CWB 094

A FRESH LOOK AT KIDS’ FASHION, FOOTWEAR AND LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS

Incorporating

SCHOOLWEAR BUYER:

BUBBLE LONDON Exclusive preview of the s/s 16 show OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES How research with kids can be translated into innovation opportunities for brands CHAIN REACTION A new northern chain of independent childrenswear shops

www.cwb-online.co.uk June/July 2015 Issue 94 £9.95

sarahmasonphotography.co.uk

What will you discover?

LONDON

Register for your free ticket at bubblelondon.com 1 2 T H & 1 3 T H J U LY 2 0 1 5 , B U S I N E S S D E S I G N C E N T R E , L O N D O N

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CONTENTS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

CONT ENTS: 18

37

54 20

REGULARS

FEATURES

05: Comment

20: Chain reaction A new northern chain of independent childrenswear shops.

34: S/s 16 show calendar Round-up of this season’s children’s trade fairs.

22: Back from the brink Profiling organic childrenswear label Pigeon.

37: Bubble London Exclusive preview of the s/s 16 edition of the show.

06: News 08: NCWA 14: Open for business Legal and business advice plus industry opinion 16: Retail Therapy Store profiles and retail news 18: Brands to Watch Editor’s pick of brands 52: Laura Loves The coolest products for kids 54: Style Guide Summer partywear 66: Talking Point: Category manager for Baby & Child at Notonthehighstreet.com

24: The personal touch How independents can translate the personal approach online and improve sales.

25: Special delivery Packaging ideas available in small minimums for independent fashion retailers and brands who sell online.

SCHOOLWEAR 59: News 60: Talking Shop Schoolwear retailers reflect on last year’s Back to School (BTS) and how it has shaped their approach for this year.

28: Out of the mouths of babes How research with children can be translated into innovation opportunities for brands.

Front cover: Lilly + Sid 07985 162337 lillyandsid.com JUNE/JULY 2015 - 03

COM MENT: The secret is out...

We have been extremely busy at CWB, putting the finishing touches to an exciting new project we are launching and it is finally ready to be unveiled. Readers, we proudly present to you the CWB Independent Retail Awards 2015.

Having worked with independent retailers for over 11 years, I am delighted to finally be able to provide CWB with a platform to officially recognise performance and innovation across the UK children’s retail sector. We will be rewarding excellence across a range of award categories to ensure there’s something for everyone. The Best New Store category caters for the start-ups bringing innovation to the fore, and the Best Established Store, for the protagonists who are the lifeblood of the sector. Best Online Store is for those who trade exclusively online, delivering the best in branded childrenswear and customer experience on a digital level.

Best Footwear Store caters for retailers trading exclusively in childrenswear footwear and who, along with an essential offer of brands, provide outstanding fitting and customer service. Best Schoolwear Store recognises those trading within the specialist schoolwear sector, delivering quality uniform and school essentials within the strict timetable of the sector. And, finally, the Best Kids’ Independent Store is open to all UK independents who trade within the branded children’s apparel, footwear or accessories sectors, designed to highlight a retailer that has become a destination store in its own right.

The winners will be chosen by an independent industry judging panel and announced in the December issue of CWB. To enter the Awards head to www.cwb-online.co.uk where you will find

Editor Laura Turner laura@ras-publishing.com Contributors Isabella Griffiths isabella@ras-publishing.com Christina Williams christina@ras-publishing.com Victoria Jackson victoria@ras-publishing.com Editorial assistant Rebecca Jackson rebecca.jackson@ras-publishing.com Sub editor Amanda Batley amanda@ras-publishing.com Designers Michael Podger mick@ras-publishing.com Clive Holloway clive@ras-publishing.com James Lindley james@ras-publishing.com Richard Boyle richard@ras-publishing.com Sales executive Fiona Warburton fiona.warburton@ras-publishing.com Subscriptions Laura Martindale laura.martindale@ite-exhibitions.com Head of childrenswear Lindsay Hoyes lindsay@ras-publishing.com Editorial director Gill Brabham gill@ras-publishing.com Marketing director Stephanie Parker stephanie@moda-uk.co.uk Managing director Colette Tebbutt colette@ras-publishing.com Reprographics/printing Image Data Group Ltd 01482 652323

CWB is published 6 times per year by RAS Publishing Ltd, The Old Town Hall, Lewisham Road, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5AL. Call 01484 846069 Fax 01484 846232 www.cwb-online.co.uk Copyright© 2015 CWB Magazine Limited. All rights reserved.Reproduction of any written material or illustration in any form for any purpose, other than short extracts for review purposes, is strictly forbidden. Neither RAS Publishing Ltd nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage to transparencies and any other material submitted for publication.

COMMENT | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

application forms, information and the Awards’ rules.

Elsewhere, we have plenty of other interesting news this issue. Namely, our first look at s/s 16, including an exclusive preview of the forthcoming edition of the UK’s leading children’s trade show, Bubble London, on 12-13 July at the BDC, Islington. Starting on page 37, discover the show’s new brands and exclusive signings as well as the host of projects and events taking place over the two-day event.

In schoolwear, meanwhile, we speak to retailers about Back to School (BTS) and their approach for this year’s. Some of the key findings include retailers placing more focus on online sales to support in-store trade, greater use of social media as a means of free promotion and as a communication tool and heavier investment in “fitted” and “skinny”cut uniform styles to reflect current fashion trends.

I have only scraped the surface in terms of what this issue has to offer, so I will leave you in peace to read on. I wish you all a successful s/s 16, and hope to see many of you on the trade show circuit over the coming months.

Laura Turner Editor

CWB is a joint venture between RAS Publishing and the National Childrenswear Association.

A Buyer Series Fashion Business Publication CWB is a fashion business publication produced by RAS Publishing Ltd. Other titles include WWB and MWB. RAS Publishing is an ITE Group company.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 05

NEWS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

CWB NEWS: LILLY + SID INVESTS IN GROWTH

ndent Indepe il REta s Awa rd

•2015•

CWB INDEPENDENT RETAIL AWARDS This year sees the launch of the CWB Independent Retail Awards. Recognising performance and innovation across the childrenswear sector, the Awards provide a platform from which to reward excellence in childrenswear stores both old and new.

Independent retailers across the UK are invited to nominate their stores for the following categories: Best Kids’ Independent Store; Best Online Store; Best Footwear Store; Best Schoolwear Store; Best New Store; and Best Established Store.

The winners will be chosen by an industry judging panel, selected by and including CWB editor Laura Turner, with results announced in December. Winners will receive a comprehensive store marketing package and dedicated coverage in CWB magazine both in print and digitally.

Closing date for entries is 30 September 2015.

Entry forms are available at www.cwb-online.co.uk.

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Lilly + Sid has appointed a new warehouse and distribution team to support the expansion of its childrenswear brand in the UK and off-shore.

Business growth fuelled the decision to invest in the bigger, 10,000 sq ft warehouse and move control for all distribution in-house.

“By investing in our own warehousing facility, we now have total control of the product cycle to best service our customers,” says Lilly + Sid owner, Imran Hassan. “From our in-house design team to our family of factories and now delivery, we can be as flexible as possible to changing trends and customer requirements. Everything is now in place to meet our projected turnover and expansion plans for the next five years.”

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ESPRIT KIDS TEAMS WITH GROUPE ZANNIER Esprit Kids and Groupe Zannier, which creates, markets and distributes childrenswear, have signed a five-year licensing agreement.

Esprit Kids division will be under the licensing agreement as of 1 January 2016 in order to expand a quality distribution network, drive top line growth, and capture essential cost efficiencies.

“With our joint approach, Esprit Kids will be present in Europe’s top kidswear destinations, and will benefit greatly from the introduction of a specialised kidswear partner that provides strong product, supply and distribution capabilities,” says Jose Manuel Martínez, group CEO at Esprit.

Collaborating with Groupe Zannier, Esprit Kids will continue its presence in Esprit retail and franchise stores, including the e-shop and at selected online and offline retailers.

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NEW AT BUBBLE LONDON

TOOTSA MACGINTY WINS UKFT AWARD Unisex children’s fashion label Tootsa MacGinty was winner of the Best Childrenwear Brand at last month’s NatWest UKFT Awards at London’s Tobacco Dock.

Celebrating the biggest achievers in British talent, the Awards saw over 600 entries across 10 categories. Unisex children’s fashion label Tootsa MacGinty was winner of the Best Childrenwear Brand.

“I am absolutely thrilled Tootsa MacGinty is now recognised alongside some of the best brands in the UK”, says founder and designer Kate Pietrasik. “To be named Best Childrenswear Brand by some of the finest in the fashion industry proves that age-appropriate, unisex clothing for children can be done with style, creativity and colour.”

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Children’s trade show Bubble London will unveil a line-up packed with new signings when it returns to Islington’s Business Design Centre on 12-13 July 2015. A host of first-time exhibitors are set to make their debut appearances at the event, which is renowned for bringing new and emerging design talent to the marketplace.

Debuts this season include fashion and lifestyle label Bakker Made With Love, The Little Shoemaker (pictured) and Tom and Teddy. The event will also play host to a number of exciting new launches including Where’s That Bear?, Baby Acorn, Tinker and Boo and Dotty Dungarees.

First-time exhibitors will be joined by big-hitters such as Bench, Camper for Kids and Replay & Sons and Bubble favourites including Rachel Riley, Lilly + Sid, Frugi and aden + anais.

Other highlights include the return of the Rising Star competition, the Look Who’s Talking seminar programme – which is moving to a new location on the main floor – and The Perfect Pitch programme. This season will also see Bubble showcase s/s 16 trends in a look book produced on-site alongside CWB and product photography specialist uShoot Studios. The project will see industry professionals invited to style an outfit from the collections on offer, with previews available throughout the show.

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MARLON RICHARDS X NO ADDED SUGAR For its s/s 16 collection, British childrenswear brand No Added Sugar has exclusively collaborated with Marlon Richards, son of The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards.

The partnership sees Richards, who has an established career as a designer and photographer, create a range of designs to be used across boys’ T-shirts, sweats and intarsia knits.

“No Added Sugar was a joy to work with,” says Richards. “My ideas for the designs stemmed from an interest in the unknown and unknowable, the quandary, the awkward and the plain weird. I hope the collection brings out the innate inquisitiveness and joy of the profound.”

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JUNE/JULY 2015 - 06

NEWS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

CHRISTIAN LACROIX JOINS BRAND STABLE

FRUGI DEBUTS SWIMWEAR Ethical and organic childrenswear brand Frugi is launching its first swimwear collection for s/s 16.

The brand has developed 14 Oeko-tex certified swimwear outfits. For babies up to four years, the collection includes sun-safe suits, swim hats, board shorts and swimsuits. For girls and boys aged 2-10 years, key pieces are swimsuits, tankini sets, sun safe rash vests and shorts and quick-drying board shorts. The colour palette is bright and includes florals, nautical scenes, fish and sharks.

Commenting on the debut, Frugi co-founder Lucy Jewson says, “We felt sure there was a clear gap in the market for great quality swimwear – and customer feedback assured us there was a high demand for Frugi swimwear.”

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UK designer children’s fashion agency Brand Stable has been appointed to represent the new Christian Lacroix baby range from s/s 16. Brand Stable will look after the UK and the US and is targeting luxury multi-brand boutiques and department stores as well as high profile e-tailers.

“I am very excited to be representing the new Christian Lacroix baby range,” says Brand Stable’s Daniele Sismondi. “Christian Lacroix is such a household name and, under the guidance of Camfoni’s very experienced Marie-Ange Negroni, Loetitia Fontugne and Laurent Cambuzat, I am confident the collection will be extremely well-received by both retailers and consumers alike.”

The launch collection will include “cuddly” baby gifts, which are tailored to the brand’s image, using graphics created by the Maison Lacroix Design Studio. The s/s 16 range, which has been extended to include clothing and accessories for baby girls and boys, will be showcased at Pitti Bimbo in Florence on 25–27 June.

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MOLO ROLLS OUT NEW GROWTH STRATEGY Danish childrenswear brand Molo has opened a Paris showroom and appointed Paris based sales manager Carolina Angel (pictured) as part of its strategy to expand into the French market In addition to establishing Molo in France, Angel will also be responsible for covering the UK and IE. Simultaneously, Molo is also turning its attention to the US market, following a successful response to the brand two years ago. Recent investment includes the opening of a New York showroom. Key US stockists of Molo include Barneys, Neiman Marcus and Ron Robinson.

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BURBERRY TO TAKE CHILDRENSWEAR IN-HOUSE Burberry is set to take full control of its childrenswear collection after taking the decision not to renew its contract licence with Children Worldwide Fashion (CWF), which currently produces and distributes Burberry licensed products in Europe.

These licensed products come in addition to Burberry’s existing standalone childrenswear collection, which is produced entirely by Burberry, and offered across its own retail channel as well as wholesale channels across all territories.

The decision to let the licence agreement expire on 31 December 2015 is part of the brand’s global strategy to move all childrenswear products and collections in-house.

“Burberry Limited entered into a commercial arrangement with CWF in 2002 to manufacture and sell Burberry children’s licensed products,” says a Burberry spokesperson. “As planned, this licence agreement will expire on 31 December 2015. From 1 January 2016, Burberry will directly distribute its children’s collection in Europe and those countries currently covered

by CWF’s distribution, as it does in other territories globally.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF

ITTY LONDON LAUNCH UK childrenswear designer Paula Finnerty (pictured) is returning to the kidswear industry for s/s 16 with her new label, Itty London.

With a career spanning over 20 years, Finnerty is best known for founding the Little Darlings stable of childrenswear brands in 1987, which included Little Darlings, Baby Darlings, Sulk, Hamilton, Lily Rio and Young Biggles.

During the 90s, the business expanded and Little Darlings became a division of William Baird PLC, a major fashion business with a turnover in excess of £750m. Finnerty left Little Darlings in 2007 and has since, among other things, founded a successful digital marketing agency.

Itty London caters for 2-12 years, mainly for girls, with a baby range also available. Garments feature soft jacquards, damasks, chiffons, cotton poplins, denims and knits in pastel colours.

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Rachel Riley has appointed childrenswear specialist Orchard Agency to represent the brand in the South of England. “I am happy at the prospect of working with an agency, which has such a fine reputation within the industry and is recognised as specialists in this sector of the market,” says Rachel Riley, owner of the eponymous brand. Orchard Agency will be showing the Rachel Riley s/s 16 collection over the coming months.

GROWTH SPURT FOR MITCH & SON Following solid growth in Scotland and the North of England since its launch in s/s 14, Picture Book Fashion owned boyswear label Mitch & Son is targeting the south of the country this season.

Buoyed by a 76 per cent increase in turnover from a/w 14 to a/w 15, and a strong portfolio of 60 independent UK accounts, Mitch & Son is investing in UK exhibitions, marketing, PR, social media and in-store POS and promotions to support further growth. A website is also in development, which will promote both the brand and its stockists.

Catering for 1-6 years, Mitch & Son is available to view this season at Bubble London and in showrooms in Manchester and Glasgow.

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This month saw prestigious department store Harvey Nichols launch a loyalty app designed to reward customers and encourage further sales. The app replaces the traditional model of a loyalty card, which the store argues is outdated and often seen as a nuisance by customers. The scheme will reward customers with a point for every pound spent in-store or online, and allows participants to redeem their points from day one.

Children’s protective swimwear manufacturer Konfidence has created a range of designs for babies that will be sold exclusively in John Lewis department stores.

The collaboration follows strong sales of Konfidence’s baby swimming range on the retailer’s website over the last couple of years. Subsequently, John Lewis commissioned the British company to design exclusive designs for its bestselling Babywarma wetsuit and reusable AquaNappy.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 07

NCWA NEWS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

NCWA NEWS: The latest news from the National Childrenswear Association EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COMMENT: NCWA is marking its 75th anniversary this year. Having been founded shortly after the Second World War began, when we believe there would have been a need for experts to advise on clothing rationing for children, the Association has witnessed enormous changes to children’s fashions, the selling of childrenswear and the industry as a whole over that time.

