One of my absolute favourite styles of cuisine is Asian-fusion – a blend of classic Aussie fare and delicate Asian flavours and techniques. As far as food goes it’s as good as it gets and just thinking about it is making my mouth water! But today I want to talk about a new kind of Asian-fusion I’ve discovered: Little Urby – www.littleurby.com.au.
What does an adorable childrenswear online boutique have to do with cuisine? Quite a lot actually, because Little Urby is the spirit of Asian-fusion personified. Created by two Australian-based Asian expats, Phylice and Lin from Malaysia and Singapore respectively, the store showcases the best Australian childrenswear and decor brands with some truly wonderful finds from Asia. Lin and Phylice have lived in Australia for 10 years now and they’re committed to supporting our talented local designers even while they introduce stunning Asian labels new to the Australian market. I’ve got to say, the resulting mix at Little Urby is delectable!
On show at the moment is Little Urby’s new Autumn range featuring some fabulous brands out of South Korea including Annika, Amber, Amber Pure, Soft, Mery Jane and Peach&Cream. South Korean children’s fashion has all the practicality children need but the fashion is forward-looking and edgy with quirky little details and wonderful fabrics. You’ll also spot Singaporean label Project Little and its kimono-style babywear – simply gorgeous and *very* giftable.
Indulge in Asian-fusion children’s fashion and decor at Little Urby with 25% off store-wide – including Three Little Trees already on sale up to 40% off – until 30 April 2011 using discount code KSF25 at checkout. KSF readers in South East Asia also have a special offer just for them: $7.50 local postage for all orders to South East Asia using the code KSFSEA until 30 April 2011. Gobble it up!
Discounted prices quoted below are valid only until 30 April 2011 using the code KSF25.
Little Urby stocks a fine range of labels from Australia and abroad including Amber, Amber Pure, Annika, Anton’s Lane, Peach&Cream, Printspace, Project Little, Soft, 41 Orchard, Ada-Ada, An Angel At My Table, Annabel Trends, Boon, Dingsbums, Dotty Spot, Ebulobo, Forwalls Decals, Heimlich Clear Cream, Kid-O, Mery Jane, mOmma, Moveables by Little Chipipi, Seedling and Three Little Trees.
Little Urby ships Australia-wide for a flat rate of $7.50 per parcel. Orders over $150 ship FREE. International orders welcome, please see the delivery page for details.
The land of children’s fashion design here in Australia is as vast as our glorious country. There are the small, intimate labels, just like our small townships through to internationally recognised designers living abroad that still call Australia home. The spectrum of tastes runs from the bohemian right through to the traditional. There is such a vast point of difference between each label, but what they each have in common is a strong Australian identity.
Today we celebrate the Australian labels that design and produce their collections right here in Australia. This is not an easy task: there are few incentives for them to do so; the government offers little support – taxes are high, and subsidies are low – and the benefits of off-shore production promise lower production costs and higher profit margins. It’s true that you may pay a little more for Australian made, but we’re confident that you will be happy with what you receive for it: the knowledge that you are supporting local industry and reducing your carbon footprint, that fair working conditions are in place, and that you are purchasing a high quality product that will take everything that your child dishes out to it and then still be good to go again.
We hope you love these Aussie labels as much as we do. Please show your support and buy a piece or two
Read Australian Made: Part 2 – Celebrating Designers Who Make Their Collections In Australia here.
Proudly manufactured in Melbourne, Chalk ‘n’ Cheese has been a firm favourite amongst serious fashionistas since its creation by Tracy Eastwood back in 2005. Shying away from overly decorated garments and “fizziness”, Chalk n Cheese signature A line dresses, machine washable fabrics, gorgeous colours and classical styling are reminiscent of European fashion.
You can source Chalk n Cheese from Bubba Funk, ShopHouse, and a bevy of B&M stores here. For past season bargains and end of line stock, don’t forget to check out Trunk Show Kids.
