Earnshaw's | August 2016

F I V E S TA R A P PA R E L’ S A L B E R T PA R D O • T O P E U R O P E A N T R E N D S • T H E R I S E O F G E N D E R N E U T R A L I T Y • S P R I N G F O O T W E A R R E P O R T

VOLUME 100 NUMBER 7

AUGUST 201 6 $10.00

DOWN BY THE SEA

Apparel for babies and tweens Legwear for girls and women Flip-flops for girls and women

sales@ulcapparel.com 212-299-4175

A U G U S T 2016 CONTENTS

Noelle Heffernan Publisher

F E ATURE S 10 European Trend Report Enter the era of sophisticated childrenswear.

18 True Grit Five Star Apparel President Albert Pardo on why there’s no substitute for hard work.

22 Balancing Act Retailers weigh in on challenges, trends and today’s moms.

24 Spring Footwear Report Statement shoes are making headlines in children’s fashion.

FAS HION

PAGE 34

34 American Summer Blissful nostalgia takes shape in the form of fruity florals and pops of patriotism.

This page: Snapper Rock bikinis.

On cover: Coral & Reef bikini; Little Me one-piece.

D E PART M E N TS 4 Editor’s Note 6 Hot-Button Issue 30 Trend Watch 44 Up Close

46 New Resources 49 Licensing News 56 Parting Shot

Photography by Oliver Pilcher; styling by Mariah Walker/ Art Department NY; hair and makeup by Abigail Pilcher; photo assistant: Tom Ayerest.

Kristin Young Editor-in-Chief Nancy Campbell Trevett McCandliss Creative Directors EDITORIAL Lauren Olsen Associate Editor Emily Beckman Associate Editor ADVERTISING Caroline Diaco Group Publisher Jennifer Craig Special Accounts Manager PRODUCTION Katie Belloff Associate Art Director Production Manager Mike Hoff Webmaster Allison Kastner Operations Manager Bruce Sprague Circulation Director CONTACT INFO Sales/Editorial Offices 135 West 20th Street Suite 402 New York, NY 10011 Tel: (646) 278-1550 Fax: (646) 278-1553 advertising@9threads.com editorialrequests@ 9threads.com Circulation Office 26202 Detroit Road, #300 Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: (440) 871-1300 circulation@9threads.com CORPORATE 9Threads 26202 Detroit Road, #300 Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: (440) 871-1300 Xen Zapis, Chairman Lee Zapis, President Rich Bongorno, CFO Debbie Grim, Controller

EARNSHAW’S INFANTS, GIRLS AND BOYS WEAR REVIEW ISSN 0161-2786 (USPS-320-090) The business and fashion magazine of the childrenswear industry is published 10x a year by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 135 West 20th Street, Suite 402 New York, NY 10011. The publishers of this magazine do not assume responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Periodicals postage is paid in New York, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. Subscription price for one year: U.S. $48; Rates outside U.S. available upon request. Single price copy, $5. Copyright 2011 by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC. Postmaster: Send address changes to Earnshaw’s Infants, Girls and Boys Wear Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853-8548. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Any photographs, artwork, manuscripts, editorial samples or merchandise sent for editorial consideration are sent at the sole risk of the sender.

Symphony Publishing NY, LLC will assume no responsibility for loss or damage. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in USA.

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Children’s clothing . 0-16 years

MAYORAL USA INC. Miami FL • T 305.779.4305 mayoral.usa@mayoral.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Days of Summer A PEEK AT NEXT YEAR’S HOTTEST TRENDS.

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ELCOME TO OUR swimwear issue. Summer for children is a magical time: lazy days spent at the beach, a little independence away at camp, baseball games with mom or dad and hangouts with friends. And, if I recall, those months seem to last forever. We pay homage to this carefree time in our fashion spread “American Summer,” p. 28., where you’ll find plenty to inspire your swimwear buys.

Meanwhile, I recently attended Pitti Immagine Bimbo in Florence where European brands unveiled their Spring/ Summer ’17 collections. What struck me is how sophisticated childrenswear has become. Many brands have dispatched saccharine baby blues and pinks for highly stylized silhouettes in sophisticated color palettes; some of these pieces were so beautiful, I wished they were offered in adult sizes. As you prepare for the upcoming trade shows, we’ve highlighted some key takeaways from the upcoming spring season in our “European Trend Report,” p. 10, and “Spring Footwear Report,” p. 24.

But sophistication in the children’s market doesn’t only apply to fashion. Our editors, out-and-about every chance they get, are increasingly coming across technologically innovative children’s toys. We’re talking items that teach

kids how to build computers, create apps and learn to code.

These new toys make Lincoln Logs—my personal favorite as a kid—look positively old-school.

Probably the most important subject we address in this issue is the subject of gender-neutral clothing, a movement that’s gaining traction among kidswear designers and parents unwilling to foist gender-based characteristics upon their children. The push is getting the attention of major department stores and celebrities. Target recently stripped its toys department of any gender designations and actress Jaime King has collaborated with a gender-fluid children’s clothing line that doesn’t put children in “little boxes,” as she puts it.

Lauren Olsen explores the topic in “Gender Bender,” p. 6, and explains why gender-neutral clothing is picking up steam.

Finally, as buyers and exhibitors gear up for trade shows, we wanted to take a look at state of the market, how the presidential election factors in and the needs of today’s moms. It was my pleasure to talk to retailers across the country and, given the pervasive negative headlines of late, was surprised to find that many stores are not only doing well but extraordinarily optimistic for the future. Here’s to more cheery days to come—enjoy the issue.

KRISTIN YOUNG k ri s ti n .yo u n g @ 9 t h r e a d s . co m

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Photo: Laura Aldridge

SPRING 2017

• New York • New England • Pennsylvania 212-564-5100 The Rose Garden customercareattherosegardenny.com • Atlanta 404-524-8897 janet@janethunterhawkins.com • Chicago 312-397-0399 eltekids@prodigy.net • Los Angeles & Dallas 213-622-9879 rebershoff@sbcglobal.net

H O T- B U T T O N I S S U E

Gender Bender “GENDER NEUTRAL”, “UNISEX” AND “GENDER INCLUSIVE” ARE THE HOTTEST TERMS IN CHILDRENSWEAR LATELY, AND SOME WANT TO ELIMINATE LABELS ALL TOGETHER. HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE CATEGORY, AND WHAT THIS INDIVIDUALITY-FIRST ATTITUDE MEANS FOR THE INDUSTRY .

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E’VE LONG SINCE realized that it is (more than) okay for boys to don shades of pink, and for girls to take on hues of blue. But as gender designations become increasingly less rigid and restrictive, fashion is embracing individuality and rejecting traditional thinking. And luckily for the generations to come, this trend is not just reaching childrenswear as an afterthought. In fact, the industry is trailblazing the movement. Some call it “gender inclusive,” others “unisex” and still others “gender neutral.” Some are presenting brands whose clothing focuses on one gender (or both), with the aim of battling stereotypes and empowering the wearer. Others still prefer not to refer to gender-anything at all and, instead, let the clothes—and the kids who choose them—speak for themselves. Martine Zoer, owner of Quirkie Kids, notes, “I wish we could just call it clothes for kids. Not just for boys. Not just for girls. But for kids.” She adds that using terms like “gender neutral” can cause needless confusion, leading some to believe the term applies to the children, not the clothes.

Emily Bennett, owner and designer of Baby Blastoff! defines “unisex” and “gender-neutral” clothing as synonymous while Eva Everett, co-founder of Svaha Apparel—a brand whose girls’ clothes have a specific STEAMtheme (Science/Technology/ Engineering /Art/Math)—says that “gender-neutral” clothing showcases any topic, theme or color and is available to either gender, despite traditional societal gender constructs. “Unisex,” on the other hand, just means an item of apparel can be worn by a boy or girl, she opines. Others

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believe that the difference is just in the marketing, that “gender inclusive” is a more suited term, or that “unisex” refers more to a style or shape that is just traditionally both boy- and girl-appropriate.

But while interpretations vary, the mission at the heart of the matter appears to remain the same: empowering the littlest members of society to embrace what they like and who they are.

Bennett, whose brand’s items are designed to be worn by both boys and girls, was inspired when she and her husband chose to not uncover the gender of their first child before his birth. “When we went looking for gender-neutral clothing, I was disappointed by the lack of exciting, inspired options, and I was appalled at the gender stereotype messaging that is everywhere on children’s clothing,” she recalls. In 2012, she launched an alternative to break down these stereotypes and encourage kids to explore the many possibilities of life. The result? Exciting plays on traditional color schemes and image combos, as well as a boy-friendly kilt debut for Spring ’17.

