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Between the Shows: July 25, 2008 Editor's Note: Some of our sponsor companies prefer to keep their children's businesses out of the national and regional wholesale trade show circuits (or at least not attend all the shows every season). So to keep you abreast of collections you won't find (or find infrequently) in trade venues, we're starting this new column. We think you'll like our "Between the Shows" reviews as much as you've told us you enjoy our trade show coverage.
JAMIE RAE HATS Homebase: Merced, CA DESIGNER: Jamie Rae Wells Children's Sizes: 6 to 12 months and 12 to 18 months; Wholesale prices for Pipettes: $10 In 2005, Wells had a brilliant idea: Take a simple cotton knit hat and embellish it with a big flower. Children's buyers went wild. The bright toppers turned babies into picture perfect blooms. After that, the designer launched equally charming headbands, and soon after, every playground resembled a garden in springtime. Sprouting for spring: Lots of pink dots, animal prints.
Hot find: The Pipette. This little tube top makes a great coordinate to Wells' hair accessories, and, as you can see, the ideal match to this season's hippest item: the tutu. Tel: 209-756-4853
GIDDY GIDDY Homebase: Oakland, CA DESIGNER: Teri Dimalanta, owner, "crafter extraordinaire" Children's Sizes: 1 to 12 years; Wholesale prices: $4 hair accessories; $12 pouches What does an investment analyst do when her little girl's Mohawk is unmanageable? She designs a snap-on barrette with a charming felt appliqué and viola! that Mohawk behaves. Since her initial creation four years ago, the avid crafter has fashioned birds, cup cakes, flowers, cars - you name it - into stay-put children's hair ornaments and free spirited pouches.
Hot find: The owl pouch has a Sixties' hand crafted look that is so relevant in the accessories market this season.
The hair clips are adorable. Tel: 510.336.0245
MONKEY-TOES Homebase: Aurora, CO DESIGNER: Jenny Ford Children's Shoe Sizes: 1 to 10, fits approximately 6 months to 4.5 years; Wholesale prices: Glow bugs $14-$14.50 Ford, who owns the six-year-old Monkey-Toes children's shoe company, describes her customer as "anyone who has children or buys for children. We have a product that makes a great gift item (baby showers, birthdays, holiday gifts), we also see our products as a fun fashion statement."
Hot find: Monkey-Toes new Glow Bugs children's hand-painted tennis shoes and Mary Janes are "tailored to match the current color trends and also the traditional palettes." Halloween inspired her latest collection. "We have found that our Little Ladies, Buzzy Bees and Spunky Spiders have done really well from about mid-August to Halloween because of coordinating costumes. We decided to add a little touch of glow-in-the-dark to the eyes of these styles for fun during trick or treating. Heck, they are a ton of fun in the dark anytime!" says Ford. Tel: 720-231-8726
SARABEAR BASKETS Homebase: Glens Falls, NY DESIGNER: Melissa Bramlage Size: 17" L x 11" W x 6" to top of basket; Wholesale prices: approximately $20 Bramlage's four-year-old children's company offers elegant, real wood, Shaker-style woven baskets lined in a variety of solid and print, all cotton fabrics. The handsome caddy is equipped with pockets, making it ideal for holding all the necessities needed for a diaper change. This year, Bramlage expects sales to hit the $1 million mark. She attributes the sales increase to "a spike in global interest, and a complete overhaul in product design." Bramlage also credits her participation in the 'Target Parent Inventors Program' for the increase in revenue. New custom designed textiles that are free of PVC as well as formaldehyde-free fabric liners are a big draw.
Hot find: All the caddies are attractive and with so many prints to chose from, there's something for any taste. Tel: 518-793-7836
Originally published July 25, 2008
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