Sammi & David Débuts New Collection

With all the zeal you’d expect, an up-and-coming company débuts a collection just as vibrant and eclectic as the wonderful life that inspired it.

Rebecca Gold and Shana Cutler became instant BF’s over cowboy boots. The two knew from the first grade that they were destined to make a lasting impression on the world of fashion.

Their signature Love Jay Girls apparel line has won over many-a-fashionista, and now, they’re poised to set trends again with Sammi & David, their “fearlessly-expressive” brand that celebrates a child’s spontaneity. “In truth, we care about these girls because we once were these girls,” they say.

Designed specifically for a girl’s tween years, the new line embraces individuality with fashion forward panache, bridging the ‘girly-girl’-one-day, ‘rocker-chick’-the-next vibe. The collection features sweet and sassy designs, made from ultra-comfortable materials like bamboo fleece and knit jersey to edgier fabrics such as pleather and distressed leopard.

‘Sammi’ is for your daintiest moods. ‘David’ represents that edgy alter ego that wants to come out and play. Sammi & David strives to offer the freedom to choose not who she wants to be, but rather express the beautiful young lady she already is.

Los Angeles, CA-based Felicia’s LLC is dedicated to producing its growing product line with high-quality materials and detailed construction. In early August, Sammi & David is introducing the Spring/Summer 2013 collection of tops, bottoms, dresses and outerwear to the children’s retail industry at the Playtime New York trade show. See it soon in stores!

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!

LamanBlu™ Celebrates Childhood

Play, dance, live…because LamanBlu™ is made to Celebrate Childhood.

Holli Gibson’s three-year-old is a stunner. Her eco-friendly contemporary apparel line LamanBlu™ premiered to rave reviews in 2009 and has grown to include a boy’s line and industry praise. Holli herself is the recipient of The Rising Star Award for Design from Fashion Group International.

“‘Laman blou’ means ‘blue sea’ in Papiamentu and is a constant source of inspiration for me,” Holli says. “I’ve been a fashion designer for years working out of New York and Dallas, but watching my children explore the world’s wonders with fresh eyes led me to create a brand to celebrate childhood.”

Made in the USA. The company makes beautiful apparel with signature detailing for children ages six months to six years, using gentle-to-our-environment fabrics, which are also gentle to a child’s delicate skin. Holli says, “We use fabrics including bamboo, pure linen and organic cottons, recycled polyester blends, all in fashion forward bright colors – and everything is Made in the USA.” She knows that children want to be comfortable no matter what they’re wearing, so all styles go through extensive wear testing by real kids. She keeps mom’s busy life in mind, too –creating machine washable, ironing optional pieces, many have adjustment points at critical areas, so a child can wear their clothing for longer, even after a growth spurt.

Another way LamanBlu™ carries out its mission to Celebrate Childhood is to support charities protecting children and protecting our world for them. “We are actively involved in several charities both through direct volunteerism and financial support, including JDRF, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Falling Whistles.

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!

Shine On with Little Trendstar

In one of my other lives, I produced marketing campaigns for Xena: Warrior Princess, creating the much-loved, often-repeated tagline, Battle On!

And if you know anything about Xena and her passion, you know that’s exactly what she does.

That’s the thing about taglines – the good ones are shorthand for the true essence of a brand, capturing the heart as well as the imagination.

So it is with Little Trendstar®, the much-loved (especially celebrity-love!), often-talked-about children’s brand of designer clothing, created for kids and babies to Shine on!

My two little boys inspired me to start Little Trendstar® since they love the spotlight. I wanted to create tees that were worthy of their ‘look at me’ personalities!

-Nicole Worth

Demand a Second Look. Owner Nicole Worth and her team are creating t-shirts and baby one-pieces made from 100% cotton, and the look-at-me graphic designs are printed with non-toxic, water-based inks that contain no phthalates or PVC. Part style icon, part rock n’ roll and all trendy, the designs let kids capture the spotlight –as they so love to do- with fun and fashionable clothes that are as “stage-worthy as their one-of-a-kind personalities.”

What kids will do with all this attention is up to them, but making them shine while wearing our tees is us saying be a Little Trendstar®!

Made in the USA. Not only is Little Trendstar Made in the USA, so is the creative inspiration. In addition to being a mom of two boys, Nicole is co-owner of Michigan-based Formcode Design Group, which creates graphic and website design.

In April, photographer AJ Mueller and his team at Streetview Productions hand-built a stage backdrop for the Little Trendstar Spring/Summer collection photo shoot. “We added just enough star quality to really give off a rock concert vibe,” Nicole writes on her blog. The models did a fantastic job performing and letting their inner rock star shine.”

See what Gwen Stefani, Tori Spelling, Kate Hudson -their celebrity kids- and a gaggle of hip mommy bloggers are talking about! Thank you, Rachel Florio PR, for introducing me to Little Trendstar.

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!

