HauteLook

Exclusive. For a limited time. From the privacy of your own home or office.

In the rapidly growing online private sale/flash sale business, HauteLook partners with premium fashion and lifestyle brands to create private, upscale sale events at savings of up to 75% off retail prices. HauteLook is free to join and everyone is welcome. In fact, the company just passed the two million member mark, hosting more than 2,000 private sale events for women, men, home, beauty … and children’s products.

“HauteLook is a leader in the online kids’ business, with a dedicated team spearheaded by a veteran from BabyStyle, with a kid’s event almost every day,” Amelia Woltering, account director at KAPLOW, tells me. “The kids business is one of the fastest growing categories on HauteLook, with 2009 sales growing over 13x those of 2008.”

Amelia says that a partnership with HauteLook allows kids’ retailers brand transparency and control throughout the process, including time, pricing and the look of the event on HauteLook. Retailers also view the event through a private dashboard.

“Over 2/3 of kids’ buyers have never owned the brands prior to purchasing on HauteLook,” Amelia says, “but through the site, brands are introduced to a new, loyal audience for their products both on and off the site.”

Just ask Angel Dear, Peek … Aren’t You Curious and Umi. All of these companies are HauteLook fans!

-Janet Muniz

You’ve got to have faith

“You’ve got to have faith,” says Ilda Coppola, whether you’re navigating rush hour traffic in the city or masterminding an economic rebound.

After more than 20 years as a creative director for a leading children’s wear company, faith is something this designer/manufacturer really believes in, strongly enough to name her own début line of high-end children’s wear, Faith by Ilda C.

“People are looking for a sense of optimism,” she explains, adding that she predicts the time is right for a return to the kind of glamour and sophistication her new collection classically embodies.

Initially, Faith by Ilda C. is catering to young girls, toddler and 4-6X. “I love to design for this age because the kids’ personalities are starting to really come out and shine,” Ilda says. She describes her new line as exceptionally well made and timeless – like an outfit special enough to be handed down from generation to generation – yet with cutting edge styling and designed for comfort.

Later, Ilda plans to expand her line to include apparel for infant girls.

-Janet Muniz

March Come in Like a Lamb…

Check out our March issue – available now – full of all sorts of news and information from around the industry. Here are some of my favorites:

I’m loving the gray/champagne color combos here: Whimsical children’s clothing brand A.Bird Baby is set to hit store shelves this July. The first-ever collection of mix and match pieces are machine washable and sophisticated, with an edgy modern twist, featuring natural bleached linen and light flowing ruffles throughout, pleated frocks, smock tops, leggings, ruffle pants and bloomers in muted cream, grey and eggshell blue hues. For Molly Payne and Patricia Cammareri, a chance meeting at a shoe store sparked this classic, keepsake-quality clothing collection.

These 12 vibrant new styles from Livie & Luca are inspired by the bright, colorful folk art of Latin America. The collection features playful accents including flowers, birds, apples and more. The kid-friendly construction is specially designed to prevent stubbed or pinched toes. Livie & Luca shoes are made of soft leather and environmentally friendly materials and feature a new ultra-flexible sole design with the phrase “think sustainably, recycle your shoes” on the bottom, as the company is committed to “treading lightly” by using recycled leather that would otherwise be discarded and non-benzene glue. Livie and Luca also gives back to children in need, and in partnership with Art for Humanity donates gently-worn shoes to children in Honduras.

Very modern yet practical: New York-based Milkdot® launches the Stöh Lunch Tote, a lunch bag that combines clean and simple design with plenty of room and features perfect for stowing food, drink and utensils. Can be personalized, too. Designed by a parent with children’s safety in mind, every Milkdot product has been thoroughly tested by a CPSC certified lab and is PVC-free and lead-safe.

Find out about more fabulous products in the March issue of HUDSON’S!

-Janet Muniz

Children’s Wear Inspires on Project Runway

Season 7 of Project Runway is in full swing! In the recently aired Episode 6 “A Little Bit of Fashion,” the designers create a fashionable children’s look … and receive the surprise assignment of designing an adult companion outfit.

Guest judge Tory Burch – and all the regular judges agree that the winning look is the kind of outfit that little girls would just love to wear (and the companion outfit is stunning, too).

It’s interesting to me that the show producers chose Tory as the guest judge for this episode, as she’s certainly known for her adult fashion. What great exposure for her children’s line, Little Darlings.

I really love all the Project Runway scenes where the child models visit the designer’s work room. They have a blast – and the designers themselves reveal some pretty interesting things about their creative process. Many have that “little-me” attitude, when it comes to designing age-appropriate children’s wear … yet winning designer Seth Aaron Henderson – who’s a dad – seems to get his “client,” so to speak. He knows that kids want to wear clothes that are fun, comfortable and fashionable, too.

