KidStyleFile

Written by Edwina
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The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair – Kids (CIFFKIDS) was held last week, and we were particularly keen to check out some our favourite European brands and see what they have planned for the next few seasons. CIFFKIDS reflects the trends on the streets in Scandinavia, which often results in a relaxed approach to kids fashion. We see a mixture of expensive and inexpensive, simple and detailed, colourful and plain. Of course our own style maven and home grown Crown Princess Mary is the patron of CIFF and was there to highlight all the best in Danish fashion.

Crown Princess Mary met designer Line Hawaleschka, as well as hitting the racks of Danish fave Small Wings.

We of course have great admiration for the Scandinavian designers working in the industry at the moment who manage to create some of the coolest, stylish and relaxed threads for kids around. Here is a sample of some of our favourite brands.

Hummel, Name It and Small Wings:

I have 3 sons who have very little interest fashion, however, there is one brand that they would literally walk over broken glass to wear. They absolutely love Hummel Kids, as soccer fans they think this brand rocks and they feel very cool wearing their Hummel gear. Designed for active kids, they have a range of sports wear as well as some great casual pieces, highly recommended for boys.

Danish brand,  Name It,  designs trendy and colourful children’s clothing and has done so since 1986. They design their clothes for fashion conscious children (and their parents) who are looking for fun, trendy and playful designs, that are comfortable and durable.

Small Wings is another great Danish brand that combines clean shapes, quirky details and strong graphic prints, focusing on great comfort and cool attitude. Small Wings is designed by Charlotte Vadum and her partner Vibeke Bernhoft who also create the womenswear brand Vadum.

En Fant:

En Fant is committed creating fashionable and functional footwear for everyday wear. They have a range of basic models both in shoes, ballerinas and pre-walkers as well as two collections every year spring/summer and autumn/winter.

Aya Naya:

Aya Naya is a collection for girls from 3 – 12 years of age that presents an a beautiful balance of colorful prints. Their collections are always made of natural materials which ensures the room for movement, creativity and play.

NONO:

NONO’s  philosophy is centred around creating children’s clothing with a twist. In the fifteen years since it first appeared on the market, NONO has acquired an impressive international reputation. At the very outset, NONO proved to be a highly individualistic, unique range of children’s clothing. Their innovative use of colours, artwork and silhouettes provides a closely coordinated collection.

Me Too:

Me Too designs kids clothes for 0-8 years. They have a great eye for colour, prints and a casual and comfortable approach to kids fashion. The Me Too range is designed and produced by the House of Spirit company who have also launched a cool jeans brand for 8-14 year olds called Next Level.

Ticket to Heaven and Papfar:

Ticket to Heaven is best known for outer wear with a huge range of jackets, transition jackets, rain wear, snowsuits and ski sets. Their range is full of  happy colours, funny details and designs which allow kids to freely move around. The clothes are free of chemicals, loose strings and other things which can be of danger for children; and are perfect for keeping warm and dry regardless of the weather.

Papfar is one of the largest brands in Denmark that focuses on providing high quality basics. They have a huge range of colours and styles and have ranges to suit all ages. Their basic concept is to provide a basic collection of styles that can be used every season and then allow for you to add new colours and prints.

Post written by Miki

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The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) has become Europe’s premier fashion event.  Today we bring you Part 2 of our coverage, with top decor and accessory picks, best footwear, the cream of ethical fashion, and fine tween fashion to delight you.

Read Part 1 of our CIFF Kids coverage here

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Decor & Accessories: Best Picks

1. A Norwegian occupational therapist has designed the so-ro cradle in accordance with leading research into the brain’s interpretation of sensory movement: namely, that forward movement is the most comfortable and soothing motion for a baby. The cradle suits babies from birth to approximately 6 months, and is made from Baltic Birch plywood overlaid with veneers of American Walnut, European Maple or laminated white.

2. Mocklis is based in Sweden and produces hats, mittens and knitted moccasins for toddlers and their parents.  The brand is connected to a folkloristic crafting tradition and is committed to producing high quality products.

3. Belgian ‘bits and bobs’ company froy&dind create postcards, tin boxes, magnet boards, buttons, folders, notebooks and magnets.  The collection is vintage-inspired, with designs featuring flowers, dots and vintage toys.

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Footwear:  Top Picks For Little Feet

1. EN FANT is a Danish children’s footwear brand owned and designed by Marianne & Morten Lorenzen.  The brand is inspired by classic Scandinavian design philosophies and uses quality materials and vibrant colours, with the very best craftsmanship being a priority for the company.

2. A veteran of 40 years on the European children’s footwear stage, Pinnochio & Hip from The Netherlands focuses on trending design, contemporary colours, high quality materials and excellent fitting this season – love them!

3. One of the oldest brands showing at CIFF Kids this edition, MP Socks was created by Martin Pedersen in 1937.  Today the brand produces high quality, fashionable socks and tights for both children and adults – and as a bonus, the products are Oeko-Tex certified.  As well as socks and tights, the company has now expanded to produce hats and mittens.

