British retailer Childrensalon specializes in luxury children’s fashion. The assortment includes luxury houses like Gucci, Burberry and Elie Saab, but also brands like Birkenstock, Levi’s and Falke. Characters from films such as “The Little Mermaid” have also featured in the collections.
Dina Moon, Head of Buying at Childrensalon, reveals which trends are currently shaping children’s fashion, which pieces are doing well and how the sector is developing in general.
How do you discover trends in children’s fashion?
At Childrensalon, we are constantly on the lookout for new ideas and trends. We discover trends in different ways; from trade shows and catwalks to streetwear and designer collections for adults – all of which trickle down to kidswear.
Film and TV also impact trends, for example the new Barbie movie, Wednesday Addams and The Little Mermaid all influenced collections this year.
How long does it take for adult trends to arrive in children’s fashion?
Generally, we tend to notice that children’s clothing trends follow a season behind adults, but lately, we’ve seen that gap narrowing and more in line with adult trends.
Do you go to children’s clothing fairs and other appointments?
We travel as much as possible. We missed being able to travel during Covid so we are delighted to now be able to attend trade shows and fashion weeks as we used to.
Earlier this year, we visited Pitti Bimbo in Florence, where we had the chance to see many brands and industry professionals under one roof. We met our current suppliers and discovered some new brands as well. We have also traveled to European capitals for shopping appointments, where we are constantly on the lookout for inspiration, emerging trends and new fashion brands in the industry.
What trends are currently shaping children’s fashion?
For AW23, we can’t wait to see new colors – as well as the classic palettes. Lilac seems to be strong, alongside greens and many sophisticated hues such as camel and coffee.
We’ll soon see these camel and coffee colors in our cozy sherpa styles. Metallics also look strong, especially for party wear, as well as denim and black, perfect for the winter season.
For adults, the logomania trend seems to be cooling off a bit. How’s it going with children’s clothes?
As mentioned earlier, children’s clothing is usually a season behind adult trends, so we’ll keep an eye out. We bring a selection of many of the best designers in the world, including brands that carry iconic logos. The brands we offer are very popular with our customers, where we always see the trend of logomania getting stronger around the world for children’s clothing. That being said, we find that logos and branding have always been strong for us. Particularly this season, designers have played a lot with their logos.
What about the mini-me trend, are parents specifically looking for looks for their kids that match theirs?
Recently, we have seen a significant increase in the number of fashion designers releasing children’s clothing lines. Mini-me offerings are great to see, we always look forward to the looks designers create for the little ones.
What pieces are doing well for boys and girls right now?
We sell many product categories, ranging from dresses and suits from our second-hand clothing collections, to casual pieces, such as denim, athleisure and outerwear. Depending on the time of year, some categories do better than others, but overall we have strong sales across all categories.