I especially like Jay Nicolas Sario’s design – what elegance!

What do you think?

-Janet Muniz

Happy Spring Color

It’s a dark day out there – even my weatherman uses the word “gloomy” to describe today’s forecast. So how about some new colors to banish those winter grays?

Carol Lavinthal of Just Kidd’n is the distributor of Australian accessory company Huggalugs & NOO in the USA and Canada. She’s introducing fresh new colors of LegRuffles for spring – and they’re sure to brighten up your store right now.

When customers talk, Huggalugs listens! With the new spring colors, the company has placed their logo on a tag that is gently heat sealed on to one LegRuffle cuff, “allowing parents to gently remove them at their discretion if desired,” says Carol. “We have plans to gradually introduce it to the remainder of Huggalugs styles.”

NEW PRODUCT! LegRuffles Longes for tweens and adults have an extra five to six inches, making them more practical for a growing girl’s longer legs – “especially important when a growth spurt turns a favorite skirt into a micro mini and the weather is just too chilly outside to comfortably show off those legs without some coverage,” Carol says.

Infant line NOO offers gift sets that include a romper and beanie cap packaged in a matching fabric gift pouch. Sweet!

Visit HuggalugsUSA to peruse new product images that show the full length of each design. Carol says, “If you are an authorized Huggalugs retailer, you can use these images on your own website.”

Reach Carol at huggalugs@aol.com.

-Janet Muniz

Reserve your HUDSON’S Mannequins Now

KIDShow/Las Vegas is just 12 days away… and so is the annual HUDSON’S Mannequin Maze. Have you reserved yours yet?

IT’S TIME! Attending manufacturers can reserve up to three mannequins online. Simply log on to HUDSONScr.com, click on “Mannequin Form” in the main menu, fill out the form and you’re in! We will call you to confirm your order and take credit card payment information.

Mannequins are available in sizes 2T thru 12. Your company name and KIDShow booth number are displayed with each mannequin. First come, first served. Just $100 each!

RESERVE NOW! Join in the fun of our annual HUDSON’S Mannequin Maze at KIDShow, February 15-17, 2010 in Las Vegas, NV. We’ll see you there!

-Janet Muniz

Donations Pour In To Help Haiti

“Small business can make a big difference. If we pull together and each contribute what we can, I think we’ll create something really powerful.”

-Annie Salyer, president, No Slippy Hair Clippy®

The two-hour Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief telethon which aired on more than 30 networks on Friday, January 22, raised more than $57 million in public donations, with more being tallied from corporations, larger private donors. In addition, Hope for Haiti Now is the top-selling iTunes album in 18 countries, making it the biggest single day album pre-order for iTunes ever. Donate by visiting HopeForHaitiNow.org or by calling 877-99-HAITI.

Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.) has worked in Haiti through various partners for 15 years, and since the first news reports of the Haiti earthquake tragedy has been working to get donations of new underwear, clothes, water, vitamin bars, blankets, diapers and other supplies for distribution in Haiti. More than 65 donor companies have already provided or pledged close to $6 million worth of product. K.I.D.S. takes donations of only new products, using industry contacts to get what the Haitian people will need most in the coming weeks and months as they rebuild. Products that are needed for immediate relief efforts include clothes, socks, underwear and blankets. Companies with NEW product to donate can call 1-800-266-3314 for assistance or use the online form at www.kidsdonations.org/Make_Donation/product_form.cfm

K.I.D.S. is accepting cash donations to help defray the costs to distribute the donated product today and in the months to come. For every $10 in cash, K.I.D.S. can deliver at least $100 of donated products. Cash donations can be taken online at: www.kidsdonations.org/haiti.

Hair Clips for Haiti is helping to raise funds for the Haitian relief effort by children’s hair accessory company No Slippy Hair Clippy®. “Small business can make a big difference,” says Annie Salyer, the company’s president. “If we pull together and each contribute what we can, I think we’ll create something really powerful.” A portion of the company’s online sales will be donated to UNICEF, supporting the humanitarian efforts of U.S. Fund for UNICEF Ambassador Tea Leoni, and Save The Children® with support for Save the Children® Ambassador Joely Fisher. Please visit http://www.hairclippy.com for more information and the opportunity to contribute.

