Earnshaw's | March 2015

VOLUME 99 NUMBER 3

BON BÉBÉ AND ROS I E POPE TE AM UP • EUROPE ’S FALL FASH ION • SWEET W ILL I AM HE ADS WEST • ACCESSORY SUCCESS

MARCH 201 5 $10.00

THAT

’70S STYLE

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EARNSHAW’S INFANTS, GIRLS AND BOYS WEAR REVIEW ISSN 0161-2786 (USPS-320-090) The business and fashion magazine of the childrenswear industry is published 10x a year by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 36 Cooper Square, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003. The publishers of this magazine do not assume responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Periodicals postage is paid in New York, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. Subscription price for one year: U.S. $48; Rates outside U.S. available upon request. Single price copy, $5. Copyright 2011 by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC. Postmaster: Send address changes to Earnshaw’s Infants, Girls and Boys Wear Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853-8548. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Any photographs, artwork, manuscripts, editorial samples or merchandise sent for editorial consideration are sent at the sole risk of the sender. Symphony Publishing NY, LLC will assume no responsibility for loss or damage. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in USA.

MARCH 2015

4 Editor’s Note 6 Talking Points 8 Hot Properties 10 Fresh Finds 16 On Trend 46 Behind the Seams 56 The Pulse

button-down, vest, cardigan, pants, shoes courtesy of Astoria Bowl.

On cover: printed blouse, cardigan,

culottes, socks, stylist’s own

silk scarf. Photography by Franck Malthiery/Kate Ryan Inc.; styling by Mindi Smith/Sarah Laird & Good Company; hair and makeup by Lindsey Williams/Kate Ryan Inc. Shot on location at Van Nest Lanes, NYC.

FEATURES20 Shine On From rings with bling to ties with style, pros reveal how to spruce up sales with the right accessories.

22 California Dreamin’ Owner Bronagh Staley shares the story behind Sweet William’s new West Coast home.

26 Next Generation Looking for more millennial customers? Bon Bébé Creative Director Jim McPherson and maternity fashion expert Rosie Pope believe their new layette line may be a perfect match.

40 Regal Scene Opulent details fit for royalty ruled the runways at shows like Playtime Paris and Pitti Immagine

FASHION30 Let the Good Times Roll Fall fashion revisits

Noelle Heffernan Publisher

Audrey Goodson Kingo Editor in Chief

Nancy Campbell Trevett McCandliss Creative Directors

EDITORIAL Lyndsay McGregor Senior Editor Social Media Editor

Tara Anne Dalbow Fashion Editor

Lauren Fusilier Assistant Editor

ADVERTISING Caroline Diaco Group Publisher

Jennifer Craig Special Accounts Manager

PR ODU CTION Tim Jones Deputy Art Director Production Manager

Mike Hoff Webmaster

CONTACT INFO Sales/Editorial Offices 36 Cooper Square, 4th floor

[email protected] editorialrequests@ 9threads.com

Circulation Office Joel Shupp

[email protected]

CORPORATE 9Threads

Xen Zapis, Chairman Lee Zapis, President Rich Bongorno, CFO Debbie Grim, Controller

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THERE’S NOTHING THAT disappoints me more working in this industry than when I receive an email from a new brand letting me know it has decided to focus exclusively on direct-to-consumer sales.

As the editor in chief of a magazine that represents retailers, it’s a bummer to know our readers will have one less fantastic brand to stock on their shelves. As a shop-per, I worry for the future of retail. Where

will we go for all those last-minute gifts without a brick-and-mortar boutique nearby?

And—not to sound too hyperbolic here—I sometimes fear for the future of our com-munities and neighborhoods. I would like to think there are still a few places left, aside from the nearby brewpub, where everybody knows your name.

But mostly I worry for the company itself. My first question is: What’s your strategy? How do you plan to reach thou-sands of shoppers without a large network of retailers acting as your brand ambas-sadors? Is your e-commerce platform prepared to handle a heavy volume of shoppers on both web and mobile? Is your website flawlessly designed in a way that reflects your desired image? Do you have the marketing budget to reach a demo-graphically and geographically diverse array of potential customers? Do you know the ins and outs of online advertising and search engine optimization? Are you pre-pared to give away thousands of dollars in merchandise on mom blogs and social media? Speaking of social media, do you have thousands of followers, or do you have a strategy for acquiring thousands of fol-lowers?

Call me biased, but I think there’s no better advocate for brands than their retail partners. After all, shopowners have a vest-ed interest in the success of the merchan-dise in their stores. I’ve seen so many savvy retailers use everything from Instagram to in-store events to help promote their stores and the lines they carry. Eyana Carballo, the owner of Brooklyn, NY-based Stork, coordinates an annual runway show with

editor’s note

AUDREY GOODSON [email protected]

Do direct-to-consumer sales really offer growing companies the chance to reach thousands of customers?

neighborhood kids modeling the products she stocks in her shop. It gets tons of cover-age on social media and neighborhood blogs. Chris Richardson, the owner of Kangaroo Pouch in Myrtle Beach, SC, hosts a movie night at a nearby theatre, where hundreds of her shoppers have the chance to meet, mingle and win some of the store’s gear. Not to mention, most children’s boutiques now offer everything from breastfeeding to babywearing classes, giving their custom-ers more than one reason to stop by and see what’s new. How can an online-only brand build that level of trust with its customers?

For this month’s On the Block, I had the pleasure of chatting with Bronagh Staley, the owner of Sweet William, about her new Los Angeles location (p. 22). Thanks to Staley’s unerring eye, Sweet William has become a bellweather of sorts for identify-ing hot new children’s labels. There’s a solid argument to be made that brands like Mini Rodini, Bobo Choses, Coral & Tusk and Hansa wouldn’t be where they are today if Staley hadn’t first stocked them in her trendsetting boutique. And I’m sure the same could be said for any number of com-panies on the market. We all know big box vendors often look to specialty stores to find the next big thing.

I’m not a complete Luddite. I know the future of retail will involve a combination of both online and in-person shopping. But I would caution children’s manufacturers not to get too caught up in today’s fascinat-ing technology and remember the way most Americans still shop: at the last minute, with a trusted vendor they know by name or for pure tactile pleasure. And you can’t rep-licate that experience online.

ConnectionsMissed

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TalkingPoints

Collaboration NationUp-and-coming brands and small businesses are discovering

that they, too, can benefit from the sharing economy.

IT’S TIME TO start caring about shar-ing. As many cash-strapped consum-ers increasingly embrace collabora-tive consumption—using Airbnb when traveling as an alternative to hotels, or car-sharing service Zipcar instead of a personal vehicle—retailers can also benefit by dipping into the shared economy. Macy’s and Foot Locker have teamed up with Silicon Valley startup Deliv, which crowdsources drivers to pick up online orders from local stores in select markets and deliver them that same day. Meanwhile, ser-vices marketplace Fiverr is an online community of individuals willing to do tasks like business card or logo

the pond, quirky kids’ clothing and toy store Three Potato Four, located on a high-density street in London, invites retailers of all kinds to rent space in one of its windows.

-dren’s clothing brand Aloetree Kids, the sharing economy makes good business sense. Last year, she moved into a shared office space with SoapBox Soaps after meeting the team behind the all-natural soap com-pany at an entrepreneur event in Washington, DC. “They have a social mission, too, so I’ve made a lot of new contacts. And they learned a lot through their own mistakes and want to help keep others from making the same mistakes they did,” Phan explains, adding, “It’s been really great because it’s hard work to start a business and there’s a level of energy in our office that we can share together.”

