the fabric a consumer; the difference between  and  [wholesale] isn’t turned out to be poor quality. “It wasn’t a solution for us.” that much, but to the consumer it’s the difference between an item that’s above  and one that’s below .” Avisar is also stacking the Enforcing Prices deck, offering styles with proven sell-throughs in a wider variety of Manufacturers and reps said the No.  way they can protect their print and fabric options for fall. retailers in terms of pricing is careful distribution. Not overselling a Experts say certain categories offer wider margins than others, particular area is one factor; the type of stores and this is where retailers can make gains. Inthey sell to is also important. fant products “naturally” have better margins, “A lot of manufacturers don’t care—they’ll Daubney noted, as do dresses and accessories. sell to anybody,” Siler said. “I like to work with He also pointed to items geared toward grandcompanies that have a mileage radius, so their mothers, as they will typically spend full price product isn’t oversaturated in a territory.” for anything they believe has intrinsic worth.

Keeping distribution “clean” is of utmost Gifts pose another opportunity. “I find that importance to Parigi Group, stated John Blye, my smaller gift items—like picture frames, • Scout vendor closeouts. head of specialty brands for the New York comphoto albums and toys—can take a higher Kids’ wear rep Marilyn pany. “We do not cross-market with the disprice margin,” said Kim Woodson, who reKlein noted more manucount market,” he stressed. “If someone’s liqcently opened Scooter Britches, a boutique facturers are offering miduidating, that’s one thing. It’s another if they’re in Littleton, N.H. “These products appeal to season closeouts due to conducting their store in a discount manner.” people shopping for a baby shower.” the poor economy. A venHunt also stressed that New ICM targets bouAndrea Rachles, creative director of Union dor might sell their wares tiques and upscale department stores that are City, Calif.-based Angel Dear, said the high at 30-percent off, but in the same ballpark in terms of markups. quality of her brand’s gift-oriented items lets retailers can still sell them This may be a vendor’s best means of fighting retailers get an average markup of two-and-afor the original MSRP. the pricing battle. Selling every Tom, Dick and half times the wholesale price, and some get up Harry is not in anyone’s best interest. While a to three times that. “Because our pricing is low, • Stick to basics. company might make a portion of its line for [retailers] are able to get higher margins, which “This is a good time to lower-tier retailers, some said spreading like makes us a star in their opinion.” concentrate on what you product across tiers can bastardize the brand.

Klein said hot, trendy items also offer solid can stay in stock with,” Even when product is concentrated in one margins. She advised retailers, “be competitive said Priscilla Hunt, New tier, Haretakis said trying to compete with where you need to be and make extra markup ICM’s vice president of larger chains on price can be frustrating. “We’ll where you can.” She suggested sticking closer marketing. Unlike fashion get something in and, say, Nordstrom already to keystone on basic items such as leggings, but products, staples don’t has an item in their summer sale and is selling it she believes shoppers will pay more for baby have to be discounted for less than we had to pay for it.” But if a comproducts and fashion-focused tween pieces. at the end of a season. pany sells to discount stores, it’s the last straw, Clinkinbeard said both retailers and manuSimilarly, John Blye of she added. “If they’re at Costco, that’s it.” facturers must be cognizant of the marketplace.

Parigi Group said timeManufacturers say they make true efforts If an item features a must-have character propless styling also helps: “At to evaluate retailers’ standings before selling erty or if the company is well branded—these the end of a season, if a them goods, but it can be a challenge—espefactors, among others, will support a greater trend goes out, our [Pearls cially with online stores. “The Internet hurts markup, he said. denim] doesn’t have to us more than anything,” Siler reported. WoodTo help retailers make greater margins (and go on sale.” son of Scooter Britches said most manufacturin response to consumer price resistance), a ers she’s worked with have online policies. But number of vendors are creating diffusion lines • Request manufacturer while some are vigilant about policing Internet or sub-brands that can be sold at lower prices support and incentives. sales, others don’t do much enforcing. than their original labels. Two recent examples Many companies are Klein said most of the lines she reps require from Los Angeles-based companies include the offering better terms and Web sites to hold prices until a certain time, Me Me Me line from Lipstik and Truly Me by special considerations when they can implement a seasonal markSara Sara, which launches this fall. for retailers facing hard down.

