Business News

Pink Olive School


Pink Olive is a whimsical boutique filled with beautiful gifts that make you smile.

071713_PinkOlive_GraceKangEver since savvy entrepreneur Grace Kang opened Pink Olive in 2007, I’ve been a fan. The former buyer for Bloomingdale’s, Saks.com and Barney’s New York has curated a treasure box of wonderful things for people of all ages –not only in New York’s East Village, Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhoods but online as well. Whether it’s working with local artists, artisans and small businesses, to celebrating their wonderful customers, to championing local charities and other causes, the Pink Olive team strives to discover creative products that inspire giving and beautiful living.

“Our recent venture, OliveBox (a monthly subscription service), has been a wonderful expansion of this mission, building on our community from New York to California to Canada,” Grace tells me, “working hand in hand with companies we never would have had the chance to work with otherwise.”

We are stronger together than we are alone.

071713_PinkOlive_visualPink Olive School. Now, Grace and her team are taking their commitment one step further, with the introduction of Pink Olive School.

“While we have always loved showcasing local talent, and working with designers, now is the time to expand in our mission to mentor creative product-based entrepreneurs to step up and thrive in this ever changing economy,” Grace says. “Without the diverse array of creative products, stores would all look the same and customers will leave uninspired. You wouldn’t want that, right?”

Creatives, Small Businesses and Local Talent –Take Note! Pink Olive School is a one-stop opportunity to start and grow your creative business. By mentoring creative product makers of all kinds, Pink Olive School can help you take your creative passion into a sustainable business. Grace says, “Whether you’re in the very beginning stages of development, or have a fully functioning business, we can help take you to the next level.”

071713_PinkOlive_logoCongratulations, Grace and Pink Olive! If you share Grace’s mission, please email her at hello@pinkoliveschool.com. “In celebration of our launch and my birthday month, I have a special gift that I am offering creative makers want to create a product business they love,” Grace says. Click here for details.

Infantissima Retirement Sale


Attention children’s boutique owners! Infantissima is retiring.

070313_Infantissima_01Trudy Hutchings, owner of Infantissima, the company that has brought specialty baby gifts and accessories to babies and parents everywhere- is ready to be a full-time grandmother, and world traveler.

Customers like you make doing business a real pleasure.

Coos and Smiles. Infantissima has been very near and dear to Trudy’s heart (learn the story behind the brand here), and now she’s ready for a new chapter in her life. And she’s celebrating with the ultimate retirement sale.

“We appreciate all of our customers and have a lot of product still available,” they say. Such a deal! Take a look-

Thank you, Trudy Hutchings, for giving coos and smiles to so many over the years!

Maira Fashion House


030713_MairaFashionHouse_logoThis New Delhi-based fashion apparel company has made a good name for itself in the global garment industry.

030713_MairaFashionHouse_11Since its incorporation in 2009, Maira Fashion House is recognized as a dynamic supplier and exporter of ladies scarves and leather bags in India. The OEKO-TEX® -approved manufacturer runs a modern facility with in-house dyeing and printing mills sourcing new fabric designs in cotton, nylon and viscose, and specializes in silk printing. Under the careful guidance of managing director Ms. Anshu Chaudhary, the support of advanced machinery and an outstanding team of professionals, Maira offers customized solutions, producing 40,000 pieces per month.

030713_MairaFashionHouse_05In August 2012, the company launched the Maira Fashion kids brand, comprised of casual wear designed using breathable fabric to give a comfortable fit. The company also has a reputation for being a pioneer in children’s party wear, offered in elegant colors, designs and patterns of superior quality that bring out the innocence of a child. Maira plans to open five retail stores in 2013.

Stylish, trendy and attractive, Maira Fashion House is creating a buzz among children’s wear clients across India, the UK and other parts of the world –including the USA.

We believe that our growth is dependent upon the quality of our products, honesty in relationships, timely services, and customer satisfaction.

030713_MairaFashionHouse_10The company’s new website, www.mairafashion.com, is still under construction. You can connect with Maira on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/mairafashion12 and by contacting Ash Nagpal by email at anshu@mairafashion.com.

  • 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!