Exposure to a common consumer is another advantage. Los Angeles-based kids’ accessories line Peppercorn Kids contributed to a Tea Collection photo shoot in exchange for credit in the brand’s catalog a few years ago. “It’s hard to measure if it helped sales but it definitely had an effect,” says Owner Vaida Onesto, noting that she also co-sponsored one of Tea’s retailer workshop events, which put her label in front of the bigger brand’s established following. Similarly, Little Me partnered with detergent company Dreft last year: All of the babies featured in Dreft’s

commercials and marketing mate-rials wore Little Me clothing, while all of Little Me’s hangtags suggested washing with Dreft.

“Marketing exchanges are powerful and inexpensive, and can have an expansive reach,” agrees Jamara Ghalayini, owner of upscale kids’ bou-tique Pumpkinheads in Los Angeles. She regularly teams up with neigh-boring children’s service providers such as gyms and Mommy and Me groups, posting about them on the Pumpkinheads blog in exchange for e-mail blasts about her store. There was even an Easter when she shared her space with A Real Treat, a local vegan candy vendor. “This allowed us to do a full-on Easter merchandis-ing window and have fabulous add-ons for Easter packages,” she shares, adding that she’s thinking of partner-

ing with a local toy store in the future.But is the sharing economy a passing fad or something that’s here to

stay? Onesto points out that there’s a lot of potential for complementing businesses to cross-promote each other and tap into a wider consumer base, but she warns that an element of trust must be present. “It could be a competitive threat, but I think if both parties act in good faith and respect and have a good understanding of the commitment then it’s a great idea,” she says. Ghalayini echoes this: “It can get sticky if some-one feels slighted.” Not to mention, as Phan cautions, “Different busi-nesses have different objectives and if you’re really small, like me, you need to be careful to maintain your company vision and structure and not be unduly influenced.”

If all goes well, sharing can be a win-win. “For example, a clothing store may obtain shoes from a nearby children’s shoe store to complete their window display. Then when customers come in and buy the outfit, they can see that the perfect shoes are available nearby, too,” Ghalayini suggests, noting that the shoe store could also refer their clients to the clothing store in return. “That could help both stores to reach more cus-tomers and become a more relevant destination.”

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W I N T ER

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in Italy for over 50 years, Brums will bring its fashion-forward threads to the American market in Fall ’15, thanks to a partnership with the Specialty Apparel Group, which will be distributing the col-lection. The extensive line runs from newborn to size 14 for girls and size 16 for boys. Aaron Kassin,

a partner at Specialty Apparel Group, cites the breadth of the brand as one of its major strengths. “I don’t see a retailer in the country who couldn’t find something to put in their stores,” he states.

The collection contains everything from basic tops and bottoms to hoodies and ski jackets, as well as outerwear accessories like hats, scarves and gloves. Fabrics run the gamut from soft terry and cotton for newborns to knits, wovens and poly-filled waterproof materials for older kids. For boys, basic navy, tan and gray receive a dose of vibrancy with pops of golden yellow, burgundy and orange in color-blocked, striped and camo patterns.

In the girls’ line, basic solids in surprising shades of burgundy, cobalt blue and blood orange appear next to large-scale floral, animal and plaid prints. Fun graphics with forest animals, upbeat sayings and Disney characters from 101 Dalmatians, The Aristocats and The Rescuers are also featured across the lines. Overall, Kassin notes the collection is somewhat conservative for a European brand—what he describes as, “a more globally acceptable, finished look” that still maintains an on-trend edge.

Wholesale prices range from $7 to $10 for winter accessories, $8 to $36 for tops and sweat-ers, $10 to $36 for bottoms and $30 to $100 for coats. For more information email [email protected]. —Lauren Fusilier

HOTP R O P E R T I E S

Bella VitaItalian staple Brums makes its stateside debut.

to character-driven outerwear, MAG Brands knows a thing or two. Already manufacturing products for the likes of Frozen, My Little Pony and Spider-Man, the Sesame Street set is a logical addition to its portfolio. “The texture of the Sesame Street characters lend themselves naturally to soft, fuzzy and warm items,” declares Bianca Rushton, account executive at MAG Brands LLC.

Launching in Fall ’15, the collection includes snowsuits, prams and coats for boys and girls. Elmo is the star—Rushton cites him as the number one character for both boys and girls—but Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster and Abby Caddabby also appear on select items. For boys, look for varsity, ski and reversible styles in red and black colorways. For girls, peplum and A-line silhouettes, as well as reversible syles, come in a range of red, soft and hot pinks, black and purple. Key fab-rics include polar fleece, sherpa and micro fibers, enlivened with pops of fur, metallics and color blocking. Sizes range from newborn to toddler up to size 7 with wholesale prices from $7 to $20. Email [email protected] to learn more. —L.F.

invites audiences to meet the little voices inside the mind of Inside Out’s Riley, who is guided by emotions Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness in the Headquarters of Riley’s mind. Toy maker TOMY will launch a collection of character-driven toys in May to coincide with the film’s June 19th release. Willie Wilkov, chief mar-keting officer at TOMY, declares the Inside Out character license a good fit for the brand’s historically innovative product offerings. “These

characters are so great. They’re funny, they appeal to a wide variety of consumers who will connect to their vibrant personalities and toys are a great way to bring these characters home,” he states.

The collection will feature the five principal emotion characters in a variety of different sized figures and plush toys, as well as playsets that interact with the figures. The Emotion Console and Headquarters Playset, sold separately, cause the

figures to light up when placed nearby and project static memory scenes from the movie when put “in control” of the console. The plush offerings are for ages 3 and up, while the figures and playsets are for ages 4 and up. Wholesale prices range from $2 to $30. For more information, contact Director of Sales Vickie Feldmann, (563) 875-5600. —L.F.

Animal HouseMAG Brands inks deal with Sesame Street to produce outerwear.

Head GamesDisney teams up with TOMY to bring Inside Out to life.

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R E S H

For kids who can’t—or won’t—tie their laces, Brooklyn, NY-based lands on the scene in 2015 with a stretchy alternative that transforms any lace-up into a slip-on. Made from a high-performance elastomer developed by parent company Hickies, these “laces” thread through the eyelets of any shoe and snap securely in place for a hassle-free fit or stretch to slide the shoe on and off. Available in a rainbow of color options and wholesaling for $4.50 per pack of 10, Doohickies can be customized into all kinds of combinations and pat-terns. Go to www.doohickies.com.

Italian childrenswear brand , which debuted exclusively at Nordstrom in Spring ’15, is ramping up its retail presence for fall. Designed by Margherita Maccapani Missoni Amos, granddaughter of the couple behind the Missoni fashion empire, the Fall ’15 collection offers a con-temporary take on a ’60s-inspired aesthetic. Dresses, tops, skirts, leggings, sweaters and outerwear in a mélange of tweedy knits, checks, washed cottons and quilted jerseys come in rich shades of cranberry, navy, charcoal and gold, while faux fur, neoprene and lurex add a touch of flair. A daisy motif (the line’s namesake in Italian) weaves a com-mon thread throughout, popping up in 3-D appliqués, embroidery and prints. Wholesaling from $8 to $40, sizes range from 6 to 24 months for babies and 2 to 10 years for girls. Visit www.margheritakids.com.

Looking to freshen up your selec-tion of baby girl products that appeal to millennial moms? Meet Lait-ette, the latest collection from . Available in sizes newborn to 24 months, each piece is designed to be versatile, soft and comfortable. Comprising one-pieces, footies, leggings, tops and jackets, as well as bibs, hats, swaddle blankets and soft toys, the collection is divided into groupings dubbed “Cute as a Button,” “Young at Art” and “Little Kingdom,” and comes in a soft palette of gray, cream and baby pink. Wholesale prices range from $4 to $28. Check out www.biscotti andkatemack.com.