“I don’t mind if somebody holds a twoMarci Siler, owner of Lil’ Rascals Boutique times. Ask your vendors if day sale, but to bring it in at a cheaper price in Joplin, Mo., said Me Me Me apparel has althey will support you with really hurts the brand,” she said. ready proved a hit with her customers. “It looks volume discounts, price Whether online or not, “It is in the retailers’ just like Lipstik, but is probably a third of the breaks, extended payment best interest to use the [MSRP] guidelines,” price,” she said, noting her satisfaction with the plans or free shipping.

Ebershoff asserted. “At the end of the day, it is look and quality of the clothing. their own margin at stake.”

On the other hand, Cathie Haretakis, who

Tips for Maximizing Margins

•

earnshaws.com

February 2009

37

WEAR CANADA

Annual Industry Directory 3 Sprouts 2220 Midland Ave., Unit 64BR Toronto, ON M1P 3E6 (416) 754-1641 Fax: (416) 572-0034 www.3sprouts.com A.C. 12 Apparel Inc. 2120 Trans Canada Dorval, QC H9P 2N4 (514) 684-2222 Fax: (514) 684-1777 AccessorLee Canada/Lorilocks 10 Stone Gate Drive Grimsby, ON L3M 5C6 (905) 309-1160 Fax: (905) 945-8043 www.lorilocks.ca Agoo Apparel Inc 2129 W. 35th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6M 1J2

38

February 2009

(604) 729-5863, (604) 266-7500 Fax: (604) 733-1147 www.agoo4u.com Allen Childrens Wear 8484 de l’Esplanade St. Montreal, QC H2P 2R7 (514) 858-9595 Fax: (514) 858-1588 Almo Dante Mfg. (Canada) Ltd. 99 Chabanel St. W., Suite 701 Montreal, QC H2N 2G6 (514) 384-3310 Fax: (514) 381-6446 Attraction Inc. 672 Rue du Parc Lac-Drolet, QC G0Y 1C0 (819) 549-2477 Fax: (819) 549-2734 www.attraction.com

Babykins Products Canada Ltd. 150 - 12830 Clarke Place Richmond, BC V6E 2H5 (604) 275-2255 Fax: (604) 275-2255 www.babykins.com Babylicious Gear Ltd. 5811 Blenheim St. Vancouver, BC V6N 1P9 (604) 288-2497 Fax: (604) 736-1926 www.babylicious.ca Baby’s Best Designs Inc. 1010 Chilco St., #306 Vancouver, BC V6G 2R6 (604) 682-7281 Fax: (604) 682-7275 www.babysbestdesigns.com Beba Bean Inc. 17-1730 Broadway St.

Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2M8 (604) 552-7741 Fax: (604) 945-3306 www.bebabean.com Blü 5524 Rue St. Patrick, Suite 210 Montreal, QC H4E 1A8 (514) 762-1111 Fax: (514) 762-2033 www.blubyblu.com Bugalug Inc. 306 Elgin Way S.E. Calgary, AB T2Z 4J8 (403) 289-6344 Fax: (403) 289-6644 www.bugalug.ca Bummis Inc. 55 Mont Royal W., #210 Montreal, QC H2T 2S6 (514) 289-9855

earnshaws.com

WEARCANADADIRECTORY

Fax: (514) 289-8672 www.bummis.com Calego International 2555 Pitfield Blvd.

St. Laurent, QC H4S 1W8 (514) 334-2117 Fax: (514) 334-1964 www.calego.com Canadian Kids Wear Inc. 12815 - 85 Ave., #201 Surrey, BC V3W 0K8 (604) 591-1777 Fax: (604) 591-1223 www.canadiankidswear.com Canadian Sweater Co. Ltd. 8528 - 123rd St., #39 Surrey, BC V3W 3V6 (604) 594-8050 Fax: (604) 594-8264 www.canadiansweater.com Chateau Lingerie Mfg. Inc. 215 St. Zotique St. W. Montreal, QC H2V 1A2 (514) 274-7505 Fax: (514) 273-8299 www.chateaubodywear.com Christina America 5555 Cypihot St. St. Laurent, QC H4S 1R3 (514) 381-2365 Fax: (800) 465-9283 www.christina.ca Coccoli/Creations Robo Inc. 1205 Louvain Ouest Montreal, QC H4N 1G6 (514) 382-6501 Fax: (514) 382-0074 www.coccoli.com Cora Imports Inc. 4050 Boul. Poirier Ville St. Laurent, QC H4R 2A5 (514) 381-9039 Fax: (514) 381-0239 www.corababy.com Créations Claire Bell 8955 St. Laurent Blvd., #301