Hang Ten Gold Grows Family


An iconic brand launches new label, partnering with two popular companies to create exclusive designs for both girls and boys.

122612_HangTenGold_logoIn 1960, legendary surfer Duke Boyd founded Hang Ten, designing the very first “board shorts” -not to mention launching one of the most iconic logos around.

Today, the Hang Ten name, and caché of surfing- is recognized around the world. The newly-launched exclusive label, Hang Ten Gold –owned by American Brand Holdings- has two new multi-year licensing agreements.

122612_LamanBlu_HollyWe share similar brand philosophies and we’re looking forward to developing great products for the Hang Ten brand as well as expanding our offering of lifestyle apparel for girls, clothing to stylishly and comfortably take them through their every day.

-LamanBlu creative director Holli Gibson

LamanBlu, known for eco-friendly contemporary designs and a lovely childhood sense, has signed on for Hang Ten Gold’s girl’s collection. While Andy & Evan is working on Hang Ten Gold’s new boy’s collection. Andy & Evan’s focus is to provide durability and functionality while maintaining a dressy-casual design aesthetic.

This is a unique opportunity to work with a 50-year-old iconic brand and build upon the Andy & Evan vision for producing great boys lifestyle brands.

 –Evan Hakalir, partner/co-founder, Andy & Evan Industries, Inc.

122612_AndyEvan_logoHang Ten Brand Manager Paul Kim says, “We are very excited in entering into agreements with these companies. They each produce incredibly personal products that people will become emotionally attached to. They truly understand our brand and what it means to our consumers.”

Looking forward to seeing what this brain trust comes up with!

  • 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!

Retail Business News: Pam Brown Joins Marson LLC


Industry vet Pam Brown is appointed vice president.

Marson LLC, a company that offers an innovative approach and strategy to sales management in the juvenile industry, appoints  Pam Brown as vice president.

Pam’s knowledge and experience in the industry, and relationships with customers will be valuable assets for Marson clients. She brings a tremendous passion and enthusiasm for the industry and I am thrilled to have her on board to help grow sales and build a brand presence.

-Alison Bates, President, Marson LLC

In her new role with Marson, Pam is responsible for managing the independent retail store channel, calling on stores directly and managing Marson’s team of sales reps to help them drive sales higher in their respective territories. Most recently in 2011, she was recruited to help re-launch the Sunshine Kids brand as Diono; Pam’s prior experience includes positions at Britax Child Safety and Combi USA.

Founded in 2010, Marson provides outsourced sales and sales management to manufacturers in the juvenile products market with a seasoned team of senior level sales and marketing executives. Marson clients include Kastel International (Mutsy and Babyhome), Scandinavian Child (Svan and Beaba) and Amy Michelle.

Alison Bates is president and founder, and has more than 18 years of experience marketing and selling consumer products. Bates’ experience includes positions as Vice President of Kastel International and as Vice President, Sales and Marketing for leading stroller brand Maclaren U.S.A. where she was responsible for the company’s overall sales and marketing efforts. For more information on Marson, email alison@marson-mgt.com or call 678/428-0533.

  • 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!

A Little Bit of Italy for Your Nursery


Italy’s fastest growing nursery brand, with its wide variety of babycare products, is now available in the United States.

Well-known distributor Kastel International has been named U.S. distributor for Parma, Italy-based Mebby/Medel Group, a company with a longstanding reputation as a trusted medical device manufacturer, spanning over 40 years. Their innovative Mebby babycare products are known to be safe and respectful to the environment, catering to the needs of today’s parents –and include products for breast and bottle feeding, teething and bath time.

Kastel is launching Mebby in the U.S. with two products. Mebby Jelly Baby, a memory foam changing mat, is the first-ever changing mat made from soft memory foam and ergonomically shaped to fit baby.  The PVC-free changing mat is 100% waterproof, anti-bacterial, Latex-Free and hypoallergenic. The mat grips to a changing table or dresser without having to attach it, stays at room temperature for warm comfort for baby and can be easily wiped clean.  Jelly Baby can be used on its own or with its separately available terry backed machine washable liners.