Since pink and purple are stereotypical “girl colors,” her team put dinosaurs, trucks and science equipment on these colors to convey that science, engineering and ferocious animals can be for girls, too. “Masculine” colors are in turn represented by butterflies, soft and cuddly animals, and kitchen items to show that boys also can enjoy the domestic sphere and “a wide variety of animals, not just the ones with sharp teeth.”

Katie Martino, founder and CEO of Entirely Me, remembers walking down retail aisles as a child, disliking that she was supposed to choose from only the

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F Q U I R K I E K I D S / P H O T O G R A P H B Y M I A S T. C L A I R P H O T O G R A P H Y

BY LAUREN OLSEN

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H O T- B U T T O N I S S U E

BEFORE ABOUT THE AGE OF 8, BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ BODIES ARE VERY SIMILAR, BUT AS ADULTS WE CHOOSE TO DISASSOCIATE THEM.

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ruffles and drapey silhouettes are worn by boys and men in the mainstream—I think this is a real shame.” She notes, “We have found that it is quite acceptable for parents to put their daughters in ‘boy’ clothing, but people are still quite uncomfortable putting feminine styles on their boys. Our designs, up to this point, have kept this in mind, relying mostly on masculine silhouettes while incorporating feminine colors and imagery.” Choksi adds that non-gender specific styles are still an emerging concept in the industry. “I believe the trend is definitely picking up speed in childrenswear, but it is still viewed as a niche and most big retailers either have not changed at all or are barely dipping their toe in the trend,” she explains.

Still, industry execs agree that “gender neutrality” and similar themes in childrenswear are growing far beyond the typical gender-neutral baby sections in retail stores that are for parents who don’t know the sex of their child yet. “The movement is building,” confirms Bennett, noting it’s becoming well-established in Europe. Everett says many parents are just plain fed-up with the sea of pink in the girls’ section and the grays/blues in the boys.’

Jo Hadley, owner and founder of Handsome in Pink, adds the category has been gaining momentum recently in part due to the rise of the Internet, and, particularly, social media. “Like-minded people from far distances are able to gather and effect change in a way that they weren’t before,” she explains. “Take Clothes Without Limits [an association dedicated to challenging gender clichés in childrenswear, whose participating companies include many of the brands mentioned in this article] for example, if it weren’t for the Internet, we would not have found each other. We would have remained small individual businesses filling a deficit >52 P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F Q U I R K I E K I D S / P H O T O G R A P H B Y M I A S T. C L A I R P H O T O G R A P H Y

“girls” options. The result is Entirely Me, which will be launching with a Kickstarter campaign this fall. Martino wants girls to decide whether or not they like dresses and pink colors and boys to decide whether they prefer blue—it should be the kid’s choice. “Before about the age of 8, boys’ and girls’ bodies are very similar, but as adults we choose to disassociate them,” she explains. She cites both traditional as well as new silhouettes as a part of the brand’s upcoming offerings, highlighting a “longline” style: essentially long shirts that can be used more like dresses or tees depending on the wearer’s preference—boy or girl.

Everett, whose clothing is based on the concept that anyone, regardless of their gender, should be able to like and wear what they want to, says she was inspired to create her line because she has three little boys who adore pink, purple, butterflies and cats. “I thought it was pretty ridiculous that those things were completely unavailable in the boys’ section,” she reflects. “I wanted to make clothes to show my boys that any color or topic is available to them without limits.”

Similarly, Sharon Choksi, co-founder of Girls Will Be, says her direct-to-consumer brand was inspired by her young daughter questioning, “Why do boys get all the cool stuff?” Explains Choksi: “[My daughter] loved sharks and baseball and blue more than rainbows and kittens and pink, and every time we shopped for clothes, the things she loved only showed up in the boys’ department. I wanted to change that. I wanted girls to see a different message—that the world is theirs and they can like whatever they want, a message that there are no ‘boy’ things and ‘girl’ things, and a message that there are many different ways to be a girl.”

Melissa Atkins Wardy, CEO and founder of Pigtail Pals & Ballcap Buddies, adds that having a daughter opened her eyes to the sexism and sexualization that girls are exposed to at—unfortunately—very early ages. “Research has told us how harmful this is, so I wanted to create empowering apparel that spoke to how smart, daring and adventurous little girls are,” she says. “I wanted to focus on what girls can do, rather than what they look like while doing it.” The CEO launched Pigtail Pals in 2009, initially as a girls’ empowerment brand but added designs later to include boys and to address boy stereotypes, as well. She reintroduced the “gender-inclusive” company as Pigtail Pals & Ballcap Buddies in 2011.

But whether its playing with color schemes, testing out new silhouettes or using everybody-friendly prints, Bennett points out, “We are not yet culturally to the place where big

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For buyers in the tiny tot trade, spring comes in the summertime with several shows in Europe—Playtime Paris, Bubble London and FIMI in Madrid—all debuting their pint-sized 2017 collections. In June, Earnshaw’s made a pit stop at Pitti Bimbo, a trade show in Florence that—encouragingly— saw a record number of Long Live the Queen

buyers from all over the world. Aside from catching a first look at the

Neutral and Natural Picking up on the growing trend of using white or neutral colors in nurseries, supersoft natural materials, either faded or washed, made a strong debut at the show. Several European companies produced collections absent of color, sweetness or fuss. Treehouse

by Anja Schwerbrock, from Antwerp, Belgium, showcased a collection of neutral-toned onesies, leggings and trousers that would make an adult swoon. Olive by Sisco, from Italy, intentionally gave garments a worn-in bohemian natural flavor. And Londonbased Belle Enfant took neutral-colored, natural fabrics and presented them in the form of stylish silhouettes such as bloomers, sweats and jumpers.

newsworthy launches of two designer kids’ lines Aquazurra and Giuseppe Zanotti (called Giuseppe Junior), we soaked up the top-trending ideas.

One overriding theme?

The level of sophistication and style in European childrenswear

Alisha V

Go Graphic While some brands were toning down collections, opting for natural or neutral colors, others turned up the volume. That means everything from bold graphics to mixing and matching colors. Italian brand Il Gufo presented rough drawings of boats and artistic swirls on hoodies and T-shirts while Aletta, also from Italy, showed striped dresses in contrasting colors and directions. Others took appliqué to another level.

Another Italian brand, Paesaggino, juxtaposed the word “love” with the Eiffel Tower, a striped bow and a flower on one dress while a T-shirt was adorned with a beach chair, umbrella, heart and the words “Saint Tropez.”

is reaching for new heights.

BY K R I S T I N YO U N G

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Il Gufo

P HOTOS CO U RT E SY O F P ITTI B IMB O

E NTE R T H E E RA OF

SOPHISTICATION

EUROPEAN TREND REPORT SPRING/SUMMER ’17

EUROPEAN TREND REPORT SPRING/SUMMER ’17

Losan

Fun & Fun and Il Gufo

Ever Elegant Childrenswear will always have a place for special-occasion dresses, like ones for communions, coming of age events or parties.

Fittingly, a crop of designers is upping the ante. If Haute Couture applied to childrenswear, designer Mischka Aoki would certainly be included in the exclusive society. Her SS ’17 collection made liberal use of crystal beads, embroidered French lace and pleated tulle for its little princesses.

Nicki Macfarlane, the London house that famously dressed the Royal Wedding’s four little flower girls, presented a collection filled with every little girl’s dream—petticoats, contrasting bows, floral detailing along with lace, tulle and organza. Another highlight was Italian label Mi. Mi. Sol’s large red roses on white duchess satin dresses with green border lines, from the collection called “Dejeuner sur l’Herbe.”

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Do Denim Denim is alive and well in kids’ as companies like Spanish brand Losan, Dutch brand Vingino and British brand Blue Effect produced every silhouette from skinny to boyfriend jeans and overalls to denim cutoffs. Faded washes were very popular, as were fun details like flowers, rips and patches. Classics like straight-leg and denim jackets also showed no signs of slowing down. In short, however, it’s the shabby, worn-in retro silhouette that is the indigo of the moment.

Surfin’ USA With Beach Boys songs ringing in our ears, European brands are taking a page from Southern California lifestyle with soft slogan T-shirts, jeans and surfer styles. The words “West Coast,” surfboards, palm trees and and Volkswagen buses were graphically used on clothing items. Following the beach theme, tropical leaf prints, sunsets and Hawaiian shirts were also popular. SoCal has never looked so good as seen through the eyes of Europeans.

Mayoral

CND by Condor

Children’s Sleepwear eepw pwe pw wear Produced by SGI Apparel under license from the LEGO Group. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2016 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.