40

February 2009

Montreal, QC H2N 1M5 (514) 270-1477 Fax: (514) 273-6350 Creative Education of Canada Inc. 704 Mara St., Suite 135 Point Edward, ON N7V 1X4 (519) 337-5685 Fax: (519) 337-1542 www.creative-edu.com Crown Cap (1987) Ltd. 1130 Wall St. Winnipeg, MB R3E 2R9 (204) 775-7740 Fax: (204) 786-2526 www.crowncap.com Debonair Creations +A14 1191 Bathurst Street Toronto, ON M5T 3H4 (416) 537-2137 Fax: (416) 537-0437 Deux Par Deux 433 Chabanel St. W., Suite 1102 Montreal, QC H2N 2J8 (514) 383-3408, (866) 557-2222 Fax: (514) 383-4559 www.deuxpardeux.com Do-Gree Fashions Ltd. 3205 Bedford Road Montreal, QC H3S 1G3 (514) 381-8808 Fax: (514) 381-7814 www.dogree.com Effigi Inc. 1155 Autoroute #13 Laval, QC H7W 5J8 (450) 686-4848 Fax: (450) 686-2747 www.effigi.com Fashion District Imports 325 - 225 Chabanel Montreal, QC H2N 1G3 (514) 904-0056 Fax: (514) 904-0054 www.fashiondistrict.ca

Fig–Organic Kids Fashion 2018 Manitoba St. Vancouver, BC V5Y 3V3 (604) 707-1073 Fax: (604) 879-0928 www.figkids.com

J.C. Kids Apparel Inc. 201 - 5653 Paré Montreal, QC H4P 1S1 (514) 733-5256 Fax: (514) 733-1426 www.jckids.com

Girl & Company 31 Country Lane Terrace N.W. Calgary, AB T3Z 1H8 (403) 547-7540 Fax: (403) 547-7580 www.girlandcompany.com

Jack & Lily 720 Alexander St. Vancouver, BC V6A 1E3 (604) 254-6900 Fax: (604) 254-6333 www.jackandlily.com

Gusti–Vêtements Tabco Inc. 3255 Jules-Brillant Laval, QC H7P 6C9 (450) 682-0500 Fax: (450) 682-5633 www.gusti.ca

Jammers Apparel Group 2000 Onésime-Gagnon Lachine, QC H8T 3M8 (514) 631-6778 Fax: (514) 631-6075 www.jammers.com

Hatgirl 478 Dundas St. W. Oakville, ON L6H 6Y0 (905) 467-4799 www.hatgirl.com

Jolene Canada 6020 2nd St. S.E. #B8 Calgary, AB T2H 2L8 (403) 252-2200 Fax: (403) 253-1734 www.jolenecanada.com

Hatley Inc./The Little Blue House 950 Beaumont Ave. Montreal, QC H3N 1V5 (514) 272-8444 Fax: (514) 272-0989 www.hatleynature.com Holeys 2440 Viking Way Richmond, BC V6V 1N2 (604) 248-3663 Fax: (604) 248-3664 www.holeys.com Itty Bitty Baby Clothing Co. 575 Berry St. Winnipeg, MB R3H OS2 (204) 927-2222 Fax: (204) 927-2227 www.ittybittybaby.com J.A. Besner & Sons (Canada) Ltd. 9200 Park Ave., #201 Montreal, QC H2N 1Z4 (514) 381-9191 Fax: (514) 381-1385 www.jabesner.com

