Earnshaw's | January/February 2023

VIVA 2023

IN THE NORTHERN Hemisphere, when the sun crosses the equator going from north to south, it marks the autumnal equinox. It’s a time of change. We resume work, school and routines; we swap out lighter-weight clothes for heavier ones; we embrace a new season with its falling leaves, muddy puddles and misty mornings with a distinct chill in the air. Even in warmer climates, it turns to sweater weather.

This premiere issue of 2023 showcases the first fall looks from domestic and international designers juxtaposed against hauntingly beautiful landscapes. Earnshaw’s is honored to present “Wild World” styled by Fashion Director Mariah Walker and shot by award-winning Italian photographer Stefano Azario.

Walker uses one of her signature styles of layering to give texture and complexity while the movements of the models convey an energy connected to the black and white landscapes. Azario, who has five children of his own and has lived in various countries, giving him a well-traveled lens through which to shoot, uses the camera to make

sense of the world around him. His emphasis is on making heartfelt images that tell compelling human stories. We hope that you will feel compelled to spend time gazing at and deriving inspiration from our fashion feature, starting on page 18.

Our fashion coverage continues with footwear trends, sweet knits and the 2023 Pantone Color of the Year Viva Magenta. Pantone 18-1750 “vibrates with vim and vigor,” according to the company’s website. “It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. As a nuanced crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool…it exudes dynamism.” What a hue to represent the new year!

Before we left 2022 behind, we just had to show off some of the magical holiday displays from retailers across the country. The passion for merchandising and exemplary customer service truly comes through, not just for the month of December, but all year long. Check out “Eye Candy” starting on page 8.

We can’t wait to see as many of you as possible at the upcoming Playtime/Kids’ Hub New York, from February 12 – 14. Stay safe and healthy so we can celebrate Valentine’s Day together and embrace the new business season. —Michele Silver

big small show

MUDPIE CONTINUES TO SHOWER DONATIONS

MUD PIE HAS renewed its partnership with Operation Shower for 2023 by donating baby and children’s product as part of the organization’s Shower in a Box program. Since 2018, the company has donated thousands of infant and toddler apparel and gifts to Operation Shower, which have been provided to military mothers and families via group baby showers to ease the stresses of deployment. To date, Operation Shower has provided more than 7,000 military mothers with baby showers and continues to bring joy to the community. Along with Mud Pie’s quarterly product donations, the brand is providing military families who participate in the showers with an exclusive discount to shop on Mud Pie’s consumer website, www.mudpie.com.

Mud Pie’s founder and chief executive officer Marcia Miller, notes, “The joy that our Mud Pie product brings to these families is truly so special, and is the epitome of our brand motto – every day is a gift. We cannot thank our country’s military families enough, but this is certainly one way to start.”

During Atlanta Market on January 13, Mud Pie is hosting a showroom event entitled Par-Tee for a Cause, in support of Operation Shower. The brand will utilize new product introductions from its best-selling kids’ golf collection to set up a mini golf course. For every hole-in-one made, Mud Pie will donate a piece of product, increasing the company’s contribution for 2023. Participating retailers who opt in to Mud Pie’s SMS program will be entered to win a golf-themed gift basket for their store.

A HYGGE

COLLAB

Known for its cozy shearling boots and slippers beloved by none other than Oprah, EMU Australia has teamed up with Mattel for a limited-edition collab for kids, EMU Australia x Barbie. The three styles, Barbie Wallaby Lo, Barbie Wallaby Mini Play (shown left) and Barbie Wallaby Print Lo are made with premium suede and lined with soft merino wool and come in sizes toddler 8 to kids’ 4. Inspired by the 2023 Pantone Color of the Year Viva Magenta, these boots keep feet delightfully warm.

Operation Shower provides military mothers with baby clothes and gear.

www.earnshawsstudio.com Contact: Noelle Heffernan, 917-886-6669 noelle.heffernan@wainscotmedia.com

EYE CANDY

From the East Coast to the West, specialty stores show off their festive December displays and merchandising for maximum customer appeal.

