British retailer Childrensalon specializes in luxury children’s fashion. The range includes luxury houses such as Gucci, Burberry and Elie Saab, but also brands such as Birkenstock, Levi’s and Falke. But film characters like ‘The Little Mermaid’ also play a role in the collections.
Dina Moon, Head of Buying at Childrensalon, reveals which trends are currently shaping children’s fashion, which pieces are doing well and how the area is developing in general.
How do you discover trends in children’s fashion?
Childrensalon is always up to date when it comes to new ideas and trends. We discover trends in different ways: at trade fairs and catwalks, in streetwear and in the collections of adult designers – which then also have an impact on children’s fashion. Film and television also have an influence on trends, for example the new Barbie film, Wednesday Addams and The Little Mermaid have influenced the collections this year.
How long does it take for adult trends to arrive in children’s fashion?
We’ve noticed that kids’ fashion trends are a season behind those for adults. Recently, however, this gap has been narrowing and aligning more and more with adult trends.
Do you travel to kidswear fairs and other events?
We travel as much as we can. We have missed traveling during Covid so are happy to now be able to attend trade shows and fashion weeks like we used to. Earlier this year we were at Pitti Bimbo in Florence where we had the opportunity to see many brands and industry professionals again under one roof. We met with our current suppliers and also discovered some new brands. We have also traveled to European capitals for order appointments, where we are constantly looking for inspiration, new trends and new brands in the industry.
What trends are currently shaping children’s fashion?
For AW23 we look forward to new colors. Next to the classic palettes, purple seems to be strong. Shades of green and many sophisticated colors such as camel and coffee are also popular.
We’ll be seeing these camel and coffee tones in our cozy Sherpa styles soon. Metallics are also on the rise, especially for party wear, as well as denim and black – perfect for the winter season.
The trend towards logomania seems to be cooling off somewhat among adults. What about children’s clothing?
We stock a selection of the best designers in the world, including brands that use iconic logos. The brands we carry are very popular with our customers and we see that the trend towards logomania in children’s fashion is still very strong around the world. However, we found that logos and branding have always been a strong part of our business. Especially this season, the designers played a lot with their logos.
What about the mini-me trend? Are parents looking specifically for a look for their children that matches their own?
Recently, the number of fashion designers releasing children’s fashion has increased greatly. The ‘Mini Me’ range is nice. We always look forward to the looks that the designers create for the little ones.
What plays are doing well with boys and girls right now?
We sell many product categories, from dresses and suits within our occasionwear collections to casual items such as denim, athleisure and outerwear. Depending on the time of year, different categories perform better than others, but overall we have strong sales across all categories.
This interview was conducted in written form and translated from English.