San Francisco-based is supplementing its core selection of super-soft baby basics with a bamboo-based collection of layette and swaddles set to launch in Fall ’15. The 16-year-old company has always been committed to using organic fabrics when possible and bamboo is not only eco-friendly, it’s also hypoallergenic, thermo-regulating and breathable, making it suitable for babies with extra-sen-sitive skin. Wholesaling from $16 to $22, gowns, footies, two-piece sets, blankets, bibs and beanies feature three new prints: blue pirate pups for boys, pink mermaids for girls and a gender-neutral option star-ring safari animals. Sizes range from 0-3 to 18-24 months. Go to www.angeldear.net.


There’s more to Chicago-based

than party dresses. The label, which debuted to buyers at January’s ENK Children’s Club, aims to raise social awareness by donat-ing a portion of all proceeds to charities that fight for chil-dren’s rights to educa-tion around the world. Wholesaling from $34 to $47, the collection combines Eastern influences with a Western aesthetic to offer an array of A-line silhouettes embel-lished with embroi-dered lace, rhinestone trimmings and shim-mering sequins. Visit www.evalinadresses.com.

Known for its whimsical array of hats, legwarmers, sweaters and pettiskirts, is growing its offering in Fall ’15 with vintage-inspired bonnets for babies. Wholesaling for $7.50 each, the eight styles draw inspiration from heirloom patterns and come in solids (white, pink and blue), seer-sucker, lace and eyelet options. Suitable for everyday wear to protect little ones from sun and wind, sizes for the bon-nets range from 0-3 months to 6-12 months for boys and up to 18-24 months for girls. Go to www.huggalugs.com.

R E S H R E S H

If your customers covet the caliber of kids’ fashion that gets snapped for street style blogs from Paris to Tokyo,

hopes its market debut will satisfy that thirst for international panache. The New York City-based label launches in Fall ’15 with a runway-inspired collec-tion of threads for kids sizes 2 to 8 years. Made using 100 percent natural fibers and low impact dyes, styles span crisp button-downs and blazers for boys to chic shift dresses and blouses for girls. And the line is not without its whimsy—pants and shirtsleeves can be cuffed to reveal contrast lin-ings. Wholesale prices range from $18 to $55. Check out www.marinandmorgan.com.

British brand makes its stateside debut in Fall ’15 with a line of combination dribble cloths/teethers. Created by moms to help simplify teething necessities, the brand offers the snap-backed bib neckerchew and the safety blanket comfortchew that attaches to a car seat, stroller or baby. Both come with a chewable teether attached and are made using a soft cotton material featuring safari and vin-tage-inspired floral prints, as well as classic stripes. Intended for children ages 3 to 36 months, wholesale prices range from $9.50 to $14.75. Check out www.kalencom.com.

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R E S H

From the makers of Mustard Pie comes

, a clothing line for girls sizes 2 to 16 years that wants to empower free-spirited children to feel good about themselves. The label, which launched in Fall ’14, fuses hippy, gypsy and boho-chic styles à la Free People to bow a Fall ’15 collection chock full of prints, tie dyes, trims, fringe and denim, designed to be mixed, matched and layered for the ultimate expression of personality through style. Designed in Chicago and made in India, the brand is also in talks to partner with several anti-bullying organizations through fundraisers and dona-tions. Wholesale prices range from $14 to $44. Visit www.jakandpeppar.com.

Swimwear label may have

dipped a toe into play-wear for Spring ’15, but it’s diving headfirst into the category for fall. And while its swim collections are typically print-heavy, the playwear selection is anything but. Inspired by the athleisure trend that’s taken over the adults’ market, the line comprises comfy sweatpants, hood-ies, skirts and dresses in a toned-down palette of marled purple, blue, berry and pink. Sweatshirts and long-sleeve tees, mean-while, are livened up with with illustrations, metal-lic bows or pom-poms, designed to pair as per-fectly with the collection’s black and silver tutus as with the casual bottoms. Wholesaling from $12 to $23, sizes range from 2T to 6X. Check out www.floatimini.com.

After a soft launch in Fall ’13, Mack & Co. is hoping its new brand will make a dent in the girls’ outerwear market in Fall ’15. Combining custom-made fabrics and fashion-forward designs with 3M Thinsulate insulation and down-filled lining, the col-lection includes such styles as a silver-gray topper accented by tulle and faux fur and a coral puffer with a ruffled skirt and faux fur collar. Wholesaling from $79 to $126, sizes range from 12 months to 14 years. Visit www.magpiecoats.com.

Kate Bowen didn’t want her two daughters to look back at baby pictures and cringe at how she had dressed them in matching outfits, but she did want them to stylishly (and easily) coordinate for special occa-sions. That’s the basis for

, a line of simple designs for girls in sizes 1 to 8 years that launches this spring. The Fall ’15 collection follows suit, with printed leg-gings, tunics, sweaters and skirts that can stand alone or mix and match with each other. Wholesaling from $14 to $28.50, everything is hand-cut and sewn in partnership with Mothers Helping Mothers, a nonprofit in Honduras, dedicated to elevating women out of poverty. Check out www.petitpeony.com.

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CLUB CHILDREN’STHE

New York City Mar. 1st – 3rd


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On Trend

Rockin’ Babycardigan

The Dragon and the Rabbit

dress

Barque cardigan

Gardner and the Gang

dress

Catiminipants

Penny Candydress

Here comes the sun! Though it may not be outside, it’s shining bright on children’s fashions this fall. Instead of the lemony hues found on Michael Kors and Delpozo’s Spring ’15 catwalks, childrenswear designers are deepening the shade, begetting a richer version that skews closer to jewel tones than pretty pastels—perfect for punching up back-to-school offerings. After all, marigold lends sweet styles a scholarly sophistication when mixed with dark browns and soft grays. Plus, it looks lush on knits like cardigans and scarves and makes a bold statement on accessories ranging from caps to car-ryalls. Rain or shine, these vibrant finds should keep little ones beaming bright. –Tara Anne Dalbow

Fashion from Spain

Little Miss Zoebracelet

The Bonnie Mob

beanie

Zatchels satchel

Yellow

Mellow Rachel Riley

bow

On Trend

Coco Chanel first began utilizing her iconic tweed fabric in 1924, inspired not only by the traditional menswear of the time but also by a man, the Duke of Westminster, who often let her borrow his sportswear. Chanel real-ized that the comfortable, supple fabric could be both sophisticated and versatile and enlisted a Scottish fac-tory to begin producing it for her fashion designs. Ninety years later, a Chanel tweed jacket is still the epitome of style and class. Need an example? Just look at the fall offerings from a range of kids’ brands: The nubby fabric is revived with shots of metallic thread, pops of leather and flashy feathers, proving that Chanel was right when she said, “Fashions fade, but style is eternal.” –T.A.D.

Need for Tweed

Andy & Evan dress

Yclu’

Tartine et Chocolat

dress

Milk & Sodapurse

Elephantitodress

Biscotti dress

Kanaskirt

Nandy & Mollyshorts

Bound by the Crown

jacket

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La Dolly by Le Petit Tom

dress

Mischka Aoki jacket

Bound by the Crown

jacket

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S ANY SAVVY shop owner knows, no boutique is complete without an array of knickknacks meant to entice customers into splurging just a bit more. Scarves? Check. Hats? Of course. Jewelry? Definitely. But for kids’ retailers, carrying a wide range of adorable accessories is absolutely essential. First, the perennially popular products are a great alternative to more expensive merchandise, since they allow kids to show off their personalities at a

price parents are more willing to indulge. Second, accessories are low in cost and small in size—a boon for smaller boutiques. And the best part? Kids’ accessories sales grew by 12 percent last year and are projected to continue that climb in 2015, reports Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group, a leading market analysis authority.

