Top-Sellers:
In the Pink for Spring/Summer 2008
Take
a quick look at the clothing, accessories and footwear
included in this story and a theme will quickly emerge:
pink, pink and more pink. Yes, you'll see clean, modern
pieces as well (there will always be buyers for that
look), but the ever-popular hue, the one tone that
screams "girl" is on all of our retailers' "top-seller"
lists this season.
Kay Neff of ROYAL
BABY BOUTIQUE offers
three top-sellers: all include pink. Two of the three
pieces that are blowing out of Doreen and Bob
Parsons' SPARKLIN
LIL STARS boutique
feature pink. Every princess who receives a gift from
MY
PRINCESS CLOSET loves
pink, or at least it seems that way. All three of owner
Dawn Saczynski's top sellers either incorporate
the tone or use it in one solid shot. The exception: the
sophisticated giftware items at Vanessa
Hook's HEAVENLY
HOOKED. She may be the
renegade of the group; still, pink crept its way onto one
of her choices.
Will there be a backlash to this
feminine overload? Are we facing an all black fall or a
beige winter? Nah!
Kay
Neff, the owner of ROYAL
BABY BOUTIQUE,
"Luxury apparel and gifts for your little prince and
princess," says her customers this season "are looking
for the best prices on designer collections." Her
clientele, a mix of "mothers, grandmothers, and even
husbands looking for gifts for their wives" appreciate
Neff's personalized selection as well as her dedication
to shoppers' satisfaction. "With more customers buying
online it is so important to provide excellent customer
service, quality products shipped quickly and discounted
or free shipping prices. We have inventory on hand that
has been updated to show accurate availability on top
selling items. This is just basic common sense, however,
with so much competition it is the key to being
successful."
Neff launched her store in January
2007 with the Tralala collection. "I fell in love
with Tralala clothing the first time I saw the beautiful
fabrics, detail and impeccable quality in each piece.
Tralala remains the most sought after designer at my
boutique. I now have clients who have purchased something
from every collection."
Tralala's Valentine Swing
Set ($46-$50, fits 12 months to 6 years) is a Royal Baby
Boutique customer favorite. "The soft pink fabric with
intricate flower detailing has been well received. It is
absolutely adorable and even cuter in person when you see
the outfit on a little girl." In a season where anything
"vintage" is sought after, this ensemble with its
delicate floral print and simple lines is an obvious
winner.
Having just returned from the
New York Stationery Show, and, prior to that, the
New York International Gift Fair, I noticed a
trend at both shows toward personalization. It seems that
a customer's initials, or their choice of color and
detail, is preferable to a manufacturer's logo. That need
for individual distinction is becoming important in
children's apparel as well.
Princess Linens' Garden
Princess Dress in Camellia with Baby's Breath Trim ($48
to $58 with personalization, fits NB to 8 years) is
another sweet selection at ROYAL
BABY BOUTIQUE. The
dress is available in eight different colors and trims
and can be embroidered with a monogram or first name. "In
the summer the girls can wear the dress solo. In the
colder months, it can be layered over a blouse or T-shirt
and leggings to keep little arms and legs warm. It's a
great piece for those stretching their wardrobe budgets,"
says Neff.
All of the garments from Ooh!
La, La! Couture have been good sellers at
ROYAL
BABY BOUTIQUE, but the
Black Jacquard Poufy Skort and Matching Tank Top Set
($96, fits 3 months to 10 years) is blowing off her
shelves. "The set enables girls to be comfortable while
carrying out their busy lifestyles. The pouffy skirt and
Swarovski crystal detailed tank just add to the fun,"
says Neff. Customers have been purchasing coordinating
Princess hair accessories like the Rosette Flower
Pony tail holders and headbands ($8.99-$14.99). With the
popular pink and black color combination, the toile print
and touch of bling on the tee, this is one set with wide
appeal.
It's
been a sparklin' season for Doreen and Bob Parsons
at SPARKLIN
LIL STARS. The Parsons'
customers are wild about Ooh! La, La! Couture's
hip spring clothing. And, like Neff's clients, Parsons'
love a similar Oh! La, La! Couture skort set with a
leopard print and a sweeter pink and sky blue color
combination. "This spring and summer we're finding
customers leaning toward sky blues with pretty rose
pinks; cherry red is always a favorite in the warmer
months and animal prints alone or mixed into patterns are
popular," says Doreen.
