New and Classic Brands at ENK Children's Club

From August 3rd through 5th, 2014, ENK International hosted Children’s Club, at New York City’s Pier 94. Over 650 brands ranging from traditional to contemporary; ready-to-wear; swimwear; footwear; accessories; and gift items for infants to pre-teens participated showing Holiday, Resort and Spring 2015 offerings. More than eighty first-time exhibitors were on hand. As additional support, ENK partnered with Children’s Apparel Consulting Group (CACG) to provide companies new to the show with guidance from specially selected experts in sales; marketing and branding; public relations; production and finance. These experts spoke at a seminar on the business of children’s fashion and were available to answer exhibitor questions for all three days of the show.

For the fifth season in a row, Children’s Club rolled out Kids Shop, an event and social media initiative where real kids had the chance to hone their skills as retail buyers, shopping the floor for the looks they loved most. After a morning spent “buying”, Kids Shop shoppers then modeled their selections in a pop-up studio, a feature enjoyed by all.

Among the many outstanding labels, Leesa Valentino from The Giggle Guide^® was especially taken with Dress Rags Playwear, Bonnie Baby London, Tokyo Baby Cafe and mbaby by Munchkin, making its debut at the show.

Dress Rags: Made in the USA with Japanese Fabrics

Putting a capital “P” in Playwear, Spring 2015 brings ice cream colors and snow cone-inspired fabrics from Japan, courtesy of Dress Rags Playwear. Here are clothes made in the USA that can go from lunch with Grandma to a play date with friends, all in imported easy-care and easy-wear fabrics.

Blue Dot, a smart white dot on a blue ground, comes as the sassy Sand Bucket Skirt; Road Runner Shorts with an easy-pull-on elastic waist; the Jungle Gym Jumper; and the T-Ball Tank, all in sizes to fit 2-8. The breezy Rumpled Yarn Dress Shirting is yarn-dyed and machine washable in cold. The Ice Cream Sundae Dress is available in raspberry or mint multi, both with breezy shoulder ties for a relaxed look.

The Red Rover Romper, of cool cotton in raspberry sorbet, grapecicle and mint chip has a shirred bodice with color that deepens towards the hem (the secret is dip dying). The same ice creamery colors also make up the Honeysuckle Halter and Somersault Skort, both designed for free movement and a lighthearted approach to warm weather dressing.

Shoppers will fall for the Flutter Bug Frock that sports wide sleeves, just like a butterfly, made for running, leaping or even trying to fly. Dress Rags Playwear Spring 2015 says outdoor fun in many different ways.

For more information, visit www.dressrags.com

Bonnie Baby Has Luxe Looks for Little Ones

Beautiful British clothes for babies and children are the hallmarks of Bonnie Baby, a company started in 2005 by designer Tracey Samuels. For very young ladies, merchants should take note of the Tinker playsuit in an upbeat “Spot the Bunny” print made of organic cotton jersey with a contrast chest pocket and contrasting color inside the back of the neck. Tinker comes in crème/pink, pearl grey/dark grey and primrose/dark grey to fit sizes: 0-18 months.

For a charmer of a tee-shirt, bright pink or yellow appliquéd stars splash across gray stripes in a look that pairs perfectly with the Flipp skirt and Nomad pants. Top off an outfit with a cotton cardigan that is Stellar both by name and design with a roll-edge neck and fine ribs on the cuffs and hem, available in cream/yellow and gray mélange/pink, sized for tots 6-12 months up to 5 years.

Bonnie Baby also offers luxury looks for little lads like the Chip Cardigan with a textured triangle geometric stitch and logo button fastening, a perfect item for mid-season layering. Adorable is the only word for the Ricky short-sleeved playsuit with a sleeping lion’s face, complete with 3D knitted ears on the chest. Made of cloud-like cotton, Ricky comes in navy and gray mélange with teeny contrast logo buttons at the shoulder opening.

Best of all, for vendors who want to show larger sizes, as of Spring/Summer 2015, Bonnie Baby now runs offers items to fit kids up to 7 years.

Rule Britannia: www.bonniebaby.co.uk

Tokyo Baby Cafe Serves Super Hair Care

Tokyo Baby Cafe is a best- selling “mommy-and-me” hair care line from Tokyo, Japan. Formed as a collaborative effort between Armada-Style INC , the parent company, and an actual café of the same name, Tokyo Baby Cafe is a real life “safe haven” for moms and kids under age seven as well as mothers to-be.

Hair care products were developed with a similar concept in mind: to provide mothers with personal care products that were not only safe for them, but gentle and enjoyable for little ones as well. For new mothers, the lotus-scented shampoo and conditioner is soft on hair and skin and totally safe to use on little ones. The conditioner hydrates with coconut and olive oil and soothes with aloe vera extract. In addition, it is sulfate, paraben and dye-free so there is no chance of irritating tender skin.

The children’s shampoo was formulated to be totally tear-free and comes out of the bottle as a smooth, lightweight peach-scented foam with ingredients including honey, organic olive oil, shea butter and Hirami lemon from Okinawa. Bottles equipped with a pump dispenser hold 10.14 fluid ounces. Stock up on gentle, effective and yummy-smelling shampoo for tots with shampoo and conditioner for moms.

Add bounce to each purchase: www.tokyobabyusa.com

Munchkin’s mbaby: Masterful and Mindful

Munchkin, known and admired for its baby gear, has introduced mbaby, a layette line for wee ones from one to twelve months old. The new Sleepster has convertible feet that can be used as footies or rolled and cuffed. The logic behind this design is simple: when babies begin to pull up and cruise their area, they have an easier time when barefoot. Then when time to snooze arrives, caregivers can slip the footies back on so little feet stay warm during that all-important nap. This clever feature takes the place of putting on socks which can be a scramble plus they often come off. The Sleepster also features a “built-in blanket”, so there is an extra layer of fabric on the front to keep a baby comfy when sleeping.

Another clever innovation comes via the Onester, mbaby’s version of the one-piece romper, available in Bright White, Regal Blue Gingham, Aqua and Cherry Red. While the back has a double layer, the front is single ply. The beauty of this feature shows up when a tot is lifted from a car seat, emerging without a sweaty back. Warm in front; cooler in back — altogether pretty neat. The Peter Pan Petite Dot Onester has a sweetly feminine ruffled collar and cheery red polka dots, a great spring and summer look. Shoppers also wax poetic about the Bouquet Floral Sunsuit with ruffles on the butt and snaps at the bottom for easy diaper changing.

For boys, the nautical look Onester and Sleepster win raves and everyone is delighted with the way the outfits in this line look fresh from the start and stay that way. The River Blue Anchor pattern short-sleeve Onester, a very boyish look, offers the “hidden” extra layer. The Layette Collection includes a white organic cotton Onester and a reversible jacket to top it as well as the cardigan in Powder Blue combined with a matching Converti Pant that changes from a footie to a cuff as the baby grows. Well thought-through and designed features spell great success for this line.

Cool on the back and warm in front make for hot sellers: www.munchkin.com/mbaby-learn-more.html