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Ethical Fashion: Top Picks for Sustainable & Ethically Produced Fashion

1. Maxomorra pieces are quintessentially Scandinavian, from the bold repeating patterns in retro colour combinations to the well-fitting cuts.  The collection is made from 100% organic cotton.

2. The Green Cotton childrenswear brand was created in 2006, and is based in Denmark with production facilities in the Ukraine.  The products are Oeko-Tex certified and carry the EU Ecolabel logo.  The brand is distinguished by a bold use of colour with a mix of nature-inspired and geometric patterns.

3. Italian designer Emanuela Venturi has created MeDeA, based high in the Bolivian Andes, where local women use vegetable dyes to colour Alpaca wool.  The folk-inspired designs are enhanced by the wool which is naturally very soft and is luxurious to the touch.

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Tween Fashion: Top Picks For Eight To 14-Year-Olds

1. Danish tween and teen brand GRUNT is sized for boys and girls aged 8-16 years.  The brand prides itself on its provocative statements and graphics with touches of irony and sarcasm (perfect for teenagers) to spice up its already edgy designs.

2. Sibling brands Maybee and Jeff are also based in Denmark.  Maybee has been created with tween/teenage girls aged 8-16 years who have or want to create a personal, innovative look. Styles are feminine and funky, and inspired by European capital cities’ street scenes.  Jeff is a street jeanswear brand for boys aged 8-16 years, with forward-looking trends inspired by everyday life and city street subcultures.

3. Vingino, a kid & teen jeanswear brand from The Netherlands, has been around since 2001.  Its collections are accurately self described as ‘fashionable, rugged and distinctive’.  Its pieces are well tailored and feature innovative denim washes and eye catching features.  Vingino has recently included t-shirts, underwear and shoes to its line up.

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Read Part 1 of our CIFF Kids coverage here

Please check individual sites for shipping and delivery information.

Post written by Miki

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The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) has become Europe’s premier fashion event.  The best of Scandinavian design plus brands from further afield converge on Copenhage’s iconic Bella Centre in February and August each year for the fashion extravaganza, where the buzzing atmosphere sees buyers from department stores, fashion shops and chain stores, rubbing shoulders with designers, celebrities, press and royalty – HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is the show’s patron.  CIFFKIDS is a swiftly growing selection of the best childrenswear from the region and at the February 2011 event there were 149 exhibitors showing their AW11/12 (northern hemisphere) collections.

Read Part 2 of our CIFF Kids coverage here

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The emerging trends for AW11/12 are softer and gentler than recent years, with an appropriately child-like optimistic enthusiasm showing through everywhere.

The first key trend is classicism (also called Gold Medalist), inspired by British traditions such as hunting and horse riding, green welly boots and English countryside.  Fabrics include tweed, faded denim, quilted jackets and vests, and tartan cottons. Plain buttons feature on many pieces.

The World Remix trend relates to current attitudes to multiculturalism, and is almost anti-globalisation in its determination to avoid the generic and to bring to the forefront an integration of world cultures. Denims – especially cuffed and faced with retro floral prints – along with argyle knits, tribal motifs and knickerbockers over tights all go with this trend.

Far-Off lands continues the anti-Globalisation trend but in this case is a bit less edgy, a bit more gentle.  Far-Off Lands gives a nod to the past and looks to the future while acknowledging the uncertainty of the times we live in; therefore comfort and reassurance is the key here.  Fabrics are soft, striped cottons and flannelettes, knits, felts, and washed denims.  Details are delicate and subtle – an interesting vintage badge, a pair of leather clogs, a beret, a knitted beanie.

Lastly, Eco-Optimistic speaks for itself.  Colours are bold jewel tones – think the colours on a Rubix cube.  The trend looks towards simple, sustainable solutions while using colour in down-to-earth, playful ways.  Look for nature-inspired symbolism, especially animals, along with cords, checks and tartans, small repeating prints, retro rainbow colourways and some fairly subtle geometric patterns.

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Baby & Kids Fashion: Top Picks for Babies

1. EggKids are a Swedish brand, established in 2008.  Their pieces are simple, relying on soft cottons and bold colours.  What makes EggKids pieces stand out are the prints of their menagerie of critters, angular little creatures with entertaining expressions.  The range is sized from baby up to size 6, and the designer Hans-Jörgen Hansson has years of experience designing for companies such as IKEA and Japanese interiors powerhouse ACTUS.

2. Primarily a womenswear brand, Noa Noa has since branched out into Noa Noa Miniature for girls aged newborn to 12.  Their pieces feature abstract patterns (usually very small repeating prints) with neutral and pastel colours with romantic, bohemian styles usually at the forefront. The brand was founded in 1981 by Lars and Harald Holstein in Denmark and is now one of the most popular womenswear and girlswear brands in Europe.

3. babycottons is a babywear company which revolves around the concept of ‘dressing babies as babies’.  Their products are made from Peruvian Pima cotton, one of the finest types of cotton in the world.  The notable fineness and smoothness of the weave is due to the cotton being grown at near-perfect equatorial temperatures and then harvested by hand.  The designs are traditional and the colours are delicate, making this an excellent layette brand.