Why is the future so bright for sunglasses and other accessories? Without any predominant trends in apparel—after all, everything from ’90s grunge to ’60s mod is considered cool these days—Cohen says accessories are a key way for consumers to update their ward-robes. As Esther Klein, president of Twin Stars Jewelry for girls, puts it, “Accessories provide an additional pop of personality. They should be fun, easy to pick up and priced to be an impulse buying option.”

“Treat accessories as an integral part of your business, not just as an extra, because you’d be surprised at how much they can bring in when done properly,” she continues. Miles Faust, CEO of Wee Ones, agrees. “The retailers I see that do the best with accessories are those that commit to a category, carry a wide selection, look for coordinating pieces and treat the buy as a destination, not an impulse add-on,” he advises. Are you ready to commit to carrying more and better bling in your boutique? Heed these tips to see the category soar.

MANAGE THE MIXWith so many options on the market, picking the right products can be tricky. Experts suggest sticking to two rules of thumb: Note what your customers need and let your apparel offering guide your acces-sories selection.

As for the former, the right mix is largely determined by the weather. Sunglasses will fare better in sunny California and Florida, while hats are a year-round must-have at Black Wagon boutique in Portland, OR, says Owner Sarah Shaoul. Brands like Neon Eaters and Krochet Kids Intl., as well as hats made with Pendleton fabric resonate well with customers, as they reflect the store’s fun and funky vibe while providing protection against the Pacific Northwest’s wet weather. Aside from the weather, observe your community and adjust accordingly. At Bundle of Joy in Lafayette, LA, Co-Owner Becky Leger cites hair bows as the store’s bestselling accessory because most of her small shoppers wear school uniforms and accessories provide an outlet for self-expression.

But the best accessories are the ones that will complement the apparel on your shelves. “I look at the clothes I’ve bought and go heavy with colors and patterns that match when picking my accessories,” Leger reveals. In fact, sister team Debbie Gans Morris and Sue Gans Curran of Pollywogs boutique in Needham, MA, wait until after they’ve ordered apparel to begin organizing their accessories buy. Then, they select a range of items that coordinate well with the season’s clothes. And if they can’t find matching items, they utilize local craftspeople to create headbands and barrettes that complete the store’s outfits. As Curran points out, “They add a lot to the store, but you’ve got to be unafraid to spend a bit on them.”

TRACK TRENDSWhile it’s more important to craft your selection based on the

SHOP class

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Brooklyn-born children’s store Sweet William finds a new home in Los Angeles— proving that Owner Bronagh Staley’s sense of style knows no boundaries.

California Dreamin’

IT MAKES SENSE that a neighborhood known for its fashion-for-ward inhabitants would be the birthplace of a trendsetting children’s

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, she had no idea the boutique would become a bellwether for kids’ fashion. She just filled it with collections she liked, items that were tough to find in the more traditional-minded world of children’s apparel. Soon enough, designers from companies

as diverse as Carter’s and Ikea were stopping by to soak up a bit of inspiration.

Today, it’s hard to imagine the stylish store without thinking of its well-known locale, and though Staley is committed to maintaining a brick-and-mortar pres-ence in Williamsburg, the Sweet William brand has

opened a second location in Manhattan’s Soho neigh-borhood, and just last year the store made its big-gest move yet, to the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.

So how did an East Coast retail staple fare with West Coast shoppers? “It’s surpassing my expecta-tions,” Staley shares. It was especially gratifying since the same products are stocked in all three stores, she adds. Too short on time to adjust her merchan-dise for the California climate—the shop opened in November of last year—she was relieved to note that, aside from a few heavy jackets and fabrications, her Los Angeles customers snapped up the very same items as the store’s New York devotees.

Then again, the success of the new Los Angeles location can probably be attributed in large part to the success of the Sweet William brand itself. The first to carry quirky European labels like Mini Rodini and Bobo Choses, as well as Brooklyn-based toys and décor by Coral & Tusk, the shop quickly developed a reputation as a harbinger of market trends—due in large part to the discerning eye of Staley herself, who handles all the buying.

The Sweet William brand has become so well known, in fact, that Staley is launching a private children’s

Working side by side with a designer to pick out the collection’s fabrics and silhouettes, she describes Fort William as a “natural evolution of the business” that will complement the lines in the store without competing with them—a truly original brand, much like the labels on the stores’ shelves.

THE BEGINNINGStaley was a fashion editor at magazine when she left her job

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www.rosalitasenoritas.com+34 983 403 003


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to spend more time with her new-born son. Instead, she decided to employ her knowledge of kids’ fash-ion and open a boutique filled with a few of her favorite brands. Little did she know she would spend the next four years working six days a week, but all the hard work paid dividends in the end, she acknowl-edges: “I really got to know my cus-tomer, which I continue to think is fundamental.” Her typical shop-pers are “people with their own vision”—in other words, parents who appreciate her relaxed and eclectic approach to kids’ fashion.

“I’m very intuitive about it,” she says of her overall approach to buy-ing, “If I respond to something and I like it, I’ll get behind it. I never look at other people’s websites or other stores. I don’t look at blogs. I just stick to my knitting and buy what I like.”

Though she was a retail novice when she opened her first location, she made sure to protect herself from competitors, since the store con-cept was based on offering one-of-a-kind merchandise. “I make sure we have exclusive distribution rights,” she shares. “I’ve always done that. I honestly feel like it has served both the store and the vendors well.”

She also picked the perfect location. A Williamsburg resident since -

dents who helped transform the locale from an industrial outpost to an enclave for artists, musicians and other dapperly dressed members of the creative class. But shortly before opening the store, she began noticing a new development on Williamsburg’s sidewalks: strollers. Not to mention, she had firsthand knowledge that many of the area’s residents were starting to have kids, since Staley and her husband, Peter, had just become parents themselves. She suspected the neighborhood’s new moms and dads would appreciate the same designs she loved—and she was right.

Today, Sweet William’s shelves are stocked with a wide range of brands, from hidden gems like Soor Ploom to popular picks by Winter Water Factory. In addition to a diverse mix of gifts, toys and apparel, she also makes sure to offer a wide range of price points. “I could sell a really spe-

a gift. I am very conscious about making sure everything is covered,” she explains.

Sweet William is unusual in another way, as well: Half of the store’s merchan-dise is devoted to boys. “Luckily enough, we’ve always been able to sell boys’ clothes, which a lot of stores struggle with. That’s one of the reasons I called the boutique Sweet William—I wanted a boys’ name in there because I never wanted to abandon

the boys’ side of the business,” she says. As for why the store has been so successful in a tricky market seg-ment, she chalks it up to her love of casual, comfortable looks that veer a bit off the traditional route. (One of her rules? “I never buy collared shirts for boys.”)

“Often, many mainstream stores aren’t very open-minded when it comes to boys. I understand why: A lot of women will come in and say, ‘Oh my husband would never want my son to wear this,’ even when the item is very neutral and unisex,” she continues. “Our boys’ looks probably appeal to our customer because our customer wouldn’t

want to dress their boy in what’s offered in every store.”