BY MICHELE SILVER

RED BALLOON CHICAGO, IL

“We want a sense of nostalgia to come across in everything we do here! On a day to day level, that means excellent service for our customers, a smile when someone walks in, balloons for kids to play with when they walk out the door. We have a great collection of vintage toys and books, and they are scattered around the store. One of our favorite vintage items was found in the basement of our first store. It is a lawn ornament from the 1960’s of Santa and his reindeer. We hang Santa and the reindeer in a different spot each year, so kids have to look for them. In 2023, we’re going to make volunteering a formal part of our business practice, so we will be offering monthly paid time for our staff to use to volunteer for local organizations in need.”

SWEET PEA KIDS UNIONTOWN, OH

“Our customers love our stocking stuffer wall, it’s a highlight when we put it together every year. It takes the guess work out for our customers, too! Our New Year’s resolution is to work with brands that are easiest to do business with and to always give the highest quality of service, including free gift wrapping all year around.”

—morgan miller, owner

Customers are always grateful for the free holiday gift wrapping, including winter and Hanukkah-themed offerings, available with every purchase. With a careful and thoughtful curated selection of giftables, customers say the hardest part is not buying it all!”

carey deza, owner

“All of our displays are created by staff. Allowing everyone to create merchandising gives the store a continual new look—even our high school freshman have created wonderful displays with a vision that I might not have had. We try to create displays for every holiday or occasion and do it early! Shoppers will pick up a Christmas hair bow months in advance— out-of-town customers may never come back so it’s our chance to sell to them at that time. It’s the most fun to see customers come in and immediately “ooo” and “ahhh” over our decorations. Our resolutions for 2023: always be a few steps ahead, make sure we have enough merchandise and fix issues faster.”

lucia berman rossi, owner

BLACK WAGON PORTLAND, OR

TINY HANGER BROOKLINE, MA

PINK LEMONADE KALAMAZOO, MI; EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI; GRAND HAVEN, MI

Pink Lemonade is an extra special place to visit during the holidays. Customers not only come to shop for gifts, but they also come for the festive experience. Seeing the little ones’ eyes light up when they see our flying pink unicorn pulling Santa’s sleigh is simply magical. From contemporary pink-themed Christmas to the traditional colors, each display is thoughtfully curated to tell a story and create excitement for the upcoming holiday season.”—jill zagar, owner

ON TREND

Feet First

Sassy sneakers, bold-patterned boots and classic ballet flats and oxfords offer a myriad of choices for a fashionable fall.

Western Chief

Baby Deer

Old Soles

Kenneth Cole

Twisted X

Oomphies

Melissa Shoes

Paige Lauren

Old Soles

Gruvy

Molo

:

ON TREND

Sweater Weather

Knits for fall are always a yes, especially designed with different fabrics and delicate patterns as well as classic cable.

Lucky Jade

Boboli

Marie Chantal

Sevin Handmade

Milon

Angel Dear

How the Oldland Family Built Hatley, One Illustration at a Time

Brothers Nick, Jeremy and Chris Oldland continue to honor their mother’s artistic expressions and family-first approach to business, both in their operations and the design of happy, sustainable clothing for children. By Michele Silver

From left: Chris, Nick and Jeremy Oldland

IT ALL STARTED in 1986 with matriarch Alice Oldland, a talented artist who handpainted whimsical animals on aprons that she sold with her husband, John, out of their little gift shop in North Hatley, Quebec. In 1999, the parents were ready to retire to England and handed their manufacturing company to their three sons, Nick, Jeremy and Chris.

Nick recalls in the company’s video story on their website that, “My parents literally gave us the keys and said, ‘Don’t call.’’ Nick inherited the drawing gene from his mother, so he became the new creative force behind Hatley.

Nearly 25 years later, Hatley still maintains itself as a children’s art house of sorts, with original prints driving its collections. The company has more than 450 accounts in 25 countries and its categories comprise apparel for baby, girls, boys, and women as well as sleepwear, swimwear and rainwear for the younger set. This year will see the expansion of Hatley outerwear.