Previously the owner of the Junior Fashion Fair (JFF), the forerunner of today’s Bubble London, NCWA has catalogues from the JFF and other historical documents, some of which will be displayed in future issues of CWB. In the era of the JFF, independent retailers and department stores dominated the retail scene, while British manufacturers dominated the supply chain and thus NCWA membership. Later, the Association opened its doors to the agents in the industry, extending its reach to the overseas brands in the market.

Looking back at those catalogues, it has struck me how, in some ways, so little has changed. The Junior Fashion Fair was where everyone had to be, whether they were exhibiting or not, whether they were seeking ranges to carry or not or whether they were looking to place orders or not – just as Bubble London is the place to find out what is going on in the industry, what is selling in the marketplace and who is around.

In contrast, much has changed. The quality of print and publications these days is staggering in comparison. Design and marketing have completely changed the way in which goods are offered. The independent sector is much smaller than it was – who would have anticipated the arrival of supermarkets in childrenswear retailing or the fact that garments can be bought over the internet?

The next edition of Bubble London takes place on 12-13 July at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London N1. No one in the childrenswear industry can afford not to be there, at least not if you are serious about your role in the industry and you want to be up to date with all that is happening.

Going back to those wartimes, the fact that children grew and thus needed new clothes for practical reasons must have placed a far greater burden on those experts tasked with drawing up the rules for what was known as “utility clothing”, not least how much fabric was allowed for each size of garment. Around 75 years later, we can still be grateful that growing children help sell our wares. While we can also welcome the fashion influences that have encouraged children’s own interest in what they wear, we should still recognise the importance that gift buying has on our industry, with grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles and friends all playing their part. I recently met an overseas company thinking of opening a shop in this country and they went away knowing that packaging was something they needed to consider and invest in for their baby and infant wear.

NCWA will have its usual stand at Bubble London, so do come along to see us about how we might help you improve your business or, indeed, enter the industry. Take a look at our website, www.ncwa.co.uk, beforehand. Further information on NCWA can also be obtained by e-mailing info@ncwa.co.uk or calling 020 7843 9488.

STARDUST CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE After opening Stardust in September 2014, owner Tracey Brown has experienced positive reactions from the press and the store’s customers. A range of styles from newborn to six years is available, with a new collection of clothing and gift brands recently introduced for s/s 15.

Key labels stocked in-store include Absorba, Patachou, Petit Bateau, Le Chic, Butterscotch, Hatley, Toffee Moon, Teddy & Me, Losan, Boboli, Levis, Gymp, Leon shoes & Pex accessories. The retailer also stocks a range of gifts from Bam Bam, Orange Tree Toys, Ragtails, Kaloo, Churchill Little Rhymes, Daisy Roots and Petit Pattes. www.stardust-boutique.co.uk

LE MU All collections available at Le Mu are designed in-house and in the UK. Currently offered solely online, the shop was established in November 2014 and has gained a successful online presence. Exclusively stocking Le Mu products, Le Mu has no immediate plans to open a bricks-and-mortar store. Currently, customers can shop the range of childrenswear and accessories via the brand’s website. www.le-mu.co.uk

NCWA Council: Chairman SHARON BEARDSWORTH Emile et Rose Manufacturer Vice Chairman DAVID HULL Agent Imm Past Chairman DAVID BURGESS David Luke Ltd Manufacturer Treasurer COLIN WILSON

Make your voice heard

Council Members: NUALA MCKENNA Nuala McKenna Agencies Agent DIANE SHAW Agent SARAH TAYLOR Agent RAY WILLIAMS Agent HANNAH MCHALICK Oh Baby London Manufacturer MALCOLM TRAVIS Travis Designs Manufacturer RACHEL RILEY Rachel Riley Manufacturer JANETTE REED Cotswold Kids Retailer VIRGINIA ROSS Pollyanna Retailer JILLIAN PETRIE Young Trend Retailer MARK BARNETT Barnett Agencies Agent President: KEN SCATES Marketing consultant Vice Presidents: LESLEY FALLON Retail consultant JACKIE COOK Retail consultant Executive Director: ELIZABETH FOX

• Membership is open to everyone involved in the British childrenswear industry.

• Associate membership, open to non-British organisations, is now available.

Read our blog and follow us on Twitter

• Membership costs from £85.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 08

NCWA NEWS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

FRUGI INVESTS IN ETHICAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Ethical and organic children’s brand Frugi is visiting its manufacturing suppliers in India every six months as part of its ongoing commitment to ensure ethical management across the whole business.

The most recent trip in March saw Frugi’s chairman, Ian Scott, and head of supply Katie Julian visit Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Bangalore. The India tour provided the opportunity to share strategy and plans for growth while reinforcing the brand’s commitment to ensuring suppliers continue to operate at a high ethical and environmental standard.

Frugi has seven suppliers across India manufacturing its 100 per cent organic cotton clothing for babies, kids and mothers. Its continual programme of improved working methods, closer communication and product forecasting, in addition to regular supplier visits to the UK, ensures the whole team is working together for optimum results.

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ALVANON PRESIDENT JOINS IAF BOARD

ZUMA THE DOG REFOCUSES ON UK Childrenswear brand Zuma the Dog is embarking on a new business strategy that will see it concentrate on its home market, growing sales through an expanding team of sales reps and distributors.

Samantha Morgan-Bertish, owner of the Glastonbury label has, until now, focused on developing the brand philosophy and style and creating sales and recognition worldwide. The new strategy will see her focus on UK sales, taking on more team members and attempting to better establish the label in the UK retail market.

Zuma the Dog began trading in 2010, catering for boys and girls. The collection includes sweaters, hoodies, denim jeans, T-shirts, long sleeve tops, and accessories such as a Zuma the Dog soft toy, keyring and cards.

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Alvanon president Ed Gribbin has been appointed to the board of directors of the International Apparel Federation (IAF) in Frankfurt, Germany, by IAF president Rahul Mehta. The IAF is the world’s leading federation for apparel manufacturers, their associations, apparel retailers and the supporting industry.

Members include associations from nearly 40 countries representing over 150,000 companies that provide products and services to the apparel industry.

As president of Alvanon, Gribbin leads its consulting teams around the globe helping apparel industry clients develop and implement robust data driven growth strategies in disciplines ranging from marketing and merchandising to product development and supply chain. He has worked with many of the world’s leading apparel organisations and is widely recognised as the sector’s most eminent authority on strategic apparel practices and processes.

“The IAF is a force for progress throughout the global apparel industry, and I am honoured to be on the board of directors,” says Gribbin.

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PLATYPUS AUSTRALIA COVER-UPS

BOBUX WINS RED DOT AWARD

PETIT BATEAU OPENS CAMBRIDGE STORE

Platypus Australia, best known for its colourful UV protective swimwear, has added a 100 per cent cotton Terry cover-up to its offer. The hooded Terry towelling beach robe for boys and girls is available in three colours – dark pink, light pink and blue.

Founded in 1996, Platypus Australia’s co-ordinated swimwear is available for children aged 0-14 years and includes rash tops, swimsuits, “swimmers”, sun suits and hats, all with a UPF50+ rating and approved by the Melanoma International Foundation. With each fabric tested by Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, garments are guaranteed to block out at least 97.5 per cent of the sun’s UV radiation.

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Baby, toddler and pre-school footwear brand Bobux has won a Red Dot Award – Product Design 2015 – for its new Xplorer shoe.

With 4,928 entries from 1,994 participants in 56 countries, the Red Dot Awards is one of the largest, most international product competitions in the world. The Xplorer was rated and tested by a jury of designers, design professors and journalists on criteria such as degree of innovation, functionality, quality and ecological soundness.

“It was a bold direction for us when we launched the Xplorers, where we introduced a new category to the market,” says Chris Bennett, founder and owner of Bobux International. “We are excited to collaborate with edgy footwear designer Sean Maisano, and it’s clear to see that design is very much at the core of the collection.”

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French fashion label Petit Bateau recently opened a boutique in Green Street, Cambridge – which occupies over 140 sq ft, arranged over ground and basement floors.

Cambridge is Petit Bateau’s 10th UK shop, following the first UK store, which opened in London in 2001. The new shop will house the brand’s full collection for babies, children and adults. Key for the children’s s/s 15 offering is the vibrant red lemon print.

Established in Troyes, France, in 1893, Petit Bateau has over 400 stores worldwide.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

— Organic baby skincare brand Little Butterfly has appointed Mafana as its UK and Eire (ROI) distributor for the independent children’s clothing market.

Products in the Little Butterfly range – which targets the gift sector in particular - include bath milk, nappy change cream and mother and baby oil.

— Muslinz, which offers quality muslin products for babies including muslin squares for use as burp clothes or washable nappies, is launching dribble bibs. Distributed by MerryGoRoundUK and designed in the UK, the new dribble bibs are available in boy, girl and unisex three-pack combinations in the same colour collection as the Muslinz muslin squares.

— Spanish childrenswear brand Fina Ejerique has seen sales increase by over 50 per cent in the UK. The family business, which was established in 1993, entered the UK market last year with UK childrenswear agency AliOli Kids.

Catering for 0-14 years, its collections, which have proven particularly popular with small UK independents, are produced in Fina Ejerique’s factory in Valencia.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 09

t n e d n e p e Ind l i a t E R s d r a w A

•2015• Closing date: 30 September 2015

Celebrating independent childrenswear retail Enter at www.cwb-online.co.uk

UV sun -protection swimwear Amazing designs and comfort to wear Breathable fabric Machine washable We believe children are just “too cool to burn�

S T O C K AVA I L A B L E F O R I M M E D I AT E D E L I V E R Y

www.sanddollarswim.com Tel: 020 3318 5090 | info.sanddollarswim@gmail.com

BUSINESS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

Open for BUSINESS Bringing you straight-talking legal and business advice.

STEPHEN SIDKIN is a partner and VERONIQUE BERGAU is a trainee solicitor at Fox Williams LLP www.fashionlaw.co.uk www.foxwilliams.com

SHIRLEY SOODEEN Author, business coach and development specialist, and expert in creating high-performance cultures for leading brands www.thebusinessofpeople.com.au/

LICENSING UP YOUR BRAND VALUE Your brand is identified by your trade mark, a form of intellectual property. Like any piece of property you can use it or permit others to do so.

Third-party use can add value to your brand. First in generating an income stream through licence fees. Second by growing the brand envelope. Third by giving rise to the possibility that at some point you will take back the licence and build on the goodwill which has been built up for you by the licensee.

So what are some of the dos and don’ts of licensing?

The “dos”: Do think carefully about your objective What is your objective in licensing your brand?

But before thinking about the financials, make sure that relevant trade mark registrations have been obtained or at least applied for in the relevant product lines and in the countries which matter for a prospective licensee.

Do control the quality of the goods sold under your trade mark The right to use the trade mark granted to the licensee is temporary. It is critical therefore that the reputation and value of the trade mark increases during the course of the licence, not decreases.

Key to this is quality and ethical control provisions in the licence agreement. This can be achieved by carefully specifying the nature and quality of the licensed goods to which the trade mark may be attached. If the licensee offers commercially unsuccessful products, the future of the brand may be compromised.

Provide for the right to see and approve samples and the places where they are made before products are put on the market.

Do ensure that your ownership of the trade mark is protected Under UK law, any mark that has not been used commercially for five years can be

declared invalid. Safeguards should be put in place to ensure that a licensee does make use of its rights and keeps the registration alive.

Conversely, in the UK and some other territories, licensees can acquire rights through use of a mark. This can happen if a mark that is not registered for particular goods is used for those goods and acquires distinctiveness.

Include in the licence agreement provisions to prevent a licensee acquiring ownership rights in the trade mark and ensure that you keep control of any claim for trade mark infringement.

The “don’ts”: Don’t think that licensing is a one-way bet Licensing objective determined, give thought to possible licensees. What is the track record? Can you work with the licensee? How easy or otherwise will it be to manage them – a very significant issue given the ability of a licensee to damage your brand.

It is important to ensure that you have the resources to police the licence agreement.

Don’t find yourself liable for defective goods Even if the goods have been inspected to ensure they are of sufficiently high quality to match the brand and carry the trade mark, a trade mark owner will not want to be held liable for any claims relating to defective goods.

Don’t find yourself in breach of competition law While it may be tempting to fix the price at which the licensee sells (particularly in the luxury goods sector, where a brand owner wishes to protect its reputation for quality and luxury), such activity is prohibited under EU competition law and is illegal in the UK. Done correctly, licensing can add greatly to a brand but the pitfalls are there for unprepared brand owners. © Fox Williams LLP 2015

“DOING” VERSUS “BEING” CULTURES: CAN “DOING” GOOD CREATE PERFORMANCE? Every day at work we are challenged with notions about what “good management” means. The model most of us know springs from a “doing” culture, where results are the driving force and bottom-line results are the main concern. A person’s value is judged by how much they produce in terms of knowledge, activities and skills – all directed toward an end result that is defined and measured by the profit generated by the organisation.

The downside of “doing” cultures is that where people are considered more as liabilities, and profit-and-loss items on a balance sheet, there is less engagement, creativity and loyalty toward the goals of the organisation, leading to a shortage of talent and fierce competition to retain the best. The cost of hiring new people is one of the biggest expense items in most organisations. In the long run, losing talent also impacts on the customer’s brand loyalty.

So how can organisations put “talent” and “customers” back into the heart of their business? The underlying theory of a people-focused management is the belief that “the right people and the right behaviours in the organisation” are key drivers for ongoing performance, and the idea that is reinforced is “the organisation is a place for people to fulfil their potential and become successful.” The long-term results of a more people-focused approach are significant. Deloitte conducted research on the performance cultures within global organisations, and they show that organisations with a strong coaching and development culture perform better than their peers in terms of: • Innovation – 46% more likely to be the first to market • Time to market – 34% better response to customer needs • Quality – 26% more likely to deliver quality products • Skills for the future – 58% better prepared to meet future demand • Profitability – 17% more likely to be market-share leader Profit increases when people are placed at the forefront of the performance culture, not the other way round.

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BUSINESS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

Three industry experts offer independent retailers and buyers their tips on how to get the most out of a trade show.

— LINDSAY HOYES

JACKIE COOK

JULIE CONWAY

Event director Bubble London

Retail consultant and NCWA vice president

National membership manager, British Independent Retailers Association (Bira)

“This is your chance to see existing suppliers and brand new collections under one roof, so make sure you have enough time. Don’t be rushed into making decisions, and don’t be tempted into over-ordering. Decide your budget and stick to it.

Take advantage of the seminars – this is essential business advice from industry experts and free of charge to visitors. Some talks will be more relevant to your business than others – find out beforehand who is speaking and when, and set aside half an hour of your schedule to gain some valuable tips.

Use the show’s website, sign-up for newsletters and updates and make a list of which collections you really want to see.

Grab a show guide when you arrive at the event and a copy of the floor plan. It will save you time and help ensure that you don’t miss anything.

Make sure you know where the venue is and how to get to it and when the opening and closing times are. Pre-registering for your ticket will save you time and means that you can avoid queues at the venue. If you are travelling by train, book tickets in advance to get the best rates. We know that from talking to retailers, cost and travel are two main reasons for not visiting shows. In my experience, the Business Design Centre is one of the most straight-forward venues to travel to, with a good choice of advance train rates available. Angel is only a five-minute tube journey or cab ride from King’s Cross and St Pancras.

Remember, trade shows are devised for you, the independent retailer, and will give you the best overview of what is available, what the trends are for the new season and a window on what will be happening over the next six months within the industry. See you in a couple of weeks!”

