KidStyleFile

Today’s post written by Leah

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Bzzzzzzz….Bzzzzzyyyy…..Bzzzzzyyy……Bzzzzzzzzzz!!!

Do you know what that is? That’s the sound at my excitement at the news of the latest limited release Trunki just about to join the pack! This new striped and honey sweet addition to the Trunki stable is called Bernard the Bee and he is sure to have you swarming to grab him.

Perfect for your little travel bug, Bernard is the ultimate accessory for your trip away or sleep overs. He’s great on planes as he’s cabin-baggage approved for all major airlines, and your kidlet can even ride him, seated on his back gripping his horns for stability, while you wait for your flight to board. (Talk about a ‘board-om’ buster, haw haw!).

The limited edition Trunki Bernard the Bee model is expected to land in Australia in April 2010. He retails at $85.00 and is available for pre-order now from Metro Mum www.metromum.com.au.

Metro Mum currently stock the following Trunki models, from left to right: Trixie, Harley, Tipu and Terrance, with Bernard (top) joining his friends in April 2010.

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.

Today’s post written by Leah

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As parents, we can become the stage designer of our children’s imagination. With the bedroom as the set, we can arrange props (ie, toys) and create backdrops that will have our children conjuring up worlds and places, characters and story lines that will have them entertained for hours.  Monsters under the bed can be frightened away with a strategically placed favourite toy and change can be pre-empted with a story or two whispered at bedtime from the pages of a well chosen book.

This autumn, for the first time here in Australia, you can sprinkle some fairy dust on your nursery walls with Little Chipipi MOVEABLES’ – www.moveables.com.au – new holographic Fairy Dance with Sparkles wall stickers.  The 42 piece set has a shimmering effect, sparkling and reflecting amongst the light of the room. Like all of the MOVEABLES range, the fairies can be repositioned again and again – perfect for all the stories your little princess creates.

Another addition to the MOVEABLES range is Animal Alphabet. Much like working out the secrets of a magic trick, learning letters and words needs to be fun. What better way than hands on visuals. Create words on your walls, practice your letters at bedtime….expose your wee one to letters at every opportunity and they are sure to find the ‘magic’ of letters. I just love “o” with its wise owl within.

Designed and made here in Australia by graphic designer and illustrator Samantha Peters, the Little Chipipi (pronounced ‘chip-ee-pee’) range of MOVEABLES wall stickers are available  in 9 original designs: Butterfly Patch; Drive Time; Red Robin; Ships Ahoy; Baby Animals; Flower Power; Outer Space; and the new Fairy Dance and Animal Alphabet. For a full list of where to buy them click here.

Today’s post written by Angela

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Today, in all it’s glory, I bring to you the incredible ‘The Future Is Now’ Autumn/Winter 2010 from Polka – www.polkakids.com.au. Never an outfit to disappoint, design duo Marika and Jo, exceed expectations once more with their latest collection pieces for babies from size 000 through to size 7.

Comprised of bold and colourful geometric knits that pay homage to the 1960’s space-age aesthetic for girls – think mini dresses and knee high boots – and ‘cool-geek’ for little boys, Polka once more breaks the mould to deliver a highly unique and individualistic collection.

Responding to the demand from tween mums for fashion that suits 8-12 year olds, Polka are also launching their spin-off collection, Geogami, this season. Available in sizes 8,10,12 and14, independent minded tweens to teens and their parents are bound to be impressed by this collection, which is indefatigably cool in it’s reference to Japan’s Toyko, and Scandinavian street culture.

With nary a muffin top or surfie motif to be found, Geogami offers tweens and teens a sophisticated alternative to the usual street fashion available to them.

Polka Kids A/W10 Collection and Geogami A/W10 will be available in stores from 12 March. Check here for Polka stockists, and contact Polka for Geogami stockists.

