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Children's Club Spring 2008: All the News That's Fit to Print

It's October, the leaves are falling, it's autumn in New York (though it hardly feels like it is but more on that later), and of course, that means it's time for the October (14-16, 2007) Children's Club for Spring/Summer 2008.

October also signifies the end of yet another seemingly endless fashion cycle, but the one I'm referring to is for the grown up set; the prestigious international Spring 2008 collections for men and women have just come to an official close and the designers have 'spoken'. As I love to point out, what is presented for the young ones (be it clothing, home furnishings, or accessories), continues to mimic that which is presented for adults, with a constant narrowing of the gap and blurring of the lines between age groups in general.

Since the fashion shows are fresh in my mind (I attended New York Fashion Week in September and eagerly watched as the news unfolded in London, Milan, and Paris), it makes the comparison between the markets for all age groups, even more pronounced, and it makes the Children's Club even more fun to cover and observe.

Without doubt, THE BIG NEWS on the runways in each of the four major fashion capitals was the print story. It was a veritable print explosion as all manner of prints and patterns were seemingly transposed onto every imaginable surface, from head to toe (and everything in between). Abstracts, geometrics, dots, circles, stripes, argyles, plaids, paisleys, scribble prints, graffiti prints, photo prints, and painterly prints inspired by world renowned paintings and artists showed up on clothing, hats, handbags, scarves, legwear, and shoes. Often, some of the above were mixed together in eye popping and offbeat combinations.

Gigglygear's pink polka dot photo tote.

And then there were florals (an entire category in and of itself). In fact, there were so many blooming florals (both floral prints AND floral accessories, sometimes mismatched), the runways began to resemble one big botanical garden.

Well, surprise, surprise (or not), the one thing that struck me as I navigated the aisles of the Jacob Javits Convention Center (the venue for Children's Club) was the dizzying number of prints, patterns, geometrics, artistic renderings, painterly reproductions, dots, circles, stripes, and florals popping out at me from the surfaces of clothing, footwear, legwear, eyeglasses, bags, carryalls, hair accessories, burp clothes, diaper covers, home furnishings, blankets and bedding. In some cases, even the displays or packaging were printed and in one case, the backdrop for a booth was a hand painted mural which perfectly 'advertised' the designer's artistic talents.

Dolly and Dimples' hand painted screen at their booth.

Speaking of prints and patterns (and the children's market mimicking that of the grownups)…one category where whimsical prints have really made their mark is on rain boots. Almost nowhere have interesting prints been more ubiquitous, than on the popular all weather rubber rain boot (affectionately known as the 'Wellie'). And with all the wet weather we've been subjected to in the past (and will no doubt be subjected to in the future), it's not uncommon to see babies, kids, young adults, or grown up men and women navigating puddles wearing cheery, colorful, patterned rubber boots. What better way to cheer up on a dreary, rainy day?

This popular item perfectly mixes form and function - they not only offer protection but make the wearer (and everyone else smile). And happily, whimsical Wellies were very much in abundance at Children's Club, where they were often shown with corresponding and adorable raincoats, rain hats and umbrellas. Talk about making a statement.

Madonna's "The English Rose" polka dot raincoat from Kidorable.

And while I'm on the topic of footwear...another thing I could not help but notice was the way in which the category of socks has truly exploded and come into its own. All I can say is, "Sock it to me, sock it to me!" (Or "sock it to you"!). While legwear (tights and knee highs) has always been an important sector of the accessory market, I can't recall seeing so many interesting, fun and whimsically printed socks (sneaker socks, shoe socks) being offered.

Bibi & Mimi polka dot socks.

Prints, prints, prints, and more prints. When it wasn't a print, it was tie dye (which never seems to lose its popularity). And naturally, I will gladly tell you that tie dye was a major story during the recent collections on both sides of the Atlantic, turning up on everything from athletic wear to evening wear. At the Javits Center, I found many great tie dye samples being offered in the form of t's, diaper covers, hats, head bands, socks and bags. One creative jewelry designer even wore a favorite vintage tie dye dress...all the better to show off her wares!

Other common themes I couldn't help but notice…The celebration of nature (well, it is spring and summer after all and what a perfect time to celebrate Mother Nature?) This manifested itself not only in nature inspired colors (shades of greens, blues, golden yellows, in addition to earth tones), but in nature themed prints and patterns. And of course, there are the birds and the bees. No, not that, silly. I'm referring to birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, fish, octopus, etc., whose shapes were translated onto toys, stuffed animals, pillows, charms, rings, bracelets, necklaces, or earrings; or whose facsimiles were used as decoration for hair accessories, belts, and shoes. And 'Wild Kingdom' zoo animals such as monkeys, bears, elephants, giraffes, tigers, zebras, leopards, and cheetahs, are always perennial favorites (the last four especially, always seem to show up on bags, shoes, hats, belts, etc., for all age groups).

