The World Comes to ENK Children’s Club 2013

New York City’s Javits Center was the site of the 2013 ENK Children’s Club, held March 10-12. Gorgeous color and elaborate details abounded with vendors showing a range of merchandise from clothing sized for newborns up to tweener twelves, layette items, fashion accessories, and footwear, to toys and gifts. Children’s Club color trends made the most of peach, coral and dusty rose as well as palettes of mint green, mandarin orange and aqua. Downplay “pink for girls and blue for boys” — in today’s fashion, color variety rules.

Over seven hundred collections were featured with international exhibitors from countries including Israel, Japan, Italy, Peru, Brazil, The UK, Belgium, Holland, France, Spain, Portugal, Chile, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. Birds were at the forefront in design trends, with many vendors showing merchandise featuring swans, flamingos, peacocks and chicks. Super-hero themes made a big splash as did pleather and leather, snakeskin and other reptile motifs, and all things biker. The Giggle Guide’s eye was caught by many exhibitors, including Masala Baby, Bizzy Beeginnerz, Siaomimi and Peaches ‘n Cream.

Masala Baby Offers Color and Comfort from India

When customers are looking for modern, eclectic clothes and accessories for little ones, point out the snap and pop of Masala Baby. This young, Brooklyn, NY-based company caters to tots 3 months thru 10 years. The line includes dresses, skirts, tunics, shirts, pants, tees, one-pieces and accessories, and is noted for its signature colors of saffron, clove brown, raani pink, indigo blue and turmeric yellow. Fabrics are exclusively sourced from India, using only natural materials and constructed using traditional methods, including handloom, block printing, hand screening, hand embroidery and appliqué techniques.

The popular Gypsy dress for girls continues as a customer favorite with a lining to make it perfect for cooler fall weather. Maya is an easy-to-wear A-line silhouette with a stitched yoke and pom-pom lace detailing. Samode, available in tie-die plum navy or blue, sports a rosette brooch detail on the chest. Leela has a layered look and comes with a girly flower pin that completes the outfit.

New offerings for baby girls are two-piece sets. Maya for little ones is a spin-off of the Maya style for older girls that can be paired with super-soft vicose knit leggings. April is a long, stylish jumper topped off by a beanie hat. For boys, the new Spirit shirt riffs on the existing tunic styling with stitching detail at the collar. Dandy pants are available in Cream Corduroy and Blue Chambray to mix and match with different shirts. Dandy is also available as a two-piece offering for baby boys to pair with either (or both) knit or chambray pants.

For color and comfort: www.masalababy.com

Bizzy Beeginnerz Takes It on the Cuff

Bizzy Beeginnerz builds in value and durability with a variety of items that adapt to a child’s growth. BB’s pants come with coordinating cuffs can be worn unrolled, for those children who need the extra length, or rolled up once and even twice for those who have yet to hit a growth spurt. Black corduroy pants for the twelve-month-old set feature a skater vibe on the red, white and black scroll cuff trim while denim pants show off a red-white-and-blue madras cuff.

A yummy chocolate brown skirt features a flirty green cotton ruffle on the bottom. Buyers can opt to skip the ruffle and order the skirt with a grosgrain ribbon around the edge of the skirt instead. Skirts adapt to growing girls, as they can be worn at or below the knee. Both skirts and pants also have comfy elastic waistbands for stretch.

Aprons come with an interactive play panel option and are “one size fits most” so little divas or dudes can wear them. Made of sturdy denim with an adjustable Velcro waist, they open to reveal a play panel and can be worn over regular clothing, keeping what is underneath tidy.

Two new panels have been added to the apron choice. One features farm babies and their moms so kids can match them. Opening the farm door shows who is inside and teaches counting skills as does counting the number of apple on the tree. And, a Bizzy Bee also hides in every panel. The Car Track panel sports a cops-and-robbers scene to chase the baddie down. Both city and country life are shown, so there are many fun ways to play with this and all the other panels.

Grow your business with www.bizzybeeginnerz.com

Fall for the Siaomimi Style

Softness is key to happy kids’ skin, so apparel made of fine cotton and cotton cashmere makes for special buys. Siaomimi has always made prints a focus of its collections and this season is no exception. Many prints are exclusive, some hand- block printed for an upscale look. This season’s bouquet floral print features a swirling pattern of mixed flowers.

Other key items include the Lauren dress with an exposed contrast zipper on the back, as well as hand knit chunky sweaters in a Fair Isle pattern and a dashing Pom Pom cardigan. Fall/Winter 2013 is inspired by a mix of nature, using rich colors including maple, berry, pine, emerald and sapphire combined with ethnic craft details.

For young ladies, the easy, comfy jumpsuit works as playwear for a day on the go. Featured in a magenta gardenia floral print, this item has spaghetti straps and an elastic waistband. As the weather cools, add a long-sleeved tee underneath. A lightweight cardi is perfect to pop over any outfit for an extra layer and Siomimi’s, with a crew neck and long sleeves, is a perfect choice.

A reversible coat with bold multi-colored dots will keep a girl warm as leaves begin to fall; when it is soiled, it goes right into the washing machine. For a finishing touch, display the crocheted necklace, a stunning addition to any outfit. For the super-fashionable girl who wants to dress just like mom, Siaomimi offers an ankle length boot in charcoal with faux buttons climbing up the side.

A hoodie for boys embellished with a feather print on the front comes in such a wide range of colors; many are equally suited to little sisters.

For more information, visit www.shopsiaomimi.com

Peaches ‘n Cream for Brothers ‘n Sisters

Since 1946, Peaches ‘n Cream by Bonaventure, LLC has been a popular brand offering well-made clothes for little girls. In recent years, the company added a boys’ line — “Boys ‘n Berries” — to be able to offer the kind of brother and sister outfits many customers crave.

One way to spell adorable is with ruffled pants beneath a matching dress. Blue and white dots reverse to white and blue dots as the supporting cast for a vibrant dress with a big, bright flower on the chest.

The Tropic Thunder group makes merry with dresses, both long and short, in green and pink with splashes of orange, many with matching headbands. Pink Lemonade is a nod to innocence in bright green and pink with white accents and touches of black. Tops and matching skirts roll out in Candy Couture with most offerings available to fit the littlest newborn up to a 6X.

For shoppers who like the sophistication of black, but like it tamed for kids, there is the Chelsea group with tunics, dresses and matching leggings with bright white-with-pink-centered daisies on a black ground.

Wallie and Willie signals styles especially for boys, many designed to coordinate with a sister’s outfit. While keeping little tigers’ imaginations and creativity in the forefront, these clothes are colorful and creative. Items have colorful appliqués and three-dimensional designs, all in the spirit of fun.

For sugar and spice: www.peaches-n-cream.com