Kohlr Baby Designs 8625 Fremlin St., Suite 104 Vancouver, BC V6P 3X4 (604) 317-5705 Fax: (866) 599-6972 www.kohlrbaby.com Kootenay Knitting Company Ltd. 100 Van Horne St. N., #2 Cranbrook, BC V1C 3P3 (250) 426-7951 Fax: (250) 426-7958 www.kootenayknitting.com Kushies 555 Barton St. Stoney Creek, ON L8E 5S1 (905) 643-9118 Fax: (905) 643-2102 www.kushies.com Landes Canada Inc. 400 Rue St. Valier Granby, QC J2G 7Y4 (450) 378-9853 Fax: (450) 378-8506

earnshaws.com

WEARCANADADIRECTORY

www.landesbelts.com Lemur Group Inc. 275 Rue Stinson, Suite 201 Montreal, QC H4N 2E1 (514) 748-6234 Fax: (514) 748-6235 www.lemurgroup.com Les Boxers Boyz Inc. 385 Rue Louvain Ouest Montreal, QC H2N 2J1 (514) 858-6160 Fax: (514) 858-9515 www.boyzco.com Little Soles Inc. 105 - 150 Crowfoot Cr. N.W., Suite 205 Calgary, AB T3G 3T2 (403) 270-0123 Fax: (403) 270-4401 www.littlesoles.ca Luna International 231 Millway Ave., Unit 17 Concord, ON L4K 3W7 (905) 738-3711 Fax: (905) 738-3707 www.lunaintl.com Made-To-Fit Garment Inc./ Krickets 333 Chabanel Ouest, Suite 800 Montreal, QC H2N 2E7 (514) 382-5890 Fax: (514) 382-6278 www.kricketsworld.com Mondor Ltée 785 Honoré-Mercier St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC J2X 3S2 (450) 347-5321 Fax: (450) 347-5811 www.mondor.com Mother-Ease Inc. P.O. Box 427 Virgil, ON L0S 1T0 (905) 988-5188 Fax: (905) 988-1110 www.mother-ease.com

42

February 2009

NoZone Clothing Ltd. 2001 Douglas St. Victoria, BC V8T 4K9 (250) 472-2247 Fax: (250) 382-2002 www.nozone.ca Pam GM Creation Inc. 145 Ave. du Pacifique Laval-des-Rapides, QC H7N 3X9 (450) 629-4443 Fax: (450) 629-4481 www.pamgm.com Paris Genève Inc. 623 McCaffrey St. St. Laurent, QC H4T 1N3 (514) 344-4991 Fax: (514) 344-9181 www.parisgeneve.com Paris Glove of Canada Ltd. 255 Montée de Liesse St. Laurent, QC H4T 1P5 (514) 345-0135 Fax: (514) 342-7263 www.auclairgloves.com Peekaboo Beans #6 - 3363 Rosemary Heights Crescent White Rock, BC V3S-0X8 (604) 536-9495 Fax: (604) 536-9490 www.peekaboobeans.com Peerless Clothing Inc. 8888 Pie IX Blvd.

Montreal, QC H1Z 4J5 (514) 593-9300 Fax: (514) 593-9640 www.peerlessclothing.com Pepita la Bambola 5455 de Gaspé, Suite 905 Montreal, QC H2T 3B3 (514) 276-0311 Fax: (514) 276-0636 www.pepitalabambola.com Perlimpinpin Inc. 1200, Ave. St. Jean-Baptiste, Suite 109 Quebec, QC G2E 5E8 (418) 877-4042

Fax: (418) 877-5485 www.perlimpinpin.com Ranka Enterprises Inc. 7261 Victoria Park Ave. Markham, ON L3R 2M7 (905) 752-1081 Fax: (905) 752-1088 www.ranka.ca Reliable Hosiery Inc. 8785 Ave. du Parc Montreal, QC H2N 1Y7 (514) 382-2861 Fax: (514) 382-6141 Sleep Huggers Inc. 200 - 8435 McIntyre Road Edmonton, AB T6E 6G3 (780) 462-2351 Fax: (780) 462-2051 www.sleephuggers.com

(905) 825-9699 Fax: (905) 825-8377 www.sunveil.com Sweet Kyla Inc. 330 Trillium Drive, Units C & D Kitchener, ON N2E 2K6 (519) 895-0250 Fax: (519) 895-0252 www.sweetkyla.com Sweet Peanut Clothing Company 2 - 156 W. 14th Ave. Vancouver, BC V5Y 1W9 (604) 733-4564, (604) 617-4465 Fax: (604) 708-5142 www.sweetpeanut.com The Canadian Profile 18 Mountbatten Road Thornhill, ON L4J 8A5 (905) 731-1515

Snugabye Inc. 188 Bentworth Ave. Toronto, ON M6A 1P8 (416) 783-0300 Fax: (416) 783-5400