—

“Stand back and look at it” – that is what my art teacher taught me. You have created a business involving the “art of childrenswear”, but how often do you take time out, take stock and review your “art”? For this reason, I advocate a visit to children’s trade show Bubble London this July. Travel down by train and use the journey to re-appraise your business. Start by looking at its core values, then consider if they have changed with the experience of trading and the realities of your customers’ needs. Plan improvements to take your business forward. Ask yourself, “What are my bestsellers in terms of profit?”

“Is there a product or brand that out-sells the rest?” “What new products and brands do I need?” “What key trends do I need to follow next season?”

Then, plan your visit to the show. Make a list of suppliers that have pestered you on the phone to show you their ranges. You can see each of them for a few minutes and, that way, you won’t miss out on a “gem” nor waste time where you don’t need appointments.

Also, make a list of key suppliers so you can get an overview of ranges and stories you might include in your shop, even if you don’t place orders at the show.

While walking around Bubble, look for other inspiration including visual merchandising, mannequins, lighting and ticketing. If you have time, pop into London and visit some stores for inspiration, and don’t forget the seminar schedule, where you can learn about improving an aspect of your business you feel needs help.

Visit the NCWA stand at Bubble to update yourself on the EU regulations including “keep away from fire” labelling and legislation on hood cords. If you are an NCWA member, you can access expert advice on any issues regarding your business.

Getting out of your shop and simply seeing others in the industry enables you to share your experiences and benefit from the advice of others. Visiting Bubble is an allowable expense you can offset against your business, not to mention the increased profit from new merchandise that will entice your customers.”

“Originally created with a sole aim of getting buyers and sellers in one place, the value of trade shows has developed over recent years.

Now, with the ease of online orders, it is easy to rely on the internet for sourcing your product ranges. However, there are certain offerings that simply cannot be found outside a trade show.

Bira actively encourages all independent retailers to attend trade shows throughout the year. Not only do they provide a great opportunity to see, touch and feel a product in person and to build relationships with suppliers, but also to learn new skills, get valuable updates and information from the independent retail industry and to network with like-minded retailers.

Bira, for instance, uses trade shows to provide support and information on changes to law and new developments for the independent retail community. It can be challenging to get a message out to a wide retail audience and there are often very important updates, like new pensions legislation, which will affect all independent retailers with one or more members of staff.

Industry trade shows mean we can talk, in detail, about these important updates using seminar programmes to put you in direct contact with our preferred service partners, who are specialist service providers for independent retail.

Attending the seminars and visiting exhibitor stands enable you to take advantage of the knowledge offered from a trusted source. We recognise that networking and sharing useful insight, including business tips, provides independent retailers with helpful support. Working together in this way will help create a stronger independent offering for your high street, supporting each other and the wider local communities, which rely on independent trade.

Keep ahead of the latest retail trends and be fully up to date with industry developments by attending a trade show in 2015. Visit www.bira.co.uk/events.”

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RETAIL | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

RETAIL THERAPY We reveal our favourite independent boutiques as well as news and store events from the world of childrenswear retail.

FEATHERS & MUD 2 Green Lane, Wickersley, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Having opened its doors in February, children’s boutique Feathers & Mud may be new to the retail scene, but it’s making a big impression.

Co-owners Clare Carley and Rachel Allsop have utilised their backgrounds in brand communications and as a children’s clothing technician respectively to form their childrenswear business. Combining creative and practical know-how, they have developed strong branding, a bright and contemporary shop and an impressive brand portfolio.

Offering clothing, footwear and accessories for 0-10 years, key labels stocked include Little Joule, Deux Par Deux, 3 Pommes, Chipie and Angulus, as well as the store’s own range of greeting cards.

To help build its client base, Feathers & Mud offers a number of customer incentives and services such as a 10 per cent loyalty card for repeat custom, in-store promotions and gift vouchers. Carley and Allsop also plan to host charity fashion shows to launch seasonal collections.

The retailer’s website is currently under construction, but plans are to launch a fully functional website in the near future. In the meantime, customers can visit Feather & Mud’s Facebook page to be kept up-to-date on new arrivals and special offers.

The duo’s plans for the business are to expand the number of brands, particularly more footwear, and eventually open a larger store. www.feathersandmud.co.uk

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LITTLE CITIZENS BOUTIQUE 120 High Street, Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland When Alicia Peyrano became a mum and began venturing into children’s shops, she quickly became smitten with the designs and wares available. This revelation reformed the TV producer and journalist’s career path, and her goal became to bring together beautiful designs under one roof.

Peyrano opened Little Citizens Boutique in June 2012, and offers clothing, toys, collectables, décor, art and craft supplies, outdoor activity games and gifts from brands such as Lapin & Me, Djeco, Janod and Moulin Roty. Peyrano is also in the process of developing an own-brand line of goods. www.littlecitizensboutique.com

News:

WILLO BABY & CHILDRENSWEAR High Street, Cuckfield, West Sussex In February 2014, Lucy Ives opened Willo Baby & Childrenswear – a boutique decked out with a neutral and contemporary New England vibe.

Located in Cuckfield, West Sussex, the store caters for 0-5 years, stocking brands such as Abeille, aden + anais, Boboli, The Bonnie Mob, Ginger Ink, Olive & Moss, Mini A Ture, Starchild and Toffeemoon.

Being a village-based business, Ives is focused on establishing customer loyalty, positive word of mouth and repeat business. She achieves this by keeping stock fresh – always seeking new, niche brands – which are also varied in style to cater for all generations. She also offers Baby Shower services, both exclusively in-store and at customers’ homes in the Sussex, Surrey and South London areas. Baby’s First Haircut is another in-store event, which takes place a couple of times a month. To continue business growth, Ives’ plan is to take a business partner on board. www.willo-baby.co.uk

INDIACOCO OPENS IN TRINITY WALK A VIP event marked last month’s opening of Yorkshire childrenswear retailer IndiaCoco’s new store in Wakefield’s Trinity Walk Shopping Centre. The event, which coincided with the company’s third anniversary, saw a turnout of guests celebrating the launch of the new shop and its British collection of childrenswear. Claire Young, local entrepreneur and The Apprentice 2008 finalist, was in attendance, as well as bloggers and loyal customers.

SID’S BUNKER Sid’s Bunker is a new online boutique exclusively for boys, specialising in traditional and classic clothing – including a strong offer of babywear – shoes, accessories, gifts, toys and bespoke soft furnishings.

Ashleigh Bunker, the business’ owner and mum of three boys, has sourced boyswear for all occasions for ages 0-10 years and adds new items to the site daily. Key brands include Rachel Riley, Pretty Originals, Piccalilly, Babidu and Mebi & Granlei. Plans are to grow the range over time, eventually becoming a one-stop shop for all things boys. Sid’s Bunker is active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. www.sids-bunker.co.uk

STEP2WO TO OPEN MONO-BRAND CONCESSION Children’s footwear label Step2wo is launching its first mono-brand concession in Selfridges, Oxford Street, on 1 August.

The 500 sq ft space will offer casual shoes through to party and school footwear for first walkers through to pre-teens. “We’re confident Selfridges’ customers will react positively to the launch of the first mono-brand Step2wo concession,” says Nick Rayne, who co-founded Step2wo with Lulu Rayne. “The collection fills a gap in the market for stylish parents looking for fashionable, high-quality shoes for their children.”

Retail news in brief: NEW RETAIL QUARTER FOR SHEFFIELD Plans are in place to transform Sheffield with a new, street-based city centre retail quarter. The proposed £480m scheme, set to be delivered by 2019, is designed to service modern retail demands and meet the Council’s vision for 2050.

Comprising around 900,000 sq ft of mixed-use accommodation, predominantly retail and leisure-led, it will also feature over 200,000 sq ft of residential and office space. Existing historic buildings will be blended with new retail and leisure outlets linked by landscaping.

YOUR CHILDREN’S WARDROBE CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS Designer childrenswear indie Your Children’s Wardrobe is celebrating its fifth anniversary and year-on-year growth in business since opening its doors in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, in 2010. Established

by Barnsley-born businesswoman Amanda Evans, the store sells a wide choice of UK and international childrenswear brands and has established a successful online presence, serving international customers as far away as Hawaii and Australia.

PAUL SMITH JUNIOR STORE DEBUT Paul Smith Junior has opened its first standalone shop on Paris’ Boulevard Raspail, immediately adjacent to the existing Paul Smith Boulevard Raspail shop, which provides a curated selection for men and women. Measuring 19 sq m, the store carries Paul Smith Baby, Junior and PSJR collections, offering shoes and clothing for newborn to teens. A Hornby train set circles the window and a hand-painted budgie hovers behind the cash desk. Meanwhile, walls feature contemporary art, illustrations and photographs taken by Paul Smith himself.

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EDITOR’S PICK | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

01

BRANDS To Watch CWB editor Laura Turner selects the must-have collections to get in-store.

01: JULIETTE VOYAGE

02: TOMMY & LOTTIE

Launched last year, middle to high-end Spanish label Juliette Voyage caters for girls aged 2-10 years. In terms of product, the collection includes skirts, shirts, dresses, trousers, knitwear, outer garments and accessories such as headwear, handbags and backpacks. The brand’s designs mix casual and urban styles while maintaining an air of sophistication. Wholesale prices on request. www.juliettevoyage.com

Unisex brand Tommy & Lottie offers graphic designs screen printed onto ethically and sustainably produced babies’ T-shirts. Designs have a nostalgic theme and capture British heritage in lines entitled Woodland Animals and British Vintage Fairground. Recently introduced are hats for 0-9 months and harem pants for 3 months to 2 years.

Both are made in Britain, with harem pants available in grey marl with a choice of three rib colours on the waistband and ankles.

Wholesale prices £6.50-£16. www.tommyandlottie.com

03: TOBIAS AND THE BEAR

04: TOCOTO VINTAGE

05: DOSYDOS KIDS

Offering unique prints on kids’ clothing and homeware essentials is new brand Tobias and the Bear. Made in Britain, the collection works across the seasons and includes cotton unisex leggings, which can be mixed and matched with a new edit of T-shirts and sweatshirts launching for summer.

A printed bedding range is also available featuring the same illustrations as the clothing – including a fox, elephant and storm clouds design. Wholesale prices £6.36-£29.55. www.tobias-and-the-bear.myshopify.com

Established in Barcelona in 2011, Tocoto Vintage offers babywear for 0-24 months and kidswear for 2-8 years. The collection is all encompassing, ranging from hair clips, socks, hats and tights through to footwear, skirts, dresses, all-in-ones, dungarees, sweaters, cardigans, jackets and even a cologne. Tocoto Vintage is built around mix-and-match looks, a muted colour palette, and “cool vintage” style, with vintage patterns sourced from flea markets and redesigned with a contemporary edge. Wholesale prices ¤10-¤48. www.tocotovintage.com

Spanish label Dosydos Kids offers swimwear and accessories for 2-12 years. The label is the brainchild of two sisters, each of which has two children, hence the brand’s name, which translates from Spanish as “two and two”. The sisters’ four children are essentially the inspiration for Dosydos, which launched in 2013. The aim of this contemporary brand is to capture the sunny and traditional aspects of Southern Spain within its collections, with inspiration taken in particular from Seville.

Wholesale prices ¤30-¤60. www.dosydoskids.com JUNE/JULY 2015 - 18

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03 04

05

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CHAIN REACTION CWB discovers more about The Pud Store – a new northern independent chain of children’s designer outlets.

On face value, Frances Bishop’s path to becoming a childrenswear retailer is nothing out of the ordinary. After having her first child, Oscar, with husband, Scunthorpe United midfielder Neal Bishop, she – like many others – took a new, vested interest in children’s clothing. So, together with friend Rachel Mawby, she launched The Pud Store online in January 2014. All fairly text book?

Think again.

A Mensa child prodigy, Bishop specialised in marketing and SEO before having her son and launching The Pud Store. Keen not to be labelled as a stereotypical “footballer’s wife”, nor for the business to be attributed to her status, the 24-year-old entrepreneur is very clear about the fact that she has carved her own career path. Equally, she is keen to stress that The Pud Store is not the result of some substantial financial investment bestowed upon her. “The business is all down to hard work and organic growth,” says Bishop. “We literally started The Pud Store with £200 – £100 of mine and £100 of Rachel’s – and it has grown from there.”

The retail concept that Bishop and Mawby launched is somewhat different to the business model they have today. The duo originally sold “pre-loved” childrenswear but, after working 60-hour weeks with not much to show in return, the partners soon realised pre-loved clothing wasn’t a viable business.

From there, they moved on to selling samples,

which subsequently led to selling past-season stock. The business also shifted from e-commerce to bricks-and-mortar shops.

Despite now enjoying rapidly growing success, however, The Pud Store wasn’t the easiest business venture to get off the ground.

“We went to the trade exhibitions last summer to speak to brands about The Pud Store and initially received a lot of knock-backs,” says Bishop. “However, we returned again in January and received a much more positive reaction.

“Attitudes have really changed over recent months,” she continues. “In the first instance, brands were hesitant to work with us, but we have since earned their respect. We build strong relationships with suppliers and put as much effort in with them as we do with our customers and staff. Suppliers get the same personal touch as everyone else we deal with, and we often send cards and small gifts to thank brands for their business. Essentially, we are the perfect customer. We pay upfront – cash is king after all – and purchase brands’ samples and past-season stock. We buy small and select to start with, but place much larger orders if a label is successful with us.”

The Pud Store chain currently comprises three shops: one in Doncaster’s Kings Arcade, established in February 2015; the retailer’s flagship in Nottingham’s Flying Horse Walk, St Peters Gate, which opened in March 2015; and the most recent addition in May 2015 of a

shop in St Marks Place, Newark.

The launch of the Nottingham store differs slightly from the others in as much as Bishop and Mawby had already tested the waters with a Christmas pop-up on Nottingham’s Bridlesmith Gate in December 2014. The success of the pop-up was the prelude to making the retailer’s presence permanent in the city with a bricks-and-mortar shop opening just three months later. What all the premises do share is the same criteria for their locations – areas that provide good rates for a growing business, ones that are near other local shops and also school runs.

The Pud Stores receive weekly deliveries to ensure the stock rooms are as low as possible; “no dead stock and no over-orders” is the business’ policy. Catering for 0-10 years in clothing, they carrylabels such as Lilly + Sid, Olive & Moss, Bea Cadillac and Flyers brands such as Ben Sherman and French Connection. Unsurprisingly, the visual merchandising of goods from varying seasons can be a challenge. “It’s not easy,” says Bishop. “We invested in white, wooden hangers across all of the stores for a contemporary and uniform look, and we merchandise stock in colour blocks and by range. We put a lot of work into developing eye-catching window displays across the stores – we currently have a s/s theme comprising a picnic scene and a vintage Raleigh bike, with the clothing hung down on JUNE/JULY 2015 - 20

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“

Our ethos is to offer affordable childrenswear for all, coupled with an independent, boutique service and a ‘community hub’

“

chains and pop cards in the window with the price of the outfits.”

The plan is to take on another four to five brands this year. Bishop and Mawby recently travelled to Spain, where they were sourcing new brands as well as meeting with children’s haute-couture clothing and accessories brand, Bea Cadillac, to become its official outlet. Not only that, next season could potentially see the addition of an in-house range to the mix. This would allow The Pud Store to address trends alongside the past-season stock and samples and also help the business differentiate itself from its one, main competitor.

“TK Maxx is our only competition,” says Bishop. “Although we are aware that someone will no doubt copy our business model soon, we feel by that stage we will hopefully be well enough established to remain the leader. Since Christmas, for instance, we have seen growth of 15-20 per cent month-on-month.”