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Baby & Kids Fashion: Top Picks for Kids

1. NoNo’s ‘NONONSENSE’ childrenswear has been around for 15 years, and is designed to closely reflect what today’s children want with playful references to grown-up fashion.  The pieces wash and wear effortlessly and coordinate with other items in the range, while the Baby range uses many of the same colours and materials.  The brand is based in The Netherlands.

2. Danish children’s sleepwear brand Joha is one of Scandinavia’s largest producers of nightwear and underwear for babies and children, the garments are manufactured in the Ukraine and then distributed from Joha’s facility in Germany making this a very European affair.  Joha products are certified to wear the EU Ecolabel which guarantees environmentally friendly products without compromising on quality.  As well as cotton, Joha also produces sleepwear for kids in wool and silk fabrics.

3. Another Danish brand, Aya Naya girlswear aims to be the embodiment of happiness for girls aged 3 months to 12 years.  Colours and prints are intense and bold, displaying the confidence every girl should feel.  The range includes everything from party dresses to bulky jumpers with colour and energy virtually leaping from every piece. Aya Naya are exhibiting their new boyswear line at CIFFKIDS, TAPPA NAKKI, which will hit stores with the AW11 collections.

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Read Part 2 of our CIFF Kids coverage here

Please check individual sites for shipping and delivery information.

Today’s post written by Miki

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The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 11-14 of February, and CIFF Kids was, as usual, one of the biggest drawcards.  With approximately 190 exhibitors showing the a fine selection of the world’s best boutique childrenswear brands, trends at the show included denim (especially teamed with red and brown checks, lumberjack style), upcycling and recycling, cord, waistcoats and animal inspirations.

The CIFF Kids Trendshow can be viewed below, as well as my personal show picks of the most exciting brands presented at this edition of CIFF Kids.

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BOCK

With design values based around timelessness and simplicity, Danish brand BOCK creates beautiful knitted babywear made from fine merino wool and soft cottons.  This combination ensures both wearability and easy washing, both essential features for babywear.  Inspirations include the designers’ grandmother’s knitting patterns and the cold weather of the northern hemisphere.

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Joha

Another Danish brand, Joha creates high quality underwear and sleepwear for children which are in demand across most of Europe. Only high quality eco-friendly materials are used making the products extremely durable, and the timeless cuts ensure comfort.  Their collection includes a range of wool/cotton blend, created using a special machine knitting technology, which has cotton as the layer immediately next to the skin for comfort, and wool as the outer layer for warmth.

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JuiceGirl

Streetwear for strong minded tween girls, JuiceGirl creates hip clothing sized from 6 to 12 years. The release of three collections per year – spring, winter and Christmas – ensure that the collection is on trend, and the styles are carefully designed to be appropriate for girls at both ends of its sizing spectrum.

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MiniStar

MiniStar produces super-soft and cosy baby bodystockings, underwear, bibs, rompers and tees.  The AW10/11 collection is Japanese inspired, and some items are sized right up to 12 years.

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Noa Noa Miniature

Based in beautiful Northern Zealand, Danish brand Noa Noa Miniature is the girlswear offshoot of womenswear brand Noa Noa.  Ethically produced, the collections are feminine and delicate, and feature floral prints, tulles, lace and broderie.  However the pieces are still suitable for active girls, being cut for freedom of movement and ease of care.

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NONONSENSE

Designed in conjuction with what today’s children actually want to be wearing, often with playful references to current adult fashion trends, Dutch brand NONONSENSE creates childrenswear which is individualistic and trendy.  The clothes are designed to be comfortable, wearable, easily cared for and co-ordinate with other items in the range.

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Paglie

Since its inception in 2002, Paglie (a German brand) has become one of the fastest growing children’s brands in Europe.  The owners of Paglie claim that the “combination of style, quality and price” is the secret to their brand’s success, and that certainly seems to be reflected in their collection.  Glowing colours and details such as unexpected printed linings characterise the Paglie range.

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SizeSmall

The best of Scandinavian design tradition and high quality materials are at the core of SizeSmall‘s design ethos, along with colour, fun, play, movement and self expression.  The current collection is heavily 80s inspired with fluoro graffiti graphics and fluoro-and-grey-marle stripes.  The company is based in Copenhagen.

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starKAT

Eccentric brand starKAT describes itself as ‘punk meet Chanel’.  Graphic and embellished tees are all made from organic cotton, and the embellishments are hand done. starKAT aims to show what is possible when environmental awareness and edgy, fresh design are combined, and hope to demonstrate that all children can be ‘as grand and beautiful as they really are’.

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Tumble ‘n Dry

Dutch brand Tumble ‘n Dry creates ‘hip, tough and affordable’ clothing in two sizing collections: mini (2-10yrs) and junior (7-16yrs). On trend collections are currently embracing the 80s revivalist trend with pieces designed to be heavily layered, and strong graphic elements. The brand is based in The Netherlands.

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Please see individual websites for stockists and delivery information.