The Mebby Bath Toy Store, a cleverly designed bath toy storage solution to help keep baby’s bath toys tidy and clean. Compact and attractive, its two-piece system for drying bath toys uses nested buckets in gentle pastel colors. The inner bucket has drain-holes in the bottom, and the outer bucket catches the water running through.  A wide opening at the top keeps air circulating through, avoiding the breeding of nasty mold.

Jelly Baby and Bath Toy Store are both ingenious products -not to mention affordable and stylish- that moms will love for everyday use. We are thrilled to add Mebby to the growing Kastel portfolio of distinctive juvenile goods brands.

–Stellario D’Urso, president, Kastel International

Founded in 1996 by Stellario, the Kastel team of seasoned marketing industry veterans uses their global experience to launch domestic and European-based brands. The company’s portfolio also includes Netherlands-based Mutsy, makers of strollers, Spain-based Babyhome, an award-winning collection of baby gear, Jahgoo, a collection of baby/toddler bathroom essentials such as potties and step stools and BabyZoo, fun and smart designed sleep aids for young children.

  • 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! Thank you, Hilary Abbott, for introducing  me to Mebby!

Hadley Stilwell – Made for Moms by Moms


The maker of well-tailored clothes for nursing moms and beyond was awarded the prestigious 2011 Eileen Fisher Business Grant for Entrepreneurs.

Seattle, WA-based HadleyStilwell has a vision. In February 2009, founder and designer Holli Harris set out to give breastfeeding mothers pulled-together, fashionable wardrobe pieces that allow for ease of breastfeeding or pumping. She’s also captured the imagination of women entrepreneurs, too.

I want to minimize the challenge of committing to breastfeeding, especially for mothers returning to work.

The company, named after Holli’s daughter, participated in Eileen Fisher’s 3rd annual Inspiring Women Event, which took place in May at the Eileen Fisher retail store in downtown Seattle. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with three Seattle area entrepreneurs as well as executives from Eileen Fisher, finding out how these local women have been able to turn their passions into successful, socially responsible businesses. In addition to HadleyStilwell, Mama K’s Play Clay, a maker of all-natural play dough with hints of aromatherapy to calm while encouraging creativity, and Ricicli, maker of handmade, one-of-a-kind upcycled clothing for babies and children, were also honored.

“Eileen Fisher is a business leader and role model for all women,” Holli says. “My business is all about merging functionality with style to support the most natural, and empowering, thing ever – breastfeeding. Working with Eileen Fisher inspires me to keep the focus on business values and giving back as we grow, just as Eileen Fisher has done.”

Holli is always poised to launch new pieces, such as a maxi dress and tunic-length top, to her versatile and popular Jet Set Collection. Yet even as she expands the HadleyStilwell collection, she always looks for ways to give back. She is a director on the board of Chindex International, the only private healthcare network of clinics and hospitals in China. She is also the chair of Washington CASH, a non-profit microfinance organization that provides business training, a supportive community and microloans that enable low-income individuals to achieve self-sufficiency through their own small business ideas. In addition, Holli donates 5% of every HadleyStilwell purchase to Best for Babes, an award-winning organization dedicated to helping moms beat the “Booby Traps” to breastfeeding – the cultural and institutional barriers that prevent moms from achieving their personal breastfeeding goals.

  • 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!

Super Shopping Experience for Children’s Shop Owners


Children’s wear companies looking for a prime go-to destination for doing business are heading to 34 West 33rd Street in New York City.

Roseann Yarusi, president of The Rose Garden, moved into Suite 1224 in 2009. She’s thrilled with her showroom – and her customers love it, too.

This building already has a strong group of reps as well as children’s wear manufacturers. The convenience of not having to run all over the city is very important to our buyers. So now, more than ever, it’s a huge benefit to have as many reps and manufactures under one roof.

The Rose Garden Look. Roseann started The Rose Garden “to celebrate her love for all things fabulous,” offering children’s brands seen in Saks, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Barney’s, Neiman Marcus, Lester’s and many high-end specialty boutiques. She calls it “The Rose Garden look” – and a children’s shop or department gets it by carrying the kind of merchandise that kids love, such as Bows With Bling, Cach Cach, Hollyword, Kid CuteTure, MonCheri By Joan Calabrese, Signorelli, Twirls and Twigs, Warrior Poet and more.