HEADING WESTAlthough Staley, born and raised in Ireland, and her husband Peter, a native New Yorker, loved their Brooklyn abode, they also felt the call of the California coast. As she puts it, “It was always in our minds: What would it be like to move there and open a store?” So last summer, they set off on a cross-country road trip with their son, now 7, and their 3-year-old daughter. Serendipitously, Staley received a call around that time from a couple of retailers in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, to let her know that a local children’s store, Tomboy Kids, was closing. Would she be interested in taking over the spot?

“It all happened very organically,” she recalls. “We went to see it, we couldn’t say no and we signed the lease in August. We drove back to New York City, put our house up for sale, packed everything up, moved

out there in September and opened in November.”

Peter, an artist, designed and constructed the Los Angeles store by hand, just as he did for both the Brooklyn and Manhattan locations. Natural wood paneling lines the walls at all of the stores, and shelves propped up by tree branches are adorned with a plethora of Hansa’s realistic plush animals. And no Sweet William store would be complete without its signature diora-mas filled with woodland creatures—a feature that customers have replicated in their kids’ bedrooms.

The new home base, however, does include one unique feature: a private office where Staley can juggle the demands of oversee-ing three brick-and-mortar boutiques, a busy website and the store’s new private line. And if the feedback she’s received at the Silver Lake location is any indica-tion, she may be even busier in the next few years. “A lot of people are coming in and saying, “‘Thank goodness you finally opened here. When are you opening on

Atsuyo et Akiko T-shirts, Popupshop swim-suits and anything by Nico Nico. They just do really well in general for girls.

Popupshop sweaters (They’re all organic and the quality is amazing.), Kidscase shorts and pants and anything by Dagmar Daley. It’s very classic and cute.

Misha and Puff does well. And Soor Plum—it’s really well made. Ketiketa and 1+ in the Family are both new but are doing really well.

Yume bunnies, Atsuyo et Akiko accessories, Hansa plush animals and H-Luv mobiles and mushroom toys.

WHAT’S SELLING AT

S W E E T W I L L I A M

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FIRST COMES LOVE, then comes marriage, then comes a couture maternity line—if you’re pregnancy and parenting expert Rosie Pope. Best known for her role as the tough-talking maternity pro on the Bravo TV show

, where she helped New York City moms-to-be navigate the world of new motherhood, Pope got her

neighborhood catering to well-to-do moms, designing custom gowns and offering concierge services.

Although the show quickly became known for her cli-ents’ outlandish requests (like asking for a couture gown to give birth in), Pope herself developed a reputation for

her down-to-earth, relatable demeanor, particularly after the show provided a realistic portrayal of her fertility struggles. Thanks to Pope’s growing popularity and unerring business acumen, her empire quickly expanded beyond custom gowns to include a ready-to-wear maternity line and three brick-and-mortar stores in Los Angeles and New York City. Meanwhile, Pope was putting her baby knowledge to the test, as a mother of four.

“As our brand was developing, I was also developing in the space, having babies myself, and becoming more con-fident through experience in helping people along their journeys,” Pope recalls. “From the very beginning, we

Q&A

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always wanted to follow parents along their journey of parenthood. We never wanted to stay in pregnancy, although I think pregnancy is a very important place to start because that’s where parenting begins. So when we felt it was the right time, we’d always planned to move into baby.”

When went off the air in 2012, Pope was able to keep growing her personal brand as a parenting guru, in part because of the many fans who rely on the advice she dishes out in her classes and bestselling book, . For Jim McPherson, creative director at Bon Bébé, that’s what made Pope a perfect fit for the long-running babywear manufacturer. “She’s the quintessential know-it-all mom who can present her knowledge in a fun, non-pretentious, accessible way that moms—regardless of their economic status or cultural back-ground—can understand,” he explains.

“Her message gives mothers and fathers a lot more confidence in what they do, especially if they’re first-time parents.”

Not to mention, McPherson loved the baby line Pope had created in-house for her Rosie Pope stores. Looking to branch out beyond Bon Bébé’s successful core business, McPherson reached out to Pope about creating a wide-ranging collection that would appeal to today’s millennial parents. After striking a licensing deal last year, Bon Bébé introduced two lines under the Rosie Pope brand in Spring ’15: The Collection and Rosie Pope Baby. Filled with newborn essentials like bodysuits, gowns, kimono sets and blankets, as well as fashion pieces for girls in both bright and neutral patterns, The Collection is targeted toward specialty and higher-tier department stores, with a wholesale price range of $8 to $25.

But it’s the Rosie Pope Baby collection, a layette line filled with an eclectic range of contemporary prints, that Pope and McPherson really believe will resonate with today’s parents, especially at an affordable wholesale price point of $5 to $15. (For Fall ’15, the line will expand to offer playwear and hoodies.)

“What I found is there’s a lot of great stuff out there, but it all sort of sits in a very strict mold of what prints and colors are accessible. Or, it costs a million dollars. Something may be really cool, but I’m not going to pay $85 for it,” says the practical-minded Pope. “When you see your kids vomiting on themselves and then throwing slurpees at their brothers and sisters, all you can think is, ‘That cost so much money!’”

For Pope, it’s all about preserving what she’s been doing for the past seven years: solving problems for busy parents. That’s also why the lines

are chock full of useful details, like con-vertible gowns and roll-up footies—but Pope is quick to credit McPherson, as well. “Honestly, we both look at every single silhouette, and make sure we love it. Jim has four kids too, so we always make sure it’s practical.”

“That’s the funny thing about maternity design,” she continues. “I’ve been preg-nant a lot of times, but when you’re not pregnant sometimes you forget what it feels like, and you start designing stuff that actually isn’t that relevant. But when you’re a parent, you’re a parent every single day. So when someone brings in faux leather and makes a suggestion for a bodysuit, it’s pretty easy for both of us to say, ‘That’s probably not a good idea.’”

And the respect is clearly mutual. Though the collection is manufactured utilizing Bon Bébé’s extensive network of production facilities, McPherson says designing the line was a team effort.

“We’re here to assist Rosie in whatever way we can. We’re not taking the ball and running with it,” he adds. “She’s got wonderful ideas, she’s passionate about the product and she’s great to work with.”

Jim, why is the Rosie Pope brand a good fit for Bon Bébé?Jim: We felt that it really resonated with a corner of the market that we wanted to attract more. She has the millennial mom thing figured out. Her brand is hip, it’s cool, and she’s a celebrity. While we’ve had success with our in-house label, we really wanted to take our business to another level, and we thought the best way to do that was to find someone who not only was out there in the public spotlight, but was also all about baby. We’re a baby company, and we take great pride in the quality and safety of our products, as well as our expertise in making clothes for newborn babies. It’s

a very specialized niche. And in Rosie, we found someone who was all about baby, and very passionate about what she was doing. There are plenty of celebrities out there that have baby lines, like the Kardashians and Jessica Simpson, and they’ve been tremendously successful, and that’s great. But motherhood isn’t the core of their beings. And I’ve met Rosie’s husband, and I know her family and her kids, and I think she truly believes in what she does, and it comes through when she talks to people about it, and it comes through in the product.

Conversely, Rosie, what are the benefits of working with a

Rosie: Frozen, still. “Let It Go.” Jim: My kids are a little bit older than Rosie’s, so while I do know all the words to the Frozen soundtrack, we’ve moved on to Meghan Trainor. I have a 3-year-old who has taught me all the words to “All About that Bass,” and I won’t deny I have thrown that on once or twice in the car when I’m alone.

Rosie: Do Bubble Guppies count? My kids watch so many episodes, it’s basically the length of a movie. Jim: I haven’t been to the movies in a while, but I forced my 9-year-old son to watch Indiana Jones with me last weekend, and I really enjoyed that. He liked it. He was a little bit scared—the good kind of scared.