With 300 employees, including six graphic designers and 12 garment designers, the company still adheres to its illustrative roots, seeking inspiration in nature and staying true to Alice’s original art aesthetic. Hatley has never rested on its laurels, >32

A Hatley original design

Jacket, dress and pants by Levi’s; under the jacket she has a windbreaker by Prodoh; boots by Western Chief

Shirt by Marmar, pants with suspenders by JustCavalli, jacket by Tia Ciabani, hat by Andy & Evan

Top

by jnby by JNBY, pants by MarMar, windbreaker jacket by Prodoh, shoes by Florsheim, hat by Boboli

Sweatshirt by True Artist, jacket and pants by Molo

Dress by Pomme de Terre, sleeveless jacket by Molo, boots by Western Chief

Jacket by True Artist, sweater by Molo, jeans by Levi’s, as a belt she is wearing a vintage tie, shoes by Kenneth Cole

Sweater by Billieblush, pants by Appaman, coat by JustCavalli, boots by Western Chief, hat by jnby by JNBY

Vest by Billieblush, pants by Molo, coat by Colmar, snood by Mischa Lampert, shoes by DKNY Kids

Top jnby by JNBY, pants by Molo, hat and jacket by Twinset, shoes by Dr. Martens

Sleeveless fleece by Prodoh, jacket by Colmar, pants by Appaman, shoes by Dr. Martens, hat by Molo

Jacket and dress

Photography by Stefano Azario/ Laird and Good Company; concept and styling by Mariah Walker/Art Department, NY; hair: Brent Lavett. Stefano’s landscape photographs were part of a summer ’22 exhibition at Nōgallery, Pontremoli, Italy “Wild World” poem by Katie Belloff. Special thanks to State Mgmt. and Generation Model Mgmt.

by Pomme de Terre, socks by Puma, shoes by Dr Martens, hat by Andy & Evan

“

THE BEST THING WE CAN DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS MAKE CLOTHES THAT LAST.

–CHRIS OLDLAND

continued from page 17 which is why is continues to reach new heights of success every season and every year. Earnshaw’s spoke to Senior Designer Blair Leroux about the creative process and the Oldland brothers about how they have stayed competitive, practice sustainability, ecommerce challenges, and their passion for giving back to the community and the global manufacturing world.

Earnshaw’s: What’s the role of each of the Oldland brothers? Nick: The company is run by the three of us in three basic silos. I do creative, Chris handles sales and Jeremy handles operations. Over the last 20 years, each one of our roles has changed as we grew, but the basic themes of our roles have stayed the same and complement each of our abilities.

Earnshaw’s: What was the progression of the collections?

Chris: Our first children’s catalog in 2005 featured four rainwear programs and six pajama prints. Our rainwear at the time was unique, since it featured original prints produced by Nick’s team, and it opened a lot of doors for us. From there, our customers and sales representatives would give us feedback and ideas, and the line evolved to the point where our apparel has drawn level with our rainwear, pajamas and swimwear.

Earnshaw’s: What’s the creative process behind the prints and color schemes for an upcoming season?

Blair Leroux: The creative process for all seasons is through an engagement with life. Even when I’m not sitting at my desk or drawing, I’m watching what is going on around me, and what my kids are doing to inspire a print or concept. It’s a constant journey of finding elements of my life that get pieced together to make a print or an overarching theme of the season. Subconsciously, there is an absorption of what is happening with color from the market, but I never look at trend forecasting. Instead, I let the prints and themes dictate the colors.

The fabrics that we are using will often lend themselves to specific colors and I trust my gut. There’s also an awful lot of ‘can all these garments look good together in a store,’ and most importantly, crammed in my kids closet and dresser—most likely, they are going to dress themselves and if it all sort of looks good together, they can’t pick something offensive to wear.

I like to always think of Hatley as a brand that is family-

As one of the first two categories for Hatley, rainwear remains an adorably strong seller.

friendly, and something that will make people happy and think. It could be something as silly as the way we draw a car and think, ‘How does my son Emmitt see this car? Where would my daughter Fiona want this rainbow to go on this unicorn?’

Earnshaw’s: When did you start to sell online and what has been the ups and downs of e-commerce?

Jeremy: We launched our first website in 2007 and have achieved consistent growth except for 2022. The initial goal was to take control of our brand’s image online. We knew we had to do something when we would search Hatley and the top results were listings of our product on Ebay. During the height of Covid, the website really helped us stay open but post-Covid, we have seen a real return to brick-and-mortar shopping which has resulted in our first decrease in e-commerce sales. We have also opened more than 30 stores and between those and the website, it accounts for nearly 50% of our revenue. By being our own biggest customer, we try a lot of new products and take risks that we probably couldn’t take without them.

