The Playtime children’s fashion fair took place from January 27th to 29th, 2024 at the Parc Floral in Paris. The fall/winter 2024/2025 children’s collections were presented at the trade fair and an overview of general market trends was offered.
But you shouldn’t expect any figures on the children’s fashion market; There is none. Not even when it comes to imports and exports, as girls’ and boys’ fashion can be found in the women’s and men’s fashion segments. Likewise, there are no figures for French multi-brands that are specifically aimed at children.
The information gathered by the organizers of Playtime, Promas (Office for the Promotion of Men’s and Children’s Clothing) and the FNH (Clothing Association) points to a “niche market” and a dwindling number of specialized points of sale (an observation that applies to all sectors of activity). ). Here too, competition from fast fashion retailers (Zara, H&M) is fierce. And even renowned brands such as Gap, which had a large children’s department, or Catimini (closure of 44 stores) have been shaken by the crisis.
The fact is that the wholesale base is evolving and this is where Playtime in January 2024 undoubtedly stands out. In addition to multi-brands and department stores, Playtime relies on “family concept stores” that offer products for the whole family. Hence a fashion offering that is prevalent in the aisles of Parc Floral, coupled with a lifestyle offering of fashion accessories, toys, decoration and skin care alongside products for parents such as carrier bags, etc. Only children’s furniture (cradle, changing table, etc.) is not offered .
Fashion trends of Generation Alpha anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s consumers
In January 2024, the 300 exhibiting brands welcomed 4,722 visitors from 65 countries (France: 33.5%, abroad: 66.5%), with the majority coming from Europe, Asia and North America. Everyone came to meet their suppliers, discover new brands and be inspired by the material and trend forums at the heart of the trade fair. The trend forum was divided into four main areas by Fashion Snoops, the consumer analysis and trend forecasting company.
This is also where an important part of Playtime’s influence on the children’s fashion market comes into play. It is easy to imagine that the Alpha Generation, children born between 2010 and 2024 and currently aged zero to 14, will be the future target of fashion brands, just like the previous generation, the famous generation Z
Fashion Snoops distinguishes between two main influences: On the one hand, the need for ‘cocooning’ – “we enter a sensory area in which the power of perception is seen, heard, smelled, touched, tasted or felt” – with the need for the satisfaction of “all senses” . According to Fashion Snoops, the response to these market expectations is expressed through pastel colors, puffer jackets, soft and warm fleeces and pleasant prints.
On the other hand, Fashion Snoops announces a “new beginning,” a breakout: “In a commercial world that oscillates between life-changing revelations and apocalyptic repercussions, we maintain an optimistic mentality but are ready for anything.” This tension between wonder and pain cultivates creation […] ‘Erupt’ feeds the need for endless transformation in adaptable clothing that protects precarious possibilities and celebrates human adaptability.”
Inspired by unfamiliar climates and challenging terrain, clothing is designed for performance. “Responsive design” is at the forefront: unexpected colors, patterns and graphics create a new camouflage pattern, as well as bold prints, pop-out buffers, material mixes and earthy tones.
From babies to teenagers, Playtime offers a 180-degree view of the international children’s fashion offering
From adult brands focused on children to brands dedicated to the (basically) cheerful world of childhood, including those tapping into other market segments, Playtime brings together brands that are all different from each other. An example is Jelly Mallow. The South Korean brand, which has been around for ten years, positions itself in the niche for babies to children aged 12 and over, with prices ranging from 25 euros for sweaters to 75 euros for down jackets (here too, the desire for nature is reflected).
“From the age of 12, teenagers no longer want to wear childish prints with suns, drawings of hearts and love or snowman heads,” Kim, Mariët and Juliet, the three founders and sisters of the pan-European wholesaler House of Sisters, told FashionUnited. This attitude is in contrast to that of other exhibitors who, on the contrary, play with the convergence between adult and children’s fashion, surfing the “Mini-Me” wave or not (as Comptoir des Cotonniers managed to do).
This is the case of Americain Vintage, a French brand that presents its third children’s collection for Fall/Winter 2024/2025. Certain timeless styles are modeled on adult wardrobes but are not necessarily available in the same color or material. “This segment corresponds to a market expansion with a network of retailers, which I estimate at first glance to be 150 stores,” explains sales manager Caroline Bettini to FashionUnited. “Currently our models are sold in our own network (70 stores in France, 150 worldwide) and around 50 multi-brand stores.”
Conversely, Madrid-based The New Society started with children’s fashion six years ago before launching women’s ready-to-wear (which also debuted at Who’s Next in January). This is “at the request of little girls who want to dress like mom,” founder Estefania Grandio told FashionUnited. When it comes to trends, she notes a preference for visible logos, undoubtedly influenced by the branding of brands like Nike or Adidas.
She also points out that although the market for girls’ fashion is larger, the offering for boys is less sophisticated. A path full of prospects for the AO76 brand (formerly American Outfitters), which stopped adult collections almost five years ago to focus on children’s fashion and especially on the less competitive boys’ collections. Finally, a final tip with Caroline Bosmans, a Flemish designer who offers red carpet-worthy evening dresses for little girls. After all, the children are the heroes of the story.
The next Playtime, the Fall/Winter 2024/2025 edition, will take place from Sunday, February 11th to Tuesday, February 13th, 2024 in New York. The Spring/Summer 2025 collections will be shown from June 29th to July 1st, 2024.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.fr. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.