Footwear is currently being integrated into the stores from brands such as Sevva and Couche Tot, with all staff trained to carry out a full fitting service. Hair accessories are available from Bowtique alongside baby gifts such as toiletries, books and bedding from labels including Organic Baby and Pitta Patter.

An additional service is offered for baby gift hampers, whereby customers can decide how much they wish to spend and The Pud Store will put together a gift basket of that value.

As a rough guide, a £25 budget will include

around five gift items. Long-term, the aim is for The Pud Store shops to become one-stop destinations for kids while providing what Bishop describes as a “community hub” a key element to the retailer’s make-up.

“Our ethos is to offer affordable childrenswear for all, coupled with an independent, boutique service and a ‘community hub’,” she says. “By this I mean we make the store a community and meeting place for customers and parents. We provide a play area, chalk boards and colouring tables for children, as well as nappy changing facilities, tea and coffee, toilets and so on.

Basically everything a parent needs to be able to spend a relaxing, comfortable length of time in the store.

“As well as the facilities we offer, we are building networks up in-store by providing noticeboards with local mother and baby groups and classes together with details of new parents in the area so they can meet with other like-minded parents,” continues Bishop. “This mentality also extends online via our website, which is currently being rebuilt to reflect the same approach, providing an online community forum. We are about building relationships with customers, gaining their trust and providing them with all the advice and personal service they need to spend more time in the store.

Everyone gets the VIP treatment; we’re inclusive, not exclusive.”

The Pud Store positions itself to cater for everyone and, interestingly, one of its biggest fans are dads. Bishop attributes this to the fact that the stores are friendly, relaxed and clutter-free, rather than intimidating or too “boutiquey”. The decor is neutral; clean, white walls with accents of green – the business’ corporate colour – which is used on everything from its branding to the gift-wrap tissue paper.

Essentially, the stores facilitate parents and children with ease; children can play while their parents shop, there’s plenty of room for pushchairs and prams and, although staff are trained to provide advice, the retailer’s policy is to leave customers to browse unpressured.

Long-term, Bishop and Mawby’s aim is for The Pud Store to be associated and widely known for well-priced children’s clothing that is accessible to all, living up to its tag line of “Little prices for little puddin’s”. And there’s also the little matter of a couple of new shops in the pipeline. If you’re based in Rotherham or Bolton, there could be a store opening near you soon. But will the business model ever move south?

“To expand to the South we would need to get more premium labels on board,” says Bishop. “Our business model suits the North and that’s what we are focusing on; building brand awareness in a relatively concentrated area. The more stores we have, the more buying power we have, and that’s our method of growth. We reinvest in stores.”

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PROFILE | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

BACK FROM THE BRINK In 2013, the small UK factory responsible for producing organic childrenswear label Pigeon closed without warning. Two years on, CWB speaks to the label’s founder, Jane Shepherd, to discover how the business has not only recovered, but flourished.

—

Organic childrenswear brand Pigeon, formerly known as Organics for Kids, was previously manufactured entirely in the UK in a small, family owned factory in Nottingham.

One day in June 2013, while waiting for the regular Monday morning delivery of stock, Pigeon’s owner, Jane Shepherd, received a call from an administrator, who simply said the Nottingham factory producing her brand had closed and the machinists sent home. First and foremost, this was a devastating blow for the factory and its workers – and for the UK manufacturing sector, but also for Pigeon – because the factory had been responsible for 100 per cent of its supply.

“We were left in a desperate situation, in both practical and emotional terms,” says Shepherd. “We had to hire a removal company to make several shipments of our fabric from the factory in Nottingham to our Oxford

warehouse – luckily, we had just taken on a second warehouse.”

Following the news of the factory closure, Shepherd immediately hit the phone to source new suppliers. She initially looked for alternatives in the UK but, unable to find suppliers who were the right fit, had to extend her search overseas. She found three suitable contenders – a Danish-owned factory in Ukraine, an Austrian-owned factory in Hungary and a factory in Izmir, Turkey.

All three factories operated in accordance with Pigeon’s organic certification, which covers social as well as environmental aspects.

After one or two teething problems, they were all producing the quality needed and, within three months, Pigeon’s bestselling styles were in stock and the brand was back in business.

It was around this time Shepherd took the opportunity to rebrand, changing the original

name of Organics for Kids to Pigeon.

“I originally set up Organics for Kids to combine my passion for design and environmental solutions and honestly didn’t give much thought to the name or branding – how naïve I was,” she says. “So, after nine very happy years as Organics for Kids, I felt it was time to freshen things up and have some fun with a more playful concept; hence Pigeon.

“I think a pigeon can be cheeky, beautiful and rebellious – even a pest, (summing up most children beautifully, I think) so, for me, it’s a good and slightly quirky combination.”

Organic may have been dropped from the brand name, but Pigeon’s organic status still remains, and is as pivotal as it ever was. Shepherd has a long-standing interest in organic cotton, which began in her previous job where, for 14 years, she worked for a charitable trust in London. Her JUNE/JULY 2015 - 22

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role was to identify interesting and innovative environmental and social projects, where trustfunding could make a difference. It was while working overseas with the trust, supporting work on organic cotton in West Africa, that Shepherd learnt more about the subject and, in short, it struck a chord.

“Secretly I had always wanted to work with textiles, so if I was going to make a career change, it was definitely to work in organic textiles,” she says. “One night in 2001, after much research on the subject, I found myself driving down the M40 to the Air India warehouse at Heathrow to collect five bales of organic cotton fabric. I had no idea what I was doing, and it took a few years of trial and error before Organics for Kids actually came into being in 2004.”

The process of a brand being certified organic involves a huge amount of recording and reporting, which culminates in an annual audit by the Soil Association. Although an incredibly rigorous process, Shepherd respects and even thrives on the system. “The day it becomes just a box ticking exercise, I won’t be interested,” she says.

Pigeon’s ethical stance is essentially sourcing in an environmentally and socially responsible way, treating suppliers and customers with respect, and trying to provide the best and fairest possible service.

“For me, there’s absolutely no point in starting a business unless you strive to be ethical,” she says. “And when it’s your own business, it really is just an extension of who you are – to start with at least.

“The business I most admire, and who I would most like us to emulate, is our Belgian distributor,” continues Shepherd. “It is very successful, remains reasonably small (around 15 staff), and I have the clear impression that the relationships it develops with suppliers and customers are about much more than profit alone. It has created a strong team spirit – for instance the team tends to eat their midday meals together and they have chickens in the garden at their offices. But alongside these ‘soft’ qualities, it is incredibly professional, efficient and business-like.”

“One night in 2001, after much research on the subject, I found myself driving down the M40 to the Air India warehouse at Heathrow to collect five bales of organic cotton fabric. I had no idea what I was doing, and it took a few years of trial and error before Organics for Kids actually came into being in 2004”

As well as her ethical and organic beliefs, Shepherd has equally strong feelings about UK manufacture. And, while the brand’s new suppliers continue to be good partners, Shepherd’s heart will always remain very much in UK manufacture.

“I love the close relationship with the cutters, the machinists and the packers, and the fact that we are creating something beautiful and useful right here,” she says. “We continue to make a small amount of our range with workers from the original factory in Nottingham.

“My dream, however, is to start a small production unit in the UK in partnership with our contacts in Nottingham,” continues Shepherd. “We will be experimenting this autumn by manufacturing all of our a/w 15 printed rompers and accessories in the UK. We’ll see how it works out and how the customers respond. We might find that it’s not viable, but it’s not something I’m ready to give up on just yet, particularly for our basics range, even if we can’t for our new daywear.”

Pigeon’s daywear range, which launched to trade for a/w 15, is a major development for the brand. Up until then, the focus had been on printed jersey basics – Scandinavian-influenced prints on rompers, bonnets, blankets and bibs, all held in stock with a small minimum order. Keen not to stand still, Shepherd began range development with the launch of a new daywear collection.

“The collection is produced by a fantastic Fairtrade and organic-certified factory in India – the skills needed for these more complicated styles are so well developed in India,” says

Shepherd. “It would be difficult to achieve the same elsewhere at a price we could afford.”

Building on the a/w 15 collection, Pigeon has some exciting new styles in store for s/s 16. Highlights include several new prints, lots of embroidery, piping and button details together with delicate, lightweight summer fabrics. The s/s 16 collection is double the size of the brand’s first seasonal collection, offering a much wider choice to stockists as well as greater style synergy with the continuous, basics range.

With Pigeon’s manufacture now secure and settled, Shepherd can confidently continue to grow distribution. The brand currently sells to around 300 shops and websites in around 26 countries. Like many companies, it is exploring China as a new market. Shepherd has also looked at the US, but is apprehensive due to the tight legislation and competitive pricing around babies’ and children’s clothing. Germany is hugely successful for the label, almost level with the UK in terms of market size, which is why the focus remains on pushing growth in the EU over the next couple of years.

So what next for a business, which has already seen so much change in the last two years? “In the short-term, we need to consolidate our new season’s collection and make sure it sits well with our continuous styles,” she says. “In the longer-term, I would like to build up our home range – there’s so much potential for applying our prints to other products. And of course, my greatest wish would be to produce at least one main collection in the UK, at our own facility.”

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E-COMMERCE | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

THE PERSONAL TOUCH Your in-store service is individual and second-to-none, but how can you translate that personal approach online and improve sales? Leading personalisation provider Peerius showcases how the “big guys” are doing it and what retailers of all sizes can learn from them.

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When buying clothing in a well laid-out store, a customer can quickly find what they’re looking for and spot the perfect accessory.

Or they can ask staff to suggest a whole look that’s tailored to their tastes and trends.

Re-creating this experience online remains challenging, with retailers looking to a range of product recommendation solutions to better engage customers. In the past, Arcadia’s websites displayed basic recommendations, curated by style advisors. But manually maintaining recommendations on a fast-moving catalogue of thousands of products is a challenge. Some recommendations stayed live even when the product was out of stock.

Most limiting of all was the fact that the same set of recommendations was displayed to every visitor to that page – there was no personalisation at all. Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Burton and Arcadia’s other online brands needed a cost-effective, automated and intelligent recommendation solution that could keep up with fast and furious stock turnover, engage with highly individual consumers and deliver a significant uplift in cross and up sells.

Working with Peerius, Arcadia adopted the company’s Smart-recs technology across its websites, which focuses on an individual by

examining their unique behaviour on the site.

Thanks to a more personalised approached and tailor-made product recommendations, Arcadia saw order values jump by 67 per cent, while average units per order also leapt by 66 per cent.

Commenting on the partnership, Joey Moore, strategy director at Peerius, says, “Arcadia Group partnered with us to support its overall strategy to maintain its status as the UK’s largest fashion retailer and export this heritage around the world.

“We now support Arcadia Group in personalising the content, products and messages on 10 of its apps and enable Topshop to operate in 10 countries,” he continues. “However, for all nine brands it is essential that they retain control of their individual brand voice and retail expertise, so ‘wisdom of the crowd’ technology is not sufficient.

“Manually merchandising products requires a lot of time and internal resources, whereas our collaborative approach enables us to act as an ‘army of merchandisers’ and the merchandising and trading teams can focus on their core responsibilities,” adds Moore. “We call this authority merchandising.

For instance, Topshop alone has hundreds of new products a week but our inferencebased personalisation engine develops an understanding of what each individual customer is trying to do as they navigate through the site, establish a relationship between the product and the customer and serve relevant content in real-time at every stage of their journey.

“However, personalisation is not just limited to larger brands as it is about scale.

Often, smaller companies are planning to – or already experiencing – a period of rapid growth and it is essential that they have a strong understanding of their customer behaviour and focus their resources on driving relevant traffic to the site. Personalisation technology can be used to support an overall corporate strategy, from improving customer engagement, multiplying the ROI from Google Shopping campaigns, increasing conversion and driving sales. In such a competitive marketplace and increasing consumer expectations, it is likely that if you aren’t providing individual messages, recommendations, promotions and campaigns to each customer, then your competitor is.”

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E-COMMERCE | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

SPECIAL DELIVERY For independent fashion retailers and brands that sell online, finding the right packaging in small enough minimums can be a challenge. As well as ensuring goods get there safely and without damage, sellers also need cost effective packaging, which promotes their brand image and meets customers’ expectations on presentation. Here are four companies that tick all the boxes.

— TINY BOX COMPANY Tiny Box Company provides a range of plain, branded and bespoke packaging, which is made from recycled and sustainably sourced materials. It is essentially a one-stop shop for packaging solutions for both online and in-store businesses.

Luxury rigid boxes are ideal for ties, shoes, belts, scarves, hats, gloves, babywear and other accessory items, and help enhance a clothing gift set. The array of corrugated mailing boxes, meanwhile, protect and safely export items. For finishing touches, ribbon, tissue paper, raffia and a range of packaging accessories are available.

The company offers a printing service on the majority of its boxes and bags, allowing for a company logo to be added at a small, additional cost. With a lead time of 10 working days (minimum of 50 units per size), printing is a quick and effective way to personalise a gift box.

Tiny Box Company has no minimum order for plain stock, ensuring its packaging is accessible to both new and established businesses. A Next Working Day service for plain stock orders is also available.

01342 810900 www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk

BOXMART Leading UK gift packaging supplier BoxMart offers an extensive range of gift boxes, tissue paper, ribbons and transit outers.

Its stock box collection can house anything from jewellery to bathrobes, while the “1 pack” minimum order value, which is typically 25 boxes, is ideal for even the smallest of retailers and brands.

BoxMart can also customise its stock boxes with anything from a logo to promotional message or website address. Alternatively, it can create bespoke boxes to a required style, size, or colour, and include finishes such as film lamination or foil blocking.

01543 480163 www.boxmart.co.uk

KITE PACKAGING Kite Packaging offers small businesses a range of packaging solutions through its website. With a choice of over 2,500 products, including mailing bags, cardboard boxes, tape and protection, there is everything a retailer or brand needs for packaging goods.

Kite’s white postal boxes (pictured) cater for e-commerce sellers and clothing retailers. The presentable boxes can be used with tissue and custom printed tape, which Kite also supplies through its website.

Manufactured from sturdy carton board, the postal boxes are strong and protect goods from damage in transit.

Minimum order quantity for smaller boxes is 50–100 units. For the larger boxes, it is 25–50 units.

024 7642 0065 (Opt 1) www.kitepackaging.co.uk

SLP PRINT SLP Print provides high-end dispatch and POS packaging, enabling retailers to deliver products with a personal touch in attractive, branded boxes with associated packaging and accessories.

The company specialises in bespoke packaging solutions available in small runs from 500 plus. Whether working with paper or plastic, using die cutting or embossing, foil or spot varnishes, SLP strives to create something special to enhance the brand and enrich the buying process.

Eye-catching special finishes for branded boxes and a selection of accessories allow for no selected purchase or gift to be delivered as “run of the mill”.

With broad experience across the packaging spectrum, SLP’s creativity, design and finishing options ensure goods are delivered in style with focus on safe delivery. Secure return options are available. A bespoke design service is also offered, with a range of boxes available in a wide variety of functional, quality specification materials, with 3D prototypes obtainable on request.

01535 611779 www.slpprint.co.uk JUNE/JULY 2015 - 25

TEL: +44 7940583122 EMAIL: ANDIE@HORSESOFTHEWILD.COM WWW.HORSESOFTHEWILD.COM INSTAGRAM: H0RSES_OF_THE_WILD WWW.FACEBOOK/HORSESOFTHEWILD

REPORT | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES Research into children’s views and opinions can offer brands endless opportunities when it comes to maximising market share. Studio INTO specialises in helping clients to better understand their consumers and, although children are not the primary purchaser, their opinions certainly shouldn’t be underestimated, as the consultancy’s director Lisa Johansson explains.

Do you know your customers and users? Do you know how they interact with and use your products?

It is important for any brand to understand who uses its products and services and, arguably more so for the children’s industry, due to its fast-moving nature, transient trends and demanding customers.

