Alberta Ferretti launches childrenswear

Italian fashion house Alberta Ferretti is launching children's line for girls aged 4 to 12. The collection, which will debut at trade fair Pitti Bimbo in Florence this summer, is being produced by Bologna-based Grant SpA under a five-year licensing contract.

“I'd wanted to do this for a long time,” the designer told WWD, adding that the collection will be “neither bon ton nor streetwear. I can't stand little girls dressed as women. I find that vulguar, and I think we should plant the seeds of good test early on. At the same time, I don't want the line to be boring, either. These clothes will be practical, for daily use, easy to wear, fun and feminine. I feel there is a market for this kind of product.”

The first collection will hit stores in spring 2008 and will consist of about 90 items, including T-shirts, trousers and coats in cotton and jersey. The collection will be marketed in the high segment of the market and should be available worldwide at 400 points of sale within the first year.

www.albertaferretti.com
10 April 2007

Tweens favour designer fashion

Tweens, an American-coined term meaning children aged 8 to 12 — are expected to contribute to a growing demand for luxury goods this winter. For tweens and their older teenage counterparts, the search is on for expensive, branded accessories, belts, purses and perhaps a pair of shoes as seen in Teen Vogue, other glossies and advertisements fronted by celebrities. Teenagers are buying branded merchandise with allowance money or wages earned from part-time jobs and would rather own a Gucci wallet than a non-branded M&S equivalent.

In today's society, children are 100 per cent more brand conscious than their parents were in their younger years. For example, many children today know what Louis Vuitton or Gucci is. Label conscious parents start when their kids are babies, doting with brands such as Baby Gap, Baby Dior and Marc Jacobs. But once the children grow out of their cashmere baby blankets, they want to wear the same brands through their young adolescence.

In America, designer fashion represents approximately 9 per cent of teenage clothing purchases, a significant increase from a decade ago. Unfortunately, Britain isn't far behind. The British are as much a nation obsessed with celebrity culture and status, and girls as young as 9 years old are demanding Vera Wang dresses, D&G jeans, Diesel trainers and iPod mp3 players. What's next, BMW's for sixteen year-olds and Soho lofts for turning eighteen?

27 November 2006

Chloé and Missoni ink children’s wear licensing deal

Chloé and Missoni have signed a licensing agreement with the leading European licensee of designer children’s wear, Children Worldwide Fashion. The company will create, produce and distribute their collections for children aged 0-14. The deal with Missoni is worldwide, and with Chloé it is for Europe and the Middle East. The collections will be available from fall 2007. The first Chloé collection created by CWF employs the characteristics for which the adult brand has become famous, including its fluidity, romanticism, lightness and transparency and soft colour palette. The grown-up Missoni look is also being translated into something appropriate for children, but with the same recognizable graphics, colours and zigzag patterned knits. Both collections will initially be distributed to multi-branded stores, department stores and Younly boutiques in Europe. According to CWF president Yves Martin, Chloé “perfectly complements CWF’s portfolio of brands. With this new partnership, the group will strengthen its position in the luxury children’s wear market.” He added: “With Missoni, we are very happy to add a leading Italian brand to our portfolio. The collaboration with a house like Missoni, with strong family ties, matches the spirit of lasting partnerships which we wish to develop with the brands.” The company already has licensing agreements with luxury brands like Burberry, DKNY, Kenzo and Marithé + Francois Girbaud, thanks to which CWF has seen its sales figures treble since 1999.

www.cwf.fr
6 July 2006

Adams wins Boots contract

British children's wear specialist Adams has a won a five year contract to provide retailer Boots with all its children's apparel until 2011. In 2003, Adams launched a ‘mini mode' range exclusively for Boots. Now the company is contemplating the selection of brands it will develop for Boots. The age range is from birth to four years old.

“We are delighted to have secured this significant contract,” said mini mode managing director David Empson. “For us (mini mode) was a landmark development…We invested over £5 million in developing the brand and putting in place the design, retail and marketing infrastructure to deliver premium products.”