SGIApparel Group SG A division of SG Companies

www.thesgcompanies.com 800-969-9016

EUROPEAN TREND REPORT SPRING/SUMMER ’17

Cast of Characters What would childhood be without cartoons, monsters and popular characters? At Pitti Bimbo, another version of the character emerged—the emoji—with the British brand Merri Merini primarily playing with the emoticons on sweaters.

Meanwhile, the worlds of Frozen, Bambi and Cinderella are all alive and well in the girls’ line of British label Courage & Kind while Star Wars, Rebel Pilots and Mickey reigned supreme for boys.

Jooseph’s Little Monsters Supply, based in Zurich, offered a beguiling googley-eyed cast of monsters on T-shirts.

There’s little doubt that characters are here to stay.

Piccola Ludo

Losan

Miss Grant

Varsity, Flight and Bombers Varsity jackets and bombers were huge for adults this year—Saint Laurent had a very popular version—and the little ones are following suit. For both girls and boys, bombers or flight jackets were either plain and edgy or spiffed-up and metallic. Varsity styles took a page from American letter jackets with patches, and stripes down the arm in contrasting colors or fabric.

Super Rebel, out of the Netherlands, offered quilted versions for both boys and girls while those at French brand Finger in the Nose reeked of bold attitude. Please showed a varsity bomber and flight jacket all in one, patches included. Even Little Marc Jacobs and Phillipp Plein Junior got in on the sporty action.

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Leitmotiv

Go Pom-Poms! There’s something nomadic and festive about brightly-colored pom-poms; they just scream summer vacation.

Womenswear designers Dolce & Gabbana and Mara Hoffman put pom-poms on everything from iPhone cases to straw bags, and the pint-sized market took off where they left off. Now on shoes, bags shirts and jeans, pom-poms are making a serious presence in childrenswear. At Piccola Ludo, from Italy, bright turquoise pom-poms lined a sweet white smock. And at Spanish brand Holala, pom-poms adorned leather sandals.

EUROPEAN TREND REPORT SPRING/SUMMER ’17 Mr. Uky

Velveteen

Majorly Metallic What girl doesn’t want styles that are completely overthe-top? And metallic anything will do the trick. Whether it’s metallic threads at Italian brand Mi.Mi. Sol or fullon bronze dresses at Hong-Kong-based Velveteen, metallic fabrics were everywhere. Metallic fabric also made appearances in mixed media pieces and colors of metallic clothing run the gamut from silver and gold to bronze and even purple.

Alisha V

W KIDS SHO

Wit and Whimsy Childhood is all about imagination, and there were several brands that blew us out of the water in terms of sheer creativity. British company Blade & Rose debuted the most fun vibrant range of leggings with everything from the words “Zap Pow” to graphic pineapples bound for babies everywhere. Pero, based in Rajasthan, India, presented a collection straight out of a fairy tale, piling on appliques on brightly-colored textiles, petticoats and pants—all meant to be worn together.And, finally, British brand Bryony and Co. takes storytelling to another level with original prints on dresses that literally tell a story about a little girl named Poppy and her friends. Each dress is also accompanied with an illustrated book.

Corporate 1385 Broadway, Suite 1800 th New York, NY 10018 212-279-4150 James Rozakis

egas V s a L Bally’s th – 17 5 Aug. 1

Caribbean/ Latin America/ South Florida Rolando & Ana Hidalgo 305-599-8717 Midwest Richard Finkelstein & Al Zaiff 800-935-0236 International Nathan A. Mamiye 212-216-6008 West Coast Teresa Stephen 213-623-8155

Explore.

Exhibit.

Engage.

14th Annual ABC Kids Expo October 18-21, 2016

“ABC is one of the best shows for us anywhere in the world. They consistently deliver the buyers and target market we are looking for.

Furthermore, their team is an absolute pleasure to work with, which makes it very easy for brands to represent ourselves to our full potential.”

—Keith Hyams, Cake Lingerie “We have presented in the Maternity Square Pavilion for the past couple of seasons with great success! We find that being positioned around other maternity products helps buyers understand the trend direction and merchandising potential of this growing market segment.”

—Kristal Gaston, UpSpring Baby “The ABC show consistently delivers 12,874 attendees great customers and has helped our company grow in the U.S. and abroad. look forward to the show every 79 countries We year and all the future possibilities.

ABC always delivers!”

—Loretta Schneider, Larrivo 3,259 booths Nearly 1,000,000 sq. ft.

3 themed pavilions – international pavilions – 1 specialty showcase *2015 final attendance figures.

True Grit Albert Pardo, president of Five Star Apparel, on why there’s no substitute for hard work.

B Y K R I S T I N YO U N G

HEN PRESIDENT ALBERT Pardo talks about Five Star Apparel, a licensee company he founded in 2005 together with the Oved Group and the Betesh family, you pick up on two things: passion and a sense of accomplishment. He loves what he does—that part comes through loud and clear— and relishes how far the company has come over the years.

In 11 years, the company that started out as a childrenswear licensee for urban and hip-hop brands has morphed into a major player in the high-end denim arena catering to stores like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Kohl’s and Costco, as well as 500 unique specialty accounts.

Five Star Apparel has partnered with some of the biggest names in the category—for childrenswear, Vigoss Jeans, Hudson, Lee, True Religion, Akademiks, and for menswear, Izod and Weatherproof.

As a licensee, Pardo and his firm play the delicate balancing act between fulfilling brands’ DNA, making sure factories meet Five Star environmental and labor law requirements and satisfying retailers, suppliers and, of course, the end consumer. It’s like walking a tightrope, says Pardo, but it’s just where he’d like to be.

“I think we’re a young company swimming with older companies

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and we find that to be very, very exciting,” he says. “We find it exciting to be swimming with big fish. And maybe, we add a jolt of energy.”

Add to that, the famously tricky industry these days—retail, contending with oversaturation, and customers who are increasingly spending money on technology or experiences rather than clothing—and Pardo has his work cut out for him.

That said, the company is on solid ground, he says. “We’re thriving in very choppy waters,” he says, declining to say much more because the company is privately-held. “Beyond that, I can’t divulge because my partners will shoot me,” he quips.

At the core of the company’s transformation over the years is a sustainability sourcing policy which keeps his team hopping planes to places like Pakistan and Bangladesh to keep an eye on compliance

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CHAT ROOM with local labor and environmental law. He, himself, was on his way to China. In short, he’s not exactly a desk guy.

It wasn’t that long ago that many apparel brands—remember the sweatshop accusations against Kathy Lee Gifford’s Wal-Mart line in the ’90s?—found themselves on the short end of the stick in terms of following a strict sustainability and labor law program, particularly in other countries. Now, says Pardo, you can’t exist without it. The pressure from retailers is one thing. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do.

Earnshaw’s sat down with Pardo to discuss the childrenswear business, why all roads lead to denim and discussed the many moving parts of his complicated trade. b b b How did you get into the apparel business? I was in college [Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business] and was seeking a summer internship. My family, on my mother’s side, had a pretty dynamic children’s wholesale childrenswear company called Happy Kids. And I took a summer job there. I took an immediate liking to it. My dad [Claude Pardo] was always in the retail business—he had a bunch of bargain stores in Manhattan. He never

What are your hobbies?

Well, I have three kids now, ages 8, 6, and 3. Before I was a dad, my hobbies were sports and working out. I try to fit that in, but when I’m not working I try to spend as much time as I can with my children. They’ve become a hobby and an enjoyable hobby.

What do you like to read?

I read a ton. I’m an avid reader. I read almost anything—articles, books, newspapers. I read The New York Times and recently read a book called Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

If you could have a beer with someone, who would it be?

I don’t drink beer so it’s probably going to be wine or Tequila. I have an uncle of mine who passed away, named David Pardo, my dad’s brother. He was born with polio and was in a wheelchair.

He was a mentor of mine as well as a go-to.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I think the people who I work with would be surprised that I’m able to turn the switch off from time to time. When we get to work, we’re pretty plugged-in here. When I contact my team out of work, we’re always talking strategy, addressing issues. I definitely know how to turn the switch off when I’m not here and I think that would surprise my colleagues. It takes a lot of practice. I actually started to meditate and I like it. You try different things and this one’s working right now.

liked to be waiting for the customer and he felt that, in wholesale, you’re going to the customer. So that clicked for me. I stayed there for about six or seven years. It was just fantastic. I call it my Happy Kids university.

Spring/ Summer 2017

What was one of the first lessons your learned? I’ve always been around hard work whether it was my dad or my uncle and there are no shortcuts. They stressed the importance of really knowing your stuff, of being flawless in terms of your preparation. Winging it was something that wasn’t tolerated.

How did you start Five Star Apparel? My family’s company was sold for a variety of reasons and I was very familiar with the Oved and the Betesh families. We were familiar with each other, living in the same neighborhood and in the same industry.

