In the past, our "Best In Show Newcomers" awards have gone to designers launching small, personal, esoteric collections. This season though, I discovered a line with all the quirky charm of past recipients, yet it's commercially driven as well. The Fall 2009 "Best in Show Newcomer" for a girls' collection goes to Traci Costa for PEEKABOO BEANS. Costa's multi-piece line for girls (her boys' collection is admirable as well) launched in Canada in 2007; Children's Club (March 8-10, 2009) was her American debut.

Peekaboo Beans bridges couture "playwear" with market relevant pricing and highly sophisticated merchandising. A quick glance at the line was all I needed to see how cohesive the palette was, and how easily each item mixed with the others making for goof-proof merchandising. To further aid retailers, her brochure offers an illustration of each garment in every coloration, as well as photos of the pieces on a child, and mix-and-match possibilities.

It's no surprise that Costa, a mother of two young girls, would offer such a neat, merchandising package. Her background is in business management and finance, "but," says Costa, "those areas, included sales and marketing and collaboration with teams for promotional themes, web development and marketing initiatives. My personal love has always been fashion and, of course, children - what I get to do now combines all the elements of what I love the most. I like to work with my team and create a collection each season that follows our mission to combine style with substance."

For the Fall 2009 Wonderment collection, Costa drew inspiration from the first snowfall of winter. "With that in mind, we wanted shades that were warm and delicious and that you would love to wrap yourself in. The berry hues really resonated with us, and we wanted to add some soft undertones of texture with oatmeal and muted grey blues."

Her shapes are clean yet playful: she's not adverse to a well-placed ruffle. Except for a few pieces with a scattering of stylized dots or "snowflakes" there are no prints. The layering of cozy materials like French terry, soft jersey and fine pinwhale corduroy forms patterns.

Congratulations Traci! Peekaboo Beans is the hottest game in town!

"BEST IN SHOW NEWCOMER" FOR A GIRLS' COLLECTION: PEEKABOO BEANS

DESIGNER: Traci Costa

Sizes: 3 months to 8 years; Wholesale prices: $11-$48

Costa's favorite girl's piece for fall is the Winter Bliss Dress. "Girls love to wear dresses, but it isn't always practical for playwear. This dress is functional and fun. It has a big draped front pocket, perfect for storing found treasures; it can be layered over any of our pants, jeans or leggings or atop a long sleeve shirt. In summer, wear it on its own. We focused on a good fit so it hangs nicely, the shoulders have a little, feminine capped sleeve and a sweet cowl neck frames the face. Girls love it!" says Costa.

I'm a fan of the Winter Bliss Dress as well, but then I love the Shine On and Sweet Thing (worn over the Icicle Tee) Dresses just as much. All three have the appearance of layered garments with the ease of a single piece, and the colors, well, it takes a fine sense of balance to pull that off.

The Enchanted Jacket is enchanting indeed. The corduroy topper has a casual zippered front and a lean shape that looks great over jeans or a skirt. Ruffle details at the waist and hips as well as slightly belled sleeves add femininity.

PEEKABOO BEANS

6-3363 Rosemary Heights Crescent, White Rock

British Columbia Canada V3S 0X8

Tel: 604-536-9495

E-mail: Play@peekaboobeans.com

www.peekaboobeans.com

NY Sales representative:

Thread Showroom (Terra Fazzio)

212-801-2387

E-mail: Info@threadshowroom.com

www.threadshowroom.com

"BEST IN SHOW NEWCOMER" FOR A BOYS' COLLECTION: LITTLE MAVEN BY TORI SPELLING (HARTSTRINGS)

Homebase: Stratford, PA

DESIGNERS: The Little Maven design team and Tori Spelling

Sizes: Girls 6 months to 6X, Boys 6 months to 4T; Wholesale prices: $14-$44

This is the season for big-time "firsts" for our "Best In Show Newcomers" awards. The first "first" was the selection of Peekaboo Beans for their girls' collection. It's the first time since we launched the awards that we've honored a collection, obviously geared to big sales. Peekaboo Beans is commercial, but it has all the earmarks I look for in smaller, personal lines.

Another first: A "Best in Show" award to a newcomer with a celebrity tie-in: For the Boys' Collection, the award goes to none other than LITTLE MAVEN BY TORI SPELLING. Yes, that Tori Spelling. Spelling and the creative team at Hartstrings, led by Stacey Guggenheim, the design director, and Bree Bashour, the senior designer for boys and KC Parker successfully brought the star's "chic resort, modern Hollywood living" to fruition in this terrific collection.

Tori Spelling is a mother of two young children, Liam and Stella. The free spirited Liam is the inspiration behind the successful boys' groups: "Va Vroom is based on the Vespa which is both Vintage + Modern = Modage, as well as being fun and all boy!" says Guggenheim and Bashour. Liam is inspired by her son's "love of green and by the effort to 'go green' and be environmentally aware." And Old Chums evolved from "Tori's idea that men's fabrics interpreted into soft baby materials can be a lot of fun!"

Fun it is! One of Guggenheim and Bashour's favorite pieces is the cotton cashmere cardigan in the Liam group. It's my favorite as well. With its soft material, loose fit and imitation leather buttons, the sweater is reminiscent of granddad's cozy go-to garment, yet the combination of cool tones and the funky striped front and argyle back are undeniably playful and uber-hip.

Another favorite of theirs and mine is the hounds tooth sweater from the Old Chums group (see photo below). "The combination of rich colors and funky elbow patches breathes fresh life into a traditional item," say the designers. I agree. That olive and plum combination is fashion forward yet still all boy, and the striped elbow patches are one of the little "winks" that make this collection such a delight.

A collection does not succeed by sweaters alone. To pair the great knits, hoodies and T-shirts, there are pants in soft, unique fabrications and easy-to-move-in yet neatly tailored shapes. The bottoms on the left are cotton interlock with the adorable Old Chum suspenders. The jeans in dark rinse have an uncluttered front that make them an ideal silent partner to the more assertive sweaters; and the plaid pants have a brushed surface and darts near the knees so they keep their shape. That plaid is colored perfectly to team with any of the tops in the Liam or Old Chums groups.

Congratulations Tori and company. Act One is a winner!

LITTLE MAVEN BY TORI SPELLING (HARTSTRINGS)

New York Showroom

Tel: 866-346-4242

E-mail: csserv@hartstrings.com

www.hartstrings.com

Originally published April 15, 2009