Rosie: I’m a Prosecco person. Jim: I’m in the scotch phase of my manhood. I’ve got a friend who’s very much into the Whiskies of the World, and he’s taken great pleasure in educating me.

Rosie: I don’t think we have any free after-noons. Jim: I would take a nap. I’ve heard about those. Rosie: I don’t mean to sound sappy, but my favorite free afternoons are when I get to hang out with my kids without working and answer-ing emails. Whenever I don’t have to take my pajamas off and get everybody into the minivan and off to four different schools, it’s amazing.

J I M A N D R O S I EUP CLOSE WITH

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plaid shirt, culottes, knit hat, stylist's own vintage belt and knee socks, clogs; blouse worn over turtleneck

sweater, bell bottoms, polka dot socks, stylist's own leather hat.

Opposite page: button-down, vest, cardigan, pants.


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polka dot blouse,

overalls, wool beret.

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burgundy dress,

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as neck tie, beret.

plaid shirt and wool pants, suspenders,

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Styling by Mindi Smith/Sarah Laird & Good Company; hair and makeup by Lindsey Williams/Kate Ryan Inc. Shot on location at Van Nest Lanes, NYC.


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for a little je ne sais quoi to spice up their fall selection know where to go every winter: the fashion capitals of Europe, where mini models strut down runways in the continent’s cool-est new collections at an array of trés-chic trade shows. From Pitti Immagine Bimbo in Milan and Playtime in Paris to Bubble in London and FIMI in Valencia, Spain,

kids’ brands touted their latest collections to retailers and trend forecasters alike, all searching for original prints, innovative fabrics and stylish silhouettes. We asked experts from the across the industry to share Europe’s biggest trends for tots for Fall ’15—and we won’t be surprised to see a few of them hop the pond in a season or two. —Tara Anne Dalbow

HIGH STREET Last season’s urban-inspired sportswear receives an elevated update for fall. “It’s all about mixing the formal and the sporty,” explains Pitti Immagine Marketing Director Agostino Poletto. “For boys that means stealing items from dad’s closet, such as a Madras blazer, and wearing it with a printed T-shirt.” Gleaning inspiration from street culture and college campuses, the focus is on layering comfortable and high-tech fabrics for boys, while girls’ styles go glam with embellished sweatshirts and dressed-up neoprene skater skirts and dresses. Also in the mix are high-shine leather track jackets and fashion-forward sneakers for both genders.

FALL/WINTER ’15 EUROPEAN TREND REPORT

REGAL SCENE

LIGHTEN UP Lovely in lav-ender or pretty in pink: Once strictly a springtime staple, candy-colored pastels paint winter collections in a soft, soothing palette for Fall ’15. Angela Martin, public rela-tions coordinator for Thread Showroom and independent consultant, reports, “We are switching gears. In spring there were a lot of darker colors and now for winter we are seeing light colors—lilacs, pinks, mint and winter whites.” Following womenswear trends toward seasonless dressing, no mate-rial or silhouette was safe from the desaturation, from fur vests to Fair Isle sweaters.

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STAMP ACT In direct competition with the minimalist knit trend are bold, all-over prints. Brooding florals bloom from black-as-night backgrounds while stars shoot across inky galaxy patterns. “There was a huge emphasis on bold prints,” shares Martin, who points toward reinvented florals and abstract designs in ’70s-inspired colorways as highlights. Ranging from digitalized photo-real graphics to hand drawn doodles, prints pack a punch against the winter blues, no matter the silhouette.



WILD SIDE “The season wouldn’t be complete without the animalier trend,” notes Poletto, who reports seeing spots on jackets, linings and dresses alike. A versatile womens-wear staple that can read both classic and sophisticated as well as spunky and fun, animal-inspired pat-terns are reimagined for the younger set in graphic prints, furry coats and with feline features embossed on leather jackets and tops for both boys and girls—all sure to leave little ones feeling fero-cious this fall.

TOT COUTURE Thanks to the de-mocracy afforded by the Internet, the once exclusive world of cou-ture is now familiar to all—and today’s crop of childrenswear designers are putting the newly accessible inspiration to use. Jewel-like cre-ations floated down fall runways in a flurry of organza, tulle, taffeta and lurex. “It’s all about opulence,” says Julie Malait, who curates the trends at Playtime Paris. Couture-level details ranging from caviar beading to extravagant embroideries were em-blazoned on everything from special occasion dresses to sweatshirts.


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DARK MAGICMany of the season’s most sought-after col-lections whisk little ones off to faraway lands with pieces inspired by fairytales. Under the same spell as the duo responsible for Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall ’14 show, which featured an array of woodland characters as well as a cameo from Little Red Riding Hood, childrenswear designers spun a story using en-chanting embellishments, naive appliqués and rich brocades. “It’s a dark fairytale, full of moody florals and storybook characters,” says Nicole Yee, childrenswear editor at Style Snoop.

KNIT WITOne of last fall’s biggest trends in womenswear, woolens return to the runway, this time on tykes. Inspired by The Row, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs, childrens-wear designers are em-bracing warm and cozy from soft knit dresses to raw-edge sweaters and oversized infinity scarfs. “Look for full-fashioned knits as being important for fall,” notes Poletto, who says cashmere, wool and fleece will star. Yee agrees, “There is an appreciation for cozy minimalism. Most items are gender neutral, but have soft, comforting fabrics.”

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GOLD RUSH European designers are going for the gold in Fall ’15. From sequins to leather, no material or embellishment was safe from Midas’s lustrous touch. Experts agree that reflective finishes will shine bright on puff-er coats, sweatshirts and formal dresses—lend-ing wardrobe staples an ounce of opulence. Poletto predicts sequin-embellished sweatshirts and metallic jacquard holiday dresses will be key for the season. Look for simple, streamlined silhouettes to keep the precious metal from out-shining smaller frames.


CHILDREN’S FOOT-WEAR line was kind of a no-brainer for Canadian expats and entrepre-neurs Matt George and

He’s known in sneaker-

mention his men’s brand, Ransom, as well as collaborations with Adidas and consulting for

the Los Angeles-based couple’s firstborn son,

5C to 2Y) and retailing from $60 to $100, the unisex line of handcrafted boots, high-tops

on their adult business with children’s as an

Dempster notes, pointing to such details

non-slip natural rubber outsoles and toddler-

has picked up the brand for spring, along with boutiques Kitson and Union in Los Angeles

collection has expanded again to include Axel,

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MERE WHISPER of the name Ugg Australia con-jures up images of comfy, cozy, shearling-lined slip-

pers and boots, a staple of off-duty wardrobes

-late that same sense of ease to childrenswear with the Fall ’15 launch of loungewear for infants and

to experience our lounge category just like they

Following in the footsteps of its men’s and women’s loungewear lines, the kids’ collection comprises robes, pants and hoodies that can be

years), are made from the same lightweight double-knit that’s used in the adult offering, as well as double-face fleece material that’s as soft

as the brand’s bestselling boots, and comes in a palette of indigo, purple, scarlet and ranger

one-pieces in baby pink, cream and baby blue options featuring an asymmetrical front zip, rag-

colors and a snuggly bear rounds out the offer-

-tion will mirror the company’s existing footwear

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realize this can be a great category for the brand

our footwear and we feel this will be a natural

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overall store aesthetic, it never hurts to know what’s hot each season. Takedowns from adult fashion will continue to pop up in the children’s market, says Jamie Wells, founder of Jamie Rae Hats. For Fall ’15, that means sleek and sophisticated neutrals, color blocking and abstract-inspired prints will dominate the market, she predicts. Alexis Eyler, owner of Lollie boutique in Evanston, IL, agrees that takedowns—such as infinity scarves in colors like aubergine and wine—will continue to play a big role in kids’ accessories.