They were a menswear company. As key licensed brands came across our table, denim became a core competency. We’re a licensee of the brands. There’s a lot of great DNA that these brands have created and continue to foster. And we’re lucky and proud to be a part of what they’re doing and really acting as a brand extension in the genres that we’re in.

How has your business changed over the years? At the beginning, we were big in the urban, hip-hop arena. And we were successful in urban kidswear but nothing had longevity and we saw the writing on the wall. And it was very important to us that we associated with global entities—real national or global brands—that would mesh with our entrepreneurial spirit. We wanted to partner with brands that would last for eons, not just a hot minute. From a retail standpoint, we’ve enhanced our sustainability and our social compliance and we really went with the times and adjusted.

How difficult is it to forge alliances with big-name brands?

Every relationship has its nuances. There are certain requirements—each brand has its own culture and it’s our job to mold what we’re doing to how they’re doing it and, again, be a brand extension. I really wouldn’t call it challenging. You gotta know what the brand’s supposed to be. Hudson Jeans has to be what Hudson Jeans is all about. It can’t be True Religion and it can’t be Lee. There are a lot of components that make each brand unique. And we treat each of them like they’re their own business with dedicated staff, marketing, sales, design and product development. Obviously, we share some things so that we can have certain economies of scale.

But each brand has to have its own strategy.

Do you plan to partner with more brands? We’re certainly happy with the group that we have now. But our eyes are open for anything different that serves a white space. Our eyes are never closed. But we’re not looking to take things just to take things. They have to be very special and unique and be scalable to be able to create an imprint in the marketplace.

E A R N S H AW ’S M A G A Z I N E

Earnie Awards winner 2013

What lead the company to denim? In adult denim, business ebbs and flows. Is that a risky proposition >50

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See us at: ENK Children’s Club, NYC July 3st- August 2nd & MAGIC Children’s Club, Las Vegas August 15th- 17th

2015

For a list of Reps visit www.andyandevan.com or email us at: info@andyandevan.com

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RE T A I L R E P O R T

Balancing Act RETAILERS HEADING TO TRADE SHOWS AROUND THE COUNTRY WEIGH IN ON CHALLENGES, TRENDS AND TODAY’S MOMS. BY KRISTIN YOUNG

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ESPITE THE NEGATIVE headlines permeating the childrenswear industry of late, retailers on their way to the trade shows—the main attractions being Children’s Club in New York in July and Children’s Club MAGIC in Las Vegas this month—seemed surprisingly upbeat. That, according to an informal poll of stores across the country.

Sure, there were some wild cards thrown in, like the uncertainty related to the presidential election, which could wreak havoc on consumer confidence during the latter half of the year. But the talk was certainly not all doom and gloom, either.

The numbers reflect the current climate—flat. Childrenswear sales in the U.S. grew 2 percent, reaching $29.7 billion in 2015 with girls’ apparel as the largest category, accounting for 38 percent of

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total sales, according to Euromonitor International. Boys’ apparel was not far behind, holding 32 percent of market share. Baby and toddler took the remaining 30 percent.

For the next five years anyway, big changes in demographics aren’t expected either. The actual number of births is expected to increase to 4.1 million in 2020, up 3 percent, according to Euromonitor.

Heading into the month of August, back-to-school was on the minds of retailers and expectations didn’t include substantial growth. The National Retail Federation stated that 54 percent of adults with school-age kids planned to spend exactly the same amount of money for back-to-school goods as they did last year.

That’s slightly down from the 57 percent who said the same thing

one year ago. The main takeaway from the study is that most consumers are growing increasingly savvy, shopping for sales, planning to use more coupons and studying ad circulars and newspapers for back-to-school deals.

The consumers’ unwillingness to overspend came up most often in conversations with store owners, followed by unpredictable weather patterns adversely affecting sales, the buy-now-wear-now climate and the unstoppable force of e-commerce. Simultaneously, large chains are making investments in an effort to bump up sophistication levels of childrenswear, encouraged by a global market that, for the last five years and at a 6 percent rate, has outpaced womenswear and menswear, according to Euromonitor.

Jamie Applefield, owner of Aristokids with four stores (Aristokids, PB Girls Club for juniors and women, PB Boys Club with surf and skate product and an outlet) in West Palm Beach, Fla., is seeing the more financially conservative customer first-hand. She used to sell imported French goods. Not anymore. “I have wealthy clients, but they still don’t want to overspend,” she says. “And they’re spending money for everyday clothes.” That said, when it comes to selling swimwear, all bets are off. “We can sell any price in a bathing suit,

from Roxy to Mill,” Applefield says. Vintage Havana and Milly are other brands with strong sell-throughs. In the end, the look reigns supreme for her customers, not the name, she says and rompers, in particular, are selling briskly.

In San Francisco, another wealthy area buoyed by the tech industry, the current generation of mommies are much more permissive when it comes to dressing their children. Leave it up to the kids, and they will choose items that are comfortable and casual. “It used to be that children didn’t wear their pajamas to have lunch with grandma,” says Maggie Chafen, owner of the 40-year-old institution Dottie Doolittle that attracts well-heeled customers like Yahoo Chief Executive Officer and mom Marissa Mayer. “Life has become so casual and around here, it’s kind of a reverse snobbery. Children wear leggings and a T-shirt to the fanciest birthday parties. It’s just a different time.” Although her business is good—“I wouldn’t say it’s excellent, but sales are up for the year,” she says—the work that goes into maintaining it, has increased over the years. Business is so tenuous, manufacturers are asking stores to prepay orders, she relays.

While the small stores are moving toward casual goods, big chains are focused on elevating children’s assortments. In >54

setting up appointments for

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Power Play

TATEMENT SHOES ARE creating a groundswell in children’s fashion. In response to the movement toward more sophisticated apparel (the “mini me” trend), footwear is serving as a bastion for fashion impunity and unbridled creativity.

“With the influx of sportswear for kids as a

Nine West Kids

ALL THAT GLITTERS “Kids have a unique sense of style, and they aren’t scared of wearing loud shoes,” says Maddison Ek, Vans merchandising manager for kids’ footwear.

Fittingly, glitter looks to be a major theme for next spring. From pewter to pink, glitter provides an instant pop of color, brimming with self-expression. “It’s about wanting to make shoes that appeal to a kid’s interests, not what their mom would think was cute or what their older siblings are wearing,” explains Ek. Native Shoes is also on the glitter trail for next season.

Dominique Morrisset, global marketing director, says the brand will continue to offer a “Bling Treatment,” or all-over glitter, for select styles. She adds that it comes in a range of colors designed to appeal to boys and girls. But the choice is up to them, she notes. “We don’t want to tell anyone that they can or can’t wear a particular colorway because it’s a ‘girl’ or ‘boy’ color,” Morrisset says.

Native

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whole, shoes and accessories are a way to keep things youthful and fun when apparel is getting very adult-like and clean,” reports Erin Rechner, senior kidswear editor for the trend agency WGSN. So be on the lookout for lots of glitz and glam for Spring ’17 as kids’ footwear fashions are not for the faint of heart. —Emily Beckman

Minnetonka x Free Range Mama

Nina

CHASING RAINBOWS Rainbows are trending on everything from cakes and ice cream to hairstyles and lattés, according to WGSN’s Rechner. (Not to mention flags.) With pride politics standing on a higher platform than ever, the increase in rainbows has become a fashion-forward, as well as symbolic, statement.

“I do think Gay Pride is a major factor behind the rainbow collections,” says Megan Linke, founder of Lili Collection, a made-in-the-USA collection launched in 2014. “I love that brands are communicating and showing their support through clothes and accessories,” she adds.

The rainbow craze is influencing purse shapes, sock details and footwear. While it’s a sign of the times, the rainbow also harkens back to fashion trends of the ’60s and ’70s. “We have noticed a huge shift back to ’70s fashion, and are playing more into iconic looks from that era,” says Ek. “The rainbow prints we used in our Kids Classics assortment were actually pulled straight from the Vans archive.”

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HEAVY METAL Get ready to rock with metallic coatings—be it silver, gold or bronze—for show-stopping shine.

Clarin Lim, product development manager at Umi, expects metallic to be one of the most versatile trends of the season: “Metallic coatings have a flawless, semi-matte liquid finish that offers a futuristic look to the shoes.”

Nike, Converse, Michael Kors, Mini Melissa and Sophia Webster are just a handful of kids’ labels showcasing bold metallics for the upcoming season, according to Beth Clifton, a buyer for online retailer Alex and Alexa.

Looking to kick it up a notch?

Designers have added texture to many metallic offerings, like faux croc leathers and crackled patents.

