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FALL/WINTER
2013 TINA BARRY EDITOR'S
PICKS
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Christine Dubin means it
when she says Miou
Kids, her collection of
fine alpaca wool knitwear for children, is "a company
with heart." A women's collective in rural Peru
hand-knits each gorgeous piece. In addition to steady
employment at a fair wage, five percent of the profits go
to the knitters' children's education. Colors such as the
boys' sweaters in delicate silver gray and light cocoa,
and the infant's teal gown and hat, range from the palest
neutrals to the deepest hued tones. While knitting varies
from chunky quilted designs to stunning, lacy patterns
like the plum hat, swing coat, and leggings. (Fits NB to
5 years, $40-$50. wholesale) For more information, call
778-462-3444, or visit mioukids.com.
With so many choices of
beautifully colored, originally patterned and ultra soft
organic pieces from Sweet
Peanut's fall collection,
it's difficult to narrow favorites to just a few, but
here goes: I adore the retro mood and always fresh
tomato, black and white duo of the See The World group.
I'd buy every piece of the adorably patterned Sing Your
Song group; and the olive and pretty pink combo in the
Sixties' styled patterns of the Dig Deep group just make
me happy. (Fits NB to 24 months, $9-$15 wholesale.) For
more information, visit sweetpeanut.com.
Louis and Norma Di Paolo
crafted a classic yet timely fall 2013 line of
Alessia
special occasion pieces. One of my favorites for fall is
the Audrey Hepburn-esque dress in "look-at-me" red with
textural details at the shoulders. I appreciate, too, the
way the stripes and their classic tones add surprise to a
traditional silhouette. (Fits 4 to 16 years. Wholesale
prices approximately $39-$75.) For more information, call
866-293-0311, or visit alessiaclothing.com.
Holli Gibson at
LamanBlu's
fall 2013 pieces blend retro touches with modern ease.
There's a little country in the soft denim dress edged in
embroidered ribbon, and perhaps a bit of Woodstock in the
machine washable, hand-ombre-dyed silk knit outfits.
(Fits 6 months to 8 years, $20-$49 wholesale.) For more
information, call 720-837-1452, or visit lamanblu.com.
I'm a fan of Maria
Frallicciardi's
Elephantito
fall 2013 collection for good reason. It isn't glitzy or
trend-driven, and yet her pieces always look fresh. Take
the pink wool coat. The lines are classic and perfect
when paired with the Liberty prints she favors for
separates. It's a flattering piece that happens to have
great versatility: wear it with any garment - jeans
included - and it will add a touch of elegance and
whimsy. The soft wool plaid dress needs nothing more than
small velvet bow to make it pop. (Fits 3 months to 12
years, $26-$60 wholesale.) For more information, call
888-776-9541, or visit elephantito.com.
When you begin with the
purest fabrics, you don't want to muck up the works with
extraneous detail or screaming colors. Nohi
employs certified organic
cotton, bamboo fiber and a touch of Spandex for their
ultra soft and simple infant and kidswear. For fall 2013,
the colors are lively and the prints, such as the Deer
Romper (NB to 18 months, $17.50 wholesale) and the Girl's
Snowflake Sash Dress (12 months to 8 years, $19.75)
reference playful winter motifs. For more information,
call 415.271.8924, or visit nohikids.com.
A favorite from
Sophie
Catalou's fall 2013
collection is the Tiered Dress from the Siena group. The
play polka dots, the silky fabric, that red(!): What's
there not to love? For more information, call
917-617-8946, or visit sophiecatalou.com.
There's a bit of the
kid-gone-wild in Corinne Rickenbach's fall 2013
Persnickety
collection. She likes a little of this and a bit of that:
brocade with corduroy, unmatched patterns, lace with
everything. It's a fun "build-an-outfit" approach that
ends with a collage of references: Sixties, Seventies,
Eighties, pairing harmoniously. Two favorites: the gold
lace jacket with appliquéd circle skirt and
leggings. And for the older girl: a military styled
jacket with feminine floral pants. (Fits 12 months to 12
years, $20-$80 wholesale.) For more information, call
801-658-0400, or visit persnicketyclothing.com.
Emerald, amethyst, silver:
Inshi Khanna at Cupcakes
& Pastries isn't afraid
of bold color or ornate trims. For fall 2013, her looks
are easy to wear yet exotic, not a combination one finds
in every collection. (Fits 12 months to 12 years, $22-$50
wholesale.) Call 213-769-8272, or visit cupcakesandpastries.com.
Even when a garment is
black or animal print, there's nothing hard-edged in the
Isobella
& Chloe fall 2013
collection of dresses and separates. One can find soft
watercolor shades, such as the lovely tulle vest and
dresses with ballet-like appeal. Chic boucle jackets
edged in velvet ribbon turn simple black tees and
leggings into something special. (Fits 3 months to 14
years, $16-$40 wholesale.) For more information, call
626-457-8823, or visit isobellaandchloe.com.
