If the mere mention of “Mommy and me” dressing elicits painful flashbacks of frilly dresses with large lace collars, take a deep breath and envision a pair of black cashmere crewnecks from The Row instead. Mary-Kate Olsen’s luxe line is just one of many fashion-insider labels. These are the parents who want to dress their children as well. Big fashion houses such as Burberry and Ralph Lauren pushed shoppers to pay a lot for small-sized designer pieces. Now smaller, cult-favorite brands are offering a new aesthetic, a noticeable departure from traditional kids’ styles. You’ll find more casual, minimalist designs in neutrals or subdued colours that don’t categorize genders and allow for greater flexibility. Think less smocked floral dresses and more loose, slouchy pants.
The Row debuted its first kids’ capsule collection last September, invading the cutesy territory of Bonpoint and Jacadi with its signature solid separates for ages 2 to 10. As an adult, it was hard not to swoon over the first cashmere collection made in Italy. It included $590 lounge pants and a $650 belted cardigan. As a mom, however, I found it hard not to wonder if these pieces could withstand a little drool—or worse. But what’s a dry cleaning bill in the name of fashion?
The Row is a top performer at Ssense, a Montreal-based fashion-forward luxury retailer. So it was a natural extension to carry the kids’ line, too, says Brigitte Chartrand, vice president of womenswear buying. She also oversees the children’s assortment, which launched last spring. Her goal? “To curate an offering that feels ‘less junior,’” she says. “What performs well for Ssense Kids mirrors what works well on the adult side in terms of styling and aesthetic.” The young models on the Ssense website pout and pose like their adult counterparts—the only difference being that their heights, listed online for sizing purposes, are in inches rather than feet.
Although smiling may not be part and parcel of the styling, it is something that kids will appreciate. Comfort is a key selling point. Take Ssense’s exclusive capsule with Fear of God Essentials Kids, from designer Jerry Lorenzo. The collection’s core is made up of cotton T-shirts and fleece separates. These pieces are staples for every parent who knows that there are always kids at the playground. But Lorenzo’s design details, like a mock neck on a sweatshirt or a wider leg on a short, elevate the look immeasurably. Primary colors be damned, Essentials’ styles are cast in shades of khaki, pale sage, and brownish mustard. These are great for school pickups and street-style photo shoots. Tell me what you think.
This style is a great choice for parents who are willing to dip into their savings to get it. Saks Fifth Avenue launched a $490 navy blue Palm Angels hoodie and $690 Rick Owens high top sneakers. It also launched a $985 Off White bomber jacket. Although the logo and branded elements do best, the impressive growth in the children’s category in general means the high-end department store plans to “continue expanding our kids’ assortment and testing more minimal and neutral styles,” says chief merchandising officer Tracy Margolies. Saks carved out a “Mini Me” edit on its website, which includes big and little versions of a black Balmain sweatshirt, black Balenciaga sock sneakers, and black Moschino sweatpants.
As with most aspects of life, it helps to include moms. London-based designer Rejina Pyo used her own experiences as a parent to inform the launch of her kids’ line last spring. “I wanted to make sure that the sizing and designs were versatile, that the kids could wear them for more than a few months, and that they could be passed on to other family members or friends after they grow out of them,” she says.
Volume can help with that. So does elastic. A pair of cotton twill leopard trousers can be worn full-length, the Rejina Pyo website notes, “or as culottes as the child grows.” I could envision the “Nora” dress, with its sweet Peter Pan collar, becoming a tunic over leggings thanks to the elastic at the waist and sleeves. Pyo reuses materials from her adult designs whenever possible. The leopard print featured in her spring 2021 collection was used to make a utility jacket in the kids’ line.
This kind of through line helps customers see the connection between the adults’ and kids’ assortments, according to Kelly Dowdy, co-owner and buyer at English Rabbit, a children’s boutique in Beverly Hills.
Similar silhouettes and embellishments go a long way, too—anything that telegraphs a link between kids and their grown-ups. Dowdy had high-waisted mom jeans and sweatshirts with shoulderpads on the sales floor when we spoke. (Yes, mom jeans. For kids.)
Dowdy still ensures that designs from adult brands are suitable to children. Sometimes prints can be too sophisticated or too mature. She’s even passed on one style of children’s Golden Goose sneakers that was a little too distressed for her taste. “Someone who is spending that price point on a kid’s shoe, they don’t want it to look completely destroyed,” she says. It is better to let the children apply the patina.
This article appears in ELLE’s March 2022 issue.
Source: elle