Polka Mod Pod Balaclava Beanie and Mod Pod Dress

My Plastic Heart Knitted Jumper and Euro Trax Black Concave Track Pants, Try This Angle Knitted Jumper and Euro Trax Navy Concave Track Pants, My Power Knitted Jumper and Euro Trax Black Concave Track Pants, Monoscope Knitted Jumper and Euro Trax Black Concave Track Pants

Synery Balaclava Beanie and Synergy Knitted Dress, Synergy Balaclava Beanie and Alpha Beta Pocket Play Dress, Mod Pod Balaclava Beanie and Mod Pod Dress, Kaftania Cotton Lycra Dress and Pandamonium Leggings

Prism Triangle Panel Tee and Euro Trax Black Concave Track Pants, Nemesis Knitted Sleeveless Hoodie and Euro Trax Navy Concave Track Pants, Stylus Velour Jumper and Euro Trax Black Concave Track Pants

Hello Tokyo Cotton Knitted Dress

Wolfgang Black Cap and Future Boy Knitted Jumper and Odyssey Salvage Denim Skinny Leg Jean, Wolfgang Grey Cap and Nemesis Knitted Sleeveless Hoodie and Euro Trax Navy Concave Track Pants

Today’s post written by Miki

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Baby Björn’s – www.babybjorn.com -  founder and namesake, Björn Jakobsen, began creating his now-iconic products back in the early 1960s because, as a frequent babysitter to his brother’s children, he had noticed a lack of products on the market for making parents lives easier.

Baby Björn’s first innovation was the ‘Babysitter’ bouncinette and they also produced one of the very first lightweight travel cots – current models of the Babysitter and the Travel Cot Light (featherweight at just 5kg!) remain parent favourites, and Baby Björn also make a variety of other products including, bibs, potties, booster seats and more to make parents lives with babies simple and stylish.

Baby Björn’s best known products are their pioneering Baby Carriers, which marked a critical shift in ideas around baby-parent contact in 1973 when they were first released – while the benefits of babywearing are well known now, back in the early ’70s it was a revolutionary concept, and Jakobsen had his work cut out for him to make stockists believe in the product.

Fortunately Jakobsen prevailed, and from its humble beginnings back in 1973 the Baby Björn Baby Carrier has now evolved into eight stylish models, two of which are organic, available in a dazzling array of colourways and all designed to be worn by dads just as much as mums.

Good looks aside, it’s the ease of use and comfort for both baby and parent that the Baby Björn Baby Carrier is most famous for. All carriers are made from either organic or Oeko-Tex non-toxic certified fabric, and are designed in close conjunction with parents,  paediatricians and midwives. All Baby Björn Baby Carriers are endorsed by the Australian College of Midwives, making them a worry-free solution for new parents.

Use the Store Locator on the Baby Björn website to find your nearest stockist.

Today’s post written by Leah

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“Once upon a time there was a friendly clothing brand that spoke the language that children speak…”

Is your little ones wardrobe shouting out for something a little different? Perhaps you’re looking for something that is unorthodox whilst being hip at the same time? Well today I have travelled all the way over to Barcelona, Spain, to bring you what you seek in the form of  Bobo Choses – www.bobochoses.com

The fabrics are soft, the patterns sublimelysimple, the colours a mixture of understated and bold – all contributing to statement pieces that will bring to life your child’s wardrobe. This fashion has a conscience too: it comes with a great concept – built in ‘DNA’, which you can input into their website on purchase to launch a 10% donation to a social program in Bangladesh which assists rural women to develop skills in textiles.

The current Bobo Choses summer season range is titled ‘The Donkey and the Stars’,  which features dreams of stars and butterflies,   with the reality turning out to be full of flies and a glorious sunrise. I’ll be on the lookout for the Bobo Choses winter collection ‘The Englishman and the Sitting Bull’. With a name like that the collection is sure to be surreal and memorable.

Bobo Choses is currently not available to buy within Australia, but can be purchased on overseas online boutiques; we love Monsieur Minouchet. Use Xe.com to convert the currency from Euro to AUD$.

Today’s post written by Miki

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Back in July, when I was eight months pregnant with my second child, I had a problem.  I had a very dressy event to go to (it was a garden party at Buckingham Palace – I kid you not!), absolutely nothing suitable to wear that fit me, and neither the inclination nor the bank balance to spend the megabucks that stylish, dressy maternity wear seems to cost.

