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Kodomo


Playful & Stylish Clothes, Shoes & Accessories for Babies, Kids and Tweens

Kodomo is a children’s retailer that sells the cutest items for boys and girls from their stores in Massachusetts (two in Boston and the newest brick and mortar in Chestnut Hill) and online.

All the designers Kodomo partners with are hand-selected for their ethics and business practices and styles are hand-picked for their playfulness – quite a fabulous list that is growing all the time:

Genesis of Kodomo

For those who wonder, it’s pronounced kuh-doh-moh and it means “child” in Japanese. Founder Jasmine’s favorite memory of her early childhood spent in Japan is the Children’s Day holiday each May, a celebration of children’s personalities and their happiness. She founded Kodomo with this idea to respect the “powerful personalities” of the smallest shoppers and to emulate the happiness they express every day through the merchandise they offer.

And that means slow fashion.

Slow or ethical fashion embraces a transparent clothing creation process. It encompasses all steps taken to bring a garment or an accessory from the concept stage through the design phase, to production and finally to the point of sale. Great consideration is paid to each part of the manufacturing process, such as appropriate wages paid to workers, up-to-date factory conditions and maintenance, fabrics sourced with environmental impact in mind and sustainability and care are at the heart of every business decision.

Kodomo says their customers feel good about what they buy and are “tickled pink” about what they wear.

Don’t doubt it!

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Zarlex


Jeweler specializing in beautiful pieces for children.

It’s easy to see why little girls would fall in love with the pretty jewelry from kids’ jewelry specialist Zarlex. The Miami-based online jeweler offers a variety of 14K yellow and rose gold earrings, rings, pendants and chains age-appropriate for girls from infant to 16 years old.

Jewelry designs feature colorful enamel, cubic zirconia and gemstones such as pearls, topaz and amethyst among others. Earrings feature safety backs such as the classic French Lock, which is secure, easy to fasten and comfortable to wear, as well as the Classic Stud with a screw-back that is suitable for infants as well as young ladies.

The tradition of giving silver keepsakes for Baptisms dates back to before Colonial times in this country. Zarlex also carries beautiful sterling gifts and souvenirs for Christenings or other special occasions, elegantly packaged sets of baby spoons, baby rattles, baby cups, baby cutlery or teething rings.

“We plan to expand our assortment to include watches, a jewelry line for boys and more,” Alexander Yambikov tells me.

Available online at www.zarlexfl.com.

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Glossy Chick


Be Your Personal Best

Glossy Chick is a children’s clothing brand with a special VIP Chick Club® that is called “an exciting and rewarding lifestyle experience.” Club members enjoy custom events, monthly gifts and prizes, while participating in a unique platform to build friendships, character and confidence. How? Through engaging contests. Members are instantly eligible to earn points and redeem them for the trendiest Glossy Chick merchandise.

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Get In on The Fun

Once registered, kids receive a VIP Chick Club Welcome Package full of Glossy Chick swag, including membership tee shirt, charm bracelet, rhinestone jewelry box, rhinestone case card holder, membership card and invitations to castings, shoots and events. In addition, members receive “the Glossiest mail delivered straight to their door,” each month, including a beautiful themed charm with a matching tee shirt and pouch. Members also have access a monthly newsletter and coloring book.

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The Glossy Chick collection caters to young fashionistas between the ages of two and 12 with fashion forward pieces, a sporty casual yet trendy look that’s all about comfort. Tees, tops ans dresses, sweaters and hoodies designed in New York, hand-crafted in Peru and made from the very finest authentic Peruvian Pima Cotton. Look for jewelry charms and sequined bags, too.

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The Story Behind Glossy Chick

They say it all starts in 2012 …

“Hatched under the bright lights of New York City in Times Square, at the intersection of Broadway and Fashion Avenue, a curiously vibrant chick confidently breaks out of her shell, creating an inspirational platform for young girls everywhere to embrace sisterhood and empower them to be the chick they want to be. Her outfits pave the many runways she walks and her style may differ from day to day, but underneath it all, she is and will always be Glossy!”

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Zosė Designs


A dash of sweetness and an ounce of love. 

 

052715_CRTPost_ZosėDesigns_01Great find on Etsy – Zosė Designs hair clips and jewelry add a dazzle to any girl’s outfit, big or small. Designer Audra makes them using two secret ingredients: A dash of sweetness and an ounce of love.

052715_CRTPost_ZosėDesigns_02“I design and hand make everything in the tiny, gorgeous town of Tecoma, Victoria, Australia, where I live,” Audra tells me. “We hand pick materials, hand crochet, hand sew, secure and fasten each item. We love what we do, and hope that you will love our products, too!”