The Organic Cotton Company Inc. 342 Indian Road Crescent Toronto, ON M6P 2H1 (416) 762-0940 Fax: (416) 762-8561

www.snugabye.com

www.organic-cotton-co.com

St. Lawrence Textiles Inc. 6869 Henri-Bourassa W. Montreal, QC H4R 1E1 (514) 387-7373 Fax: (514) 387-4399 www.stlawrencetextiles.com

Tilley Endurables Inc. 900 Don Mills Road, Unit 8 Don Mills, ON M3C 1V6 (416) 441-6141 Fax: (416) 444-3860 www.tilley.com

Sterling Glove Company Ltd./ Klondike Holdings 165 Selkirk Ave. E. Winnipeg, MB R2W 2L3 (204) 586-8189 Fax: (204) 582-2992

Tricky & Titch 103-1075 Marine Drive, Suite 116 North Vancouver, BC V7P 3T6 (604) 985-5546 Fax: (604) 904-7522 www.trickyandtitch.com

www.sterlingglove.com SunSmart Inc. 415 Horner Ave., Studio 8 Toronto, ON M8W 4W3 (416) 224-8083 Fax: (416) 224-2952 www.sunsmart.ca Sunveil Sunwear 785 Pacific Road, Unit 10 Oakville, ON L6L 6M3

Vayola Garments Ltd. 550 Rue Deslauriers St. Laurent, QC H4N 1V8 (514) 337-4175 Fax: (514) 337-0878 Winkle and Bean 202 - 1230 Fort St. Victoria, BC V8V 3L2 (250) 537-6666 www.winkleandbean.com

earnshaws.com

LEARN

& GROW WITH C.A.R.A. Attend C.A.R.A.’s retail math seminar series and learn how to run your stores more efficiently.

Get your questions answered regarding: • Calculating open to buy • Determining pricing beyond keystone • Figuring out net profit • Budgeting for marketing/advertising and determining ROI • Determining turns per square foot • Timing and pricing sales • Disposing of leftover inventory • Getting the most out of vendor partners, including discounts, co-op ads, etc.

West Coast Location: KIDShow, Las Vegas Date: Tuesday, Feb. 17 Time: 8 a.m.

East Coast Location: ENK Children’s Club, New York Date: Monday, March 9 Time: 8 a.m.

CHILDREN’S APPAREL RETAIL ASSOCIATION

Register at caratoday.com/events and specify which event you will attend.

Tickets cost $20. Attendance for C.A.R.A. members is free.

Charter Sponsors:

(grace) THE INTERPLAY OF TEXTURE AND PROPORTION LEND A REFINED FEEL TO TWEEN APPAREL. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BRIAN

Jacket and sequined dress by The Collection

by Sara Sara.

45

HairPhotography and makeupbybyDiane JSterling Vasil;(www.jsterlingbeauty.com). hair and makeup by Chuck Jensen Fashionfor Editor: MarkNicole Edward YeeInc. Fashion Editor: Nicole Yee

This page: Sister Sam dress; LA Made turtleneck; tights by Trimfit (shown throughout); stylist’s head wrap; model’s own shoes.

Opposite: Kitty Kat fringe dress; Erge shirt; headband

by Andrea’s Beau.

47

Jacket by KC Parker; Forever Girl tank; tulle skirt by Kitty Girls Design; modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own shoes.

Opposite: Tiered dress by Hollyworld; turtleneck by LA Made; RockinRobin belt; Pink Pewter headband.

49

Strapless dress by Kiddo; The Collection by Sara Sara shirt; stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own shawl.

Opposite: Blush by Us Angels dress; Pink Pewter headband; Me Too shoes.

50

September 2007

earnshaws.com

earnshaws.com

July 2008

51

52

September 2007

earnshaws.com

This page: Poncho

by Miss Me; Faigie feather headband with flowers; Erge shirt.