Another trend that’s still going big? The explosive growth in the boys’ category, from bow ties to beanies. While it may not have been a big segment just a few years ago, Christine Ryan, owner of Stinky McGee ties, reports “fantastic” sales for the brand in 2014 and projects even more growth in 2015. “There are more boys’ lines coming out, as well as more parents opening up to it. It’ll become more normalized, which will lead to more sales,” she predicts. Geri Damone, co-owner of Cheeky Chic boutique in Scottsdale, AZ, carries as many accessories for boys as for girls, offering edgy options like skull-print bow

ties and fedoras from brands like Fore!! Axel & Hudson and Born to Love. “Boys are stylish these days, so you have to provide options for them,” she points out.

STAY WELL-STOCKED Accessories sales tend to mirror apparel sales, reports Faust at Wee Ones, so make sure your store is prepared to handle a surge in purchases during key seasons. “It’s actually pretty evenly split with peaks at back-to-school, holiday and Easter,” he says. Eyler agrees, noting that the sales peaks tend to follow a predictable pattern at Lollie. “In the fall and winter we sell hats, scarves and mittens,” she says. “And then in spring, we sell little treat items like nail polish or watches for Valentine’s Day and Easter gifts.” The key is preparation, in Faust’s opinion—foreseeing the seasonal surges and preparing for them when buying. “Boost inven-tory at those peak times,” he urges.

Retailers and manufacturers agree that holidays are peak times for accessories sales. Traditional holiday outfits are indeed incom-plete without stockings and hair clips, or bow ties and suspenders. And holiday accessories

can make for an affordable, adorable gift from a favorite aunt or grandpa. At Bundle of Joy, for example, Leger says bow sales are huge at Christmas with customers who don’t otherwise shop the boutique. Gift purchases drive jew-elry sales at this time of year as well, reports Alexander Singer, owner of Chanteur jewelry for girls, who says that the brand’s sales are about five times higher during the holidays.

MASTER MARGINSAccessories carry a lot of potential when it comes to boosting the bottom line, since the relatively low cost of the items often yield a more advantageous margin than clothing. (Conventional retail wisdom holds that apparel should be sold for twice its wholesale price, for a 50 percent margin.) Jewelry especially tends to have a beneficial margin. For example, Klein of Twin Stars suggests a three-time mark-up on the brand’s array of bracelets, earrings, necklaces and more. But Shaoul advocates using caution when setting a price point on accessories. “They are dependent on what the market will bear. People tend to be willing to pay more for handmade items, but they cost

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more for me so it evens out.” That said, she reports an overall margin of 60 percent for her store’s accessories, with sunglasses coming in at a whopping 73 percent.

In fact, many manufacturers who sell items on their own websites will require retailers to mark up to the brand’s online pricing or higher. For Stinky McGee, that means a minimum margin of 50 percent. At Pollywogs, the rule for margins is 50 percent plus $2 for accessories, Curran says. She and Morris have worked on building the category, she notes, adding that sales went up by 15 percent last year. Aside from more advantageous mark-ups, Curran points to one other big factor for why accessories have been a major boon for her business: Fewer mark-downs. As Faust at Wee Ones notes, accessories like hair bows tend to be timeless items that carry the benefits of being marked down less often and at lower rates.

PUT MORE ON THE FLOORWhile it may be difficult to decide just how much inventory is enough, the general rule that Eyler observes at Lollie is a good one to note: “Our space isn’t huge—only 700 square feet—but accessories are small so we pack in as much as we can.” Of course, it’s still important to keep the sales floor neat and avoid too much clutter, but adding as many accessories as possible tends to be the game plan for retailers who excel in the category.

Damone reports that accessories make up about one quarter of the inventory in Cheeky Chic because, simply, she has the space for it. Manufacturers like Chanteur and Jamie Rae Hats encourage retailers to consider dedicating 20 to 25 percent of their selection to accessories. “They are a predictable sale with a good selection and they offer good margins for a small investment,” sums up Wells.

MERCHANDISE WISELYWhile the go-to merchandising spot for accessories is near the regis-ter, it’s not a hard-and-fast rule for successful accessory sales. Shaoul gets creative at Black Wagon, putting together niche boxes based on topical themes, like nautical, horses and music, to give customers a unique view of the shop’s products. Leger clips bows onto hangers to create full coordinating outfits at Bundle of Joy, a practice that Miles Faust highly recommends for displaying Wee Ones products. Eyler observes her customers’ walking patterns at Lollie and places jars and buckets filled with small accessories in key spots. Damone goes the more traditional route of using mannequins to display full outfits at Cheeky Chic, but she also has a chair near the register where she lays out a featured outfit, complete with accessories, each day. The key, they all note, is to keep items visible so that customers don’t miss them.

Sarah Niemic, a research associate at Envirosell, a New York City-based market research firm, reports that rows of clear plastic bins housing accessories near the register is the most successful strategy for tempting shoppers to pick up add-on items. Many brands offer branded trees and displays, which can be helpful if space is limited; however, Niemic also suggests opting for horizontal bars over the traditional tree stand, which tends to get messy and makes it hard for customers to pull out items that aren’t up front.

And don’t be afraid to get creative when showing off your accessories selection. Morris at Pollywogs found a unique new headband holder on Etsy—three-tiered hanging rolls covered in bright fabrics—that has become a favorite display at the boutique. After all, if you take a

networking,” notes Lafrenz. “We’ve seen the most active followers on our social media platforms fall into this demographic.”

And with 23 percent of moms posting on social media about recent buys, according to eMarketer, they’re not afraid to go public about a purchase. The Weber Shandwick study found millennial moms “like” or recommend products or services on networks like Facebook an average of 10.4 times per month. “Because of their activity on the various social media platforms, we feel they’re searching for something unique and noteworthy, be it a limited run or emerging brand,” Lafrenz discloses. “We all love to feel like we’re a part of something new or exclusive.”

And millennial moms love to share those finds with their friends, says Rebecca Weisz, owner of Ladida, a Lakewood, NJ boutique. “These moms share their ideas and photos with one another, creating a community where everyone is having fun and shopping together,” she reflects.

GET WIRED INIn a broader sense, the Internet as a whole is also a major part of a millennial mom’s daily routine, especially when it comes to shopping. They’re

busy, they’re active and they want a painless shopping experience, says Lindsay Meyer-Harley, owner of Darling Clementine, an online children’s boutique. “Shopping online is just so easy,” she points out. “We’re all so busy. Who has time to browse the racks at the mall?” Which is why many moms comb through products on their computers (83 percent) and smartphones (58 percent), according to eMarketer. And, as a Barkley study shows, 50 percent even use their smartphones to research products or services while they’re out shopping. “They’re very savvy,” notes Elizabeth Crosby, founder of online shop Wee Mondine. “They do a lot of their shopping online so they can see what other stores are charging for merchandise.”

Building a website to complement your physical store can be invaluable when it comes to capturing dollars from millennial moms, Weisz notes. “Our online store is a way to bring our curated collection far beyond the walls of our brick-and-mortar store,” she adds. And what’s the best way to drive Generation Y customers to your site? It all goes back to social media. “We love that we can post something on Instagram and our followers can have it with the click of a

button,” Weisz points out. “Millennial moms are probably the largest consumer group at our store and on our website. These are the moms who are Facebooking, Instagramming and networking in these ways with other moms. They create friend-ships and bond while discussing parenting tips, recipes and definitely children’s fashion. They are finding us through those channels and becoming great customers who keep coming back.”