Ooh! La, La! Couture's
"amazing Sky Blue Leopard Pouffy Skort Set ($98, headband
$10. Fits 2T to 8 years). It is an adorable skort style
with shorts underneath that match the leopard patterned
heart," says Parsons.
Mim-Pi, a Netherlands-based
collection with a strong couture look and playful
attention to detail, is another SPARKLIN
LIL STARS'
customer favorite. "As always, Mim-Pi wows our clients
each season. This pink floral three-piece skirt set is
simply beautiful. This ensemble includes a gorgeous
ruffled skirt, polka dot bolero and ruffled white tank."
($82, fits sizes 4 to 10 years.) Each of the pieces can
be mixed and matched with other garments in a girl's
closet, making the set exceptionally versatile.
Haven Girl is known for chic
styling with a vintage edge. This multi-tasking piece
($41.60, fits sizes 4 to 7 years) that functions as both
an eye-catching top and a playful skirt, also sports the
season's hottest detail: the sequin. "Haven Girls is so
fantastic with gorgeous sequined red cherry accents and
adorable gathered waist or bodice," says Parsons.
Buyers
are hooked on Vanessa Hook's upscale gift website
full of clean modern pieces as well as items with vintage
flair. "We launched HEAVENLY
HOOKED in 2007," she
says, "and now we have clientele from all over world."
Hook describes her international customers as "people
looking for that unique item that can't be found at
Target or Toys R Us." This season, customers are looking
for "bright colors and pieces that express their feelings
and their children's feelings too."
Parents who appreciate a range of
classic as well as funkier patterns are buying up Baby
Star's plush spring blankets ($55). "The blankets are
perfect for boys or girls. It has the softness babies and
parents need," she says. Give this blanket with its
modern print border and the neutral green plush center to
those stubborn parents-to-be who wait until the baby's
birth to discover its sex.
Rock on Baby! Crib Rock
Couture Nursery Rhyme T-shirts ($26-$32, fits 6
months to 4T) are "must-haves" among A-list celebrity
moms and dads. "These tees, seen on Angelina Jolie's son,
Maddox, and Gywenth Paltrow's daughter, Apple, are
perfect for the rockin' toddler. They give a new twist to
our favorite nursery tales and the colors and graphics
are bold," says Hook.
Polkadot Papoose baby slings
are the perfect unisex gift," Hook says. "These are
reversible, and match baby or mama's outfit. They even
come with a pacifier holder so it won't get lost." ($64,
fits small to large.) Now that's thinking! Visit
www.heavenlyhooked.com.
What
makes Spring/Summer 2008 different from fall or the
previous spring? According to Dawn Saczynski,
owner of MY
PRINCESS CLOSET, which
offers apparel and giftware, "People are definitely
looking for sale items - anything with a discount." And,
her clientele demand versatility. "They want very
feminine pieces that can be dressed up or down or have
multiple uses," she adds.
Here's a piece that manages to be
practical as well as surfer chic: UV50 One-Piece Swimsuit
by Snapper Rock ($36, fits NB to 26 months). "This
swimsuit has built in UV protection without chemicals.
The one-piece style makes it great for babies to toddlers
and provides great protection from the sun with a really
sporty look that is still feminine," says Saczynski. The
pink and brown color combination is still strong in the
kids' market as well.
Morgan & Milo's Pink
Sparkle Mary Janes ($36, fits 7.5 to 12) are totally
girly girl and about as versatile as a shoe can get. "I
think these are a best seller because the workmanship is
great and the sparkles satisfy the most feminine girl.
Parents appreciate the shoes' versatility too: it can be
worn to the playground (it's really a sneaker) or dressed
up and worn to a party."
"There's nothing on the market like
Zoobies' Hada the Hippo,"($30), says Saczynski.
From what I've seen at recent gift shows, I think she's
right. "Hada is a very soft plush animal that turns into
a pillow and then a blanket. Girls can carry it around as
a plush friend, lay on it as a pillow and then cover
themselves with the blanket." Try to do all that with
another stuffed animal and see where it gets you! Visit
www.myprincesscloset.com.
Originally published May 25,
2008
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