Opposite: Plum bubble dress; hooded tunic by Funky Kids.

earnshaws.com

July 2008

53

Mass Communication Manufacturers and retailers explain how they’re sharing information on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. “The CPSIA law has dramatically changed our marketplace. The biggest question now from my retail customers is, ‘Is Haba going to stick around?’—especially after Selecta [a German toy company] announced it would be exiting the U.S. market [due to the costs associated with compliance]. Time that manufacturers, importers and sales managers may have spent educating our retailers and reps on new products, etc., will now be spent explaining administrative processes now necessary for compliance with the law. We will most likely address the issues through e-mail communication and downloadable PDFs on our Web site.” —Lea Culliton, president, Haba USA “We have to move forward as if the law is going to be enacted as written. I’ve been spending a lot of time figuring out what my responsibilities are. Only three manufacturers have contacted me proactively. I’m contacting the rest to let them know that I know what the regulations are and that I will comply, so I can’t accept shipments without a General Conformity Certificate. My big concern is whether many of the designers and manufacturers will be around a year from now due to the financial burden the testing imposes.

The ones that are will have to raise prices.

Everyone loses, even though we know the intent was good and necessary.” —Kristen Taylor, owner, Juvie boutique, Los Angeles “Fortunately, Bobux exceeds the CPSIA requirements and we are not facing potentially devastating lab costs to support our compliance. It has been a challenge, however, to find and confirm the detailed requirements.

Our team has had to invest a substantial amount of time [addressing] the issue. We have spoken to many other manufacturers, distributors, retailers, approved labs and even customs brokers who are uncertain of the detailed requirements. We know it is our duty 54

February 2009

to continue to research the issue and educate ourselves on future revisions to the regulations, and we are committed to doing so.”

—Robin Nash, vice president, Bobux USA “Most of my vendors have not brought it up.

Though I know it adds to the cost of goods, I support any testing. We want to make sure things are safe. For my fall orders, I will be asking questions because my consumers are very educated and I know they will ask me about it. When toys were the concern [in ’], customers asked where products were made and they looked for U.S.-made toys that weren’t too expensive.” —Rebecca Cordova, owner, S.S. Red Sail, Balboa Island, Calif.

“My store offers new and secondhand products. Unfortunately, I can’t get a certification for the used goods. I have a small store and a lot of loyal customers. Our business increased this fall while others [struggled]. That shows me that people rely on the secondhand market. For the new items, some vendors have certifications; some don’t. Some are still unsure if they need it for every shipment. They don’t know, so they can’t help me.” —Kerri Radicella, owner, Childish Things Consignment Boutique, Boulder, Colo.

“I haven’t heard much about it other than a couple of customers who asked me about the lead content in some jewelry. I called the company and they e-mailed me their policies and their General Conformity Certificate. I’ve been in the business a long time, so I remember when we Interested went through this with flame in sharing your retardance and sleepwear. We viewpoint on must have packed up  to  the industry? boxes filled with cotton pajaContact mas that had to be replaced.

It was a nightmare.” —Lynn nyeditorial@ Duse, owner, The Circus Shop, symphonypubPetoskey, Mich. lishing.com

Market Pulse With the holidays behind us, retailers focus on the new year and looming CPSIA deadlines.

How would you describe your holiday sales?

22% Up over last year.

27% Not as good as last year, but good considering the economy.

15% Just OK. 36% Poor.

What is your top New Year’s resolution?

33% Improving our product mix.

42% Adding/improving our ecommerce site.

12% Adding events/classes to draw in traffic.

12% Developing more appealing ads and promotions.

1% Expanding our store(s)/adding a location.

Other retailers asserted plans to add a customer rewards program and blog more frequently.

Are you aware of the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and its impact on the manufacturing and selling of kids’ goods?

20% Yes. 43% Yes, but I’m still not clear on it.

37% No, what’s that?

If you do not receive Earnshaw’s weekly newsblast, sign up today at www.earnshaws.com.

earnshaws.com

Heir Apparent • continued from page 34

Family Ties • continued from page 31

able and natural for us,” Bill said. “When you think about what makes a business work, a lot of it is based on trust and reliability. Who better than my wife?”

With Gina heading up the public relations and Bill focusing on sales, Gina believes they have developed an effective “divide-and-conquer” strategy while also being fully capable of covering for each other when needed. “We don’t closely monitor what each other does,” Gina said. “We’ve built this brand together and are very satisfied overseeing it, maintaining it and keeping a tight hand on it.”

According to Gina, she and Bill love the flexibility of being their own bosses and having time to spend with their young daughter, who often travels to trade shows with them. While both attest to being on the same page most of the time, there have been instances when they haven’t seen eye to eye. When that happens, Gina said they listen to each other’s arguments and often take some time to think about it alone. “We’re both Italian, so we don’t hide things or not talk about things,” Bill said with a laugh. Gina also feels their Italian heritage plays a role in their success and ability to successfully function as a family unit in a professional setting.

