Sugar Plum NY Launches Laundry by Shelli Segal Collection

The sugar plum is a legendary symbol of everything sweet and delectable. And so it is with the delicious selection of girls dresses from Sugar Plum NY, Inc.

Ask for it by name. Sugar Plum’s three signature brand designs are Dorissa, Sugar Plum, and Little Miss, plus the recently introduced The Girls’ Collection from Laundry by Shelli Segal (pictured at right). Find Sugar Plum’s chic-traditional party dresses, Communion and junior-inspired dresses in lux fabrics like shantung, organza, chiffon, taffeta, flocked velvet, satin and sequined lace in rich colors like burgundy, teal, pewter, black and plum. Sweet and delectable, indeed.

Little girls feel special and happy in our dresses -adding joy and festivity to their celebrations. As an owner of Sugar Plum since 1985, I’ve enjoyed working with the finest team, and we hope it’s a special part of their fondest memories.

Sugar Plum president Michael Fallas recently talked to me about what makes Sugar Plum dresses so special.

Designed in the USA. Our collection is designed in-house. We find this hands-on approach much more worthwhile, especially because it involves our entire team from the very beginning.

Making Our Dresses is Extremely Unique. We make sure that each dress in every brand stands on its own, with an individual identity. The collection is based on fun fabrics and trims, intriguing embellishments and an eye-catching colors.

There’s the Perfect Dress for Any Occasion. Interestingly enough, although all of our brands are special occasion dresses, each has a distinct difference. Dorissa is contemporary and updated. Sugar Plum is traditional with our special flair and touch. Little Miss is classically traditional, with sizzle.

We Know Our Brand. We know it’s most important that the consumer be drawn to our attractive, appealing dresses; that they are very pleased with the price; and finally, that they recognize the brand for its integrity and tradition. And we always deliver.

Known for fine quality, trendy fabrics, unique and distinctive styling as well as excellent value, Sugar Plum NY is a wonderful line of chic, sophisticated looks and whimsical, flirty and fun dresses.

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

Loved by Celebrity Kids and Everyone Else, too!

Kiddo By Katie and Love Jay Girls are getting a ton of attention from celebrity kids lately for their chic designs, luxe fabrics and ahead-of-the-trend pieces.

Most recently seen being worn by such famous faces as Willow Smith, Shiloh Pitt, Zahara Pitt, Suri Cruise, Ariel Winter and Kennedy Armstrong, these two brands are taking the kids fashion industry by storm -at an affordable price.

Established in 1992, the Kiddo By Katie clothing line appeals to the tween with a keen eye for high fashion.

The versatile Kiddo collection of structured military jackets, off the shoulder tops, playful knits and easy to wear dresses captures the innocence and high energy of the tween lifestyle, thoughtfully incorporating lace detailing, cascading ruffles and funky prints into a wearable look that’s on trend.

Love Jay Girls turns a little girl’s fairy tale into a reality, infusing princess silhouettes with a fashionable edge.

With an array of dresses for young girls sizes 4-8, the Love Jay Girls line captures the beauty and charisma of a young girl’s spirit with a combination of luxurious textures and colorful designs. The core belief that a princess lives inside every little girl is the guiding inspiration behind the enchanting collection.

From great everyday basics to fun, flirty dresses, Kiddo By Katie and Love Jay Girls truly have clothing for any girl who wants to stay as stylish as their moms.

If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Cupcake Pajamas from The Baby Bunch

You’re probably familiar with The Baby Bunch, one of Martha Stewart’s favs.

I’ve been a fan of The Baby Bunch ever since I first saw the lovely gift bouquets full of soft baby essentials. The thoughtful packaging just seems to enhance the elegant contents within.

The Baby Bunch combines practicality with presentation. We wanted to create a gift that was attractive yet useful and offers everything a baby needs to get the best possible start in life.”

-founders Bryony Boxer and Simon Martin

If you haven’t seen these cute little morsels of baby happiness, here’s your chance. The company is now serving Cupcake Pajamas in pink for girls and blue for boys. Each box contains a 100% cotton top and matching striped bottom rolled to look like cupcakes, suitable for a child 12-18 months or up to 22 lbs. (remove the decorative elements before putting clothing on child). Each box is tied with a ribbon and bears a gift tag.

By the way, Baby Bunch gifts delight parents, too!

Fresh Find for Valentine Inventory

An imaginative artist captures the “cute” in a playful collection of jewelry and artwork inspired by his original pop art.

Looking for that one last Valentine’s Day find sure to capture the hearts of little girls- and their moms at the same time? Oakland CA, USA-based artist Mark Poulin combines his passion for metalworking and pop art to create a quirky, modern twist on the classic charm. From dogs and cats, groundhogs and squirrels, to stars and Martians, his playful sterling silver charms are hand-cast from wax models of his original drawings.