Convenient and Comfortable. Located in the heart of New York’s Garment District, 34 West 33rd Street has been marketed specifically to the children’s wear companies for about four years now by owner-manager Adams & Company Real Estate LLC. Currently the third, ninth and twelfth floors, all with multiple showrooms, house children’s wear companies exclusively. Of the 30 or so Adams & Co. properties in Manhattan, 16 are niche locations like 34 West 33rd. The building spans the block, through to West 32nd Street, so many of the showrooms take advantage of the natural light shining in from the large windows, making it a pleasant experience for both the showroom personnel and their clients, too.

So if you are a children’s shop owner heading into the city on a shopping spree, why not visit Roseann Yarusi and other children’s wear companies at 34 West 33rd Street? You’ll be glad you did!

  • 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!

A Feel-Good Story for Year’s End


Nineteen-year-old Lauren Feather has taken on a challenge that many find inconceivable in this economy: opening a successful fashion business.

Not only did Lauren open the flagship store of her (Best Kept Secret) Boutique™ this summer, she chose the Las Vegas area -Nevada’s current capital of foreclosure- as the new home for what she calls “adorable, affordable, cute and quality™.”

“As a Summerlin resident, it is the ideal location for my brand,” Lauren says. “It’s exciting to see my dream come to life while being able to bring (Best Kept Secret) Boutique™ to this community. Women can find cute, affordable clothing they’re proud to wear.”

The boutique merchandise of eye-catching apparel, stylish shoes and trendy accessories is a reflection of Lauren’s own youthful energy and action-filled lifestyle. She designed the shopping experience to have a one-on-one feel while catering to young women’s desire to shop for trendy, edgy fashion at affordable prices.

I realized department and specialty stores were committing a major fashion faux pas -charging ridiculous prices for mediocre fashion. The victims? Young women looking for cute, affordable and quality clothes.”

Lauren is inspired by her own passion for fashion, constantly in search of unique, fine quality clothing that isn’t super expensive. She dreamed of a store filled with the most adorable and reasonably priced little gems she could really buy and be happy with. After investing time researching, drawing up plans and putting her keen eye for fashion to work,  Lauren actually opened that store, and she’s living her dream.

Now, if this success story doesn’t inspire you to revisit your own dreams for a business you’re jazzed about, I don’t know what will.

Happy Holidays, everybody! Live your dream in 2012.

Little Ruler and Knuckleheads Team Up


Two seven-year-old companies agree on a sublicensing partnership to grow the brands in both line size and worldwide distribution. Anticipate lots of new designs, colors and garments for Little Ruler’s licensed brands.

Little Ruler licenses children’s clothing for some of the most popular brands in the world of skateboarding, like Independent Truck Co., Santa Cruz, Creature and Nor Cal Clothing. Knuckleheads produces a unique line of edgy, skate and music-inspired clothing. The two companies are collaborating on a début line currently booking for a Spring 2012 delivery.

“Knuckleheads’ creative team will take Little Ruler’s licensed brands to the next level by creating a more complete apparel line that includes wovens, printables, headwear and accessories.”

-Maureen Kendall, Little Ruler CEO & owner

Made in the USA. Maureen and Jeff Kendall were inspired to create Little Ruler as a response to the limited choices in clothing for babies and kids that represented the skate/surf  lifestyle. A traditional family business, Knuckleheads is manufacturing most of the Little Ruler line in the United States without sacrificing cost, quality or ship windows.

“The Little Ruler and Knuckleheads brands complement each other. This is a perfect union and we are very excited to design with these iconic skateboard brands. The fit couldn’t be better!”

-Melissa Nash, Knuckleheads CEO & owner

In a market where cool boys clothing is notoriously limited, Knuckleheads creates a line that moms and kids love, and dads envy, catering to parents looking for something different for their boys.

“The synergy of Little Ruler and Knuckleheads works well, while at the same time targeting a slightly different market segment. With Santa Cruz celebrating its 40th anniversary and Independent celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2013, these brands appeal to the older generation of skate dads who want their kids wearing the same brands they wore back in the day.”

-Paul Merrell, licensing manager, NHS