Ralph Lauren

Umi

ZOOTOPIA Leopard print is a perennial kids’ fave, and Cape Clogs Founder Pamela Irving believes it will be on the prowl again next spring. “Leopard just never goes out of style,” she affirms.

But designers have stepped beyond the feline family next season, hosting a menagerie of new animal skin themes—from cow print to Dalmatian spots—and in traditional as well as 3-D designs. Elizabeth Natola, BBC Intl.’s vice president of design, says one of the most influential originators of the animal trend is American fashion designer Jeremy Scott.

“Scott’s collaborative line with Adidas showcased what was really a stuffed animal for your foot,” Natola says. “It pioneered how the animal print category could be expanded in a more playful form.” She adds that not only did this set off the 3-D animal shoe movement for kids, but it also helped push the boundaries for more non-traditional animal prints in footwear.

Little Lulu’s Feiyue

Lili Collection

Cape Clogs

SUEDE PARADE In a season where anything goes, perhaps it’s fitting that suede for summer is trend-right. A takedown from adult labels, like Jason Wu, Derek Lam and Tibi, suede is infiltrating the kids’ footwear market, spanning booties to brogues.

“It’s best suited for footwear and accessories for kids whereas womenswear did it for apparel,” says Rechner. “It also works well with all festival trends, with fringe and Western influences.”

Sonatina

SPRING FOOTWEAR REPORT ART PROJECT Livie Kids’ footwear designers have & Luca found perfection in imperfection—channeling the innocent beauty of watercolor splashes and scribbled textures. “We’ve hand-drawn squiggly lines and polka dots and created our own custom prints that really give our Georgie sandal charm,” says Mitzi Rivas, owner of Livie & Luca. “It beckons all who see it to smile and remember that it’s the little things that bring the most joy.”

Similarly, Melula’s spring collection incorporates lots of color in a mixture of analog pattern designs—handmade and printed. “The pattern is a mixture of art and design, aiming at nonfigurative expressions,” explains Co-Founder Louise Moellermark, adding, “It’s the same processes children use when playing with colors.”

Melula

SOLE DESIRES Once considered strictly a utilitarian aspect of footwear design and largely an afterthought, outsoles are taking center stage in the form of bright colors and bold patterns.

Drawing attention to unconventional areas of the shoe adds another talking point for a potential sale, experts say.

“Athletically speaking, I think advances in technology have led to a shift in focus toward more innovative outsole design,” Natola says. “There is now technology that allows designers to 3-D print outsoles and not have to rely on mold makers to execute their vision.” Due to the quick turnaround time of 3-D printing, Natola notes that the new technology has allowed designers to get more creative in their approach to outsoles. An early pioneer of this technology? The famous Yeezy collection by Adidas, of course.

Children’s Club- NYC- August and September Children’s Club- Las Vegas NY Now- NYC ABC Kids- Las Vegas

Florsheim

Phone (510) 324-8811 Fax (510) 324-8828 1(800) 978-8088

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BRIGHT IDEAS Neon colors and kids’ fashion go together like America and apple pie. This season shows no shortage of highwattage colors across a range of silhouettes for both boys and girls. Dousing styles from sneakers to sandals, popular fluorescent hues span pink, orange, yellow and green.

“Neons definitely downtrend and then resurge in popularity, but they are always a good go-to for infusing some excitement into a line when it comes to children’s footwear,” says Natola. “Either as a pop color or an allover upper color, neons remain an important trend that buyers and kids alike gravitate toward.”

The design team at BBC Intl. deems the most prominent neon hue for next spring to be the cross between coral and orange. Or, as Natola has dubbed it, “Corange.”

Nike has been at the forefront of popularizing this particular color and the neon trend as a whole, using many supersaturated pastels on running and lifestyle product. Natola agrees that the athletic/lifestyle styles is where the neon trend appears most relevant. To kids’ delight, some designers, like Akid, have amped up the neon look with spunky Jackson Pollock-inspired splatter designs.

Tsukihoshi

M.A.P.

Akid

TREND WATCH Vans sneaker

Mini Maniacs bib Emu Australia Littles shoe

Sunuva swim trunks

nOeser

Bluestar underwear

Shark Attack MOVE OVER FASHION Week, Shark Week has some trendsetting appeal of its own. Dorsal fins coasted down Spring ’17 children’s runways in what was arguably the season’s most killer fashions. Last summer, Jaws celebrated its 40th anniversary with a memorable tribute on Harper’s Bazaar’s March cover, showcasing Rihanna splayed across the gaping mouth of a Great White.

The fascination with sea life only grew as more womenswear labels, like Kate Spade and Derek Lam, bedecked last spring’s collections with toggles, stripes and rope for a nautical bent. For youngsters, on the other hand, the kitschier the better. This season, watch out for toothy grins and frightening fins roaming from head to toe. —Emily Beckman

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North American Bear plush

Esme pajama set Joules t-shirt

Western Chief rain boot

Electrik Kidz one-piece

Little Me swim shirt

Bixbee backpack

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TREND WATCH

Le Big t-shirt

Coral & Reef tankini

Appaman button-down

Slugs & Snails tights

River & Rosy hair clip

Boboli flip-flops

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Kissy Kissy outfit

Sparkle by Stoopher shirt

Lili Collection LILI Collection purse purse

Freshly Picked moccasin

Siaomimi

Kickee Pants romper

Fr uit Salad WITH VIBRANT COLORS and varying shapes, the perennial fruit trend continues to dominate childrenswear, season after season. According to WGSN Kidswear Editor Erin Rechner, as inspiration changes, so does the fruit we see become popular. “If a trend is more toward Italian gardens as a focus, we will see lemons and limes come to the fore,” explains Rechner. “If we see a focus on tropics and Cuba, as we have forecasted for Spring ’17, we will see more native fruits prevail, such as pineapples, bananas and avocados.”

However, while tropical tributes are in abundance, expect to see just about every fruit in the bowl across all your favorite collections. Welcome to another season of good vibes and sweet sensations. —E.B.

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BLISSFUL NOSTA LG IA TA KES SH A PE I N T H E FORM OF F RU I T Y F LORA L S A ND POP S OF PATR I O TI S M .

1IPUPHSBQIZ CZ 0MJWFS 1JMDIFS p 4U ZMJOH CZ .BSJBI 8BMLFS

Clockwise: Masala Baby pink crochet poncho; Coral & Reef tie-dye bikini, Le Big necklace; Submarine Swimwear blue one-piece; Snapper Rock bikini; Masala Baby one-piece.

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Left to right: Platypus Australia bikini; Little Me babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one-piece; Flapdoodles bikini, Platypus Australia hat.

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Sunuva one-piece, modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own hat and bracelet.

Opposite page: Kate Mack bikini, Joules hat, Winkniks sunglasses.

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From left to right: Masala Baby poncho, Le Big sunglasses; Sunuva shortall; Coral & Reef tie-dye bikini, Le Big necklace, Sons + Daughters sunglasses; Little Me swimsuit; Sunuva onepiece; Masala Baby pink crochet poncho; Platypus Australia poncho, Bottleblond necklace; Snapper Rock bikini.

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Limeapple bikini, Hampton Mermaid mermaid tail. Opposite page: Submarine Swimwear one-piece, Bottleblond necklace, Winkniks sunglasses.

Photo assisting by Tom Ayerest; hair and makeup by Abigail Pilcher.

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UP CLOSE

Fashion Forecast Little Italy Kids is a story in celebrating roots.

E ALL HAVE heard stories about a first-time mother having a baby, noticing a gap in babywear and developing a new niche brand. A story less frequently told?

Foreseeing a gap years in advance. Before Little Italy Kids was launched in 2013, Jimena Leyria, founder and designer of the brand-to-be, was working full-time in bustling Buenos Aires marketing retail products. “I was doing really good—it was the place I wanted to be,” Leyria recalls. “But a friend had two babies and that image appeared in front of me. I thought, ‘What am I going to do when I get pregnant and have a baby?’”

Well before that moment arrived, Leyria introduced her layette collection in Paris and New York, featuring her fabric of choice: Peruvian Pima cotton. “I believe in good quality,” she explains. “I want to market products that I trust, and I only trust in Pima cotton for babies.” The brand celebrates its founder’s Italian heritage. “Italy is also where my family was born. Italy is in my blood.

Little Italy Kids is a celebration of my roots,” she affirms. She and her husband picked the brand’s name while walking through the streets of Manhattan’s Little Italy district. “We came up with

W

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the idea that there are many Little Italy’s out there, each of them transmitting the energy and flavor of the country,” she continues.

“That is what we look for with our products: We want to spread our positive energy and sweet flavor to the babies of the world— no matter where they are.”