How I wish somebody like Nicole White had been there for me!  You see, Nicole has recently started up Glamour Mumma – www.glamourmumma.com.au – which hires out glamourous maternity wear to Melbourne-based mums-to-be.

Pregnant women can make an appointment to go to Nicole’s tranquil Glen Iris based studio and try on her almost endless range of stylish maternity clothes from designers like Szabo, Fillyboo, Picchu and Ripe, along with several brands sourced from the US and the UK.  Alternatively Nicole can bring a selection of her range to your home or office, making it blissfully easy to find that perfect outfit to wear.

The cost of hiring a Glamour Mumma garment is $100, which seems like great value to me as it includes pick up, dry cleaning and GST.  The idea of having that extensive and gorgeous wardrobe to raid almost makes me want to get pregnant again!

None of us like spending big bucks on an outfit we’ll only wear once during pregnancy, and we certainly don’t like traipsing around the shops with our big bellies and swollen feet trying desperately to find something that’s even slightly flattering and appropriate. So instead, at least if you live in Melbourne, you can call or email Nicole and she’ll immediately come to your rescue.

Today’s post written by Leah

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In Denmark it is not unsual for a person to go through life without ever posessing a car. Bicycles are the favored mode of transport across much of the country, and most locations are bike friendly. As a result, the bicycles that are designed in this country are quite exceptional and designed to functionally optimally with the users lifestyle. One example which is perfect for families is the new Velorbis Mobii Trike Bicycle.

With a stackhat on my head (check out Nutcase for ultra coolness), the kids in the carrier with the built-in seat belts on – click clack! – I can just imagine myself pedaling this handcrafted Trike Bicycle  around my hometown.

At USD$3,895.00 (possibly what I spend on petrol biannually), this is not a bike for the casual cyclist, but a possiblity for a family wanting to adopt a seriously green alternative. The Velorbis Mobii Trike Bicycle is distributed in Australia by Morgans Bicycles, Alexandria, NSW. Phone (02) 9519 4666 for more details.

The latest edition of  Bubble – The Kids Trade Show, was held at the Business Design Centre in Islingston, London, UK last weekend.

From 31 January-1 February over 200 of the finest designers of boutique baby and kids fashion, nursery good, accessories and toys in the world (including a fabulous Australian contingent: Cocoon Couture, Three Little Trees, Paper Wings, Munster Kids, Tea Princess, and more, were there!) displayed their Autumn/Winter 2010 collections to trend savvy buyers from around the globe. Major trends evident were the dominance of organic cotton and fairtrade, upcycling and more labels choosing to extend their ranges into tween sizes.

KidStyleFile Senior Writer Miki was our scout on the ground at the show, and today she brings you her first round of show picks, chosen for their innovation, design, and sheer charm.

Enjoy! – Angela.

Update: You can read Part 2 of our Bubble London coverage here.

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Animal Tails

One of the many organic and ethically produced brands showing at Bubble was Animal Tails.  As a brand with a conscience, they take it even further than most with all their striking screen printed designs featuring endangered animals such as the Mako shark and the Riverine rabbit.  Their range includes rompers from 0-3m to 6-12m, and tees from 2-3 right up to 9-10.  The girls’ tees have a subtle puff sleeve as an added design feature, and the collection also includes hats and baby blankets.

Animal Tails are stocked in Australia by Aurora Design Studio, although the products are not currently on their website. Please contact the store directly to enquire.

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Barbara Farber

Dutch brand Barbara Farber is ultra feminine and ultra chic.  Designed for the glamour girls among us, the collection features sumptuous fabrics, faux fur, diamantes and fine knits.  Sized from 3 years to 12 years (so a great option for tween girls looking for party pieces), the real charm of the collection is all in the detailing and fine tailoring.  The coats in particular are real standout items; they’re beautifully cut.

Barbara Farber is not currently available in Australia, but we’ll keep you posted on developments.

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Ben Sherman Kids

As a mum of boys I am constantly on the lookout for new and interesting boyswear labels, and Ben Sherman Kids is exactly that.  The brand’s inspiration is focused around the iconic 1960s Carnaby Street rock n roll fashion scene, and British music has clearly been a huge influence on the designs.  Sizing is from baby sizes all the way up to 14, making this an excellent label for tween boys.