The children’s industry is different from many other sectors in that the customer – those who buy a product, and user – those who use a product, are not always the same person. Today, for example, grandparents often help out by buying the pushchair, which is mostly used by mum, dad and baby. Granny is the customer, but the parents and baby are the users. And with the growing trend in grandparents providing a significant part of day-to-day childcare, it can also be the other way around. It has never been so important for

children’s brands to understand all of their clientele.

It is essential to remember researching the “point of purchase” is not the be-all and end-all; this only reflects a very small part of the product cycle and experience. It is about following the product throughout its life cycle, identifying the product’s “touch points” and speaking with everyone who comes into contact with it. This, of course, includes children, and that is what this article is about – research with children.

Conducting research with people makes business sense as it can help you go beyond functional problem solving and form new, creative and innovative ideas. Talking to users gives you direct access to consumer attitudes and helps you understand people’s lifestyles and aspirations. Research can be done at any time throughout a project, but it is often used in the following three project stages:

DEFINING THE BRIEF The children’s industry is particularly prone to prejudice – everyone knows a child and often feels they have a good grasp of children’s preferences. To avoid acting on assumptions, and to save both time and money, it is vital to have a clearly defined brief before even thinking of developing new products or services. When writing a brief, it is advisable to have a hypothesis, but you must also have an open mind – it is not about proving what you believe to be true. “You can have an idea of what you think things are like, but you don’t know for sure if that is the case,” says Sine Klitgaard Møller, design director at LEGO Licensing®. “At LEGO, licensing staff are encouraged not to say, ‘My kids like...’ or ‘My cousin’s children like...’ It’s simply not credible. You would never trust a medical scientist who says, ‘My kids like this medicine and they didn’t get sick.’

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REPORT | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT In the product development phase it is helpful to explore early ideas by asking potential users for feedback. Listening to what people have to say can help steer the project in the right direction, ensuring the most promising ideas get developed and made into prototypes. It is good to have several feedback sessions at different stages of the development phase.

This provides fresh input on how the product can be improved, helping ensure it will live up to expectations.

TESTING AND VALIDATION In the testing and validation phase, it is important to expose the chosen product idea to some real scrutiny. Both from your target audience, but also from people who wouldn’t normally interact with your brand. This serves to uncover any unforeseen design preferences or usability flaws before production, helping avoid costly mistakes. Sometimes, research can be done to form packaging and price points, too, maximising the chance of successful sales figures. Or, after a project, to evaluate the outcome and sales performance.

As a research and design consultancy, Studio INTO has worked with various well-known children’s brands to find out what people make of their products and services. Instead of doing quantitative research, providing statistical results, Studio INTO favours qualitative research as it gives an explanation as to why people think and act the way they do. Qualitative research means working with a much smaller number of people to get truly meaningful insights, a handful of carefully selected users can be enough. That way, you take part in people’s lives and observe first-hand how they use products and services instead of simply hearing about it. It can help to uncover the reality of what people really do – as opposed to what they say they do. It is important to understand these aspects so the product lives up to all expectations.

“Sometimes, observational research can be so much more valuable than interviews,” says Møller. “It takes longer and it’s more expensive, but it is worth it. When talking to parents, they will tell you their ideal picture of what they would like their lives to be like, not necessarily what their lives are actually like. For example, mums often tell us they are trying to stimulate their child creatively and would like

toys that help them to do so. But, on digging a little deeper, it becomes clear that it is not only about creativity, but also about trying to get the child to play on their own for a few minutes so mum can get on with other things for a while.”

Observational research can be carried out in many different ways. For example, in the form of home visits. Here, the researcher spends time with children and their families in their homes and takes part in their daily activities. Observing real-life situations helps in the understanding of how people behave within a given context. It helps to identify opportunities for new innovative products and services. Children’s Wellington boots with handles, for instance, came about as a direct result of observing children having difficulty putting Wellington boots on. It also turns out the little handles are quite handy for storage, allowing the boots to be hung up, overcoming the otherwise awkward issue of storing Wellingtons that are too tall to fit on a shoe rack or in a shoe cupboard.

Many brands catering for older children do this sort of research regularly to form new product development and future strategies.

Nickelodeon arranges what it calls “bedroom hang-outs” as part of its research. This involves going to a family’s home and asking the child to invite some friends over to chat about, or try, product offerings. Similarly, McDonalds organises play groups in families’ homes. “The way children talk to one another and play off each other’s answers works really well – it gives so much more than just a one-to-one conversation,” says Jennifer Pembroke Johnson, director of global consumer insights at McDonalds LLC. “It also tends to result in more authentic answers than those obtained in an interview scenario.”

Another way to gain feedback from users is by organising co-creation workshops, where users are involved in the design process. It is a means of testing prototypes, asking people to help think of improvements, and it is also an effective way to validate new product ideas before going into production. These sessions are useful because more people from the company can get involved, witnessing the research first-hand, unlike in home research scenarios. For this reason, co-creation workshops are a popular feedback method for Nickelodeon. “We think it is important for staff to see the research for themselves,” says Alison York, research director at Nickelodeon.

“Especially those without kids, or those with very young kids, so they understand the whole Nickelodeon audience, which ranges from pre-schoolers to teenagers.”

Spending time with consumers, children and parents alike will also allow brands to tap into emerging trends. With children today often citing favourite foods as “sushi” and “Indian”, restaurants, for instance, are increasingly abandoning the traditional children’s menus and instead are offering more sophisticated, adult tastes in smaller portions. Information like this is invaluable when creating a future strategy for a company, with McDonalds a key example of a restaurant picking up on this “mini-me” trend.

Regardless of how and where research is done, it is clear that spending time with users will give much more than questionnaires and quantitative data ever could. Working directly with users helps capture essential information that otherwise would never be uncovered.

Nickelodeon’s Alison York recalls such an example, where the company conducted research with children and their mums, which subsequently led to the re-branding of its Nick Jr. channel.

“We did a semiotics research piece on our brand last year,” she says. “As a result, the channel now reflects the viewer’s moods and energy levels throughout the day. In the morning, the packaging is all bright, the channel then becomes more energetic in the late afternoon around dinner time, before we introduce more calming packaging before bedtime.”

Møller recalls a similar breakthrough for LEGO that was born from the company’s direct research with users, which subsequently led to the launch of LEGO Friends; LEGO bricks made specifically for girls. “It started with many years of heavy research before we launched Lego Friends,” says Møller. “We were under the assumption that girls don’t like to build, but they do, they just think they can’t do it. Our company tag line is, ‘Creating the builders of tomorrow’ – if we want to support children to become the builders of tomorrow, and we are going to have female engineers, we had better get girls building.”

With an open and inquisitive mindset, brands have the opportunity to become leaders in their field. What better way to come up with innovative ideas and challenge assumptions than by asking the subjects themselves?

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CWB AWARDS | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

ndent e p e d In REtail s Awa rd

•2015•

CELEBRATING INDEPENDENT CHILDRENSWEAR RETAIL CWB Independent Retail Awards 2015

This year sees the launch of the CWB Independent Retail Awards. Recognising performance and innovation across the UK childrenswear sector, the Awards provide a platform from which to reward excellence in childrenswear stores both old and new.

The winners will be chosen by an industry judging panel – selected by and including CWB editor Laura Turner – and announced in December. Turner says, “Having worked with independent retailers for over 11 years, I am delighted to launch the Awards, which are dedicated to recognising the talent within childrenswear.

“From the new start-ups bringing innovation to the fore to the established stalwarts of the sector, independent retailers truly are the lifeblood of the industry and I look forward to celebrating all they have achieved.”

As well as the prestige of being crowned the best in childrenswear retail, the winners will receive a comprehensive store marketing package and dedicated coverage in CWB magazine and digitally via www.cwb-online.co.uk.

BEST KIDS’ INDEPENDENT STORE

BEST ONLINE STORE

Open to UK independent retailers who trade within the children’s apparel, footwear or accessories sectors. Designed to recognise the talent of those who bring the best in branded children’s labels to customers in their local region and beyond, the award will highlight a retailer that has become a destination store in its own right.

Open to UK independent retailers who trade exclusively online within the children’s apparel, footwear and accessories sector. Designed to recognise the talent of those who deliver the best in branded childrenswear via an exceptional customer experience on a digital level.

BEST SCHOOLWEAR STORE Open to UK independent retailers who trade within the specialist schoolwear sector. This award recognises the talent of those who deliver quality, durable uniform and school essentials within the strict seasonal timetable of the sector.

BEST NEW STORE Open to UK independent retailers who trade within the children’s apparel, footwear and accessories sector and have opened within the past two years. Open to retailers that have started trading since 1 July 2013, the award will highlight the innovation and determination required to launch a retail business during a challenging time.

BEST FOOTWEAR STORE Open to UK independent retailers who trade exclusively within the children’s footwear sector. Designed to recognise the talent of those who bring the best in branded children’s footwear to both parents and children, the award will highlight a retailer with exceptional fitting and customer service alongside its essential offer of footwear brands.

BEST ESTABLISHED STORE Open to UK independent retailers who trade within the children’s apparel, footwear and accessories sector and have been open for ten years or more on 1 July 2015. Designed to recognise a retailer that has provided a consistent service through good times and bad, the award will highlight an established stalwart of the childrenswear industry.

Choose your category and enter now at www.cwb-online.co.uk Closing date for entries: 30 September 2015.

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+44(0)2078439488 | enquiries@ncwa.co.uk | ncwa.co.uk

Early Days, Baby Shoes for all Occasions

Early Days best selling style Alex pre-walker is now available as a walking shoe!

Featuring super soft leather uppers and linings, arch support and lightweight flexible sole.

Available in 5 colours sizes 19-23, orders being taken now for Autumn delivery.

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Bubble London Business Design Centre, London Stand C34 12 & 13 July 2015 Moda NEC, Birmingham Stand U22 9 - 11 August 2015

SHOW GUIDE | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

EXHIBITION CALENDAR CWB’s guide to the s/s 16 children’s trade shows.

— PITTI BIMBO 25-27 June 2015 Fortezza Da Basso, Florence www.pittimmagine.com Celebrating its 40th anniversary this June is Pitti Bimbo, whose title theme for its s/s 16 edition is That’s Pitticolor. As the name suggests, it will see the world’s leading children’s trade fair focus on all elements of colour, including the language of colour and its fundamental role in childrenswear. Highlights in and around the show include Italia Wow!!, an installation event in the Dogana area of the venue to celebrate Italian creativity, which will feature 14 emerging, Italian-made brands.

KidzFIZZ, meanwhile, is the show’s new “concept lab”, bringing together Pitti Bimbo’s most creative collections. New names, special projects and key returns this season include Christian Lacroix, Hugo Boss, Ivoy Paris, Karl Lagerfeld, Manila Grace, Pilvi, Stella Jean, The Bonnie Mob and Timberland.

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INDX KIDSWEAR 5-6 July 2015 Cranmore Park, Solihull www.indxshow.co.uk INDX Kidswear presents a buyer and business focused trade show produced specifically for independent retail buyers. This July, over 85 childrenswear brands will be in attendance, including Blue Seven, Bea Cadillac, Finest for Baby, Frugi, Kite, Mayoral, Pigeon and Toby Tiger. Furthermore, a number of brands will be launching their collections to the UK at the show, including Batela, Jake Fischer, Jurnie, The Big Fisch Beachwear range and Tommy & Lottie.

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BUBBLE LONDON 12-13 July 2015 The Business Design Centre (BDC), Islington, London www.bubblelondon.com The UK’s leading kids’ trade event will see over 280 exhibitors from across the children’s industry assemble at Islington’s BDC, showcasing the latest in children’s fashion, accessories, gifts and homeware.

Full Bubble London preview on page 37.

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SHOW GUIDE | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

COOL KIDS FASHION SHANGHAI 22-24 July 2015 SNIEC, Shanghai www.coolkidsfashion.com Organised by UBM China, Cool Kids Fashion Shanghai is China’s must-attend children’s fashion exhibition for trade, bringing together brands, designers, distributors, retailers and key industry players. The exhibition features a complete overview of childrenswear and accessories for ages 0-16 years, alongside trend forums, a fashion show, a kids’ fashion design contest and gallery, as well as a Trend Zone.

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CIFF KIDS 5-7 August 2015 Forum Copenhagen, Julius Thomsens Plads 1, 1925 Frederiksberg www.ciff.dk As North Europe’s most progressive children’s fashion fair, Ciff Kids will play host to more than 250 brands for s/s 16 including Soft Gallery, Christina Rohde, Dr Martens, Bobo Choses, Les Enfantines, Mini Rodini and Beau Loves. Running simultaneously with Ciff, Raven and Copenhagen Fashion Week, it will include creative partnerships and the introduction of an exclusive lifestyle and interior segment. There will also be a leisure area and small workshops for children designed

by ABC Publishing; presentations on upcoming trends within the kids’ related industries; and a new trend area curated by Kid’s Wear magazine. Moreover, Ciff Kids will again stage its trend show.

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MINI MODA 9-11 August 2015 NEC, Birmingham www.moda-uk.co.uk A destination show for stockists of children’s footwear is Moda Footwear’s kids’ product zone, Mini Moda. Presented as a stand-out section within the main footwear exhibition, Mini Moda will showcase the top children’s footwear brands from across the globe in one dedicated area. New signings for s/s 16 are Hop Shoes, Sun-San, Salt-Water and Plae, while returning favourites include Bobux, Catimini, Froddo, GBB, Gioseppo, Pediped, Pepino, Primigi, Richter and Ricosta.