The brand is available in sizes preemie to 24 months for boys and girls, wholesales from $6 to $20 and calls more than 100 specialty stores and boutiques across the U.S. home. With a “sweet”-first aesthetic, the brand features an assortment of unique, hand-drawn prints and hand-embroidered detailing. Spring ’17 will be “huge” and cheerful, filled with solid colors and bright prints, as well as lace—a first for the brand. The collection will include the brand’s bow-ridden standout Margherita dress, as well as the one-piece Pietro bodysuit.

Comfortable versatility is at the heart of Little Italy Kids. “We want the babies to be comfortable, so we offer truly embellished clothes using high-end details and hand-embroidered details so the baby can play at home or go out to a posh reunion,” Leriya says.

Our take? The kiddies will love it. —Lauren Olsen

Out of this World Andy & Evan founders left the corporate world for a realm of fun, whimsy and iconic styling, creating a beloved brand along the way.

C

OMING FROM THE world of men’s custom shirts—and before that, finance—one likely wouldn’t have predicted Evan Hakalir and Jon “Andy” Perl’s unlikely foray into the universe of childrenswear. But, inspired by both the birth of Perl’s first son and an idea for a boy’s buttondown shirt with a bottom snap closure that the pair dubbed the “Shirtzie,” the partners have revolutionized the way boys’ shirts are worn and manufactured across the country, and beyond.

The brand launched with its Spring/Summer ’12 collection and Hakalir says they were innovators from the very beginning.

He cites Warren Buffet’s quote: “First there are the innovators, then the imitators and then there are the idiots.” Hakalir explains, “I like to think that we were the innovators, and we then parlayed a great product and our reputation for innovation and awesome detail and design into a line, then a company and now a globally recognized brand for boys and girls.”

The brand, with an aesthetic rooted in “classic iconic styling, with an effortless infusion of fun and whimsy,” sells to high-

end department stores and specialty stores across the U.S. It sells in “well over” 1,000 doors and also boasts a presence in more than 25 countries, offering sizes ranging from newborn to size 14 in boys’, and newborn to size 7 in girls’. Wholesale prices range from $9 to $74.50.

In store for Spring ’17 is the “best collection” the team has ever offered, promises Hakalir. Expect wonderfully unique short-sleeve shirts for boys (“a mustsee”), an expanded assortment of “ridiculously cool” graphics and patch-detailed army-inspired jackets for both boys and girls.

The secret to the brands success? According to Hakalir, it’s the attention to detail, the innovation, and the product. “We design like ostriches would, with our heads buried in the sand, and make a point of not looking at color stories and trend reports,” the cofounder quips. Instead?

The brand’s goal is to set the trend. “If you’re always focused on innovation and ignore the competition, then you’re going to be one step ahead of the pack.” Also to thank: hard work, a great deal of luck, many excellent retailers and “the best team in showbiz.” –L.O.

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NEW RESOURCES Sophisticated apparel meets snazzy accessories.

Ben Sher man Kids British menswear brand Ben Sherman has announced an increase in the distribution of its kids’ line. Previously available in the UK at select retailers, Ben Sherman Kids will now be sold at key North American retailers and on its website starting this month. The apparel collection contains a range of styles including classic button-down shirts, graphic tees, polos, patterned knits and brightly colored chinos. Modeled after the sophistication of the men’s collection, key pieces include Ben Sherman staples, such as the lightweight cotton summer parka jacket with polka dot body lining, as well as the gingham shorts and jacket linings.

“The brand has a unique look and feel that translates across all age categories,” says Creative Director Mark Williams. “Celebrating our modern British attitude and identity was the perfect reason to extend into kidswear.”

Also set to debut this fall is a new line of children’s footwear, which will be offered in four heritage silhouettes: Buckingham boot, Marlow loafer, Bernie leather derby and Benjamin suede derby. Each style is available in black, dark brown, tan and cognac. Boys’ apparel comes in sizes newborn to 15 years, while footwear sizes range from boys’ 13 to juniors’ 6. The new footwear collection retails from $50 to $60. www.bensherman.com

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W atchitude Remember slap bracelets? The popular fad beloved by children to teens in the late ’80s is back in action thanks to the kids’ brand Watchitude. Retro junkies will love the company’s fresh take on the wacky bracelets, making them into fashion-forward timepieces. Each slap watch is offered in a one-sizefits-all style, featuring kids’ original designs. By capitalizing on youngsters’ creativity and the power of democracy, fans can create, share and vote on their original designs through the brand’s website. The goal? To build a Watchitude community and ultimately achieve a viral effect, explains Co-Founder Albert Hakim.

More than 100 designs have been produced, with the brand stocked in approximately 1,000 stores across the U.S. “The pulse of Watchitude is in its design,” says Hakim. “We are finding that even moms love the options of swapping out their everyday watch for a cool, unexpected piece that only costs $22.” All watches wholesale for $9.50 each. www.watchitude.com

Little Lulu’s There’s nothing better than a great pair of Italian-manufactured shoes—even ones specially crafted for the tiniest feet. Kids’ footwear brand Little Lulu’s offers high-quality finishes in soft nappa leathers across miniature adult styles. According to Director Catriona Alfaham, the shoes are “perfect for the growing ‘mini me’ trend.” Available in babies’ size 1 to 4.5, vibrant colors combine with trendy styles to provide an exciting and fresh selection.

From suede brogues in lime and peach colorways to strappy sandals with multi-color pom-poms, this collection of tiny kicks makes footwear an artform. “They are a feast for the eyes and the feet,” Alfaham quips. Wholesale prices range from $23 to $32. www.little-lulus.com

slapwatch

Maison Mangostan is a footwear brand for kids brought to life from the joint creative visions of parents and co-designers André Moreira and Carmen Edo. Made in Spain, Maison Mangostan was born from the idea of creating a kidswear line that Moreira would have enjoyed as a child—a brand with a sense of endless possibility, influenced by art, music and a rich ethical heritage. The collection is fun, colorful and made from high-quality materials to ensure the utmost comfort. All leathers are vegetable-tanned and 100-percent chrome free. The debut collection is inspired by a metaphoric journey to “Mangostan Island,” with a nod to jungle foliage and animal prints. Available in infant sizes 4.5C to 7.5C and kids’ sizes 8C to 2.5Y, the collection wholesales from $30 to $60. www.maisonmangostan.com

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Cigogne Bébé The stork, or “cigogne” in French, is symbolic of delivering newborn babies. Cigogne Bébé Co-Founders Ken and Sabrina Chan decided to capitalize on this notion by creating a line of infantswear that delivers happiness to families through special gifts. “Just like the stork, we hope our clothes bring joy and laughter to our customers and their loved ones,” explains Sabrina.

The Stork Collection is represented by a goofy and lovable mascot. “He’s out and about with his hat and bow tie,” says Sabrina, describing the whimsy bird character. The unique infantswear collection combines muted colors with darker reds and greens. Always mindful of babes with sensitive skin, the line is 100-percent cotton, with many organic garments available, as well. The collection comes in preemie to 3 years, wholesaling from $5 to $50. www.cigognebebe.com

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NEW RESOURCES Sophisticated apparel meets snazzy accessories.

Soft Timeless Treasures For Your Baby

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Melula Creating a take on a classic shoe design with an “explosive twist of color,” Danish Co-Designers Louise Moellermark and Soeren Hougesen launched Melula—a footwear brand inspired by kids being kids.

“What makes Melula stand out is our constant focus on the brand being a mixture of design, art and fashion blended into a product of its own,” Hougesen explains.

The colorful palette is reflective of children’s artistic mindset, mixing colors in a worry-free manner. The SS ’17 collection is a colorful composition of analog pattern design, handmade and printed. All footwear wholesales for $34 and is available in toddler size 7.5 to youth size 1.5. www.melula.com

Animal Traks Little animal-lovers will go wild when they hit the trails with Animal Traks. Founder Susan Everingham put heart and “sole” into this line of flip-flops, with embedded paw prints that leave animal tracks on sandy beaches, wet pavement and other terrain. Children can choose their favorite animal out of the collection, whether it is a wolf, tiger, bear or even dinosaur. All creature styles selected by Everingham (except for the dinosaurs—too late to save them… ) are on the list of endangered or threatened animals.

Flip-flops wholesale from $11, and are available in sizes small (kids’ 10), medium (kids’ 13) and large ( juniors’ 2.5). To help support and raise awareness, Everingham hopes to eventually donate a portion of each sale to select wildlife organizations. And it doesn’t stop there— Everingham dreams of one day expanding the Animal Traks name to include direct pet applications, such as dog and cat bedding. www.animaltraks.com

See us in August at ENK, Childrens Club Magic, and New York Now

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LICENSING NEWS

children’s world Apparel | Accessories | Shoes | Gifts Décor | Maternity | Juvenile Products

Magical Milestone Disney introduces its first Latina princess— and her accompanying product lines.