Recording artist and fashion designer Jessica Simpson along with celebrity hair stylists Ken Paves and CaCee Cobb team up with Soles4Souls® through 50KShoes.com to raise funds to send immediate relief to the people of Haiti. Donating is easy at www.50Kshoes.com. The suggested donation is very affordable, with $5.00 buying two pairs of new shoes. The charity has already pledged one million pairs of shoes to be distributed to Haitians during a sustained giving plan in coordination with other agencies. Money raised here goes specifically toward the Haitian relief effort. Through social media, Jessica, Ken and CaCee’s support will help spread the charity’s mission to Change the World, One Pair at a Time. Fans can followthe celebrities on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessicasimpson, http://twitter.com/kenpaves, and http://twitter.com/caceecobb.

New Service for West Coast Businesses

Karie Reynolds of Grand Avenue PR usually gets in touch when she’s got news about a client … but this time she wants to let me know what she’s been up to.

“My business partner and I have opened the Grand Avenue Baby showroom at the California Market Center,” she announces. “A new concept in the category, we launched the showroom to help emerging and established mom and baby lines connect the dots between PR and sales.”

Located on Kids on 6 at the Los Angeles, CA venue – touted as is “the most popular and largest showcase among the United States, with over 600 premium brands from around the world” – the Grand Avenue Baby showroom serves two very important purposes:

1) it provides emerging companies an opportunity to benefit from Grand Avenue PR’s media and influencer relationships and

2) it offers established children’s lines additional exposure to trend-setting West Coast retailers.

Karie tells me that Grand Avenue PR is the only PR firm in the juvenile products category to offer this unprecedented opportunity to combine sales and public relations.

In addition, the brick-and-mortar showroom works together with the online showroom at www.grandavenuebaby.com to feature a unique, hand-picked mix of quality brands – and more.

“Visitors to the Web site gain access to product information as well as Grand Avenue Baby blog posts on industry trends and highlights, products, topics and expert commentary and opinions,” Karie says. “Visitors to the showroom in the California Market Center have the opportunity to ‘touch and feel’ product and see it showcased in a retail environment.”

Grand Avenue PR founders Karie Reynolds and Barbie Dávalos opened the Grand Avenue Baby showroom in December 2009 with established sales representative Michael Gonzales of Metropolitan Kids.

Cool Beans, Guys!

-Janet Muniz

***NEWS FLASH*** Macy’s announces a new program, Macy’s Open Call, created to offer apparel and accessories designers not yet Macy’s vendors the opportunity to introduce their work to Macy’s Fashion Office.

“Macy’s is continuing to invest in new endeavors that focus on inspiring our customer,” says Nicole Fischelis, GVP fashion director. “The program confirms our commitment to featuring the latest trends by finding up-and-coming talent who can offer us product and design perspectives that are fresh and original.”

The program is available to all designers who are at least 18 years old and use EDI compliant manufacturing facilities. Apply online thru January 31 at www.macysinc.com/opencall. The actual Open Call event is scheduled for February 25 and 26 at Macy’s Herald Square in New York, NY.

Perfect Winter Pick-Me-Up: PJs!

I don’t know about you, but I do my best thinking in my pajamas.

Yep. Perhaps it’s because I’m a morning person, and I tend to write early in the morning, before the sun comes up, sitting at my computer in my pajamas.

Too much information? Ah, well … here’s another thought: it’s a cold winter Saturday morning. What better for kids to play in than their favorite comfy, warm PJs? You just know I’m a fan.

Children’s clothing company Douglas & Cocoa creates those perfect PJ’s for new little ones and their big brothers and sisters. Sweet kimonos for baby, Asian-inspired PJs for siblings plus cozy blankets for all.

Owner/designer Kendal is the mother of three little boys. She’s combined her love of designing clothes with her Master’s degree in Asian art history to create a unique line of PJs – the perfect winter pick-me-up. “The special bond between my boys inspired me to design pajama sets for babies and toddlers in matching vivid colors and prints, sets that could be worn day or night,” she says.

The company’s New Mission collection features three specific items: Kung Fu PJs and matching Kimono sets – monogramming is also available for an added specialty – plus ultra cozy blankets, which Kendal thinks is essential in a mom’s tool kit. “As a mother I have learned the value of a good blanket, one that is cuddly, but also durable,” she says.

Douglas & Cocoa is based in Hong Kong and New York, and Kendal not only designs PJs, but collections and resort wear for both boys and girls (gee, a trip to Bali does sounds great right about now). I especially love the story about her company’s name, as I’m a cat person … and so is Douglas, apparently. Cocoa is his beloved stuffed kitty.

I still have my favorite stuffed animal from my childhood sitting on my desk, Douglas. Right in back of my computer, where I sit in my pajamas and work!

-Janet Muniz