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PLAYTIME PARIS 4-6 July 2015 Parc Floral de Paris, Paris www.playtimeparis.com KLEINE FABRIEK 5-6 July 2015 Amsterdam RAI, Netherlands www.kleinefabriek.nl COOKIES SHOW 7-9 July 2015 Tempelhof Airport, Berlin www.cookiesshow.com

CHILDREN BABY MATERNITY INDUSTRY EXPO (CBME CHINA) 22-24 July 2015 SNIEC, Shanghai www.cbmexpo.com PLAYTIME NEW YORK 1-3 August 2015 Metropolitan Pavilion, New York www.playtimenewyork.com

PLAYTIME TOKYO 25-27 August 2015 Belle Salle Shibuya Garden, Tokyo www.playtimetokyo.com KIND + JUGEND 10-13 September 2015 Cologne Trade Fair Grounds, Cologne, Germany www.kindundjugend.com

CHILDREN’S CLUB 2-4 August 2015 Javits Center, New York www.enkshows.com/childrensclub JUNE/JULY 2015 - 35

BUBBLE | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

BUBBLE LONDON 12-13 JULY 2015 BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE LONDON

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01 MR WOLF Mr Wolf is a new British-made kidswear brand created by fashion designer Alexandra Cobb and former TV editor and now photographer Ben Hanley. The debut 27-piece s/s 16 collection features vibrant and bold colour palettes together with eyecatching and playful prints Stand VC29 02 LITTLE WARDROBE LONDON Launching for s/s 16, this luxury childrenswear label is designed and made in London. Catering for 4-10 years, it teams British tailoring with fearless design, combining pastel hues with dramatic black. Strong, distinctive silhouettes and high-quality fabrics are key. Stand A14 03 BBBAMBINO New London childrenswear label BBbambino utilises unique, hand-drawn designs, which are digitally printed on GOTS-certified organic cotton. The clothing itself is crafted in the European Union. Inspiration is drawn from fairy tales and fantasy worlds, with the debut collection inspired by the designer’s pet Corgi dog. Stand GA7 04 EASTEND HIGHLANDERS Japanese boyswear label EastEnd Highlanders specialises in shirts sewn using craftsmanship accustomed to manufacturing high-end men’s shirts for luxury brands. Shorts and chinos in woven cotton, lightweight knitwear, braces, bow-ties, ties, Japanese denims and canvas shoes also feature. Stand C19 05 OMIBIA For s/s 16, Omibia offers an organic collection featuring natural, low-impact dyes. Highlights include handmade and hand-dyed lace ribbons, mother of pearl buttons and cotton embroidery. Key pieces include shorts, baggy pants, flared skirts, printed T-shirts and minimalist dresses. Stand C16

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06 THE LITTLE SHOEMAKER The Little Shoemaker specialises in bespoke, handmade shoes for babies and toddlers. Crafted in the UK from start to finish, suppliers are locally sourced including the remaining manufacturer of “lasts” in Britain and a Devon leather tannery. Designs are contemporary with a nod to vintage style and use premium leathers and suedes. Stand VC51 07 BAKKER MADE WITH LOVE Making its Bubble debut for s/s 16 is the popular children’s fashion and lifestyle label Bakker Made With Love. The brand will be exhibiting its colourful children’s clothing at the show with much focus placed on its exclusive prints, something that is key to the label’s DNA. Stand C4 08 DOTTY DUNGAREES Highlights from the new s/s 16 collection from Dotty Dungarees include stripe dungarees and dresses in pale shades of pink, blue and yellow, as well as a “dotty” denim range. Going forward, plans for the brand include the introduction of dungaree shorts. Stand VC1 09 ROOM SEVEN Colourful kids’ clothing brand Room Seven is designed by Brecht Olsthoorn, designer and co-owner of the Dutch children’s label, Oilily. While clearly from the same pen as Oilily, Room Seven has its own unique style, with the s/s 16 collection offering easy-to-wear, colourful pieces with a focus on detailed design. Stand E23 10 WHERE’S THAT BEAR? Where’s That Bear? is a new, simple and modern childrenswear label for ages 1-6 years. Emphasis is placed on well-cut, practical and hardwearing garments that can be boldly and creatively mixed and matched. A bear is also hidden on each garment for the child to find. Stand VB9

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01 CASHMIRINO Launched in 2000 offering a cashmere range, Cashmirino has since expanded to include cotton and linen collections for s/s. Catering for newborns through to teenagers, the brand also has a Fathers & Sons line. Stand B22 02 LA PITCHOUNE La Pitchoune offers a s/s collection of luxury dresses in an elegant and playful mix of colours and silhouettes.

Made in Britain, the dresses are vintage-inspired and feature unique prints. Stand VB4 03 POPPY This season, Poppy’s characters Poppy and Fred lead the collection’s theme with a trip to London Zoo with “Mr Giraffe”.

References can be found on the hems of dresses and in the brand’s accompanying, free storybook. New dress shapes and fabrics also feature. Stand D1 04 HOLLY HASTIE Designed and developed in Britain, girlswear brand Holly Hastie’s s/s 16 collection focuses on easy-to-wear cotton dresses and separates. Highlights include cotton cashmere knits and denim and white broderie anglaise dresses teamed with neon trims. Stand A4 05 SHOOSHOOS Shooshoos baby and toddler shoes are designed and manufactured entirely in Cape Town, South Africa. Catering for boys and girls up to four years, design highlights include cushioned insoles, breathable leathers and soft soles. Stand E14

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06 DANEFAE Highlights from Danefae’s s/s 16 collection include the theme “glacial bloom” for girls, with crisp tones of azur and lilacs mixed with pink. “Concrete jungle”, meanwhile, is a key theme for boys, featuring street-smart styles in greys and blues.

Stand D12 07 PANDA AND THE SPARROW Baby and toddler clothing brand Panda and the Sparrow is made from Bamboo, which has hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, thermo-regulating and UV-resistant properties. Key pieces include all-in-ones with fold-back hands and feet.

Stand GA11 08 JAM Jam offers comfortable, versatile designs for girls aged 2-7 years. The label’s first s/s collection includes prints and jersey garments made from cotton and cotton blend yarns. Knitted shorts, vests, dresses combining woven knits, unisex tops and a Britishmade range all feature. Stand C44 09 JUMP JUNIOR Jump Junior specialises in tank tops, offering an everyday, timeless layer that can be dressed up or down. Using natural fibres for its crafted knitwear, it incorporates colour, creativity and style. Stand VC7 10 OH…MY! Following the success of its debut collection, British brand Oh...My! returns for s/s 16 with a 35-piece occasionwear range for girls aged 4-12 years. Inspiration is taken from vintage, botanical prints and over-exposed photographic florals. Stand VC8

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01 AMABELLE New girls’ clothing label Amabelle is launching its first wholesale collection at Bubble for s/s 16. Taking inspiration from ballet, fairy tales and the 50s’ and 60s’ fashion eras, key pieces include colourful frilly dresses, pettiskirts, tutus, capelets, tops and accessories. Stand A49 02 MODEL MY OWN Designed and hand finished in the UK, new girls’ brand Model My Own is aimed at 3-10 years. Its offer allows for the embellishment and personalisation of outfits and accessories through its hand-crafted flower Clipsys, Dresslaces and glittery letters, which are also compatible with the brand’s headbands and socks. Stand VC55 03 BAMBIOLA Having wide presence in India and America, girlswear label Bambiola is now targeting the UK, starting with its launch at Bubble for s/s 16. With attention to fabrics, trims and construction quality, the brand’s offer includes party dresses, blouses, skirts and jackets. Stand B49 04 DRAGON & ROOSTER German childrenswear label Dragon & Rooster’s s/s 16 collection offers extravagant designs ranging from dresses through to casual and sporty combinations for girls age 5-12 years. Key colours include turquoise, magenta, olive, black and white, with garments designed to be mixed and matched. Stand C15 05 MARCO & LIZZY Founded in 2010, Marco & Lizzy is a childrenswear brand that offers sophisticated clothing featuring clean lines, simple details, fine hand-smocking and hand-embroidered elements. The collection spans dresses and hats through to first communion dresses and occasionwear. Stand E30

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06 CARMEN VÁZQUEZ Spanish childrenswear brand Carmen Vázquez caters for 0-14 years. The label oversees its entire production process, from design through to patterns and from dressmaking through to quality control. Stand C36 07 PETIT OH! Petit Oh! is a baby basics brand for 0-2 years designed in Barcelona and made in Pima cotton. The collection includes pyjamas, blankets, bodysuits, towels, pants, booties, hats, bibs, T-shirts and warmer clothing such as the plush and quilted collection.

Colours are white, grey, pink and light blue. Stand C12 08 FOR CUTIES For Cuties is created by a professional clothing designer and pattern cutter who, inspired by her own daughter’s artwork and imagination, re-fashions children’s drawings into prints and re-creates them on childrenswear. Stand GB3 09 TINKER & BOO Launching at Bubble for s/s 16 is emerging Australian label Tinker & Boo. The girlswear and lifestyle brand caters for 3-8 years and draws inspiration from retro-inspired silhouettes, using an eclectic mix of fabrics, colours and print. Stand C20 10 LE MU Newly launched UK brand Le Mu offers occasionwear and accessories for girls aged 2-9 years. With a focus on sharp tailoring, comfort and elegance, highlights include dresses and skirts with layers of tulle and lace, hand-stitched embroidery, sequin trims, oversized bows and detachable collars. Stand E25

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CORE STORE WINNERS

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01 CARRÉMENT BEAU For boys, Carrément Beau’s s/s 16 collection focuses on different shades of blue while nudes and pinks are key for girls. Crafted in luxe and delicate fabrics, the collection sees sportswear take a chic, retro and playful turn. Stand A8 02 BOB & BLOSSOM Bob & Blossom offers a year-round collection for immediate delivery. This season, the brand will be showing its signature printed T-shirts, tutus and party skirts alongside new, sparkly tutu skirts. Stand VC27 03 FRUGI The s/s 16 collection from organic brand Frugi includes a debut swimwear range, Puddle Buster Suits, fold-away macs and unisex babywear. New characters and patterns feature across all designs including party dresses, knee-patch dungarees, babygros and appliqué tops. Stand A1 04 KITE Kite’s s/s 16 collection is the largest to date and takes inspiration from travel and holiday memories. Highlights include vibrant colours, prints, patterns and appliqué on mix-and-match pieces. New items include reversible dresses, woven jumpsuits and boys’ full-length summer jeans. Stand C1 05 PLUMETI RAIN Spanish brand Plumeti Rain takes inspiration from the French countryside for its s/s 16 collection. Utilising an elegant colour palette and simple lines, highlights include delicate dresses with a focus to the detailing on the neck or back, prints with a touch of retro and fabrics such as broderie anglaise, jacquard and denim. Stand VC10

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06 IDO Offering complete outfits for 0-16 years, iDO’s s/s 16 collection provides a mix of colourful and contemporary everyday pieces.

Prints and ethnic-inspired motifs, stripes and soft denim looks are key. Stand G18 07 KISSY KISSY Babywear brand Kissy Kissy’s s/s 16 collection includes larger bibs, using soft, 100 per cent Pima cotton. There are also new prints and a multitude of new colours, including orange and lime. Abstract chevrons and stripes also feature. Stand G8 08 LEMON LOVES LIME For s/s 16, the design team behind Lemon Loves Lime continues to be inspired by fairy tales; going on new adventures with mermaids, pixies and unicorns specifically. Hand-embellished designs feature an array of rainbow colours. Key elements of the collection include ruffle dresses, cut outs of seashells and starfish, and three-dimensional hand-crocheted florals.

Stand A9 09 LILLY + SID Titled Vintage Holiday, Lilly + Sid’s s/s 16 collection includes quirky characters, rich colours, prints and vintage silhouettes. Other highlights include new gifting set options, the brand’s largest dress collection to date for older girls and new nautical references for older boys. Stand C32 10 ADEN + ANAIS Amid aden + anais’ offer this season is the new category of layette, featuring 100 per cent muslin babywear and the brand’s signature prints. Available for 0-3 months to 9-12 months, highlights include a romper, tank-top bodysuit, kimono bodysuits and a tunic top and trouser set. Stand VC23

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PREVIEW | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

LONDON

THIS SEASON, BUBBLE LONDON WILL PLAY HOST TO A RANGE OF EVENTS, FEATURES AND SPECIAL GUESTS, BOTH NEW AND RETURNING...

LOOK WHO’S TALKING

The Look Who’s Talking seminar programme has become one of Bubble’s most popular features, bringing visitors expert business advice and exclusive trend updates. This season, it will move to a new location on the main floor – enabling brands and buyers to benefit from the insights on offer. Visit www.bubblelondon.com for the full line-up.

RISING STAR

TREND LOOK BOOK

Bubble will showcase s/s 16’s hottest trends in a special look book, which will be produced alongside CWB magazine and product photography specialist uShoot Studios. The project will see industry professionals choose and style an outfit from the collections on offer, with previews available throughout the show. See the entire look book in the next issue of CWB.

Each season, the Rising Star award is presented to Bubble’s best launch brand. The s/s 16 show will see new finalists go head-to-head, with a panel of industry experts on hand to choose the winning collection.

Discover which label has scooped the award on Sunday 12 July, the show’s opening day.

KID’S WEAR

PERFECT PITCH

Bubble will play host to the team behind the hugely popular Adventure Walks books, which “get families out for a good walk”. Founders Becky Jones and Claire Lewis are also set to give a presentation as part of Bubble’s Look Who’s Talking seminar programme.

After launching last season, Perfect Pitch will return to the show for a second outing. The unique programme gives visitors the chance to hear from some of Bubble’s best emerging designers, who share their stories, collections and plans for the future in a five-minute “pitch”. This season, a new line-up of brands is set to participate.

Renowned German magazine Kid’s Wear will showcase its latest photo exhibition at Bubble this season. Shot by the publication’s founder, Achim Lippoth, the 10 images explore the theme of “movement”.

ADVENTURE WALKS

BUBBLE PARTY

The Dolls House, Islington, will play host to this season’s Bubble party.

Unwind, network and enjoy a glass of fizz from 6pm in the venue’s popular Parlour Bar. JUNE/JULY 2015 - 46

CIFF KIDS SPRING SUMMER 2016 FORUM COPENHAGEN 5 - 7 AUGUST 2015 CIFFKIDS.DK

LONDON

12 & 13 July 2015 Business Design Centre, London

Advertising Promotion

A♡ Dee

STAND E15 A♡Dee - The brand continues to develop and cement it’s place in the busy girlswear market.

New season brings all manner of vibrant colour and cool commercial styling.

Tel: 0141 552 5970 / 0797 315 7434 Email: molloy@picturebookfashion.co.uk www.a-dee.com

Amabelle STAND A49

Amabelle is all about classy elegance, which is still comfortable to wear. The collection includes colourful frilly dresses, tutus, capelets and accessories that are perfect for parties, weddings and special occasions.

Tel: +44 20 3332 2265 Mobile: +359 877415200 Email: sales@amabelle.co.uk www.amabelle.co.uk

Baby Acorn

BBbambino

Proud to be made in Britain, Baby Acorn offers a vibrant baby wear collection in 100% cotton. Foxes, honey bees & woodland friends in unisex colours create the perfect gift range for baby girls and boys.

BBbambino is a new London childrenswear label.

They hand draw their designs and manufacture their organic cotton clothes in the European Union, which last, look marvelous and are uber-comfy.

Tel: 01244 360945 Email: hello@babyacorn.co.uk www.babyacorn.co.uk

Email: betty@bbbambino.com www.bbbambino.com Twitter: twitter.com/bb_bambino Facebook: http://on.fb.me/18jiio8 Instagram: instagram.com/bb_bambino

STAND GB11

STAND GA7

Big Fisch

Bloch Footwear

Dragon & Rooster

Big Fisch, a new name in kid’s beachwear offering bright bold and playful designs. A fun collection UV protective swimwear, board shorts, organic cotton towelling tops and hats.

Specialising in professional dance wear since 1932, Bloch footwear is the epitome of elegance and style.

Their adorable collection of ballet pumps for little girls are prima ballerina perfection.

Dragon & Rooster stands for extravagant and cool design. The label meets the girl´s dreams of being “grown-up” in a yet cheerful and child-orientated way. Countless combinations - just mix and match!

Tel: 01582 493393 Email: info@whiteleyfischer.co.uk www.wholesalekidshats.co.uk

Tel: 020 3740 1541 Email: bill.taylor@bloch.eu www.Blochworld.com

Tel: 0049 8824 929725 Email: contact@dragon-and-rooster.com www.dragon-and-rooster.com

STAND C45

STAND D6

STAND C15

For Cuties STAND GB3

iDo

STAND G18

Let’s look at the world through children’s eyes!

We envy the way they see the world - fairy and beautiful. It is exactly their vivid imagination that inspires our team.

iDO - The casual and energetic 0 to 16 yrs children’s collection offers for ss16 colorful contemporary everyday pieces, with prints and ethnic inspired motifs, stripes and polka dots looks.

Tel: 00359 887 863 903 Email: info@forcuties.com www.forcuties.com

Tel: +3905755331 Email: trade@miniconf.it www.ido.it

JellyBean Kids STAND B43

Fun Girls Fashion for Summer Days. Bright and vibrant prints bringing these classic designs to life.

Summer dresses or frothy-skirt and Tee sets with sunhats and hair accessories. Girls aged 3 to 10 years. A GSC brand.

Tel: 0115 921 5690 Email: enquiries@gsc-ltd.com www.gsc-ltd.com www.jellybean-kids.com

Mitch&Son STAND E15

Mitch&Son - A new boyswear collection especially for very cool wee guys from 1 to 6 yrs. Crisp, clean and designed to merchadise and co-ordinate perfectly. A must see.

Tel: 0141 552 5970 / 0797 315 7434 Email: molloy@picturebookfashion.co.uk www.mitchandson.net

Kissy Kissy STAND G8

Igor

STAND B11 Made in Spain, Igor’s fantastic collection of rain boots and jellies comes in a range of vibrant colours and styles.

