Children’s Retail Today

Petit Home by blabla Kids


051313_petithome_playpadExclusive blabla Kids designs come to life in a new line.

This year, Georgia-based blabla Kids continues an adventure in cloth, creating Petit Home, a complementary collection of poetic, modern soft goods for kids.

Winner of Milk Magazine’s 2013 Discovery Prize, the playful bean bags, traveling play pads, matching pillows and reversible totes that make up Petit Home are inspired by designer Florence Wetterwald’s imaginative drawings. The 100% cotton collection is made in Peru, very washable and sure to delight pixie people with its charm!

  • 051313_petithome_lunchtoteChildren’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!

Brilliant Sky Toys & Books


Featuring more than 10,000 high-quality specialty products, Brilliant Sky Toys & Books is truly the place where everyone can find their way to play.

050913_BrilliantSky_01Walk into any Brilliant Sky Toys & Books specialty store, and you’ll be … enchanted. The entire mission is to delight the shopper.

Michigan-based Brilliant Sky Toys & Books provides the highest quality products in an atmosphere that is both active and interactive. Brent Taylor left the corporate world in 2002 to open his with his wife Sonia, a registered nurse, and their three children.

Together, the family created a unique retail experience that has been embraced by communities nationwide and has grown from a single location to one of the fastest growing toy retailing concepts in the country in just seven years.

Back in 2002 my singular goal was to create the finest upscale specialty toy store in America. Now we have 15 and we’re still growing!

050913_BrilliantSky_02Who needs toys? Everyone! At Brilliant Sky, personal Play Consultants help you make the most informed and successful buying decisions while you peruse several thousands of dolls, games, puzzles, crafts, books, dress-up, kites, plush, musical instruments and more. The end result is always the same: walking away with a toy that a child will cherish.

050913_BrilliantSky_03“We believe that the right playthings can teach, inform, enlighten, reinforce and enrich,” Brent says. “We believe in how they can foster self-esteem, non-violence, patience, sensitivity, diversity, and tenacity. We live it and breathe it and experience it every day, and we love nothing more than to share it with others.”

To applaud the very best toy makers, Brilliant Sky initiated the coveted Brilliance Award, an annual tip-of-the-hat to “toys that represent the very ideals that Brilliant Sky Toys & Books was founded upon — the importance of quality, the value of open-ended play and the simple beauty of a child’s fascination and delight.”

050913_BrilliantSky_logoShop online, click here to find a store near you or see more.

Stinky McGee


050813_StinkyMcGee_01How could you not wanna learn more about a company called Stinky McGee?

I’m a huge fan of lifestyle designer family Novogratz, so when the bow tie-loving boys Five and Major wanted to wear Stinky McGee bow ties on a recent Today Show segment last fall, I not only wanted to see the segment, I wanted to know more about this fun, hip company.

Made in Brooklyn, for boys everywhere.

For your little stinker. Stinky McGee designs bowties and neckties at the company’s New York home base, sourcing from the Garment District and all 50 states – for a stylish, creative yet fun look, where cool fabric accoutrements are attached with an adjustable slider and a soft plastic clasp.

We here at Stinky McGee believe every little boy deserves and wants hip, stylish, comfy accessories.

050813_StinkyMcGee_04Perfect for special occasions and everything in between (neckties at the beach?) – I especially like the Mini McGees – long or short sleeved one-pieces made from 100% certified organic cotton, which come with a snap-on-snap-off bow tie.

Millions of Colors


050713_MOC_SS2This young label has caught the eyes of millions of minis out there – and their moms, too.

Designer brand Millions of Colors just introduced a Spring Summer 2013 collection that is light and ethereal –full of  flower petals, beach blossoms and summer parties. From polka-dot chiffon ruffles and flower petal skirts to light blue shorts and navy blue bows; the variety of lounge and beachwear is just right for the season.

050713_MOC_SS2_02The seaside is the inspiration for the vibrant floral designs by award-winning industry creative Rujira Lawonvisut, who has worked for a variety of companies including Gap, Theory and Urban Outfitters.

Designing is a lot like cooking. You mix simple ingredients into a big pot to create a dish. And then you add your own special spice.