ANOTHER PRINCESS HAS joined Disney’s royal court—and for the first time, she’s Latina! The adventurous and inspiring new princess made her debut last month in the Disney Channel TV series Elena of Avalor.

“Elena is a courageous new character that we can’t wait for fans to meet,” says Josh Silverman, executive vice president of licensing for Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media. “Disney Store and our licensees have done an amazing job bringing this empowering teenage princess and the land of Avalor to life with musical elements and special design details integrated across the product line, which celebrates the diversity featured in the series.”

Products are available now at Disney Store and select mass retailers, with more slated for release throughout August from licensees including Hasbro, Jakks, Amscan, Disguise, Studio Fun, Bendon, Phoenix International Publications, Inc., Franco Manufacturing and Children’s Apparel Network. Offerings include dolls, costumes, dress-up accessories, apparel, books, backpacks and home décor, taking inspiration from the brave princess and her kingdom of Avalor—a fairytale land inspired by Latin/ Hispanic cultures and folklore.

For details on any of the collections, please contact karen.torpey@disney.com.

—Emily Beckman

Petite Marin’s classic and preppy garments are upcycled from men’s dress shirts.

Join Us in August Children’s World at August Atlanta Apparel

Piggy Pizazz

SHOWROOMS

Peppa Pig suits up in stylish swimwear from Dreamwave.

August 4– 8, 2016 TEMPORARIES

GET READY TO pig out. Entertainment One (eOne), a leading international entertainment company, is continuing to expand its U.S. consumer products program with global preschool hit Peppa Pig. At Licensing Expo in June, eOne announced the renewal of key licensing partnerships, along with the addition of new licensees for Peppa Pig, including a spunky new swimwear line by Dreamwave.

Little girls can make a splash this summer with new Peppa swimsuits, including an adorable toddler one-piece complete with a flouncy pink tutu and smiling Peppa emblazoned on the front. Available now in sizes 2T to 4T, suggested retail price is $26. According to Vice President of Licensing in North America Joan Grasso, “We’re very excited to provide fans with even more meaningful and fun-filled ways to engage with Peppa.”

For more information on Dreamwave’s licensed offerings, please contact susan@bentex.com. —E.B.

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August 4–7, 2016 Make plans to join us for the:

Children’s World Fashion Show August 4, 2016 | 6:15 p.m.

Register Today at www.AmericasMart.com/ChildrensWorld

800.ATL.MART

|

© 2016 AMC, Inc.

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continued from page 21 long-term? Nobody in kidswear catered to elevated denim and a more sophisticated quality and better fit. Denim ebbs and flows for kids as well. But we adjusted denim in terms of making it very comfortable with a vast array of high-end fabrics that sometimes don’t even feel like denim. We were on knit denim years ago. When premium denim was doing stretch, we were doing stretch. So we really try and push the envelope. If you make it comfortable, make it fit and make it affordable—and affordable can mean many things based on the brand—you’re going to be a destination that people come back to. I think we’ve figured out how to become that guy.

Is this a trend that’s going to continue in childrenswear—that it will progressively get more advanced?

Yeah, even Target is upping their game. I think the States has a lot to learn from Europe. It’s a much more fashion-forward environment. But there’s Zara here and the U.S. consumers are voting for it. So what does that tell you?

You say you spend a lot of time scrutinizing fit. Why? If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t sell. And if if doesn’t fit, they won’t come back to you. We look at reviews of the product. It’s a critical component of clothing. Period. E-commerce is definitely part of it. If you’re not focusing on e-commerce, you’re not living on planet earth.

What are some of the biggest challenges in the marketplace right now? Retail is challenging. We all read about it and it’s true. People are spending money on a lot of different things today—technology, food, experiences. At least where I’m sitting, parents and kids still need clothes. Children outgrow their clothes. It is a necessity. So then how do you make that necessity exciting? I look at it as a positive. While retail is challenging—there is an oversaturation of stores—I think in time it will work out for everybody. There are a lot more consumers out there because of the Internet. I think retail is in a transition. Also, the consumer today wants to feel like they’re in an environment. They go to Zara to feel a vibe. They go to Victoria’s Secret to feel a vibe. I don’t think people want to go into stores and see racks of clothes… unless it’s super-promotional. I think those are challenges that will be met by retailers and those that don’t will close.

How is the U.S. consumer behaving these days? Sales are very weather-related. It’s very important to know it’s a very wear-now environment that we’re in. The consumer is still voting for the right brand at the right value. Value doesn’t necessarily mean cheap today. Mom will pay. We have Hudson jeans that are priced $49 to $69 and we see sell-throughs that are just as good as those that are priced $19.99.

What are your global aspirations? We sell mostly to North America but global is a focus of ours for the near future.

Especially, with the brands that we have, they are global and they have a global outreach. We’re looking at Europe, Asia,

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South America and the Middle East. We already sell to other parts of the world; it will just be a more sizeable business for us in the future.

Your factories are located all over the world. How hard is it to control the production in terms your core principals, sustainability and labor laws? We produce in India and China, Mexico, Bangladesh and in Pakistan. We have a vast sourcing structure.

Countries, dynamics and current events make countries different and we have a very very intense department that just focuses on that. We constantly send people to these places. We are evaluating our own factories and making sure they really follow the letter of the Five Star law to be of the upmost integrity and social compliance. It’s a very critical point on the to-do list for this company every single day.

How important is sustainability to the consumer? The end user doesn’t know all of the processes that go into what we sell, but you can’t exist today and not take sustainability seriously. You can be there for a hot minute but not for the long-term. I don’t think there’s longevity to being irresponsible. And I think lack of sustainability is irresponsible.

Do retailers put the pressure on brands to be sustainable?

Yes, they do. They do because retailers have a lot to lose if they’re not on their game.

Where do you want to see your business year from now? We

want to become known as more than a denim company. I think that’s important. I think that it’s great the markets that we cover right now but I think there are markets that we are not touching. There’s a lot of room for growth. I think our creativity and our integrity coupled together is not something that everybody can deliver today. I’m proud of what we do and how we do it. Looking 10 years down the road, do I see Five Star being double or triple the size? I do. But I still don’t want to ever lose the entrepreneurial spirit that we currently have to make a quick left, or to make a U-turn, or to provide something quickly that’s fashion-forward or fashion-right. I don’t want that to ever change just because we’re growing.

What is your philosophy on managing a team? It’s really all about integrity, honesty and creativity and when you have those components, relationship-building comes easy. Doing things right—everybody wants to be around that. So that’s the culture we try to build. Also, the way you treat the janitor and the way you treat the DMM shouldn’t really change that much in terms of respect that you have for people.

What do you love most about your job? I love people, the internal team building,thecreativitypartofthebusiness,andtheconstantstrategicthought process that goes into it. I love the journey, the journey of building, growing, innovating, forging new exciting relationships with your team, with your licensors, with your retailers and with your supply chain base factories.

There are so many cogs in this business and each of them is important. ? \_dZ j^Wj ZodWc_Y WdZ _j Ze[idÊj ijef$

continued from page 8 in the market. But now look at us: We have come together and created a much bigger movement of empowering kids through relevant messages on our clothes.”

Choksi comments, “When we launched three years ago, numerous independent children’s retailers told us they liked the concept, but would not stock our line because it would be riskier than buying the pink, frilly, stereotypical ‘girly’ styles that they know will sell,” she recalls. “I think that belief is changing, and more boutiques would embrace our style today.”

Courtney Hartman, owner and designer of the Jessy & Jack and Free To Be Kids brands, believes that brick-and-mortar retailers are running behind. “In a typical retail store you seldom see butterflies, cats, the word ‘love,’ or the colors pink or purple in the boys’ section. You don’t often see empowering messages, math themes or ferocious animals in the girls’ section,” observes Hartman. Instead, she continues, the gender-bending apparel movement is “almost completely driven” by small, independent clothing brands like her own that sell online, directly to consumers who find the brands via social media. “The success of small direct-to-consumer brands like mine is largely a backlash against the limits that larger retailers and brands are placing on our children,” she affirms.

Zoer predicts that children’s clothing stores might look very different in the future. “A few years ago, there were no dinosaur dresses or space-themed pajamas for girls and now Mini Boden and Lands’ End carry such items,” she explains. “I think the same will happen to gender-neutral childrenswear—large retailers will pick up on the trend and start carrying gender-neutral items; perhaps a few at first and expand over time.” She anticipates a time when there will be a boys’ section, a girls’ section, and a gender-neutral section in all kids clothing stores. The co-founder of Clever Belle, Cindy Tank-Murphy, muses, “Maybe one day you won’t even be able to tell the difference between the boy and girl sections of the store.”