Tel: 07786 136 260 Email: info@assuredfashion.com www.igor.es

Love Boo STAND B2

Nothing Can Match Kissy Kissy!

The Very Finest 100% Premier Pure Pima Cotton.

The Collection is pure genius.

A must for every new baby!

Love Boo create gorgeous, natural skincare and pampering gift sets for Baby, Mummy and little ones, here in the UK. Full of super-luxurious ingredients without the baddies. Hooray!

Tel: 01442 248 103 Email: sales@finestforbaby.co.uk www.kissykissyonline.com

Tel: 01924 370240 Email: hello@loveboo.com www.loveboo.com

Model My Own

Oh...My! Kidswear

Model My Own, dresses and accessorise as unique as you are. Made in the UK by us....to be finished by you! Is the world of childrenswear about to change?

The collection boasts a whimsical and feminine quality throughout. A refined and elegant colour palette teamed with luxurious fabrics and exquisite prints. Inspiration has been taken from vintage botanical prints and overexposed photographic florals, creating a collection that seeps in nostalgia but with a fresh modern edge.

STAND VC55

Tel: 07790601239 Email: info@modelmyown.com www.modelmyown.com

STAND VC8

Contact: Jonathan Swead Email: enquiries@ohmykidswear.com www.ohmykidswear.com

Rhubarb

Sarabanda

Sense Organics

New for this season - British-made Liberty print dresses, rompers and bloomers; designed to complement our classic Breton stripe t-shirts, playsuits and sweatshirts. Rhubarb’s summer range is fun and playful. Exceptional everyday clothing.

Built to last. Wholesale prices from £5 to £26

Presented for the first season at Bubble, Sarabanda is an all-encompassing collection of childrenswear, mixing seasonal fashion trends with timeless more classic occasion wear wardrobe staples.

The Sense Organics SS16 collection is inspired by summers in the tropics & safaris in the savannahs.

It is lovingly produced using the finest organic cotton perfect for little people.

Tel: +390575 533 1 Email: trade@miniconf.it www.sarabanda.it

Tel: 020 7253 9896 Email: kellye@foundation-agency.com www.sense-organics.com Twitter: @SenseOrganics Facebook: Sense Organics

STAND GB17

Tel: 01625 610928 Email: info@rhubarb-online.co.uk www.Rhubarb-online.co.uk

Shooshoos STAND E14

The best quality shoes your little one can wear.

Natural soft leather 100% handcrafted by happy hands in South Africa since 1996. Soft soles for babies & flexi soles for toddler, ages 0-4.

Tel: +27 (0) 21 797 0560 Email: gill@shooshoos.com tim@shooshoos.com www.shooshoos.com

inker and Boo STAND C20

Tinker and Boo is a new girlswear brand offering a modern twist on retro silhouettes in an eclectic mix of fabrics. Perfect for all little ladies aged 3 - 8.

Tel: +61405418208 Email: sales@tinkerandboo.com www.tinkerandboo.com

STAND G18

Skids

STAND GA3 SKIDS School Shoes are the brainchild of Sadie & Dan, two parents in search of excellent quality leather school shoes without the high end price tag.

The name SKIDS was derived from how their son described what he did to his shoes at school – He SKIDS them! SKIDS Shoes are Handmade 100% Leather.

Tel: 07866532901 / 07973831289 Email: skids@skidsforkids.co.uk www.skidsforkids.co.uk

STAND A20

STAND E4

he Little Shoemaker STAND VC51

Jumping in at Bubble this year is The Little Shoemaker who specialize in footwear for little people. All our shoes are handmade here in the UK

by Kevin Rowley, combining traditional & contemporary techniques & materials.

Tel: 07985 531899 Email: kevin@thelittleshoemaker.com www.thelittleshoemaker.com

urquaz

STAND E19

Toby Tiger are excited to show off their colourful SS16 range. Including fantastic organic printed sleep suits, fun appliqués and much more organic loveliness to feast your eyes upon.

Turquaz has been designing and supplying traditional fair trade children’s nightwear for 25 years, long enough for their earlier customers to be now having children of their own.

Tel: 01903 766777 Email: info@tobytiger.com www.tobytiger.com Twitter: @toby_tiger Facebook: tobytigerbrighton

Tel: 01258 837357 Email: alex@turquaz.co.uk www.turquaz.co.uk

www.littlewardrobelondon.co.uk info@littlewardrobelondon.co.uk

PRODUCT | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

LAURA

LOVES

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01: DONSJE Tooth Fairy wallet ¤10 07970 383188

02: TOBIAS AND THE BEAR Storm Boy duvet cover and pillowcase Cot bed £21.82, single £29.55 07748 324312 / 07711 787888

03: PAPILLA DE FRUTA Bib ¤6.14 0034 667766988

04: SCAMP Wooden mobile (personalised and non-personalised designs available) £10 07957 151996

05: NOR-FOLK Play Hard logo T-shirt From £8.50 07788 707555

06: LE PETIT CARAMEL Satchel bag From £27.50 07958 307709

Unless stated otherwise all prices are wholesale JUNE/JULY 2015 - 52

PRODUCT | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

Style GUIDE:

PATACHOU £19 fashion@patachou.com —

ANGEL’S FACE £14 01732 823700 —

PARTY PIECES: CWB’s pick of summer party outfits.

Unless stated otherwise all prices are wholesale

BOB & BLOSSOM £16 01273 679497 —

LE MU Nautical stripe top £15 Gold tutu £17.50 info@le-mu.co.uk —

CHATEAU DE SABLE £7.40 01244 324792 —

LOVE MADE LOVE £43 07850 754853 — JUNE/JULY 2015 - 54

LONDON

FREE UK delivery and returns

www.le-mu.co.uk

LeMuLondon

SCHOOLWEAR BUYER: THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION FROM THE SCHOOLWEAR INDUSTRY

BLUEMAX BANNER

59: News

60: Talking shop Schoolwear retailers reflect on BTS 2014 and how it has shaped their approach for this year.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 57

Smarter for longer Our eighty years in business counts, and whether you want a plain stock garment, speedy embroidery, bespoke knitwear or fastrack service we can deliver – all year through.

Rowlinson Knitwear Limited Woodbank Mills, Turncroft Lane, Stockport SK1 4AR t: 0161 477 7791 • Free Fax Orderline: 0800 072 0217 e: sales@rowlinson-knitwear.com

www.rowlinson-knitwear.com

SCHOOLWEAR | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

Schoolwear NEWS: The latest news from the schoolwear industry.

NEW FOR SCHOOL SHOES Launched last year, Skids, the registered trademark for Shoes for School Ltd, is offering the Back to School market a new choice in school footwear.

Making its show debut at UK children’s trade fair Bubble London in July, the UK brand is manufactured in the Philippines, handmade using a high-quality leather upper, a cow-split leather foot bed, breathable textile lining and a rubber sole.

Targeting 4-11 years, or reception up to Year 6, sizes range from UK size 9 to UK size 6. A wide selection of styles are available, but all put an emphasis on the “look” being smart and stylish while also practical and sturdy. The brand offers a Premium line, wholesaling from £17.50 to £19, and a Standard collection, which wholesales from £15 to £17.50.

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UK LAUNCH FOR TOTTO SCHOOL BAGS Brand Agility has been appointed UK distributor for the Colombian brand Totto, whose collection comprises a substantial Back to School range alongside luggage, clothes and accessories.

Highlights from the school offer include school bags, lunch bags with a water bottle and “tupper box”, and pencil cases.

“The brand is 29 years old in Columbia, and has over 500 standalone stores selling its luggage and clothing range,” says Brand Agility sales director Jacquie Sandison. “It’s currently available in 35 countries worldwide and we’re hoping to do very well with it in the UK, too.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF

BLUE MAX BANNER SPONSORSHIP Blue Max Banner is to sponsor a new competition designed to identify writing talent in the UK. The judging panel for the inaugural Mane Chance writing competition, which invites entrants across four age categories – 10 years and under, 11-14 years, 15-18 years and over 18s – is to be chaired by Michael Morpurgo OBE, author, poet, playwright and British Children’s Laureate, and actress Jenny Seagrove.

Blue Max Banner has pledged to provide the schools of each of the three school-aged winners with £500 worth of its sportswear and £500 cash in prize money.

Jenny Seagrove is founder of Mane Chance, a Surrey Sanctuary whose mission is to rescue and rehabilitate horses and ponies as well as hosting visits from schools, disabled groups and children with special needs. The writing competition is an initiative Seagrove devised to help raise funds, via competition entry fees, to support the sanctuary’s ongoing work.

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SCHOOLWEAR ASSOCIATION UPDATE Former David Luke MD David Burgess (pictured) is the new executive chairman of the Schoolwear Association (SA), succeeding outgoing chair Matthew Easter. Burgess is the fourth person to chair the trade body, which was set up in 2006 to give a voice to the industry. Christine Campbell has been appointed new vice chair, replacing Alex Gani.

The next SA members’ meeting will be hosted by David Luke at its Manchester offices on 28 July. In addition to discussing industry issues, it will include a tutorial sponsored for the group by William Turner & Son, featuring a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) expert who will advise members on how to gain ground in online rankings. Members wishing to join the meeting are asked to confirm their attendance in advance.

In other developments, this year’s SA fundraiser has been confirmed as a 70s-themed evening. Sunday Night Fever will take place on 11 October at The Village Hotel, Solihull. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities email mariebradburn@talktalk.net. If you would like to join the SA please email info@schoolwearassociation.co.uk.

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This year sees the launch of the CWB Independent Retail Awards, which will recognise performance and innovation and reward excellence in stores both old and new.

Independent schoolwear retailers across the UK are invited to enter their shops in the Best Schoolwear Store category. The winner will be announced in December, and will receive a comprehensive store marketing package and dedicated coverage in CWB, print and online.

Entry forms are available at www.cwb-online.co.uk.

THE PEOPLE’S FAVOURITE Rowlinson has been recognised with two accreditation awards for its commitment to its staff’s wellbeing.

To achieve the Workplace Wellbeing Charter – which Rowlinson is the first company in Stockport to receive – the schoolwear supplier allowed itself to be assessed, benchmarked and accredited, thus committing a statement of intent towards the health, safety and wellbeing of its staff. The assessment and subsequent award of The Charter is national recognition of this fact.

Following rigorous assessment, Rowlinson has also been awarded Investors in People Gold Standard. Last year, Rowlinson was awarded Silver in this best practice people management standard. This year’s elevation to Gold is in acknowledgment of improvements the supplier has since made.

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Trutex has designed a special-edition 2015 children’s activity pack available free to its retailers and their schools.

Providing ideas and activities for children over the upcoming school holidays, the Alice in Wonderland theme pack is a nod to 2015 marking the 150-year anniversary of both Trutex and the Alice in Wonderland children’s book by Lewis Carroll. Activities in the pack include, “How to make an origami white rabbit” and a “Queen of Hearts tarts recipe”.

A new sports kit from Gymphlex’s GFORCE range has been eagerly embraced by pupils at Stratford Preparatory School in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Originally launched with a view to becoming compulsory from September, the garments are already bestsellers in the uniform shop. The integrated kit comprises an Aircool top, skorts, shorts, hooded top and tracksuit.

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TALKING SHOP Schoolwear retailers reflect on last year’s Back to School (BTS) and how it has shaped their approach for this year, including a greater focus on online sales, increased use of social media and investing in more “fitted” and “skinny cut” uniform styles to reflect current fashion trends.

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BRAD HUTCHINSON Sales director, Whittakers Schoolwear, stores in Blackburn, Burnley, Swinton, Bolton, Accrington and Southport How was BTS 2014?

It was a fantastic period for us. All stores had an increase in sales individually while, combined, they achieved an 11 per cent rise in like-for-like sales. We also expanded the business in February, opening a concession within Oswaldtwistle Mill, Accrington, followed in May by the acquisition of Rawcliffes in Southport. Both outlets respectively surpassed sales targets for their first BTS season. The success of 2014 can be attributed to the high stock levels we hold along with the brilliant team we have.

Are you making any improvements to the way you work for BTS 2015?

Our approach to BTS hasn’t really changed during the last year, apart from making online customers more aware there is a definite cut off point for receiving orders for delivery in time for BTS. As we all know, the last two weeks can be very challenging trying to keep stocks at optimum level.

What channels do you sell across?

The stores, website, mobile and social media – we use all of them to sell our products. We envisage our sales from the virtual world to experience an exponential growth rate over the next few years, while maintaining in-store sales as the primary way of providing uniforms to parents.

Any changes in customer habits?

We’ve definitely noticed a growth in consumer spending. Over the previous six years, the majority of parents bought one or two school sweatshirts, one pair of trousers and one pack of shirts.

As the summer of 2014 ensued, it became apparent parents felt happy purchasing more than one of each garment. This was a great indication of the economic recovery. Following investment in our website, we also saw a 30 per cent increase in online sales during BTS. Our virtual presence is another string to our bow and helps us provide an extra service for customers. A trend that has filtered through from fashion to schoolwear over the past 12 months is the demand for a more fitted garment. We now provide a slimmer fit trouser and a fitted shirt to ensure we have a product to offer the consumer who may otherwise look to fashion brands.

How do you maintain successful relationships with suppliers and customers?

Building strong relationships is key to our business development and is largely based on trust and transparency. We need good and reliable suppliers, so we work hard at building a good supplier relationship, as we do building good relationships with our customers. We are communicative, treat people fairly, we are demanding but loyal and, of course, making payment on time always helps. The relationship with our customers starts from the second they walk through the shop door. We’ve created a bright, breezy, modern retail atmosphere. Each customer is greeted by their own personal shopper to help guide them and provide an enjoyable, memorable shopping experience. Gone are the days

of dark, dingy schoolwear shops. We have a long-term vision; if we can excel in the service we provide, we could see a particular customer shop with us each year for over a decade.

What services do you offer?

Through the BTS season we try to be as accommodating as possible. We open seven days a week, one of which is a late-night opening. We often organise a selling event on school grounds to make shopping more accessible to certain parents, too. When a pupil starts a new school, it can be a daunting prospect shopping for the uniform – which items are compulsory and optional? How much will a full uniform cost? Our personal shoppers help to answer all of these questions and make the customer feel at ease.

We also offer the option of a savings club, meaning customers can drop into the shop at their convenience before the BTS period and spread the cost of their purchase over a number of weeks.

What BTS marketing do you do?

The majority of our marketing and advertising is achieved through the schools themselves. We will present to prospective parents at new intake events with a professional school uniform display, along with promotional flyers offering information and discounts.

Facebook and Twitter are useful advertising platforms, too, allowing us to promote ourselves, driving both leads and sales.

What’s your forecast for BTS 2015 sales?

There has been fantastic progress behind the scenes this year, with a large number of schools that are new to us, along with changes to some schools’ current uniforms. With the recent news that inflation is below zero for the first time in over 50 years, and consumers feeling their hard-earned money is going a little further, we’ve forecast another year of growth in like-for-like sales.

Any plans for the business?

We have a structured plan in place for growth. Cash flow can make or break a business, so we’re extremely careful about our structure, making sure we are never over stretched. With this in mind, we do not have an aggressive expansion plan in place, but we still aim to grow the business year-on-year. We are always vigilant in our approach to sourcing new retail outlets.

SALLY STEPHENSON Owner, The Pencil Case, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan How was BTS 2014?

I opened The Pencil Case in March 2014, so summer 2014 was my first BTS. I took over the supply of local school uniform from a long-standing stockist who retired in December 2013, so I had a rough idea of what to expect. I put together forecasts based on their previous sales history. Despite this knowledge, sales exceeded expectations and we delivered double the forecast.

Do you plan to do anything differently for BTS 2015?

