Earnshaw's | January 2014

VOLUME 98 NUMBER 1

C A R RY O N W I T H E R G O B A BY ' S C E O • R E E L I N R E P E AT S H O P P E R S • S U R V I V I N G S H A R K TA N K

WINTERWOND ERLANDFashion’s Ice Age

JANUARY 201 4 $10.00

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Be part of the conversation.

Sugar Plum NY, Inc.Carol Meyerson

212-695-8990 (ext. 204)[email protected]

Sugar Plum NY, Inc. Contact: Carol Meyerson 212-695-8990 (ext 204) [email protected] www.sugarplumfashions.com

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Sugar Plum NY, Inc.Carol Meyerson

212-695-8990 (ext. 204)[email protected]

Sugar Plum NY, Inc. Contact: Carol Meyerson 212-695-8990 (ext 204) [email protected] www.sugarplumfashions.com

Cutie PieNewborn/Infant/Toddler Activewear

Paul Friedman •[email protected] W 33rd St. 5th FlNew York, NY 10001

212.279.0022

For Licensing Info Call: Eli Yedid212.279.0022

Fast Forward Bags

Evan Hedya • [email protected] W. 33rd Street

Suite #705New York, NY. 10001

United Footwear GroupFootwear

Alan Safedye • [email protected] W. 33rd Street


201.967.0425

Lifeworks Technology GroupAthletic Equipment

Allan Amsel • [email protected] Broadway

7th FloorNew York, NY. 10018

212.398.1110

Gina Group Hosiery

Jack Gindi • [email protected] W. 33rd Street


212.947.2445

Aggresive Apparel/One Step UpActivewear

Ames Tebele • [email protected] Broadway

7th FloorNew York, NY. 10018

212.298.1110

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4 E A R N S H AW S . C O M • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4

EARNSHAW’S INFANTS, GIRLS AND BOYS WEAR REVIEW ISSN 0161-2786 (USPS-320-090) The business and fashion magazine of the childrenswear industry is published monthly by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 36 Cooper Square, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003. The publishers of this magazine do not assume responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Periodicals postage is paid in New York, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. Subscription price for one year: U.S. $48; Rates outside U.S. available upon request. Single price copy, $5. Copyright 2011 by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC. Postmaster: Send address changes to Earnshaw’s Infants, Girls and Boys Wear Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853-8548. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Any photographs, artwork, manuscripts, editorial samples or merchandise sent for editorial consideration are sent at the sole risk of the sender. Symphony Publishing NY, LLC will assume no responsibility for loss or damage. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in USA.

Noelle Heffernan Publisher

Audrey Goodson Kingo Editor in Chief

Nancy Campbell Trevett McCandliss Creative Directors

EDITORIAL Angela Velasquez Fashion Editor

Lyndsay McGregor Associate Editor Social Media Editor

Brittany Leitner Assistant Editor

ADVERTISING Caroline Diaco Group Publisher

Alex Marinacci Account Executive

Jennifer Craig Special Accounts Manager

PR ODU CTION Tim Jones Deputy Art Director Production Manager

Mike Hoff Webmaster

CONTACT INFO Sales/Editorial Offices 36 Cooper Square, 4th floor New York, NY 10003 Tel: (646) 278-1550 Fax: (646) 278-1553 [email protected] editorialrequests@ 9threads.com

Circulation Office Joel Shupp 26202 Detroit Road, #300 Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: (440) 871-1300 [email protected]

CORPORATE 9Threads 26202 Detroit Road, #300 Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: (440) 871-1300

Xen Zapis, Chairman Lee Zapis, President Rich Bongorno, CFO Debbie Grim, Controller

JANUARY 2014

This page: Pink Platinum by iApparel puffer, Tutu Couture petticoat, Etiquette speckled socks, Nowali tights and moccasins, stylist’s scarf. Cover, from left: Girl & Co. jacket, Marili Jean cardigan, Stella Cove dress, headband by Andrea's Beau, vintage mittens; Peace of Cake jacket, Bonnie Young pants, vintage hat, Little Giraffe legwarmers worn on arms.