052715_CRTPost_ZosėDesigns_03Made in Australia. Adorable hair clips, necklaces and bracelets to go with any outfit and any occasion. Audra is always introducing new styles, so check her successful online shop frequently. Available worldwide!

Origami Owl


Have you heard about the 17-year-old entrepreneur who’s three-year-old company is on track to earn $250 million this year?

121213_OrigamiOwl_BellaWhen Isabella Weems was 14 years old, she really wanted a new car. So she spent her time hosting jewelry parties and selling lockets instead of hanging out with her friends.

Now, Bella (as she’s called) not only has a white Jeep she calls Alice, she’s also the founder of a wildly popular custom jewelry business known as Origami Owl.

Who would have thought that my dream of wanting to buy a car for my sixteenth birthday would be the inspiration behind a successful jewelry company?

Origami Owl has thousands of “Independent Designers” who host their own Jewelry Bars® – private parties where they serve up a trendy array of fun jewels directly to shoppers. According to a recent article in Forbes, there’s about 50,000 of these independent designers. That’s a lot of parties!

We tell stories with jewelry.

The company has several branded jewelry lines. The signature Living Lockets® collection gives the wearer a chance to add personality to their jewels with charms, lockets, dangles and chains. Tagged™ is Made in the USA and combines fine pewter tags sporting special words with little charms on a chain, creating a statement about who you are and what you believe in.

121213_OrigamiOwl_01Originally, Bella started her locket business with about $700, selling at house parties and boutiques before she set up a mall kiosk near her Arizona home. The company is an all-in-the-family-type affair; Bella’s mom Chrissy helped her develop the product, while her uncles and aunt help run the business, along with other employees. Origami Owl is developing a new platform to help the independent designers run their business with new tools such as training, webinars, instructional videos as well as a mobile app.

Meanwhile, Bella is still going to high school –and considering college- before taking the reins of her profitable company with both hands.

KanDi Jewelry


101613_KanDiJewelry_candybraceletWho says you can’t have your candy and wear it too!? 

KanDi Jewelry is a very fun line of jewelry for girls, tweens and teens. The New York-based company designs and manufactures bracelets, necklaces, earrings and hair ties that resemble kids’ favorite candy treats, only this modern version of candy jewelry is just for stylish show.

Once upon a time, it was okay to eat candy necklaces and lick sticky ring pops. But unfortunately when you hit a certain age, sucking on jewelry is just not cool anymore.

101613_KanDiJewelry_jawbreakernecklaceCandy necklaces were all the rage when I was young, but once you ate the candy, the jewelry was all gone! From candy necklaces to gummy bears and jawbreakers, the new KanDi’s  are fun, colorful, stylish … and irresistible.

101613_KanDiJewelry_hairtiesEye Candy. Candy fiend Dani Kates dreamed up KanDi Jewelry for all the little girls who grow up, but never outgrow their love of candy –just like her. Dani’s original diamond KanDi necklace became such a hit that celebrities such as Lauren Graham, Kristen Bell, Fergie, Lindsay Lohan, Sharon Stone, Hayden Panettiere and others were seen wearing it.

“After just a year and a half, we are available in over 150 children’s boutiques and candy stores throughout the U.S. and Canada -and we are growing every day,” Dani tells me.

Plus, KanDi Jewelry’s full range of candy-inspired pieces are so affordable, no one can have just one!

  • 101613_KanDiJewelry_gummibearsChildren’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Initial Reaction


060413_InitalReaction_02Fun, personalized jewelry for summer! 

Summer is all about bold, vibrant colors and fun laid back style. So why not have a blast with your jewelry selections, too?!

Connecticut-based Initial Reaction has taken the popularity of their monogrammed jewelry and added a fun twist for the summer – the a fully customizable version of the acrylic, cut-out monogram and nameplate collection.

Tastefully trendy accessories for tweens, teens and ladies.

Choose from a variety of bright colors –like turquoise or purple, and even lime swirl. It may be difficult to choose between the whimsical script monogram, funky block monogram or simple nameplate because each style is so unique and fun to wear.

060413_InitalReaction_01Made in the USA. Since 2002, Initial Reaction has earned a reputation for classic designs and quality craftsmanship. The stylish line of accessories includes engraved pendants and discs,  necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets that are handmade right in the United States, featuring metal, acrylic and enamel cut-out monograms.

Initial Reaction offers uniquely personal gift options for weddings and bridesmaids, birthdays, graduation –any special occasion, or simply a day at the beach.

Recently featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, Initial Reaction jewels are sure to enliven  any summer look.

Friendship Bracelets – BFF’s and More


The award-winning My Friendship Bracelet Maker® by Choose Friendship Company has been flying off the shelves lately.