When Melinda Smith left her corporate positon in banking with a dream to make her Yorkiepie bags a wardrobe staple, I really don’t think she expected the demand to be as large as it is today or that she would now be employing a number of staff! Featured in the latest Studio Bambini, Selkie Smith Designs are home grown in the Blue Mountains, are made from a range of delicious, hand picked fabrics (with an exciting collaboration with local fabric designer Saffron Craig only last year), and available in a range of bag types. Which one will you take home?
Back in 2006, Mrs Chicken AKA Deni Fowle, hatched a plan that would see her launching one of the very first Australian Made 100% organic cotton clothing and accessories range. With the motto “Let your light shine LOUD and stand out from the crowd!”, Cheeky Chickies bold colours and easy care materials are a favourite in my kidlets wardrobe. Better still, everything from the design to the material to the sewing is all sourced locally here in Australia! You can purchase Cheeky Chickies Free Range Clothing online at Cornflowerblue and Sustainababy or at one of these bricks and mortar stockists.
A few years ago I came across a pair of divine Czarque soft sole leather baby shoes and fell in love. Head over heels in love in fact. Here was a shoe that was stunning to look at, was soft on my little missy’s feet, and better still, were handcrafted by a shoemaker with over 100 years of experience right here in Australia. They’re sophisticated, they’re unique….they only go up to size 5, so make the most of them while your bubba is small! You can find Czarque at Bubba Funk or at one of their B&M stores.
With its genesis back in 2005, Heavenly Creatures is a Melbourne based label that truly encapsulates the whimsical tradition of fusion dress-ups and functional wear. Designed by duo Kelly Duckworth and Heidi Weber, you’ll become all nostalgic with the tales this label tells, from Peter Pan to Narnia,. You can find their range at Little Styles and ShopHouse; or click on their website to locate a store near you.
Mae, or ‘Love Mae’ as they have also become known, is a truly original reusable fabric wall sticker company that is completely Australian Made. This gorgeous innovation sprang from the minds of three lovely ladies – Bec, Peta and Emily from the little town of Stokers Siding in Northern NSW (less than 25 minutes from Byron Bay), and has progressively grown to become one of Australia’s favoured interior design products. Washable, durable and able to stick on to most surfaces, the Mae range will cheer up, charm and provide food for the imagination for any child (or even adult) whose walls they don. Buy direct from the Mae website.
With an ol’ worlde charm grown from locally sourced Australian Made and vintage materials, Knuffle Kid is an Australian Made label that has risen from the market scene to be stocked in many online and B&M stores across the country. The brain-child of Emma Strybosch, Knuffle Kid (meaning “to cuddle” in Dutch – and young goat= child) is bright, original and amongst my selection each and every season. To purchase try Threads of Red or click here for their full stockist list.
Britt Design has become an internationally recognised label that started as a small market stall at Bondi Markets and can now be found in places like Harrods in the UK. Proudly Australian, with 80% of the product line made right here, Britt products are renowned for their super soft garments, signature teddy and for their customer service. Britt Design know what it’s like to lose a childs favourite teddy too, so they’ve set up the Lost Teddies initiative, or emergency teddy replacement. Ooohhh, so sweet! You can find their complete stockist list here.
A few years ago now, I purchased my very first Shop 4 Kids magazine and fell in love with a photo spread of babies in the cutest little playsuits and bloomers. The label – Miss Haidee. Back then, they were almost impossible to source, as Miss Haidee was predominantly a market store item and based in Byron Bay NSW (now Woodbridge, Tasmania). Thankfully, that’s all changed with the emergence of their own online store which is full of goodness, and a handful of discerning stockists. Miss Haidee has a Enid Blyton Gypsy feel to it, with the skirts all ready for twirling and dancing, with small runs of each item to ensure they remain unique.