And then there's the 'Al Gore Effect'. Blame it on Global Warming, but throughout the world, it seems as though seasons have become all but obsolete. Here we are in October and it's so balmy it feels more like late spring (or summer) than fall. As a result, colors, fabrics, materials, styles and entire classifications tend to span seasons and are not limited according to calendar month. Hence, it's as common to see red and green being offered for spring as it is for winter; white, ivory and pastels, look wonderful year round; knitwear is truly a 'Four Seasons' category; cotton, wool, cashmere, and even fur, are interchangeable and depending on how they are treated or used, are certainly not confined to specific times of the year.

Other ongoing themes of note: the 'arts and crafts' movement away from assembly line, machine made items to those that feel and look more individual and "loving hands at home"; the proliferation of smart, well thought out designs which not only look good but DO good (the perfect marriage of form and function); and the growing number of designing dads who are getting involved in the design process. Why should gals (or moms) have all the creative fun?

Though, having said that….one noticeable 'trend' I can't ignore is that sisters are increasingly getting into the 'act' ("Sister Act 3"?) and teaming up with some very successful results.

And finally, no discussion of the month of October would be complete without talking about baseball. It was hard to forget that we were in the middle of the playoffs with the World Series looming in the not so distant future, what with all the baseball paraphernalia and baseball themed accessories. Everywhere I looked those historic archrivals (the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees) were 'teaming' up; well, maybe not on the playing field, but on the shelf anyway. Their highly recognizable team logos (and that of other home town favorites) were emblazoned on t's, knitted sweaters, jackets, hats, even sunglasses.

 

Trends

All the news that's fit to 'print': Prints and patterns were the news and they decorated every surface of accessories - from diaper covers, shoes and socks, to headbands (and seemingly everything in between).

Bask Home bath sets.

The 'garden' of Eden: Floral prints and flowers (some very large and very lifelike and used as decorative embellishments) bloomed everywhere, on everything, and in every imaginable incarnation.

Flowered hats at Alivian.

'Tie dye for': If a surface wasn't printed, it was tie dyed.

The Birds and the Bees: Nature's own - birds, bees, butterflies, fish, frogs, snakes, etc. abounded, and often showed up in some rather unsuspecting places. It's a celebration of Mother Nature.

Tutti Fruity: Where there are insects there's bound to be flowers and of course fruit; strawberries, cherries, bananas, and apples are always popular whether used as prints and patterns, or as decorative touches.

Wild Kingdom: Jungle creatures, such as zebras, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, have beautiful skins and their markings are perfect as replication for everything from pillows to shoes.

'Sports Illustrated': Soccer, football, basketball, and of course, baseball (it's October after all!) themed products abounded.

'Sock' It To Me (and you): The entire category of socks has truly come into its own with many witty and versatile incarnations (including the sneaker sock or the shoe sock).

Grippers sock shoes.

'Sneaker' Chic: That perennial favorite, the lowly sneaker or athletic shoe, is lowly no more as designers are putting time and effort into creating a product with more pizzazz, punch and innovative design; everything from colorful leather to ornate beads, sequins, and crystals are transforming this all popular shoe into something really special.

Get 'Crafty': Nothing could be more welcome in a world filled with mass produced, assembly line products, than those items (be it jewelry, knitwear, or anything else for that matter) that smack of 'Loving hands at home' with their distinctly personal, homemade decorative touches.

Happy Green Bee striped dolls and sets.

Up Close and 'Personal': Along those same lines, having the ability to personalize or monogram everything from terry hooded robes to baseball mitts adds a personal touch and makes for a perfect gift and keepsake.

Nokona monogrammed baby baseball mitts.

'Get Smart': Smart, wise, well thought out, intelligent design never loses its appeal. What could be more practical, versatile, or have more longevity than something that not only looks good but 'does' good (and has several uses).

'Daddy Dearest': Why are the gals (or moms) the only ones able to tap into their creative sides? Inventive dads (and guys in general), are showing they have what it takes to create a great product.

'Sister Act': Designing sisters are increasingly teaming up, putting their heads together, with some very successful results.

 

Originally published November 4, 2007

 

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