Earnshaw’s: What have been the highlights of your careers at Hatley?

Nick: The day I was no longer responsible for drawing ALL the prints.

Chris: Opening 30+ stores in Canada the US and UK.

Jeremy: Setting up our logistics center in Montreal and establishing

a supply chain in India that matches our family values in Canada.

Earnshaw’s: What has been the most challenging part of running the business and why?

Nick: When we started, I was the only designer. I drew the prints, designed the garments and created all of marketing materials. There a came a point when I was simply unable to do it all. The

day I started hiring designers, I was able to accomplish much more but and my job evolved into the role of Creative Director. The transition from doing the work to telling people what to do became the single-most challenging period in my career. Trying to communicate a concept that lives in my head and seems so clear and easy to execute is no small challenge. Today, as much as I’d love to execute the odd design, the designers who work for me now are significantly better than I ever was.

Chris: In the early 2000’s we were primarily selling pajamas and gifts to the general gift and resort market. Several competitors started copying our designs and approaching our customers with lower prices. The expense of pursuing them in court was too high, so we completely changed our business. We grew our team of illustrators and designers to make sure we were always showing something new every six months. We created Hatley Kids and a few years later Hatley Women’s. We moved production overseas to become more competitive and started opening stores. This was a group effort well beyond the three of us and the team that helped us through that challenge also got us through Covid.

Jeremy: Ensuring consistent quality from our factories. It is often

Hatley's partnership with India-based charity Sevalaya paved the way for a robust tree-planting effort.

very tempting to take the cheapest price from a factory, and only after years of experience to do you understand the old saying: “You get what you pay for.” Not only is price important, but you need to have confidence in the people you are working with. Hatley is a family-run business with high ethical standards, so we only work with factories that we personally inspect, and ideally, it’s a family-run operation. Each time I place a PO, I consider it an investment in a long-term relationship. We have seen many of our factories change hands from parent to child, and it reminds of the kind of factories we invest in. I think this has paid off, because our factories get to know what we want, and it takes a lot of the guesswork out of manufacturing overseas.

Earnshaw’s: How have supply-chain disruptions affected the business?

Nick: 2021 was an incredibly challenging environment, but our factories performed surprisingly well. Because we had maintained such solid relationships, our factories always put Hatley orders first. We wound up having to switch from ocean to air shipping, and we were able to buy our way out of the worst of the delays.

Earnshaw’s: What are some of the standouts for FW 2023?

Nick: Our girls’ apparel, particularly the dresses, have gotten

better each year—we have some very special pieces this fall. This will be our second year offering a fun line of winter outerwear that we think is awesome. This year we started making specific pieces for newborns and clarifying that our toddler line is for preschoolers and our kids’ line is for elementary school-aged kids. In the past, this could get kind of muddled together with the overlap in sizes, but I think we did a much better job of separating the three age ranges. We’ve also added bamboo to our sleepwear assortment.

Earnshaw’s: What changes have you seen over the past five years in the industry?

Jeremy: Safety. All governments have increased their vigilance with respect to safety issues and I am happy to say our existing internal standards have always exceeded the government expectations. Where we see issues, though is increased occurrence of safety inspections. This is a problem, because each time there is an inspection a regulator will hold a shipment for up to two weeks in order to perform the necessary tests, but we always pass!

Chris: Sustainability and emphasis on clothes having a second, third or fourth life. We were one of the first companies to put extra space on our tags for the second and third kids to write their names into it, and we see how our clothes stay active in the world

of resale. We decided long ago that the best thing we can do for the environment is make clothes that last.

Nick: The desire for more “special” pieces. The last few seasons, some of our best selling items have been our most expensive “bold” pieces. It might have something to do with social media, but parents seem to be placing greater emphasis on their kids looking sharp. Our goal has always been to make clothes that kids will want to wear because they are comfortable and fun, but at the same time parents will appreciate that the colors and combinations just look good together.