But look beyond social networks and e-commerce sites to tempt the demographic: E-mail market-ing campaigns and loyalty programs are also important to keeping the millennial customer around. So important, in fact, that over 95 percent of them polled in a June 2013 Accenture study expressed a desire for brands to actively court them using those methods. A 2011 Aimia study found similar results: Seventy-seven percent of millennial consumers participate in loyalty and reward programs, and 78 percent stated that they were more likely to choose a brand that offered rewards over one that didn’t. FOCUS ON FUNCTIONAL FASHION As more moms discover more brands at a rapid pace, they’re able to choose from a massive

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licensee like Bon Bébé?Rosie: It’s all about relationships. You’ve got to have amazing prod-uct and great ideas, but you also have to be able to get somebody to come see you and listen to what you want to tell them and show them. That’s why I think that working with a company that has a great history of quality and success is so important. There are so many factors that go into a successful line aside from quality clothes, from sourcing to sales to a network of production facilities. There’s so much that goes into it, and equally so much that can go wrong. Partnering with a company like Bon Bébé, which knows how to make it go right, is essential. You can make the best baby clothes in the world, but if the infrastructure isn’t sufficient, it just doesn’t work.

It sounds like a great partnership. Rosie: Jim is awesome to work with. We share ideas as a real team, and I think that’s different than a lot of the relationships that are typical of the licesnsee/licensor state. One thing that was really important to me was not only to be a part of sell-ing the line, but also to translate some of the education and expertise in a relatable way, as we do in our classrooms and our studios. But that’s challenging to do through clothing, especially when you enter the world of multi-channel retail. So we came up with the idea to do it through hangtags. In my book

, I provide snippets of information, which I call Mommy IQ points. They’re really sharable on social media. So we took a whole range of Mommy IQs and put them on the hangtags, so people in the store really get a feel for what we’re all about. Through the fashion, we’re also supporting and helping people. It was really great to be able to work with Jim and his team to integrate that throughout the product. I think that’s another reason why we’re doing well in the space. As we all know, there are plenty of baby clothes and baby brands, so how do you stand out on the floor and really add value?

Helping parents seems to be a core part of the Rosie Pope brand. Is that why the baby collection is filled with functional details like roll-up footies and convertible gowns?Rosie: Yes. Absolutely. But I’m of the belief you’re not supposed to even notice them. I don’t want to try and pretend like it’s going to do anything crazy. What you want to do is to make people’s lives easier, so they become loyal to the brand. So there are little things that parents might not even notice that make a big difference to them and their baby. That’s why we created Rosie Pope Baby and

continued from page 28Q&A

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There are so many factors that go into a successful

line aside from quality clothes,

from sourc-ing to sales to a network of production facilities.”

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ENK booth: 7819

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The Collection. They both solve different problems and speak to different things.

Tell me about the two collections. How are they different?Rosie: The Collection has higher price points. The best way to describe it is as an emotional piece you want to bring your baby home in from the hospital. It’s more event-driven—it’s for that special moment or occasion, or for all that wonderful gifting that goes on when you have a baby. It’s a little bit more traditional, but it’s got the contemporary spin that’s really important to me personally and to our millennial audience.

The color palette is especially contemporary. I love the gender-neutral hues and the muted blues and pinks.Rosie: I love pink and blue. I knew when I had my baby girl I wanted her to wear some pink. But it was important to me to find neutrals, blues and pinks that were different from what’s already out there.

And from a personal stand-point, while a newborn baby can be stressful, it can also be a very beautiful and calm time, and I was thinking about that when we were designing the clothes and choosing the colors—about what would feel right at those moments. While I love highlighter hues, I wouldn’t want to put my newborn in a neon yellow jumpsuit. You want that soft moment no matter your sense of fashion, so I think it’s important to offer that here.

And what about Rosie Pope Baby? What was the inspiration for that line?Rosie: I have four kids, and I know that kids go through clothes like crazy. They get dirty and nasty and quite frankly, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes but you want your kids to

look cute. We really wanted to do something different with Rosie Pope Baby, so we came up with some print concepts that are very contemporary. I think it’s pretty edgy. We’ve created a series of very cool, very original prints that can be mixed and matched, no matter what piece you buy from which prints series. It’s striking, it’s fun, it’s happy and it’s got a really great price point.

Will the two lines target different retailers?Jim: Yes, they are geared to different market tiers. The Collection is a higher price-point line, so the potential sale is with higher-tier

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department stores and specialty stores and boutiques, as well as Rosie’s own shop. However, we initially had the idea that the lines would be completely stratified, but in practice, people want some of all of it. To give you a better idea: Macy’s carries Rosie Pope Baby, Bloomingdale’s carries The Collection, but Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor carry both lines.Rosie: I think that speaks to two things. First of all, the millennial parent is used to buying high/low. They see different value in different things. We found that while they may want a really great price on some very cool, contemporary leggings, for example, they are willing to stretch for a really nice knitted sweater. I think that’s why the buyers at these differ-ent tiers really like co-mingling the collections together in a way we didn’t expect but we’re really pleased about. Second, we’ve gotten such an awesome response to the prints in Rosie Pope Baby.

Why do you think the prints in the Rosie Pope Baby collec-tion are resonating with retailers?Rosie: The feedback we’ve received is there’s nothing at this price point this contemporary that speaks to millennial moms this way. All of the prints are inspired by a story or a theme. We’ve got every-thing from sunglasses and lightning bolts to astronomy and sign language—a lot of things you might not normally expect to see on layette. We’ve started naming the series and we’ll be reproducing them because it’s something we want to be known for.

The print stories are so creative! What’s the inspiration?Jim: Each print collection tells its own story. For me and the other artists on my team, we often think back to the joy of being a little

theme, with prints that speak to camping, wilderness animals and constellations in the sky. We obviously translate those things down to where they will work for baby, but in my mind, it’s all about imagination, storytelling and fun.Rosie: I think for a long time baby clothing was stuck in a world where only a few icons were accessible and there were only a few colors for boys and a few colors for girls. And I just don’t think that’s where today’s parent is, and definitely not tomorrow’s par-ent. I have four kids now, and not one of them has come to me and asked me to tell them stories about monkeys and trucks. They’re not drawing trains all the time. They’re talking about magical worlds, the stars and superheroes.

That’s so true! And it seems to be the case for millennial

“The feedback we’ve received

is there’s nothing at this

price point this contem-porary that

speaks to millennial moms this

way.”

Q&A

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parents, too, who are more interested in things like science and technology. Rosie: Definitely. Food is another one. I think what we’re dealing with now is a generation of parents who have considered themselves their own stylists and their own designers for many years, in a way that previous generations weren’t. Their parents were choosing and buying their clothes for them. I’m at the edge of the millennial generation, so from me down, we were styling ourselves, picking out our own clothes and having a much earlier sense of fashion. So as we become parents, we want the same for our babies. We want to be able to style these outfits and make them special, but we also want them to be practical and affordable.

What’s your favorite part of your job? Jim: The people I work with, from Rosie and her team, to the people here at Bon Bébé. We work closely together to exchange ideas and meet challenges. Our core group here at Bon Bébé has been together for quite some time now, so it feels like family. I like to be at a place where teamwork is put ahead of everything else. Rosie: I’m passionate about parenting and being a good parent myself, so I love that what I’m most passionate about is also what I do in a way in the workplace. I’m constantly learning, so I con-stantly get better myself. I feel very fortunate that my passion in


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Earnshaw's | March 2015