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BACK TO SCHOOL | WWW.CWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

senior girls’ skirts, to be as high as it was. As a result, to meet demand, I was ordering on an almost daily basis towards the end of August. This year, I’ve placed a large forward order to make sure we have the stock available at the start of the season. This will enable us to sell more, as well as be more efficient, and we won’t need to spend time constantly re-ordering and booking in regular deliveries of stock. This year I’m going to trial late-night opening one day a week to help busy working parents, which may also reduce the pressure on Saturdays. We will have more staff available to manage very last minute demands, too.

Have you noticed any trends in terms of the styles of uniform children are wanting?

Yes, there seems to be a lot of tall, slim teenagers who need jumpers with longer arms. The current sizing means they have to buy bigger jumpers to get the longer arm lengths but, these are then too big across the chest. This year, I’ve asked my supplier to make jumpers in 44” and above with longer arms. In the primary school ranges the opposite is true – children are struggling to find trousers that fit round the waist that aren’t too long in the leg.

How do you maintain successful relationships with your suppliers and customers?

Personal relationships are critically important to our success. We aim to provide outstanding customer service and get to know our customers personally so we understand what they want and can meet their needs. I have a policy to always have all sizes of badged uniform in stock to ensure customers are never disappointed.

We also remember customers’ names, the schools their children attend, what they’ve bought previously, ask them for feedback on what we could do better/other products we could stock and enjoy chatting to them every time they come in. The same is true of suppliers. I enjoy building relationships with account managers and believe if they understand my business, they can help us to improve and grow our sales, which is obviously mutually beneficial.

What services do you offer?

We are open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm, so parents can come to the shop straight after dropping children at school. Parents can contact me 24/7 via email, mobile, Facebook and Twitter to order or reserve uniform. I host late night shopping evenings for new, Year 7 children and their parents who want to try on and buy uniform together. I promote the fact our range comes in a variety of waist sizes and leg/skirt lengths, so we can always get the perfect fit. If I do not have a particular size in stock, I can order it in for delivery usually within 24-48 hours. As I live locally, and know so many of my customers personally, I often drop uniform off at their houses after work or in the playground when I am collecting my own children from school.

Which channels do you sell across?

Mostly in-store, although I regularly receive enquiries via email, text, mobile, Facebook and Twitter. Customers can pay by card over the phone and collect from the shop later. I also hold a pop-up store at the new Year 7 parents’ meeting at the secondary school every June, and Reception parents’ meeting and parents’ evenings at the local primary schools.

What marketing do you do?

I use social media to promote my business – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There are Facebook groups set up for several local towns, which are a very effective way of promoting my business for free to a wide audience. I advertise regularly in the free local newspaper, which has a circulation of 45k and is very well read, and in local magazines. The schools for whom I supply badged uniform send my communications out to all their parents via their ParentMail newsletters. Most of the feeder primary schools send out my order form to their Year 6 children before the summer holidays, so they know to come to me for their new secondary school uniform. Outside of the BTS period, I run various marketing activities. I have a stall at the secondary school PTA’s Christmas Fair and I’m planning to do the same this year at various primary school PTA summer fairs. I open on Sundays and Bank Holidays for the Cowbridge Reindeer Parade and the Cowbridge Food & Drink Festival, as these attract thousands of visitors to the town. I also sponsor various events throughout the year, such as the children’s sections of The Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Show and the Cowbridge Food & Drink Festival. I donate gift vouchers to relevant charities such as Scouts, school PTA raffles and Cowbridge May Fair organised by The Rotary.

What’s your sales forecast for BTS 2015?

An increase in sales compared to last year, which is based on the fact that we’ve been open for over 12 months, so more people know we are here than last year. We will have much more stock of plain uniform skirts and trousers right from the beginning of the season, so we will be able to sell much more of this compared to last year.

Word is spreading that we sell good-quality, well-fitting plain skirts and trousers, and we are now open six days a week – last year we didn’t open on Mondays.

Any plans for the business?

We are in the process of building a transactional website, which I hope will be live before the 2015 season starts. This will enable customers to buy uniform online 24/7 and either have it delivered or click & collect from the shop. I also hope to sign up further primary schools this year to become official stockists of their badged uniform.

LUCY FORD Co-owner, Pretty Miss, Cwmbran, South Wales How was BTS 2014?

The first few weeks had us panicking about sales; however, after the second week of August, sales rocketed. Over recent years, we’ve found the spending/purchasing trends of our customers is getting later and later in the season. Last year, we employed more seasonal staff than ever before, rotating shifts so no one felt over worked and we constantly had “fresh legs” on the shop floor.

This system proved priceless and we will be utilising the same approach for BTS 2015. In addition, we’ll be extending our trading hours until 6pm weekdays and until 3pm Sundays. In theory, BTS 2015 should be very good for us as we’re supplying additional schools that are having complete new uniforms. As usual, we’re anticipating sales will be late and follow the trends of previous years.

Any changes to customer buying habits?

Overall, customers are purchasing later and later. Our busiest day of the year is usually Black Tuesday – the Tuesday after the August bank holiday. That said, this year will be interesting as the Tuesday following the bank holiday is the first day of term for many schools in our area. Perhaps BTS sales will be a week early? However, with many customers being paid on the last Friday of the month, we’re still predicting sales to be very last minute. On the whole, in terms of sizing demands, we’ve always had much larger children in our area of the UK. More recently, however, with fashion leaning toward skinny fit trousers and fitted shirts and blouses, we’ve found regardless of a child’s physical size, they now want to wear their uniform as small or tight as possible to reflect fashion.

How do you maintain successful relationships with your suppliers and customers?

For a business, relationships are everything, and we really care about our customers. This year we are celebrating 55 years of trading. We were one of the very first shops to open in the Cwmbran town centre, and the only original business remaining.

In a relatively small town, many of our customers have become friends, shopping with us for many years as we clothe each generation in a family. To help customers, we offer many incentives and services to make purchasing school uniform as easy as possible, everything from savings clubs to a personal shopping experience. For as long as I can remember, we’ve offered a year-round savings club, as well as a “buy now pay later” lay-by scheme. This helps customers spread the cost of purchasing uniform, which if you have more than one child, can be quite costly. On the whole, we have great working relationships with our suppliers and have been trading with many of them for over 40 years. Like all businesses, they appreciate loyalty and like you to be knowledgeable about their products and lead times. >>> JUNE/JULY 2015 - 61

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What channels do you sell across?

To date, we have only sold uniform from our store or directly from the schools we supply. This year, however, we have launched an e-commerce website that we believe will be hugely popular with customers for BTS 2015. We recently joined Facebook and Twitter, too. We’re hoping our social-media presence grows throughout the year, and we may utilise these channels for additional sales in the future.

What BTS marketing do you do?

Presentations in schools and promotional flyers handed out with our price lists. Most years we also run a “win a bike” competition, which customers can enter when visiting the store.

Any plans for the business?

Our intention is to build on our very strong foundations and expand our embroidery and printing arms of the business. We’ve seen promising trends from our small social-media presence, and we’re hoping this is going to continue throughout 2015 and beyond.

JAN GREEN Co-owner, Brenda’s, Camberley, Surrey How was BTS 2014?

Very good. We spend the year planning to ensure as smooth a BTS as possible, and we anticipate BTS 2015 being our busiest yet.

Are you making any improvements to the way you work?

We are always striving to improve and work more efficiently to give the customers the best possible experience. We want to change customers’ perceptions of a schoolwear retailer for the better. The main changes this year are to employ even more temporary staff.

Any changes in customer habits?

Parents used to buy sizes to last, but more and more often we are hearing “that’s too big” and they buy to fit. More customers are confident in buying online these days, too, and we have seen our online sales grow rapidly.

How do you maintain successful relationships with suppliers and customers?

We always keep in touch. We work well with suppliers as they do with us. We always tell customers if there is a delay on any product.

Our forte is our huge stock holding, giving the customers what they want, when they want. We also keep in touch with parents via social media.

What services do you offer?

We have always offered alterations and have been embroidering for four years. We sell schoolwear in-store and online, including mobile-friendly shopping, with web orders delivered in 24 hours.

We also have Google Business View so customers can look inside our store from their armchairs.

Any plans for the business?

We are about to have the front of our store refurbished along with great new window graphics.

PANY KOKKINI Owner, Thomas’s Schoolwear, London SE21 How was BTS 2014?

Obviously, the last few days are always a little frantic, but we had a team of five experienced staff and felt it went well. Having the stock in the shop is the main issue, and having suppliers that are specialists in schoolwear, such as David Luke and Blue Max Banner, is always a real help. We gave a small discount to parents who booked an appointment during July and the first two weeks of August to alleviate the last-minute rush and that worked well. We also introduced an online order service, which we feel is important for parents – even if they don’t always use the facility.

Any changes in customer habits?

More customers than ever are paying by card, which I suppose is a reflection of the economy. Mums are always looking at price, but we feel we cannot afford to go down the “cheap” route as mums don’t always remember what they’ve paid for an item, but they will note if it’s fallen apart during the first few wears. Mums are also buying fewer items more often from us, and buying generic garments from other online websites. Online is a real threat to all our high streets. We try and counter this by going that ‘extra mile’ for our customers and by being well stocked.

How do you maintain successful relationships with your suppliers and customers?

We maintain good relations with suppliers by using them regularly and paying on time. With customers, we seek to build trust over time, giving them honest and relevant information; having the stock they need available; making returns easy; keeping the shopping experience as stress-free as possible; and by trying to resolve any issues as quickly as possible with the least fuss.

What services do you offer?

We offer an online service whereby we can deliver to the school so parents can avoid carriage costs and we now stay open a little later, until 5.45pm, and half day on Sundays from 11am to 3pm. We also have our own tailor who offers alterations at a fraction of the cost – turning the sleeves up on blazer, which includes the lining, costs £5. The same job at our local dry cleaners costs £22.

What are your plans for the business?

We’d like to be more active on social media, launch more popular lines in trainers to appeal to the general public, introduce a “tell us what you think box” and, as we are also a sports shop, keep an eye out for more unusual gift items.

JULIE GRAY, Owner, Kool Kidz, Wetherby, West Yorkshire How was BTS 2014?

Very busy compared to the previous year.

After reviewing last year’s BTS, we have employed a new member of staff to help with our existing staff and we’ve put in a new stock control system, which will help with our ordering. We’ve also updated our website.

Any changes in customer habits?

Their buying habits have changed; we’ve seen increased sales via our website’s ordering service. We haven’t seen anything significant to the sizes customers require, but we have been asked more for 4/5 years and 6/7 years with some products who do not do these sizes as standard.

How do you maintain successful relationships with suppliers and customers?

We would like to think we’ve achieved successful relationships with our suppliers by being honest and talking on a regular basis.

Maintaining good communication ensures we are all working together for the future. Our customers are our business, so we offer them a service with a personal touch to suit their needs.

What services do you offer?

Part of our service is to offer longer opening hours in the BTS season along with a Home Delivery Service via internet and telephone sales to help working parents.

What is your BTS marketing strategy?

Mainly promotional flyers via the schools, local advertising and presentations in schools.

Any plans for the business?

We are looking at opportunities to take on new schools, and we’re getting ready to launch a new printing and embroidery service as an addition to our business.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 62

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CAROLYN JOYCE Category manager for Baby & Child at Notonthehighstreet.com Carolyn Joyce reveals what her role as Notonthehighstreet.com’s category manager for Baby & Child entails, as well as which kids’ products are currently trending on the site.

— Laura Turner: What’s your career background and how did you come to work for Notonthehighstreet.com?

Carolyn Joyce: My previous role was at House of Fraser, where I spent five years working in e-commerce across a number of product areas including fashion, home and, most recently, baby and child. I had always been attracted to Notonthehighstreet.com from a product point of view, and also for the values, history and vision of the company. Last year, when I came across the category manager role for Baby & Child, it was a no-brainer for me to apply for the job. Moving into this role, I was so excited to start building on the amazing success in the category and to start planning for the future of the category.

LT: What’s a typical working day for you?

CJ: It can vary hugely depending on the time of year and if we are planning for a big seasonal gifting occasion, such as Christmas.

Generally, the responsibilities I focus on are optimising the Baby & Child categories on site, planning the content for these pages and feeding this out to our marketing team.

I also spend time analysing our range and highlighting opportunities to broaden into new types of products, liaising with our account management and new business teams to set this in motion. I assess sales within the category to highlight any opportunities and emerging trends to make sure we are showing our customers the best and most relevant products. I also take time to keep up-to-date with developments in the baby and child industry to ensure that we have a great strategy in place to plan for the future. All the while, I keep up-to-date with our partners, too, and

discuss how they can continue to grow and develop with us.

LT: Where do you source product for the site?

CJ: As a marketplace, all of our products are either sourced or made by our amazing partners. Some of these have been with Notonthehighstreet.com since it was founded in 2006, and have established large, commercially and creatively rewarding businesses. Other are just starting out on their journey with us, which is equally as exciting.

Many new partners apply directly to the site, but we are always on the lookout for new ones who can produce beautiful, unique products.

LT: What is the criteria for partners?

CJ: Many of our new partners are small and emerging businesses looking to grow and increase their customer reach. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to approving a potential new partner, but we always look for products that are unique and businesses that are keen to scale and grow with us. The strength of the product is key, as is its ability to inspire our customers to choose a life less ordinary.

LT: As you mentioned, Notonthehighstreet. com seeks to inspire – what inspires you in your work?

CJ: Our partners are very inspirational – a lot of them have started their business with a great idea for a product and have gone on to achieve huge success. It is amazing to be surrounded by their stories when they have been instrumental to the success of Notonthehighstreet.com. It makes me even more motivated to seek out the next great thing for the site’s Baby & Child category.

Other places I take inspiration from are blogs and social media, which are great for keeping up-to-date on what consumers are excited about, and also from parents and children I know personally. I have just become an auntie, so my new niece is a great source of inspiration – she deserves the best.

LT: What are the current bestsellers?

CJ: Most of our bestsellers are personalised with the child’s name – this can range from books to dressing gowns. Products that commemorate the birth of a new baby with custom details are also extremely popular among products such as keepsake toys and wall art and prints.

LT: Are there any trends customers are currently buying into?

CJ: Animal motifs, and woodland animals in particular, are popular with our customers.

Dinosaurs often appear among our bestsellers,

NAME: Carolyn Joyce JOB TITLE: Category manager, Baby & Child DATE OF BIRTH: 17/11/87 PLACE OF BIRTH: Bristol, UK NOW LIVES: London, UK

and patterns such as stars and stripes are being bought into as well. Personalisation is extremely important – allowing a customer to create something bespoke adds sentimental worth, which is invaluable when purchasing a gift.

LT: Which children’s and babies’ brands or products are your personal favourites?

CJ: Naturally, I would say that all of my favourite baby and child products come from Notonthehighstreet.com!

LT: How would you define the concept and ethos of Notonthehighstreet?

CJ: Notonthehighstreet.com exists to connect the best small independent businesses and their beautiful, unique products with the world. We are a platform with a global reach, meaning we can help our partners talk to a huge and varied audience looking for design-led products that speak volumes about their taste.

LT: Tell us something we don’t know about Notonthehighstreet.com…

CJ: Since being founded in 2006, Notonthehighstreet.com has injected over £300m into the UK economy through our support of small businesses.

JUNE/JULY 2015 - 66

Bonnie Jean by Gerson and Gerson, Inc. Bubble London, Stand C50 Tel: 001 212 244 6775 Kevin.Gray@gersonandgerson.com www.consupro.net

CHILDREN’S S P R I N G S U M M E R 2016

to m a k e a n a p p o i n t m e n t at a s h o w r o o m n e a r yo u p l e a s e c o n ta c t E : t r a d E @ j o u l E s . c o. u k t: +44 (0) 1858 435261