Earnshaw’s: Explain your partnership with Sevalaya and what the company’s contributions have been able to make happen for this non-profit.

Jeremy: We often get asked to donate and partner with different organizations, but it is important for us to chose ones that reflect our values, which I have whittled down to three factors: where we are from, who do we serve as customers and where do we manufacture. Since this company was founded In North Hatley on the shores of Lake Massawippi, we have been supporting the Bleu Massawippi project to keep our lake clean for the past 15 years. Since our customers are children, For the last 10 years, we have been supporting

the Montreal Children’s Hospital. In the last two years we launched the Pajama Project where in the month of October we donate a pair of pajamas for every one bought on our website or in our retail stores. This year we gave away 7,000 pairs to eight charities in Canada, the U.S. and the UK. Since we manufacture in India, we have partnered with an orphanage there to support the local communities nearest to our factories for over 10 years. Our first big project was contributing to building a track and field pitch where the children could compete and practice. This year we planted 3,000 trees, 1,000 of them being fruit trees and we have supported the university educations of many kids.

Earnshaw’s: What’s the best piece of professional or personal advice each one of you has received?

Chris: Trust your team and be comfortable working with people smarter than you.

Nick: Give clear direction and accept that only about 50% of what you think you said was actually understood.

Jeremy: Own your mistake and don’t blame others when they make one.

Earnshaw’s: What advice do you have for other childrenswear companies who are starting out?

Chris: Work hard and be patient. It takes time for the market to see the value of your product. Retailers want to see that you can consistently deliver and are going to be in business for the long run.

Earnshaw’s: What are the top three concepts about Hatley that you want the childrenswear industry to know?

Chris: Hatley is more than three brothers. We are part of a hardworking team spread across three countries. We have wives, husbands, children, relatives, and friends who wear our clothing every day. They let us know when we’ve done something right or wrong. We are proud of every collection we bring to market because we know those around us will be wearing it to every day activities as well as special occasions. We love what we do and feel like we are just getting started. There are so many paths to take with children’s fashion and we plan on taking all of them.

AEROSOLES DEBUTS KIDS’ COLLECTION

AEROSOLES, A DIVISION of American Exchange Group, is expanding into kids‘ footwear. The brand, which celebrated its 35th anniversary this past October, is continuing to establish itself as a global lifestyle brand well beyond women’s footwear. “We‘re committed to rolling out new and superior products that appeal to a wide and diversified audience so that consumers of all ages and genders can experience the comfort and style that the brand is known for. This is just the first of many new announcements that we will be making in the coming months,” states Alen Mamrout, CEO of American Exchange Group.

The kids’ collection is designed with “mommy and me” in mind, as many of the styles are takedowns. That will include a diverse assortment of casual and on-trend styles, like mini lug sole combat boots and booties, winter boots with real shearling and sneakers. Dressier and more formal styles like Aerosoles’ signature ballet flats, MaryJanes and mini heels will also make special occasion dressing a breeze. Available sizes range from toddler size 11 to kids’ size 4. Suggested retail prices run from $49 to $79. The debut collection is scheduled to launch this month on Aerosoles.com and expand into major department and specialty stores soon after.

AFTER MORE THAN 34 years in the industry, Honey Smith permanently shuttered her well-established A Bit of Honey showroom and retired at the end of December. Smith grew up in the New York City garment center, working summers in high school in a family embroidery business. The hard work, discipline, and creativity that she learned from her family laid the foundation for what became her company. Smith plans to finish Spring 2023 and will continue to represent the Nan&Jan communion dress and veil line. “I will see what the future holds in terms of representing more brands,” Smith says, adding that one of her side projects might be helping to restore the New York garment market. She also plans to do volunteer work and perhaps most importantly, slow down and embrace some well-deserved self-care.

FINAL CUT

Gifts On Pointe

Known for its precious, Europeaninspired keepsakes and elegant décor, Mon Ami pirouettes into Fall 2023 with gifts for budding dancers. Belle the Prima Ballerina comes in a beautiful tulle dress and ribbon lace-up ballet slippers. There’s also a sweet pillow featuring a trio of diverse ballerinas in real tulle dresses, which makes a charming addition to pastel-themed merchandising displays.