Everyone loves peplum for
fall 2013, and why not? It can look retro or modern,
depending on the fabrications, and flatters the figure
too. Norma Di Paolo's chic lace peplum top dress for
Alessia
draws attention to a slim waist and can hide a bit of
tummy too. And who doesn't love black lace? (Collection
fits 4 to 20 years, $17-$70 wholesale.) For more
information, call 514-276-0311, or visit alessiaclothing.com.
For the fall 2013 season,
A.Bird
worked its signature side-buttoned shape into tops as
well as tunic-length jackets and colored them in soft
sepia tones for an old world effect. (Collection fits 12
months to 12 years, $11.95-$63.95 wholesale.) For more
information, call 904-710-3549, or visit abirdbaby.com.
Mother/daughter dressing
can be so cliché: Matching Peter Pan collars.
Coordinating jumper sets. Now hip moms and their
daughters can look tres chic in Zaza
Couture's Pour la Femme, a
new line for women with matching girls' sizes, like the
pretty jewel-toned Beatrix dress and child's matching
pom-pom-trimmed two-piece set. (Women: S-XL. Girls: 12
months to 12 years. Contact manufacturer for pricing).
The red, teal and gold Valentina dresses inspire
cartwheels. For more information, call 214-750-9918, or
visit zazacouture.com.
For readers of my columns,
it will be no surprise that I'm featuring more of Hilda
Yim's Siaomimi
collection for fall 2013. As I've said before, she's the
master of color as well as pattern mixing, and for this
season she's outdone herself with perfect scale, dusty
and rich tones and quirky, easy-to-love silhouettes. The
Mia Dress features two floral prints, embroidered ribbon
and sweet touches like a bib detail and drop-waist for a
piece with a lot of depth. Earth tones, narrow shapes,
contrasting collar, cuffs and waistband and and a funky
fox graphic give the boy's outfit quirky charm. (Fits 12
months to 8 years, $20-$55 wholesale.) For more
information, contact the Tiny
Ginger Showroom
212-564-9606, or visit siaomimi.com.
Joy Cha,
who designs the Lemon
Loves Lime
and Gnu
Brand collections,
is known for exquisite use of color and fanciful
appliques. So why is one of my favorite pieces this white
outfit from her new Lemon Loves Layette collection? That
white just looks so fresh, and yes, there are a lot of
ruffles. The outfit just screams ?baby? in the most
delightful way. (Baby basics fit NB to 24 months, $16-$24
wholesale.) For more information, call 639-260-7885, or
visit lemonloveslime.com.
I'm never bored with the
Mim-Pi
collection. How could I be when designer Eleonora
Nieuwenhuizen works magic with color - intense color! -
mixing electric and bright sky blues with hot pinks and
limes, blends pattern with pattern; and why settle for
one texture when you can have five? Or ten? From her fall
2013 multi-piece line, my choice for the coolest outfit:
the patterned jacket over the cool girl graphic tee and
fun fringed skirt guarantee a good time. (Fits NB to 10
years, contact manufacturer for pricing.) For more
information, call the Curly
Girls Showroom
212-967-6457, or visit mim-pi.com.
Crazy for color? Can't get
enough pattern? Me
Too! That's the company
that takes the brightest tones and runs wild, mixing
citrus with floral hues and bold graphics with demure
allover patterns, like these fall 2013 pieces that work
better than Prozac for a girl's mood. (Fits NB to 8
years, contact manufacturer for pricing.) For more
information, call 514-382-6501, or visit creationsrobo.com.
As much as I love saturated
color, some collections, such as Wheat
that work with softer tones, speak to me. For fall 2013,
the colors stay muted, the shapes carefully crafted, and
the patterns on the demure side. The outfits evoke an
elegant confidence, as if they - and the child who wears
them - expect to be noticed and admired, but wouldn't
dream of screaming for your attention. (Fits 1 month to
14 years, $3-$45 wholesale). For more information, call
410-626-1508, or visit wheatusa.com.
China inspired
Tea
Collection designer Emily
Meyer whose fall 2013 line tapped into the country's
exoticism, stylized prints and unique way with color.
Here she mixes comfortable, feminine shapes with rich
jewel tones and mixes it with different sized patterns.
For the boy, primary tones give the tee and hoodie a
cartoon mood. (Fits 3 months to 12 years, $9-$34
wholesale.) For more information, call or visit
teacollection.com.
This subtly colored dress
is a favorite of mine from the fall 2013 Go
Gently collection of
organic cotton sportswear. Everything from the loose,
smock-like shape to the delicately drawn girl and fawn
graphic possesses quiet charm. (Fits 3 months to 6 years,
$14-$29 wholesale.) For more information, call
310-980-1104, or visit gogentlybaby.com.