Bennett adds that we are about to see a generation of Millennials enter parenthood. “Millennials, more than previous generations, embrace gender role fluidity,” she says. “They are going to be parents that want alternatives to the traditional pink and blue and want to encourage their children to break out of genderstereotyped roles.” She believes we will see great growth in the gender-neutral section over the next 10 to 15 years, noting that some larger retailers like Target already have made changes [the retailer announced last year it would stop labeling toys as solely for boys or girls]. Bennett says, “In the realm of toys, the stereotype box is being blown wide open with GoldieBlox and other STEM-related toys for girls and also lines of dolls just for boys. I am excited to see these changes, and I hope they continue to build and push limits even further.”

In regard to the success of these brands? “We have been flooded with positive support from customers,” says Everett.

Atkins Wardy and Hartman both describe the response to their brands as overwhelming—in the best sense of the word. “I’ve been blown away,” offers Hartman. “I hope boys will wear our ‘Love Is My Superpower’ and ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ shirts and feel proud of their capacity for kindness and love. I hope girls will wear

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our ‘Smart Girls Club’ and ‘Math Rules Everything Around Me’ shirts, walk into the classroom this fall proud of their brains, and that they will fulfill their potential and be empowered.” She continues, “I hope all children will feel free to be themselves, whoever they want to be, and find their interests and favorite things represented on their clothing, regardless of gender.”

But the category still has a ways to go. Kristin Nystrom, creative director and founder of the Gardner and the Gang line—which has collaborated with model and actress Jaime King—acknowledges that while there are a lot of positive reactions to the approach, some parents feel offended or upset and others are still getting used to the idea.

But despite mixed reactions, brand execs agree that gender neutrality/inclusiveness in childrenswear tells kids that there is no right or wrong way to be a girl or boy. Atkins Wardy explains, “It sends the message there are no limitations, that each person has unique tastes and cool things about them. It helps children to have a broader picture of the world and who they can be in it.” She goes on to say, “As our kids grow, gender stereotypes, toxic masculinity, body image pressure and sexualization play a big role in their development. Apparel is a form of media, and kids learn a great deal from the media that surrounds them.

It is our responsibility to send them the healthiest messages possible, and the current small businesses are proving you can do so and still make a profit.”

Hadley adds, “What kids wear affects the way they are treated by the outside world as well as the way they feel about themselves and what they think is possible for them in their lives.”

Co-founders and chief creative officers of Princess Awesome, Rebecca Melsky and Eva St. Clair, sum up that “stereotypebusting” products are important because these clothes can send the message to kids that all colors are for all kids—as are dinosaurs, science, rainbows and kittens.

Everett explains that when we categorize things as “for girls” and “for boys” we are putting barriers on what kids think they should like and sending the message that certain interests are off-limits to them, based on their gender. “I feel it is very damaging to kids,” explains Everett. “If we want to fight gender inequality in our society, I believe we have to start when kids are young and show kids that their gender does not limit them from liking anything.” Tank-Murphy agrees, adding, “I hope our future girls grow up to learn that beauty is not what defines their success in life and that our boys grow to learn that being a strong man includes having a nurturing and sensitive heart.”

Bennett couldn’t agree more. “I believe that the way we talk to babies, interact with them, and care for them, impacts their future lives. Each child is a complex human with a wide range of interests and passions,” she says, explaining that it is her greatest hope that kids will grow up with a greater sense of selfconfidence and emotional maturity because they were treated as the multifaceted individuals that they are. “In the end, we hope that customers consider the pink truck for their son and the brown and orange whisk for their daughter,” she says. “We believe that all colors are for everyone, and all children deserve j^[ Y^WdY[ je m[Wh W m_Z[ WhhWo e\ l_XhWdj Yebehi$È

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RE T A I L R E P O R T

continued from page 23 July, Betsey Johnson launched her first baby collection at Babies“R”Us, joining other designers like Heidi Klum. We’re talking punk rock elements like faux leather vests, letterman jackets, faux fur accents, rose and leopard prints. There’s also tutus, rose gold skirts, hearts, bows and plush puffer vests, all with Betsey Johnson’s signature bold colors and fun graphics. Other designers are expected to be added to the Babies“R”Us mix this summer, including Jessica Simpson, Kate Moross, Rachel Zoe and an expanded Kardashian Kids collection. “It’s a different Babies‘R’Us consumer,” says Toys ‘‘R’’Us Spokesperson Adrienne O’Hara. “You’re looking at new grandmas, aunts and uncles, a newer expectant parent.

They’re making very thoughtful purchasing decisions.”

As for toys, Toys “R” Us is drilling down on innovation and technology. The retailer is keeping an eye on companies like U.K.-based Kano, originally funded by a Kickstarter campaign.

Kano is basically all of the components of a computer that

“I HAVE WEALTHY CLIENTS BUT THEY STILL DON’T WANT TO OVERSPEND.” — JA M I E A P P L E F I E L D, A R I S TO K I D S

kids can build from the ground up as well as learn code and how to create apps. On that note, Toys“R”Us is betting the Fisher Price Think and Learn Code-a-Pillar, $49.99, is going to be a huge item for the holiday season.

Target is also investing time and resources into making childrenswear more fashionable and sophisticated. Soliciting the opinion of 1,000 kids, ages 4 to 12, the result is Cat & Jack, which bowed in stores in July. The line features unique color combinations, including long tulle skirts with glow-inthe-dark stars and a short-sleeve dress with boldly drawn flowers on a black background for girls, and dinosaurs and astronauts on T-shirts and slouchy pants with drawstring waists for boys. Target expects Cat & Jack to revitalize the retailer and has identified kids—alongside babies, style and wellness—as one of its primary focuses going forward.

Other trade show attendees identified childrenswear sizes as a major point of concern, particularly kids reaching the tween phase. Business has been good for Stoopher & Boots, a children’s boutique located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, says owner Stephanie Goldstein. The

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store stocks children’s clothing, gifts and toys as well as some junior women’s clothing. But she’s heading to Children’s Club keenly more aware that her customers, even as young as 10-years-old, seem to be growing out of her store. “I have been able to buy the same brands in bigger sizes,” she says. “I’m very conscious about body issues and wanted to say to them, ‘Look, we have it in your size.’”

Goldstein says it’s important to be conservative in her styles—no cuts or slits—for youngsters of this age. Among the brands that do best are Vintage Havana and Sparkle by Stoopher, she notes.

Meanwhile, stores that cater to religious events appear to be on solid ground. Amy Collins, owner of the Good Hearts Children’s Shop in Reading, Mass., along with Karen Martignetti, is heading to New York with a sizeable open-to-buy. “We have a very large first communion business and we purchase 80 percent of our dresses and veils at Children’s Club,” she says. “It’s a lot of dollars for us.

We’ll also tidy our fall buy, which is 75 percent complete. And then, of course, we’re open to seeing new lines or gifts.” On the part of her customer, Collins is seeing more moms buying for themselves and their progeny as opposed to just grandparents. She credits her advantage over e-commerce—she hasn’t taken her business online— to all the beading and detail that go into a communion dress and its

sizeable investment. The show’s floor is fully stocked with dresses and some customers travel far to see them in person. “It’s hard to see that on a computer screen,” she says, noting the Internet has helped in other ways. “Sometimes they’ve already shopped and price compared and know what they want before they come in.”

Probably the biggest thing affecting small stores like Puddleduds in Scottsdale, Ariz., is the rise of e-commerce. “The young mothers are buying everything online because they work and don’t have time, it’s easy and they get free shipping,” says owner Carol Dudley. “It’s made a big impact.” Add to that the Arizona summer heat that’s driving snowbirds back to Canada or elsewhere, and business is slow. Still, she’s confident sales will get back to normal and will restock successful brands like Havaianas flip-flops.

In the end, however, store owners agree that anybody who’s in the baby business is in a good spot. “There’s a huge baby business out there,” confirms Chafen. The birth of a baby is still a momentous occasion that tends to pry open the wallets of the stingiest parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or friends. “Everybody still wants to dress the baby,” says Holli Gold, owner of Hopscotch boutique, in Longview, Texas, noting Mud Pie and Jack & Jill are some of her X[iji[bb[hi$ ÇM^[d oek ^Wl[ W XWXo" _jÊi WXekj Wbb WXekj j^[ XWXo$È

PARTING SHOT

Kick the level of activity toys into high gear with Swedish-based Playsam’s Roadster Saab meant for tots age 12 months and up. Designed by Ulf Hanses, the car is modeled after the 1949 prototype of the very first Saab 92001 and even features a steering wheel made of wood and metal just like the old sports car (SRP $450).

By Kristin Young

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