The friendship bracelet – an international symbol of camaraderie – is a wonderful reminder to youngsters that they can count on their best friends no matter what, especially in this era of bullying and hurtful words. Invented for his granddaughters by David Crorey, a retired auto industry exec, the portable My Friendship Bracelet Maker helps kids make their own designs neatly and with ease.

Michigan-based Choose Friendship Company has established quarterly campaigns encouraging support networks between kids across the country. For instance, they collaborated with Mad Habit Media to launch an anti-bully, pro-friendship campaign revolving around the song/video, Inside Out, sung by Michigan teen Marisa Nahas – and proceeds from the song’s sales are donated to non-profit organizations that support this cause.

Because children carry burdens often overlooked or misunderstood by others, we want them to feel welcomed into their own exclusive club. Our mission is to let them know they’re not alone; not only are others living with the same fear and uncertainty, but that these special children are loved and supported by a larger community.

-Julie Crorey, mom to the granddaughters

This year, Choose Friendship also introduces two new craft kits. The My Friendship Bracelet Maker Traveler™ is great for backpacks and carry-ons and the nifty slide-out storage drawer features 20 pre-cut Prism® embroidery threads in 10 different colors. With The Image Bracelet Maker™, kids can express their favorite likes of the moment on their wrist – just like Pinterest! It uses photos, magazine pictures, internet images or the included art starter sheets to assemble bracelets that are totally unique and awesome.

Choose Friendship is not only the craft kit family business’ new name (the company was once known as Crorey Creations) but also its mantra. The joy of the product line is its ability to engage impressionable kids of the importance of friends and self-expression. Plus, it’s gone global in two short years. QVC sold out its entire load of more than 55,000 kits during the 4th quarter, 2011. National and specialty retailers alike had to restock their shelves in-store and online. My Friendship Bracelet Maker® and My Ribbon Barrette Maker® have earned kudos from Tillywig Toy Awards, Parents’ Choice, Dr. Toy, Creative Child Magazine, NAPPA Awards and Brilliant Sky.

Log on to ChooseFriendship.com for instructional videos, charitable causes, store locations, to watch Inside Out and more. The Friendship Bracelet Blog is authored by the inventor’s granddaughter.

  • Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Dainty Lions – Hot, Young Accessory Line with Celebrity Following


In a snap, mix and match trendy accoutrements to any single headband, hair clip, button or pendant.

About two years ago, Heather Ells invented Dainty Lions interchangeable snap accessories after she decides to be a stay at home mom for her little ones. With a degree in elementary education and the inspiration of her daughters, whom she knew she’d be accessorizing for years to come, Heather put her creativity to good use, dreaming up a way to use a snap system in a line of super-trendy interchangeable accessories. After experimenting with multiple prototypes, she launched Dainty Lions, so girls of all ages can “Change it out. Snap it in.” With just one single base accessory and different button or flower snaps, girls can create multiple looks.

What girl doesn’t like a little bling?

Each Dainty Lions product has a snap securely attached, and can be mixed and matched with Dainty Lions headbands, hair ties/wristbands, ties, pendants and bobby pins. What’s more, girls can trade ’em to create even more unique looks.

The product name is inspired by the wishful thinking behind the memory of watching dandelion seeds floating in the air. It not only conjures the magic of childhood, but appeals to moms and grandmothers who treasure its whimsy.

“We sell our line in many small retail shops across the country,” Heather tells me, “and many teens/young adult stars have been wearing them to red carpet and other events.”

Dainty Lions has quite a following on Facebook, where fans can find out about new styles, contests and more –and Heather also keeps them up-to-date on the various charities and foundations she likes to donate to.

Journaling Ideas. I read recently that Heather writes all her new ideas in a journal (love this!) until they’re ready to introduce. Be on the lookout for Double the Dainty,  two button snaps or two mini flower snaps on one elastic headband.

  • Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Mermaid Magic


Finally, the first full day of spring is here! What better way to celebrate than to shop for unique finds?

I’ve recently discovered The Spirit of Mermaids, a beautiful accessory line created by Virginia Beach, VA designer Ashley Gillies. The unique starfish barrettes and Bohemian style leather headbands with beads are inspired by the mysteries of the deep blue ocean.

Natural is beautiful, and there is nothing more natural than real starfish.

“The accessories I make embody girls who live for sunny days and salt on their skin,” Ashley says. “My leather beaded headbands can be worn as headbands or necklaces. I wear them both ways. My line of jewelry is laid back and carefree.” Pinned directly to clothing or hats, her creations can be worn year round to truly show off a beachy personality.

Right now, folks who live in the Virginia Beach, VA area can purchase The Spirit of Mermaids merchandise directly from Ashley (email her at thespiritofmermaids@yahoo.com), who plans to offer the line online as well as in stores. Stay tuned!

  • Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!