Wearable Memories of Lemon Loves Lime

Known for innovative appliqués, sophisticated color combinations and ruff-fully goodness, Lemon Loves Lime is inspired by love!

Lemon Loves Lime is a wonderfully whimsical girls collection from Joy Cha (even her name is lovely), created for every mother to express her unconditional love and devotion for their daughters. “Each piece from the Lemon Loves Lime collection is wonderfully unique and resembles cherished memories of our daughters’ childhood that we hold dear in our hearts,” Joy says, “their exuberant smiles and laughs of happiness, their tears of sadness and fright, their innocent curiosity and wonder of the world before them, as well as their playful mischief.”

Joy’s designs come to life thanks to women who are masters of their craft, and share her passion for the story behind each piece.

Joy recently launched GNU Brand, a unique clothing line for boys inspired by quality and comfort. Creative designs for t-shirts, shorts, and infant one-pieces are constructed from durable fabrics and color combinations with the same sensibility as Lemon Loves Lime.

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!

Charming, Vintage Maisonnette Children’s Clothing

People are talking about the delightful Maisonnette clothing line, thanks in part to Rachel Florio PR. And with good reason!

The three-year-old Maisonnette brand began as a boutique by Ava, Natalie and Madeline Warr. It quickly transformed into charming clothing collection for girls and boys, size 6M- 7. Designed by Madeline and Ava, the vintage-classic, modern pieces made with inspired fabric combinations burst with color and uniqueness –and a little European style. The girls recently débuted the Fall 2012 line at ENK Children’s Club to rave reviews.

Children love Maisonnette clothing for the look and comfort. Parents love the clothing because it can be worn from the park to the party!

Made in the USA. Maisonnette clothing is designed and made in Oceanside, CA with what they call “an edgy twist to each piece.” Madeline and Ava personally choose the finest fabrics for their unique designs, transforming each into a work of art.

French Flair. “Maisonnette” is a French word meaning a small house or self-contained apartment in a larger house. The same is true of the Warr’s lovely studio. Located in a black and white 1924 cottage, Maisonnette shares space with Natalie, who is the company’s photographer. Natalie owns and operates Natalie Jennette Photography, specializing in infant, family, wedding as well as commercial photography.

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!

T-Shirt Transcendence

Can a t-shirt actually help a child develop self esteem? My Kinda Style t-shirts just may give kids the kind of positive reinforcement they need to feel great about themselves.

My Kinda Style is a children’s knitwear brand of t-shirts and one-pieces with hip, witty and empowering graphic messages. Made from soft organic cotton with a tagless design, they not only provide endless hours of comfort, but are also made to encourage positive self esteem in children.

Shayla Mackey is the creative force behind My Kinda Style, and knows first-hand how important self-esteem is, especially for girls. While raising her daughter all on her own, she finished college with a degree in Business Management; in fact, Shayla was inspired by her daughter’s love of art and fashion to start the business.

We pay close attention to the details that both kids and parents want in a clothing line, from carefully choosing the perfect fabric texture and colors to dreaming up the next empowering themed messages and designs.

Oklahoma-based My Kinda Style is no ordinary t-shirt maker; as a community volunteer and an active member of her church, Shayla is also passionate about using her business to give back to communities.

“Not every child has the opportunity to have new clothes,” Shalya says. “While clothing is a necessity, a brand new t-shirt to a child in need takes on a whole new meaning; it can give him confidence, make her feel noticed and important, and overall teach a valuable lesson that when they’re in need, there are people who care to help.”

T-Shirts That Give. On this page of the website, folks can nominate a deserving child or children who can benefit from a new t-shirt by telling Shayla and the team at My Kinda Style their story. “We believe that something as simple as a t-shirt really can change lives. We want to do our part to make their dreams come true.”

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!

Ambition Activewear inspired by the First Lady

Created for children by children, Igloo Island is a comfortable, fun and stylish clothing brand that features two fabulous collections.

Recently featured zulily, the Ambition collection features activewear that motivates girls to get into fitness with trendy and stylish pieces they don’t mind wearing every day.

Ambition is clothing to motivate and perfect yourself. We encourage focus, fitness. We inspire the desire to do.

The line of breathable, stylish activewear is inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign, an initiative to combat childhood obesity.

Igloo Island collection of mix and match pieces includes colorful solid and print dresses, tops, leggings and skirts.

Founder/designer Sandra Stollar supercharged the company with nearly 20 years’ experience in the garment industry, working closely with leading factories to source materials that are high-quality, comfortable, fun and environmentally friendly, such as bamboo. Sandra’s tween daughters Brittany and Cailin came up with the name of the company, as well as Igloo’s tagline: A Hot Place for Cool Kids. Both collections are available for girls sizes 4-6x and 7-14.

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!

Celebrating 10 Years of Tea

Inspired by the beauty of all the world surrounding us, is a company that believes their people are its soul, the heart of the brand.