“Look at the Missonis or Ferragamos—they have been together for decades and still put out an amazing product,” Gina said. “They have great work ethic. Working with family is the best, best possible scenario.”

Rock N Moms Erin Miramon recalls how her sister Kadie Martini and mom Debbie Blurton used to sit by the pool, chatting about how they would love to go into business together. The only problem: They needed a product they felt passionate about. Once Miramon and Martini had children of their own, however, they soon discovered the lack of affordable, attractive and functional diaper bags and launched Auburn, Calif.-based Rock N Moms’ tattoo-inspired collection with their mom this past May. Coming from a family-business household (Blurton and her husband owned a restaurant and a construction company), Miramon and Martini have always been comfortable working with family and believe that each member brings her own unique skill set to the table—Miramon manages the Web site and accounting, Martini handles production in China and design, and Blurton focuses on sales.

“My mom is very outgoing and good with calling people,” noted Miramon, who is also a part-time hair stylist. Blurton added, “Erin keeps us organized, Kadie is artistic and I’m not afraid to find out answers.” According to Blurton and Miramon, the secret to a successful family team is communication and being tactful yet honest with criticism. “It’s important to not take anything to heart and remember your family always comes before the business,” Miramon said.

•

earnshaws.com

that they don’t see coming and going on other girls.”

Walking the Line Among the challenges of the tween-girl segment is finding and/or creating ageappropriate attire that pleases both mom and daughter.

Most importantly, it has to be modest but not babyish.

“Nothing sexy—or what some of my customers call ‘prosti-tots,’” Bhalla noted.

“We don’t carry spaghetti straps or strapless dresses, and on the flip side, no smock dresses.”

“The tween market is more sophisticated, which is difficult for the parents,” Yamartino said. “We work very hard to find the balThe Collection ance between appropriateby Sara Sara ness and trendy. I have a -year-old daughter, and I only choose things that I would allow her to wear.”

Klein agreed that given the age group, some modesty must prevail. “They want to look like the juniors,” she noted, “But parents don’t want them to look too much like their big sisters. It can’t be sexy. No sexy junior look for a girl who’s .”

Fit is another factor that comes into play, as all girls develop at a different pace. “A-line works well for girls this age as does a narrow kimono look, which has a more a raglan sleeve and a fuller style,” Bhalla said. “Girls in particular are hitting puberty at different ages. The A-line silhouette is flattering on everyone.”

Bhalla also asserted that tween girls are averse to poufy dresswear. “They don’t want frou frou and fluff. The silhouette is a lot more streamlined and modest at the bust. That’s an area where there is a lot—or not a lot—going on, and girls are sensitive to that.” A classic jewel neckline works, she reported, while in terms of skirt lengths, styles that hit just above or below the knee do best. Meanwhile, long skirts aren’t big sellers in her store.

So where is the tween market heading? Industry insiders say the answer lies with the girls themselves. “The tween market is probably the hardest market because of the age they are in,” Chang said. “They want to look grown up but not too grown up; they want to stand out but also want to fit in; they like you one day when the day before you weren’t their favorite.”

And a fact not to be forgotten: Today’s tweens are acutely aware of what’s hot, style-wise. “They’re very much in tune with fashion and they know who’s wearing what through the Internet, magazines, movies, etc.,” Chang said. “It is [the designers’] homework to study and keep a closer look at what our girls are looking for.”

So in which direction does she see tween tastes swaying? “You’d have to ask them—they are in total control.”

•

February 2009

55

Earnshawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marketplace

Earnshawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marketplace

CALENDAR Market dates and events.