The Mark Poulin Jewelry collection is a real find- a modern, affordable assortment of handmade rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, coupled with unique plaques and prints featuring cartoons of endearing animals and bold graphics created from his original sketches, kiln-fired into enamels.

Mark’s work also features bright, bold colors in unique shapes and designs, perfect for any age. With four distinct looks:

Charms – affordable sterling silver treasures

Cartoons – sketches of favorite creatures

Botanical – a modern slant on nature

Modern – simple bold color for men and women

My designs express two distinct sides of my personality.

-Mark Poulin

Mark Poulin’s work is featured in jewelry, children’s and art stores, including SFMOMA and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Available wholesale.

Kai Bean Kids Makes Splash in Début Year

First impressions are a charm for Kai Bean Kids, a fashion forward line for boys that combines the latest trends in contemporary menswear with the laid back California lifestyle.

What we hear most from our customers is that it’s the clothing that dads want to wear.

-owner Laurie Snyder

Made entirely in Los Angeles CA, USA! Kai Bean Kids is the trendy new boy’s line from Original Flap Happy®, founded by designer Laurie Lipson Snyder. A Los Angeles, CA native and mother of four, Laurie started the business 20 years ago with an idea for a hat that would protect children’s faces and necks from the sun and elements.

After developing the multi-million dollar hat company, Laurie introduced a clothing line, expanding Flap Happy to swimwear, playwear, outerwear and headwear lines – all Made in the USA.

Now entering its second year, Kai Bean Kids is made from the softest cottons and rayon including French terry, thermal waffle knit and combed, ring spun jersey. The new line is available in a variety of styles including shorts, pants and hoodies as well as t-shirts with bold, fun graphics. Most styles include details like raw edges and mixed fabrications. Available in sizes six months to size 12.

Kai Bean Kids has a very clean, comfortable look -at a great wholesale price point!

For more information contact Kai Bean Kids at 310.453.3527 or email sales@kaibeankids.com.

Kapital K Boys Clothing

Cool, hip, stylish, off-beat and edgy – the Kapital K way.

“We are a true collection-based brand that provides functional mix & match clothing for boys. Every piece, color and category in each collection is a result of extensive research and has a reason for being there. We are driven by hip styling, cool graphics and what is current, while keeping a boy’s sensibility in mind.”

– designer Spencer Sujjaporamest, a Parsons grad and children’s industry veteran

Kapital K is a boy’s clothing collection that focuses on mix & match, fashion-forward styles at an affordable price point. Inspired by the cool styles seen in today’s men’s fashion and keeping an active boy’s taste in mind, Kapital K collections are available in sizes 12 months to size 8 with wholesale price points ranging from $9 for accessories to $41 for outerwear. An attention to detail sets this collection apart, including fur-trimmed hoods, color blocking and striped double pockets.

Inspired by rock n’ roll, car racing and sports, the fall/winter ’11 collection features t-shirts, button-downs, vests, pants, jackets, hats and scarves. Standouts include the suspender/bow tie shirt, color blocked shiny nylon vest, knit herringbone hooded vest and Mohawk trapper hat.

For the upcoming spring/summer ’12 collection, Kapital K features bold, eye-catching graphics of surfing, monster trucks, varsity sports and rock n’ roll; sharks, boxing gloves, and headsets are combined with soft, lightweight fabric for a casual-cool boys look.

Now sold in fine retailers and department stores, including Barney’s and Fred Segal’s Ron Robinson.

Very Cute Dress-Up!

“All of our clothing is Made in the USA and we are very proud to have stayed true to our heritage. Many of our customers love it.”

-Richard Behar, Capitol Clothing

Miami, FL-based Capitol Clothing Corp. manufactures a variety of novelty uniform outfits for kids under the Little Baron and Capitol Boys brands. Themed outfits allow kids to dress up as a boat captain, police officer, sheriff, firefighter, the U.S. Military and more are available in sizes Infant, Toddler 2T-4T and 4-7.

The 22-year-old company recently introduced the Safari Style Vest to the collection. Celebrity children are big fans, too – Michael Jackson’s son Prince has been seen wearing the Police outfit; Victoria Beckham’s son Cruz wears the Jr. Zookeeper outfit and most recently, John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s newborn son received outfits in a celebrity gifting basket.

-Janet Muniz

BEARPAW

Only in HUDSON’S & HCRSourceBook.