Almost every little girl wishes for a pony at sometime in their life, so it goes without saying that Tea Pony is a label that every little girl should also have at least one dress from hanging in her cupboard. Elsa Cooper, the designer and owner of the label, thought up the concept of Tea Pony back in 2006 after the birth of her little muse Coco. Inspiration from folk prints and vintage styling, Elsa has created a bevy of delightful dresses in cotton that are soft on the skin and beautiful to the eye. Every piece is lovingly made in a little studio just out of Byron Bay. Tea Pony can be sourced on their own online store and a sprinkling of online boutiques.
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Read Australian Made: Part 2 – Celebrating Designers Who Make Their Collections In Australia here.
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Please check individual sites for postage details and browse the KidStyleFile All Current Deals page to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal.
I miss lazy Sundays – the time pre-children when my husband and I could waste away the morning, reading the paper in bed , drinking tea and talking about the week ahead. These days, my kids ensure I’m up at sunrise, the paper is left unread well past lunchtime and talking about the week…well that we’re more flying by the hip. To keep my sanity, I do snatch a few stolen moments across the day (usually via my trusty iPhone) to jump on KSF and check out the latest fashion finds and bargains. Today’s little gem of a bargain is certain to delight all of us with little girls!
All You Need – www.allyouneed.com.au – is the the online shop front of the truly delightful, whimsical and enchanting Tikiboo Kids and a self proclaimed one-stop-shop for beautiful handmade cards, gifts, toys and accessories all handcrafted by Australian mums.
Right now you can grab bargains on sale up to 60% off with some items as low as $15.00! I think I’ll need a little more than a 5 minute break to snatch up these bargains – there are so many I want!! The pieces are flying out the door, and the sale prices are only while stocks last until 12 April 2011, so get your skateroos on!
PS Just so you know the “Let’s Shop” button on All You Need is currently non-functional; should be fixed Monday, but in the meantime skip around the broken bit and click on the SALE button instead
Discounted prices are valid below only while stocks last until 12 April 2011.
After two very boyish boys it was with much excitement that we welcomed a girl into our little family. She is sweet, surprisingly feisty and she has the most gorgeous curly hair you’ve ever seen. As her hair has grown I have taken much pleasure in fussing over those curls! Even with just a few stands I was looking for suitable clips to accessorise with.
A woman who understands my love of accessories is Tennille creator of the fine boutique label AbbeyJ – www.abbeyj.com.au. Tennille hand crafts beautiful and meaningful jewelery and children’s accessories and she has an absolutely stunning range to choose from.
No surpises that the range of hair accessories at AbbeyJ is what caught my attention first. It really is staggering in it’s scope, catering from birth with their Itty Bitty Snap Hair Clips which are designed to stay in even the finest few strands of hair, right through to headbands, pony tail holders, streamers and more for an older girl. If you have a school aged daughter, make sure you check out the range of School Hair Accessories which are made in a great collection of school colours. If you think it might be hard to choose (or your daughter would like a different hair accessory for every day of the week!) the School Accessory Packmay be just what you need!
AbbeyJ also has a selection of very special jewellery including naming bracelets perfect for a christening gift for little babies, or a birthday gift for an older child. There are also bracelets, necklaces and unique photo bracelets for mums too. In addition to all the accessories, AbbeyJ also stock clothing from label Three Like Me Clothing.
If you love accessories AbbeyJ offer a wonderful VIP Clip Club with a limited number of memberships at various levels. By becoming a member you could receive a free new clip every month, a welcome pack on joining, a free clip holder, free shipping exclusive designs and other VIP treats. Sounds great doesn’t it?!
What also sounds great is a storewide discount, which is exactly what Tennille is offering you! KidStyleFile readers can take a generous 15% off everything in store at AbbeyJ. Rejoice! Enter discount code KSF15 at checkout to redeem until 20 March 2011.
Discounted prices quoted below are only applicable with use of the special discount code KSF15 until 20 March 2011.