Ben Sherman Kids is not available in Australia at this stage.  The Kids range will be launching through the Ben Sherman UK website in March ‘10, and available to buy online from there.

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Cakewalk

Cakewalk, another Dutch brand, is designed around two very simple but effective principles: cheerful and colourful.  Exclusively girlswear (the company catchphrase is ‘girly spirit’), the collection is bold and highly detailed with prints, textured fabric such as cord, and touches such as interesting buttons and stitching detail.  It is sized from baby up to 12 years, and while it isn’t yet available in Australia we will keep you updated on developments.

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Green Eyed Monster

On the scene for over two years now, Green Eyed Monster is focused on cool design with principles.  Design and quality come first with the brand, while ethics come a very close second; the cotton is organic and the dyes and finishes are all non-toxic.  The prints on the tees, rompers, longline tees and dresses are bright and bold, with strong musical and iconic influences; prints include The Beatles’ yellow submarine, Concorde, the chopper bicycle, pacman and Finnish icon the Moomins.  Dresses and longline tees are made more feminine with touches of Crystalline by Swarovski (TM) crystals, and the knitwear is ethically sourced alpaca wool from Peru.

In Australia Green Eyed Monsters is stocked by Cornflower Blue.

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Let Them Eat Cake for Environmental Justice Fund

Exclusive English label Let Them Eat Cake launched their new charity tees at this edition of Bubble London.  Supporting the Environmental Justice Foundation, they are printed on ethical American Apparel tees, and feature pop culture icons John & Yoko and Britney Spears respectively.  The tees were designed in collaboration with well known English artists Annie Kevans and Stella Vine, and are hand printed in Bath, where the brand is based.  Sizing is from 12 months up to 8 years.

The tees will be selling soon through the LTEC website, and we’ll keep you posted as news of more stockists comes to hand.

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Nixie Clothing

One of the most exciting and distinctive collections at Bubble this season was shown Nixie Clothing.  Designer Nicole Frobusch sources vintage and upcycled fabrics to create her distinctive ‘one of a kind’ pieces, resulting in an eclectic and colourful range for girls aged 1 to 12 years.  The collection showing at Bubble included vintage coats using beautiful heavy linen fabric sourced from retro tablecloths and curtains, knitted woollen neck warmers with beautiful lace and button details, knitted jumpers with sweetly ruffled sleeves, and floaty batwing dresses for spring/summer made from upcycled silk scarves.

Nixie Clothing is not yet available in Australia, but see the Nixie website for overseas stockists.

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Their Nibs

Prints-based English label Their Nibs has a vintage inspired collection of fairy and Russian doll printed dresses and coats for girls in chiffon, needle cord and wool.  Detailing includes miniature sequins and antique lace which render the finished pieces whimsical and nostalgic.  Boyswear includes grand prix printed 50’s style box-shaped shirts in needle cord and lumberjack flannel, and well cut woolen coats.

Also new from Their Nibs are cotton jersey pyjamas featuring Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler’s hugely popular Gruffalo in a repeating pattern (along with other favourite characters Mouse, Owl, Fox and Snake).  The pyjamas are available in background colours of blue, pink and ivory and are sized from 18 months up to 5-6 years.  Gruffalo dressing gowns and raincoats are also planned for later this year.  Their Nibs has just extended their license for The Gruffalo to Australia, meaning we can hope to see these products here soon – I predict that Their Nibs will swiftly become very sought after in the Australian market.  We’ll update on stockists as information comes to hand.

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Toby Tiger

Around for 11 years now, Brighton-based Toby Tiger is all about colour and comfort for little people.  Over the years it has grown exponentially, and they now have around 400 stockists, mostly small independent retailers, in the UK along with sales through their own website.  The range is extensive and includes, among many other items, tees, rompers, knitwear, dungarees, dresses, rainwear and gumboots.  All cotton is organic, and head designer/brand owner Zoe Mellor is working to make the entire product range organic in time.  The entire range is impressive, but my standout products are the applique tees and rompers which sport large, child-friendly designs in bold colours, and the stylish printed rainwear.