050713_MOC_SS2_03The all-girl fashion label for ages 2-14 features details like floral petal-shaped embroidered necklines, waistlines and hemlines – with styles that blend solid cotton modal blouses with striped silky skirts for a dash of beauty and beach time fun.

Celebrity Eye-Catcher. Millions of Colors outfits have also caught the eye of the celebrity parents such as Brooke Shields, Tori Spelling and Jennifer Garner, as well as major magazines like Parenting, Small Magazine and others.

If your daughters love the look of soft, breezy style of summers on the beach, head for Millions of Colors –a seaside standout!

Choose Friendship Company


Choose Friendship is not only the name of a family-owned company from Michigan, but a way of life and daily affirmation that is spreading like wildfire.

Specializing in crafting kits, Choose Friendship Company is taking traditional crafting to the next level, making it easier, all-inclusive and travel-ready … the kind of  “no-muss-no-fuss” that crafters of all ages appreciate.

The company that David Crorey started while babysitting his granddaughters -trying to perfect the old-fashioned method of creating friendship bracelets he introduced the patented innovation My Friendship Bracelet Maker®- goes above and beyond to provide a helping hand worldwide.

050213_ChooseFriendship_02The team started with initiatives that encouraged crafters to create bracelets for those touched by cancer (Pink and White, Kids Join the Fight), diabetes awareness (Embracing You With a Circle of Blue), and military families (Red, White and Blue, Kids Serve Too).

Last year Choose Friendship Co. partnered with Mad Habit Media, a local teen artist, and over 100 Michigan kids to create a flash mob style music video, featuring the song “Inside Out” that inspires others to choose friendship rather than empower bullies. The profit raised from iTunes downloads and t-shirt sales were donated to Defeat The Label, a local anti-bullying organization.

Touched by stories of those devastated by Hurricane Sandy, Choose Friendship Co. donated products to independent toy stores on the coast and the Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.). Other recent contributions include Maiden Nation’s cause of helping survivors from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti to build a new life.

Plans are underway to work with Wish Upon a Teen to help teenagers with developmental or medical conditions.

050213_ChooseFriendship_01Today, the Choose Friendship family business has gone global, continually expanding its product line to an ever-widening audience with exciting innovation to both traditional and new crafting techniques. Their mission is to engage kids in creative self expression, while continuing to promote the message of friendship.

With 18 awards and counting, Choose Friendship Company products consistently win ratings for entertainment, originality and educational value from parent and industry experts. As compact, travel-ready imagination starters, all of their products come with everything kid crafters need to unplug from digital distractions and explore their connections to each other.

Froufrou & Company


From “America’s Finest City” comes a new girl’s swimwear line for summer.

050113_Froufrou&Company_01Selena and Analia Reif tell me they’ve always had a fancy for frills and a knack for design. They’re both very passionate about their new venture together, Froufrou & Company, a chic brand of baby swimwear for girls ages newborn to four years.

Our bathing suit designs are for the un-apologetically girly-girl with a love of fun, frills and fashion.

Made in the USA. The high-quality swimwear includes handmade touches and whimsical details that make the suits truly couture. The San Diego, CA-based Froufrou & Company baby swimwear is designed and manufactured by the sister team in Southern California. From linings in contrasting colors and patterns to hand-sewn bows adorning all the suits, their high standards for craftsmanship, as well as attention to detail and an eye for design set Froufrou & Company girls swimsuits apart – fur shur.

050113_Froufrou&Company_03Included in the Summer 2013 collection are one-piece swimsuits, bikinis, swim caps and headbands, to add charm and nostalgia. The swimsuits are available in a range of sizes from 0-6m to 3-4T. Accessories are available in all sizes.

Purchase online at upscale boutiques. All items in the collection are ready for immediate delivery to retailers for the Summer 2013 season. Retailers can contact wholesale@froufrou.co.

050113_Froufrou&Company_02Froufrou & Company celebrates the innocence and girliness of childhood with posh swimwear that is unparalleled both in style and quality.

One Dynamic Duo. As little girls Selena and Analia were inseparable, and found many outlets for their creative energies; one of their favorite pastimes was playing dress-up in their mother’s most glamorous skirts and scarves.