JULY

8-11

14-20 CMC Gift & Home Market California Market Center Los Angeles, CA (213) 630-3600 www.californiamarketcenter.com

(404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com

Midwest Children’s Apparel Group Embassy Suites Deerfield, IL (248) 478-1732 www.midwestchildrensapparelgroup.com

22-25 Atlanta Women’s & Children’s Apparel/Accessories Market AmericasMart Atlanta, GA (800) 272-7469 www.nyigf.com

10-12 United Boston Children’s Wear Show 75 McNeil Way Dedham, MA (781) 407-0055

AUGUST 5-7 FFANY Millennium Broadway Hotel & FFANY member showrooms New York, NY www.ffany.org

31-Sept. 2 KIDShow Bally’s Las Vegas, NV (973) 340-0256 www.kidshow.cc

13-16

7-11

Dallas Apparel & Accessories Market Dallas Market Center Dallas, TX (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com

LA Fashion Market California Market Center Los Angeles, CA (213) 630-3600 www.californiamarketcenter.com

New York International Gift Fair Javitz Center, Piers 92 & 94 New York, NY

15-20

Editor’s Note: Show dates for all listings are subject to change. Please call the phone numbers or check the Web sites for a schedule of events. Show sponsors may e-mail updates to nyeditorial@symphonypublishing.com.

Earnshaw’s Marketplace

Find tomorrow’s trends now.

WHERE2BUY

Pampered

Piddies () -

ChuckleBerries () -

P.J. Salvage () -

Emile et Rose () -

Runaway Rabbit () -

Flip () -

Skivvydoodles () -

CLASSIFIEDS Christine McCarthy Sales Management/Consultant, NY Trade Show Services 203-870-0980 www.cmsmllc.com

Jacqui’s Preemie Pride () - Kushies () -

Grace

Kumquat () -

Andrea’s Beau () -

Little Me () -

Anita G () -

Purple Mountain Baby () -

Blush by Us Angels () -

Sprout () -

Catherine Stein Design () -

Tiny Bundles () -

Erge () - Faigie () -

Unwrapped

Forever Girl () -

AimeeJ () -

Heir () -

Bob’s Your Uncle () -

Hollyworld () -

Gem Baby () -

Funky Kids () -

Go Belly Go () -

KC Parker () -

Isoki () -

Kiddo () -

Lighten My Labor () -

Kitty Girls Design () -

Muze () -

Kitty Kat () -

Rock N Moms () -

LA Made () -

Tree by Kerri Lee () -

Me Too () -

Wish Upon a Star () -

Miss Me () -

I Spy

Pink Pewter () -

Best of Chums () -

Plum () -

Haba USA () -

RockinRobin () -

Hatley () -

Sister Sam () -

Plastisock () -

Surri () -

Skip Hop () -

The Collection by Sara Sara

Valize () -

() -

Winter Water Factory () -

Trimfit () -

Zutano () -

The Goods At Home () - B. Steps () - Karmel Corn () - Laura Dare () - Nowali () -

SLASH WAREHOUSE EXPENSES My Boy Sam Ltd. has been shipping retailers for 17 years both correctly and cost effectively.

We do every aspect from order entry to shipping.

Located in Northwest Connecticut We can move your expenses to profits Contact us at: Cottonsafe@skivvydoodles.com

ADINDEX Babe Ease ...................................................... 57 Bon Bébé ...................................................... CIV Bows Arts....................................................... 58 Brown Bag Brands ....................................... 17 Children’s Great Shoe Event ....................... 21 Classroom School Uniforms ...................... 19 Cookie Jar ........................................................ 1 DKNY................................................................. 2 Dots & Dreams.............................................. 39 Genuine Rose................................................... 3

earnshaws.com

Gigi’s................................................................ 57 Happy Heinys ................................................. 56 Hawke & Co. ..................................................CII Huggalugs ...................................................... 56 Isoki ................................................................. 57 Jack & Lily ........................................................ 6 Krickets ...........................................................41 Little Fit .......................................................... 58 No Slippy Hair Clippy.................................... 57 Pinc Premium ............................................... 13

Pink Axle......................................................... 57 Pippi Tails ....................................................... 56 Rockin’ Baby Sling ........................................ 58 Short ............................................................... 56 Silly Souls by babygags................................ 17 Skechers .......................................................CIII Specialty Trade ................................................ 7 Stylease .......................................................... 56 Teeny Tiny Optics........................................... 57 Western Chief .................................................. 5

February 2009

59

Winter Water Factory tee

Zutano outfit

Hatley cotton pajamas

Best of Chums felt appliqué tee with pants and cap Valize gift set

Plastisock cotton dress Skip Hop dining set

Haba USA extra-strong umbrella

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEAN POWELL

Under The Big Top Kids run away with circus prints and accessories.

BY ANGELA VELASQUEZ 60

February 2009

earnshaws.com