Toby Tiger currently has no Australian stockists (we’ll keep you updated), but Australian customers can buy direct through their website.

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Uttam Kids & Yumi Girls

The new tween brand from Uttam is Yumi Girls, sized from 5-6 years up to 11-12 years.  As with Uttam, Yumi Girls pieces draw their inspiration from India, Nepal and Japan.  The Autumn/Winter ‘10 Yumi Girls collection has a colourful, vibrant feel with florals, lace, bright nature-inspired prints and even a couple of pieces with a nautical stripes.

Uttam, Uttam Kids, Yumi and Yumi Girls are creations of Nepalese designer Uttam Nepal, who uses sequins, beads, lace and other embellishments to accentuate his eye-catching and on trend pieces.

Yumi Girls is new this season and so is not yet stocked in Australia.  A select range of Uttam Kids can be found at Babies & Kids.

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You can read Part 2 of our Bubble London coverage here.

Please check individual sites for shipping details.

Today’s post written by Angela

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New York.

These two little words have the power to conjure up fabulous visions of the cosmopolitan epicentre of the Western world; all-singing and all-dancing, and bursting with people of all nations who are there in the passionate pursuit of the American Dream.

The energy of this remarkable city, which possesses all manner of cultural treats ranging from low to highbrow, loved in equal measure, is almost impossible to quantify: to me it feels like the exuberance and positivity of this city comes up through the footpath (sidewalk!) and infects you with the genuine desire to smile big and say “Have a nice day!”.

One of my favourite things to do in New York is to visit the Musuem of Modern Art  – MoMA -www.moma.org. Jam packed with some of the finest artworks in the world – namecheck Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne, Warhol, Rothko, Kahlo to list but a few – a trip to the museum is a must-do, and makes for a great outing with kids. Not to mention the finery on display, there are good facilities, onsite cafes, and entry is free after 4pm on Fridays. MoMA also has two most impressive stores onsite offering up a fine collection of aesthetically pleasing designed products, including a stunning selection of goodies for kids.

If want to live vicariously then you can shop at the online MoMA Store. My top picks for kids include the Bauhaus spinning top, the Eames’ House of Cards, Alexander Girard stacking blocks, the Kikkerland Double Rainbow Maker (one of the best ‘toys’ I have ever bought, it is solar powered and sends prisms of lights dancing around the room), Peter Mayor’s ShapeScapes sculpture in a box set, and Muji’s iconic New York City in a Bag – the perfect addition to your child’s building block collection.

Click each individual image below for product details and pricing.

MoMA Store ships internationally based on weight. Click here for full postage and delivery information.

Today’s post written by Leah

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T-shirts are the uniform of childhood: practical, easy care and super comfortable they are an easy win for parents and kids. I am always on the lookout for unique t-shirts for my kids, so when I came across Threadless Kids – kids.threadless.com, the offshoot of the grown-ups t-shirt brand Threadless, I was instantly in t-shirt heaven.

The Threadless Kids range is truly phenomenal with literally hundreds of designs, colours and styles to choose from. All t-shirts, onesies and hoodies are 100% ring spun cotton and cater for all ages from 0-12 years with adult versions available as well. The sizing is in American format, so with babies sizing is in months and toddlers/adolescents in 2, 4, 6, 8. 10 and 12. Pricing ranges from USD$ 9.00 – USD$30.00 for t-shirts, onesies and hoodies.

Threadless is is unique in that it is also an online community where designers around the world can interact with the buying public to discuss ideas and receive feedback. Have you got an idea for a t-shirt? Well at Threadless you can submit your design, receive feedback and based on its popularity, and have it added to the range!

Another delight at Threadless is their custom of providing unique names for each product. You will find “Hey. Let’s Go Do Fun Stuff”, “Loch Ness Imposter”, “Nothing Rhymes with Orange” and “The League of Cliché Evil Super-Villains” among their wide range of cooler than cool items.

A useful hint: if you sign up for their newsletter (see their homepage) you will receive special member only offers regularly through the year.

Threadless Kids ship internationally. Click here to read the full Service & Help FAQ.