Now in its tenth year, Citrus Heights, CA-based footwear brand BEARPAW is known for comfort, quality and style at affordable prices. A trademark of Romeo & Juliette, Inc., founder Tom Romeo and his team have grown BEARPAW into a lifestyle, embraced by kids and adults throughout the U.S. and in 13 counties. “There’s a scientific aspect to comfort inherent in the BEARPAW culture and design,” the company explains on BEARPAWStyle.com, an online magazine-blog-site created specifically to fuel the mindset it represents. “BEARPAW has changed the game in footwear by using sheepskin, which regulates body temperature. Feet stay cooler and drier in warm weather, warmer in cold weather – it works for sheep, why not for people?”

Last year, BEARPAW began exploring new ways to use recycled and earth-friendly materials, pursuing green methods and practices from the factory to the final sale. Enter Linda Poetsch. Linda created the company’s first line of footwear for spring/summer, not only initiating its greening -the line is made from recycled materials, cork, bamboo, jute and hemp- but expanding BEARPAW into a year-round brand.

“In the past, I had worked with John Larkin at two different companies,” Linda tells us during a recent trip to China. “We share a mutual respect for each other’s abilities. He said that he felt that I could really help expand BEARPAW’s appeal to consumers.” After introducing her to Tom Romeo and his footwear team, Linda started working once more with John, now the company’s EVP, international business development. “Once you have proven yourself, Tom pretty much gives you the autonomy and freedom to run your department the way you want.”

Linda is an award winning designer and holds several patents. She started her own company, TEN80 Design, Inc. after working in-house for such companies as Avila, adidas, Nike and Fila. “I wanted to contribute more in the areas I specialize in -Color, Trend and Design forecast and analysis- to more companies,” she says. She is also an expert at guiding the entire development process, from creative use of color, innovative design and quality development, to delivering the very best product to market.

Currently, Linda is working on BEARPAW’s new children’s collection set to deliver for this year’s Back-To-School season. The company offers a range of sizes for children: youth, toddler and infant. Linda says about half of the looks for this kids collection are take downs of the women’s line and the other half are new styles just for kids. “What I love about the take downs is they are great looking styles for all ages.” For example, a fun, African print story is told with printed suede zebra and cheetah looks. “The great thing about the kid-specific styles is they can be more fun, while keeping our brand commitment to comfort and price,” Linda says. The faux vulcanized product includes a slip-on shoe, a short boot and a taller boot, both in fun colors along with the classic colors. “The kids boots are dressed up with a combination of materials, perforated accents, studded details, all used in a more youthful way, reflecting more freedom of expression,” Linda explains. “Color and fun details know no bounds, and together can create a boot or shoe that becomes a child’s favorite.”

It’s a particular joy for Linda to design children’s shoes. “I love that kids are drawn to more color and are impacted by the fun and free spirited look and feel of these designs,” she says. “They know better than anyone how a happy, fun color makes you feel good. They are not tainted by society and what is deemed proper attire.”

For BEARPAW, Linda’s kids collection is just one more way the company gives the consumer lots of natural and comfortable styles to choose from, at prices sensible enough for them to afford several items each season. “For all children as well as adults, we know that bare feet love BEARPAW,” she says. “What parent wouldn’t want their kids to have the same benefits? Who doesn’t want their kids to be comfortable, look stylish and pay a sensible price for that?”

Indeed. As they say, it’s time to relax –for kids- BEARPAW Style.

-Janet Muniz

Sweet Spud

Cute little tots.

From giraffes to dreamy clouds, Sweet Spud introduces fresh new designs to their collection of super soft organic cotton infant clothing, including long-sleeved toddler tees that feature thoughtful quotes with lush graphics, including Irish poet William Butler Yeats’ “Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” Made in the USA using certified organic cotton and water-based, phthalate-free inks, the Sweet Spud collection includes coordinating infant bodysuits, toddler tees, yoga style pants and knot caps in sizes newborn to 6T, delivered in a gift-ready 100% recycled/recyclable box and wrapped in tissue paper that is made of 100% recycled fibers. After meeting rigorous standards, Sweet Spud recently received GreenAmericaToday.org Seal of Approval.

-Janet Muniz

PAIGE LAUREN BABY

Simple luxury, redefined.

West coast-based PAIGELAUREN BABY announces its Fall/Winter 2010 collection, inspired by cozy nights by the fire, the flush of color on autumn trees and the crisp cool of California mornings. The collection marks the season with luxurious streaky fleece, smartly striped ribs and a new snug beenie. An all-new palette includes Rosewater, Haze, Willow, Twilight and Scarlet. Designer Paige Lauren has hand-selected fabrics and colors that reflect the essence of West Coast living. The three-year-old company is known for designs where simplicity trumps excess and quality outlasts trendy in a line of signature kimonos, rompers, tees, hoodys and pants that have been called “an absolute necessity.”