A favorite for fall 2013 is
Stella
Industries' aptly named
tulle confection Celeste, a be-ruffled stunner with the
shimmer of glitter and a high/low skirt. Did someone say,
"Party"? (Fits 12 months to 16, contact manufacturer for
pricing.) For more information, call 213-627-2676, or
visit stellaindustries.com.
Newcomer TJ Hamilton brings
luxurious fabrications and understated design to the boys
and girls kids' fashion market with Sew
Lati Couture. One outfit
that reminds me of the glamorous loungewear of the
Sixties is the silk charmeuse set in the lushest shade of
deep plum. (Fits boys and girls 2 to 6 years, $19-$99.)
For more information, call 866-283-7671, or visit
sewlaticouture.com.
There's a lot to admire
about Amelia's
fall 2013 collection, but it's the color choices that
make it so unique. The Milan-based company worked with
soft green, charcoal and taupes in both the girls' and
boys' collections, so the pieces look and feel "couture,"
and have a modern, unisex feel as well. (Fits NB to 8
years. Contact manufacturer for pricing.) For more
information, call the Drew
NY Showroom 718-232-0012,
or visit ameliamilano.it.
Working
with super soft cotton cashmere for fall 2013, designer
Leslie Pitts at Lucky
Jade
fashions easy pieces with playful animal and vehicle
motifs, like this rocket charmer with the cute striped
pants. (Fits NB to 24 months, $12-$42 wholesale.) For
more information, contact the Thread
Showroom in
New York at 212-801-2387, or visit luckyjadeproducts.com.
You'll think of debutantes,
wrist corsages and carefully curled hair when you see
this group of nostalgic dresses from Blush
at Us Angels. Colored in cosmetic tones of dusty pale
pink, off white and sandy beige, the pieces are treated
to a mix of lush fabrications such as sequins and
gold-brushed lace, and swirls of metallic like
embellishment that glimmer without hogging the show.
(Fits 12 months to 12 years. Contact manufacturer for
pricing.) For more information, call 213-624-4477, or
visit usangels.com.
Majd Jauhary-Nayfeh, whose
Janum
sportswear line for boys and girls, made her debut at the
recent Children's Club. "The new collection," she says,
"is all about having fun and keeping the wild imagination
running." The kids sure look foxy in the striped dress
with the lovely open back and leggings, and boy's bold
graphic tee. For more information, call 914-433-3264, or
visit janumny.com.
China has worked its way
under designer Emily Meyer's skin. For fall 2013,
Tea
Collection references the
country in recognizable ways, such as the infant's
kimono-style top in a peony print with wine leggings, and
in pieces that simply suggest the place, as in the boldly
striped dress over a thinly striped T-shirt. While
Meyer's collections are always winners, this one has it
all: charm, romance, humor, pattern galore, and rich,
saleable color. (Fits 3 months to 12 years, $9-$34
wholesale.) For more information, call or visit
teacollection.com.
Out of hundreds of knockout
collections, Uli Belenky at Zutano
has outdone herself for Fall 2013. Her palette is bright
and upbeat without a single harsh note, and her graphics
"celebrate all the 'super' things kids bring to our
lives." The Reversible Hoodie is printed in Super Clever,
an experimental laboratory come to life, worn over a
striped tee and comfy pants. The child in glasses wears
the Reversible Zip Hoodie in Superstripe, over the Super
Clever T-shirt and skinny, Matchstick Jeans in soft
French Terry. See how well the pieces combine. And what a
breeze to merchandise! (NB to 4T, $5.25-$27 wholesale).
For more information, call 802-563-2061, or visit
zutano.com.
Welcome newcomer Laura
Moylan who debuted Emerald
August at the January 2013
Children's Club. Moylan, who attended the Savannah
College of Art and Design, is inspired by the clean
silhouettes of the mid-Twentieth Century. The
collection's central piece is the Signature Tunic,
available in several exotic, spice-colored patterns as
well as navy corduroy. The tunic can be worn solo or
paired with any of the narrow leggings in the collection.
In addition to the tunic, Moylan offers simple solid as
well as graphic T-shirts, swing tops in French Terry,
minis and a dress. (2 to 10 years, $11-$27 wholesale.)
For more information, call 800-784-7641, or visit
emeraldaugust.com.
Buyer favorite
Lemon
Loves Lime introduces a new
fall 2013 collection for the fashionable infant: Lemon
Loves Layette. Two groups include Guess Who: bright
one-pieces, knit sweaters and hats with flower and animal
motifs. Baby Basics is a ruffle-driven collection of hats
and separates. The Jada Dress (in Eggnog), with designer
Joy Cha's signature tiers of scalloped flounces, is sure
to break a few hearts. For more information, call
630-260-7885, or visit lemonloveslime.com.
Originally
published March 1, 2013