Ian Abbott, baby category manager for Boots, said: “Our baby clothing is a key reason that mums visit Boots. We are pleased to have agreed this new contract with Adams, which gives us both the stability required to work closely to take our clothing business to new heights.”

www.boots.co.uk
9 March 2006

JCrew enters children's market

US retailer J Crew is expanding its horizons by introducing a children's wear collection this spring. The company first got its feet wet in this market in the 90s, but the venture did not last long. However, customer demand has led the company to recommit to the venture.

The Crewcuts summer collection will hit a handful of J Crew stores in the US on 31 March, which group chairman and chief executive Mickey Drexler refers to as “basically mini J Crew”. Drexler has enough experience launching children's lines, having launched Gap Kids and BabyGap when he was the brand's chief executive.

“We are going after a J Crew style that our customers really love for themselves and want for their kids,” he told WWD. “If you look at J Crew classics, they all work very well in small sizes.”

The collection, which is geared towards children between ages 2 and 8, does not have its own designers, but a team of six merchandisers and technical staff who adapt the adult clothes to suit children. "This is very signature J. Crew. We are taking our famous J. Crew items and making them miniature," Margot Brunelle, J Crew's head of marketing told WWD.

Items include cashmere knits, jackets and blazers, party dresses which range from $52 (£30) to $148, tank tops for girls ($10.50 and $12.50) and cargo pants and shorts ($34.50 to $42).

www.jcrew.com
16 February 2006

Designer babies

Children make for the perfect fashion accessory, and the moms and dads who desired luxury brands for themselves pre-parenthood are now demanding the same for their off-spring.

Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade are among the leading fashion designers this year to release stylish baby collections for trend-setting kids. Featuring 100% cashmere cardigans and long johns, the Little Marc label is as cute as it sounds with soothing colours made for two to seven year-olds.

Kate Spade's collection, Kate Spade Baby, also features cashmere sweaters, mittens, hats and blankets perfect for wrapping up your little darlings all winter long.

We can't wait to see Kate's first baby bag!

M+FG re-enters childrenswear market

Back in the 1980s, fashion label Marithe and Francois Girbaud's childrenswear line “Reproduction” was a veritable success. Since then, demand for the line has been ceaseless. Therefore, the label has decided to re-enter the childrenswear market.

The Children Worldwide Fashion group (CWF) – a multi-branded children's licensing company with a focus on premium global brands like Burberry, DKNY, Elle, Kenzo, Nike, French Connection and Timberland – has been chosen to assist in the line's reintroduction. CWF will create, develop and distribute the collection as of Spring Summer 2007.

Distribution will occur through a selective network of multi-brand retailers and department stores, and will first hit the European market. The line will be launched at the next edition of the trade show Pitti Bimbo in Florence, from 30 June till 2 July.

www.girbaud.com
1 February 2006

Tractor Tom fashion for kids

Tractor Tom is a hero to many toddlers and youngsters in the 2-5 year age category. The star of the hit TV show has sold more than 10.000 videos in the UK in one week and total sales have exceeded the 100.000 mark. Tractor Tom is currently on an eight month theatre tour of the UK

The show has already been distributed to the UK, Ireland, Benelux, France, Switzerland and Scandinavia and more markets are set to follow. Marketing manager for footwear distributor Leomil, Wieke Quak, explains the marketing phenomenon. "The farmyard theme is always a favourite and Tom's inquisitive character reflects the spirits of his youthful fans. The storylines are wonderful, involving a brilliant cast of timeless farmyard animals and contemporary elements such as a quad bike, a pick-up truck."

Tractor Tom merchandising is a text book case of how it is done. DVD's, toys, books, comics, clothes, bedding, games, fashion accessories have already hit the shops and Leomil Europe's Tractor Tom character shoes are on the way. These will be introduced to the French, Dutch, Belgian, Luxemburg and Scandinavian markets in the summer of 2006.