We’re Tea. We go there. Across the globe. And across the street. Turning our experiences into original children’s clothing of unique beauty, modern style and easy comfort. Come along with us. And definitely bring your kids.

It’s hard to believe it’s been just 10 years since two world travelers started Tea in San Francisco, CA USA with three pima cotton baby sweaters and a global aesthetic for designing distinctive fashion for children, ages 0-12. The women’s collection of “easy-going, culturally-connected styles designed to fit your life” was launched in the fall of 2010.

The brand name is inspired by the tradition of drinking tea, shared throughout the world in nearly every culture. Taking it even further, Tea employees receive an annual allowance to use toward international travel; thus, each season’s destination inspiration. “We immerse ourselves in the culture to learn about local textiles, colors, architecture, aesthetics and design practices,” they say on their website. “We explore, we discover, we sketch, we take tons of pictures (video too). We come home – enlivened by the experience, ideas flowing, and ready to jump into the journey of creation.”

The Spring/Summer 2012 destination inspiration is Bali –a world full of happiness.

Co-founders, Emily Meyer, chief creative officer, and CEO Leigh Rawdon bring together Emily’s extensive background in fashion and Leigh’s entrepreneurial spirit in a company ranked on the Inc Magazine list of fastest growing private companies five years in a row. Tea not only gives us remarkably beautiful fashion, but gives back to the world through its work with The Global Fund for Children.

Very Tea, indeed.

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!

Subscription Programs Transform into Fashionable Trend

Monthly subscription programs are a popular way for members to shop products and services at a significant savings.

Everyone loves to be part of something exclusive, which is another way subscription programs have become so popular. From diaper services to high-end shopping clubs, who doesn’t enjoy a customized experience?

Naomi Catalina found this out when she was six months pregnant. While preparing for the birth, she quickly became an expert on not only the best of baby essentials, but what makes a great shower gift, too. Her own baby showers were so special to her that she simply had to act on the special-ness. “I was left with an overwhelming feeling of wanting to make my own contribution to this special time in a woman’s life,” she says.

Wordsation strives to curate artwork from artists who share in our excitement for creating designer baby fashion for your tiny treasure.

Naomi co-founded Wordsation, a recently launched and totally inspired way of offering baby fashion. “We find artists from around the world to create original artwork for our decorated baby apparel,” she says. “We feature new designs every month, available individually or as a year-long subscription as baby grows.”

The exclusive designs adorn one-piece rompers made from 100% cotton rib knit with three reinforced snap closures. Artists with an eye for child-friendly design are selected to take these ordinary clothes and make them extraordinary.

The Wordsation Subscription. Perfect as baby gifts, the Wordsation subscription delivers their exclusive apparel over the course of the first year of baby’s life, decorated with original designs from talented artists Katherine Streeter, Annie Wilkinson, Joel Nakamura and others – how’s that for ooh’s and aah’s? Thank you, Rachel Florio PR, for introducing me to Wordsation.

Members of subscription programs not only enjoy exclusive products, they can do so at huge savings, too. This past March 1, I introduced you to popular children’s accessories brand Itzy Bitzy Designs’ Klippie Klub, a kit-of-the-month subscription program where members receive a themed kit containing exclusive, newly released hair clips- and enjoy a 70% savings off retail.

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!

Mixed Up Clothing Really Puts It Together

Billed as Multicultural Clothing for the 21st Century Child, Mixed Up Clothing is inspired by the textiles, cultures and people of the world.

The collection of peasant tops, capris, jumpsuits, rompers, sundresses, tank tops, flouncy skirts, shorts, camp shirts and more for girls and boys from infants to toddlers to “big” kids feature ethnically diverse styles with cultural twists, blending materials and designs for a trendy, global look.

Join our journey as we build friendships through fabrics.

Creative executive Sonia M. Kang founded Mixed Up Clothing five years ago, and since then her designs have been showcased at cultural events across Southern California and shared with Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, author of children’s book Ladder to the Moon, the forward to Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids by Kip Fulbeck … oh yes, and she’s also President Obama’s sister!

Born to an African-American father and a Mexican-American mother –and married to a Korean-American husband- Sonia has been mixing it up culturally all her life. With four children of her own, “I knew that I wanted to make something for my children that they could celebrate their cultures by finding fun prints and pairing them with cool styles. Mixed Up Clothing was born,” she recently tells Honeysmoke.

I first discovered Sonia’s line as editor of HUDSON’S Childrenswear Review, and fell in love with the fun and kitschy fabrics she uses in her designs. Zulily curated a Mixed Up Clothing event last year, too. Since we last communicated Sonia tells me, “Our line has gotten into four more boutiques, mostly in the Los Angeles area.” Recently, she’s also pitched the line at Macy’s New York headquarters.

Mixed Up Clothing is a real find … so ask for it at your favorite shop! Or buy it online. And shopkeepers – it’s available wholesale.

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!