050113_Froufrou&Company_logoReminiscent of their childhood days, the sisters created Froufrou & Company out of a love of all things sweet in life. Their collective degrees in economics, fashion and graphic design make them one dynamic duo ready to make waves with their design début this summer.

Sew Lati


043013_SewLati_01Sew Lati Couture débuts with the Royal Collection for Fall Holiday 2013.

Smart, chic and glamorously functional, Sew Lati Couture is a new luxury brand for kids that features a bold, rich palette, exquisite fabrics, lux detail and modern style.

The color palette this season inspired the Royal Collection. When I think of royalty, I envision rich color and timeless, regal pieces. The deep hues of plum and navy combined have such a regal feel.

043013_SewLati_03Drawing inspiration from her three young children, designer TJ Hamilton, wife of NBA Chicago Bulls star Richard Hamilton, has created a collection infused with quality and bursting with practicality. From luminous velvet suits and jacquard coats to playful graphic tees and cargo leggings, pieces are designed to be mixed and matched into countless combinations of effortless elegance.

043013_SewLati_02Designed and fabricated in the USA, Sew Lati has a distinctly high fashion feel while keeping comfort in mind.

Numero 74


Handmade and vintage adorables for kids, made in Thailand.

042513_Numero74_logoEstablished in 2009, Numero 74 is designed by cousins Poupy and Nancy, who bring their French and Italian-inspired dreams to reality in a eclectic collection of furniture and vintage items, as well as blankets, pillows, paper products and more.

Heartmade … for kids.

Poupy and Nancy just introduced BE HAPPY, a line of accessories for happy birthday parties.

042513_Numero74_Montage_02The designing cousins select all the materials and oversee the manufacture of the handcrafting by skilled artisans and women’s cooperatives in Thailand.

Zooligans


Children’s Retail Today Adorables – the founders of Zooligans create a new company, taking the brand to another level.

042413_Zooligans_01Cheryl Andonian, co-founder of Zooligans footwear, tells me it’s been a crazy year since she and  her husband, shoe designer Joel Rusnak, launched the brand. The duo just reformed a new company, ShoeString Shoes LLC to make Zooligans shoes even better.

042413_Zooligans_03Stampeding Toward Fall. The Massachusetts-based company is offering exciting additions to the clever collection of animal-themed shoes for Fall ’13, multiplying for the back to school season with a new menagerie of styles, colors and characters in their Pawflex line.

New critters-shoes include a Penguin, Pony and Kitty boot; a Puppy and Gator Ox; a Dinosaur and Monkey mid-cut boot and an Owl and Panda slip on clog – all featuring Zooligans’ signature Paw Flex bottom with its bold paw print design that’s super flexible. Zooligans shoes are designed for little kids’ growing feet with a roomy toe box for toes to stretch and grip plus the flexibility that little feet need.

042413_Zooligans_02Zooligans is also expanding the brand with Baby Zooligans, a collection of soft-soled shoes for infants. Baby Zooligans’ tiniest menagerie includes a Lamb, Lion, Kitty, Piglet, Puppy and Monkey,  made from soft leather and suede to provide protection, warmth (and cuteness) for baby’s delicate feet. The bottoms are made of soft suede and have a fun printed pawprint on the bottom.

Loved by blogging moms everywhere, recognized as “must have’s” and “most awesome,” the new company will be ready to ship the new Zooligans to retailers in August.

Talking Threads Kids


042313_TalkingHeadsKids_comboNicci O’Rourke is quite the doodler. And she’s turned her doodling into a children’s wear line.

Talking Threads Kids is Nicci’s first-ever children’s wear brand, which just launched a Spring/Summer collection of clothing, shoes –even funky wallpaper- full of Nicci’s doodles.

042313_TalkingHeadsKids_tshirt_girlThe Edinburgh-based artist is mom to three children and started the business in January. For Nicci, Talking Treads fulfills a life-long ambition to create a children’s wear line that combines her love for fashion and illustrative design. With an affinity for the fun side of dress-up, Nicci used her previous experience running her own women’s wear label to develop Talking Threads.

Talking Threads Kids – Creative, playful clothing, illustrations without limitations.

042313_TalkingHeadsKids_sneakersNicci believes strongly believe in supporting British manufacturing, which is where Talking Thread is made. And the clothing is label-free.

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!