In addition to this, Leomil Europe's recently established Leomil Fashion is producing a fall range of clothing and fashion accessories, with a Tractor Tom line of clothing, accessories and shoes for children.

www.leomilgroup.com
5 July 2005

Kids Are New Shopping Addicts

New research by the National Consumer Council suggest that UK children have been primed to become a new generation of shopping addicts by the age of ten. A survey of 1000 youngsters by the NCC found that 78 per cent of 10 to 12 year olds already say they enjoy shopping.

This trend continues throughout the teenage years, especially among young women. Ninety four per cent of girls aged 10 - 19 admit their passion for shopping. Those living in the East Midlands are the most enthusiastic shoppers, while young people in East Anglia and the South West come bottom of the table. The NCC survey of 10 - 19 year-olds reveals that, despite their love of shopping, 78 per cent of young people think that we all buy things we don't really need.

Philip Cullum, deputy chief executive at the NCC, said: "Most of us enjoy shopping from time to time. But the worrying finding from our research is the extent to which young children are already being primed to become shopaholics. By the age of 10, most have already been lured into a world of fashionable labels and must-have gadgets. "Most young people say that we all buy things unnecessarily - but when it comes to their own trips to the shops, they simply can't stop themselves."

28 November 2004

Tammy Launches New Website

Girls' fashion retailer Tammy is to launch a new website to promote its brand on the internet. The site, Tammyfashion.co.uk, will include fashion and celebrity style tips and news & gossip covering music and soaps.

A section will also be devoted to games and competitions with prizes from Tammy and other teen brands. No products will be sold on the site, however, as Tammy currently has more than 200 stores across the UK.

"Our customers want to fit in and follow trends in fashion, music and film as well as catch up on the latest gossip around their favourite stars. The internet has become an important source for them," said Liza Denby, Tammy marketing manager to WGSN.

The site was designed by agency Explosive Design, which developed an interactive magazine format using graffiti-style graphics. "the site achieves a good balance between fun and function, it's easy to use and has been designed in a style totally appropriate for this discerning target market," said Antony Wallis, creative director at Explosive Design.

www.tammyfashion.co.uk
7 September 2004

Woolworths Expands Childrenswear Brand

Woolworths is to quadruple the size of its Ladybird childrenswear brand, opening dozens of outlets in the Middle East and Far East. Woolworths has signed a deal with Dubai-based retail developer Al-Futtaim, and the Oriental Trading Company, which plans stores in Hong Kong and China.

23 August 2004

Mothercare Reports Extraordinary Year

Children's clothing retailer Mothercare have reported a rise in sales by 3.5 per cent in the year to March 27 to GBP446.9m. The company said it had an extraordinary year with UK like-for-like UK store sales rising 5.9 per cent. Pre-tax profits were GBP23.9m, compared to a GBP24.8m loss in 2003.

The year saw 35 more high street stores refitted, with the new format outlets continuing to outperform the chain. There have been improvements to the design, quality and fashionability of ranges, boosted by better availability thanks to supply chain improvements.

Chief executive Ben Gordon, which joined the business at the end of 2002 when it was suffering from declining like-for-likes and supply chain problems, said: "It has been a year of good progress for Mothercare. The business is responding well to the actions we are taking in our turnaround plan. Much remains to be done to complete this plan and position the company for sustained profit growth over the longer term.

"We have started this financial year with a much improved cash position, which allows us to invest in developing the business. We are well on track to turn Mothercare into an efficient specialty retailer with an internationally respected brand, and are increasingly confident of Mothercare's potential to achieve sustained profitability and growth."
Gordon stressed that the business is only at the end of the first year of a three year turnaround programme. The next phase will focus on new store development in the UK as well as growth of Mothercare's international business. The Mothercare Direct home shopping business is also to be expanded.

Mothercare now plans to focus on revamping its 68 out-of-town stores, which has already shown the benefits of the group's improved product ranges. An GBP8m capital expenditure programme is planned over the next two years for the out-of-town stores.

21 May 2004

Mothercare Sees Sales Growth

Like-for-like sales at Mothercare have grown 4.7 per cent across the 11 weeks to March 27. Total sales were reported to be up 22 per cent.