AbbeyJ ship Australia wide with prices starting at $2.00 and free postage for orders over $100.00. Please see the Customer Service page for full details.
There are some concessions that have to be made when you become a mother – mostly your desire for a full nights sleep! You need not, however, relinquish your desire to lead an ‘in vogue’ life! It can be done so easily with all the beautiful designer products now on the market. At hand to lead you in this collaboration of motherhood and style is the fabulous site Metro Mum – www.metromum.com.au.
Proprietors Tamara and Francine are the epitome of stylish, busy, metro mums - between them juggling 5 children, Vegemite smears and professional careers. All their style advice and expertise on the best and most innovative parenting products is just a click away and beautifully displayed at Metro Mum.
There is much to behold for the autumn season at Metro Mum. There are a host of new arrivals like the stunning Alma Papa Cot and Dresser. And how about the intelligent Stokke Tripp Trapp Newborn Set?What a brilliant way to lift baby up into the up high world of your family and meal times. I love it! If you have any trips coming up with your little ones, I thoroughly recommend the resources put together by Usborne. Make sure there is plenty of fun on your next family holiday with the Usborne 100 Games to Play on Holiday.
It wouldn’t be Metro Mum if there weren’t a host of special deals on offer for you, and now is no exception!
Purchase any Oeuf Cot and receive a FREE mattress valued at $149.95;
Get set up with a gorgeous nappy bag from Storksak, Babymel and Isokiall at 20% off; no code needed, prices as marked;
Buy 1 x 300ml Green to Grow bottleand receive FREE 3-6mth Teats Pack valued at $11.50;
Metro Mum stock from the following brands: Hess-Spielzeug, Allerhand, Annabel Trends, Babymoov, Babymel, Baby Steps 123, Baufix, Babywedge, Bilibo, Bloom Baby, Boyle, Britt, BubbaMat, Bud by Design Room, BusyBee Friends, Caden Lane, Cariboo NZ, Compendium, DadGear, DanishbyDesign, David Fussenegger, Dwink Box, Ebulobo, Ellaroo, Ellie Bellie, Elodie Details, Emotion & Kids, Fatboy The Original, Fertile Mind, FLATOUTbears, Foogo by Thermos, FunPod, Giimmo, Happy Mais, Hello Babe, Il Tutto, IntelliGender®, Isoki, Kanoe, Kiddie Food Kutter, Kids Kitchen, KidsonRoof, Kipiis, Language Littles, Learning Tower, Leander, Leisure Learning, Lilbird, Little Beetle, Little Kitchen, Little Sprowtz, LittleOneBaby, Luna Lullaby, Lupi Lu, Melobaby, Metro Mum, Mia Bossi, Milk & Tickles, MilkBar, Mini Bilibo, Minimonkey, Mishi Design, Mojo, Mokopuna, Mothers Minder, Munchee Mug, My Plate-Mate, Nest, Nuance, Nurseryworks, Ocho, Oeuf, OnTray2Go, Oti, Paper Eskimo, PeeWee & PooToo, Playsam, Prego Planner, PuggyHouse, Qtees, Scout, Seed Organic, Snugabub, Storksak, Totem, Trunki, VisualGram, Vulli, Wall Candy and Zuny.
Metro Mum use Fastaway Couriers and Australia Post for delivery. Total delivery cost will be calculated at checkout. For estimated delivery times, international orders and all the ‘how to’ information see here.
The very small exude creative curiousity and artistic brilliance as a matter of course, and it’s great to harness this natural tendancy with some activities that you can both enjoy. This month’s easy craft ideas from talented blogging mamas can be shared with even the smallest child. Make an I Spy Jar, or some wax paper decorations, enjoy perennial playdough fun, go broom-brooms with a difference with some tyre track printing, paint on hot rocks and create melting lava crayons and make a bird seed cake – a lovely little project to help us all enjoy our local avian friends.