In a trading statement on the full year to March 27, the mother-and-baby goods retailer reported a strong recovery implemented under chief executive Ben Gordon, who joined the business in December 2002 at a time when its was struggling with low sales and distribution problems.

Across the full year, total UK store sales are up 3.1 per cent, with like-for-like sales up 5.9 per cent. Mothercare said it high street store refit programme is progressing well, with 35 stores now revamped and performing ahead of the chain as a whole. The Direct home shopping and International businesses also 'continue to perform well'.

1 April 2004

Premier KIDS sees 29% increase in visitors

Premier KIDS has grown with up to 300 brands this season, visitors numbers were up an astounding 19% from last January and 29% in July 03, creating a real buzz amongst buyers at the show. Helga Karlsdottir from Englabornin children’s shop in Iceland said, “the atmosphere of the show was great. Premier KIDS was well organised and interesting. There was a good mixture of collections, I will be back again”.

Exhibitor Josu Shephard from Jakabel who launched at Premier KIDS this season said, “we were very pleased with the results, we had a phenomenal show, we took lots of orders and got loads of interest from both overseas and UK buyers”.

Premier KIDS continues to grow an importance on the childrenswear calendar, providing quality as well as quantity, with the January show presenting the latest hot crop of design talent from around the world with the likes of Ben Sherman, Harry Potter, Pickwick Jr, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, and Escada.

The new section KIDS Home & Travel also proved to be a popular addition. Paula Abbott of Sammies by Samsonite enthused “as a first time exhibitor at Premier KIDS we have been delighted with both the interest in our products and the level of business we have written. We look forward to exhibiting here next year”. Charlotte Evans of Cottontails, Worcestershire agrees with the success of the new section, saying “I love this show because I sell about half clothes and half toys & gifts. I have to trek around a lot of trade fairs and Premier KIDS is quite unlike any other. It really captures what selling children's clothes is all about for me - fun and excitement without taking business TOO seriously. I think there's something very special & unique about children's clothes and Premier KIDS captures that. It's a really welcoming & friendly show”.

Buyers enjoyed the ever-colourful fashion shows and benefited from information they would not have found anywhere else with ex-Selfridges buyer Jacqueline Cook’s popular Buying Seminar and her new seminar ‘The Art of Customer Service and The Science of Trends’, complemented by the essential Drapers’ toddler to teen trend predictions.

Next season’s Premier KIDS takes place 11-13 July 2004 at the NEC, Hall 19, Birmingham UK – for free tickets or for further information buyers can go to www.premierkids.co.uk or call +44 (0) 870 429 4514.

12 February 2004

Premier Kids

Nearly 300 collections will be on show at Premier Kids in Birmingham 25 - 27 January, a 20 per cent increase on last year. New Arrivals include Ben Sherman, |Agatha Ruiz de la Prada and Escada.

Buyers should call 0870 429 4514 to register.

15 January 2004

For The Kids

The most valuable consumers in the retail industry right now are people who carry no cash, have no credit cards and often throw tantrums in shops. They are infants and toddlers - and at a time when sales in many stores stagnating, they're fueling a major boom in baby clothes.

While overall clothing sales dropped in 2002, sales of infant and toddler clothing shot up nearly 21 percent. There's no baby boom to account for the spike in clothing sales. The percentage of children younger than 5 actually has come down in 2000.

So what makes baby clothes such a bright spot in a still-sluggish economy? Infant and toddler clothing sales get a big boost from gift-giving, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for the NPD Group. "In the kids' business, more than any other business, the gift-giving syndrome is a tremendous part of the buying pattern," Cohen said. "And people who give gifts tend to give brand names and designer wear."

Let's not forget the fact that that babies and toddlers grow more quickly than adults and older children and that their wardrobes need to be replaced more often. And a natural parental desire to nurture children keeps sales humming even in a down economy." People always want to be able to provide for their kids, and when it comes to cutting corners, most people don't want their kids to have to be involved in that."

4 September 2003