Photography by Raphael Buchler. Styling by Angela Velasquez. Hair and makeup by Clelia Bergonzoli for Utopia.

FEATURES 16 Keep ’Em Coming Retail experts reveal how to reel in repeat visits with top tips on customer retention.

28 It Takes a Village Owner David Penning shares the story of how his grandfather’s Midwest mattress shop became The Tot to Teen Village.

32 Carry All With 13 years in the kids’ industry, new CEO Margaret Hardin is well-equipped to lead Ergobaby's latest babywearing endeavors.

FASHION 38 Cold Snap A whirl of wintry white, textured fabrics and smart tailoring lends an icy edge to fall outerwear.

38

6 Editor’s Note 8 Talking Points 12 Hot Properties 14 Fresh Finds 20 On Trend 24 In the Bag 26 On the Shelf 50 Behind the Seams 56 Stargazing

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The international children's trade show

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A FEW WEEKS ago a reporter called asking about a blog post that made the rounds online, featuring menswear-inspired looks for flower girls. Forget froufrou dresses—the post was packed with velvet blazers, bling-adorned button-downs and sparkly high-tops. She wanted our take: Is it a trend? Are little girls’ copping their big brothers’ style?

My answer was probably less than helpful: Some yes, and some no. Some little girls love the freedom of slacks and sneak-ers, while others won’t leave the house without sporting at

least one ruffle. If there’s any rule in girls’ fashion these days, it’s this: Throw the rule-book out the window.

Just look at our snow-filled fashion feature on p. 38: Who would have predicted that the

winter white trend in womenswear would filter down to girls’, too? After all, white isn’t the most kid-friendly of colors. Not to mention the fact that just a few years ago wearing white after Labor Day was considered verboten by the fashion gods—adults included. To our surprise, designers flocked to frosty hues and sumptuous fabrics for Fall ’14 outerwear, creating a veritable wonderland of winter looks.

The frothy tulle skirts and soft sweaters on our fashion pages make quite a contrast to the more gender-neutral style on the popular blog post, which simply proves the point that one little girl’s fad is another girl’s faux pas. The diversity in today’s kids’ apparel can certainly be exciting when shopping trade shows, but it also makes buying a bit more intimidat-ing: Will your little customers love tutus and tiaras or ripped

denim and Dr. Martens this year? The answer, according to the retailers we chatted with for our Shop Class feature on p. 16, is one of the top secrets to successful customer retention: Know thy customer. In other words, what works best at a boutique in Brooklyn may not fly at a store in San Antonio.

Stocking your store with what local shoppers love is certain-ly a recipe for success, but can I add a caveat? Don’t be afraid to take a risk or two. An issue of Earnshaw’s from 1917 provides retailers with the following layette suggestion: Blue for girls, pink for boys. It’s hard to imagine now, but back in the day, blue was considered a more soothing option for baby girls. By the time WWII rolled around, that rule had been turned on its head and pink has reigned supreme for girls ever since. That is, until the recent craze for gender-neutral hues like green and yellow.

So feel free to stick to a few tried-and-true categories, but don’t be afraid to live on the edge. After all, blue can become pink and pink can become yellow. And white was made to be worn year-round, if you dare.

AUDREY GOODSON [email protected]

theOn

For today’s girls, fashion

rules were made to be

broken.

editor’s note

Edge

EarnieAwardswinner

2013

EARNSHAW’S MAGAZINE

BEST BOYS COLLECTION

&

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©2013 Aden & Anais, Inc. All rights reserved.

baby + nursery + gifts + bath & body + home

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8 E A R N S H AW S . C O M • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Shark Bait

Talking

INCE 2009, AMERICAN tele-vision audiences have been flipping between Friday night dramas and ABC’s Shark Tank, the addictive reality show that reveals the high stakes world of entrepreneurship. The premise is simple: Contestants (a.k.a.

small business owners) seeking investments pitch their product to four potential investors, the “sharks.” Add to that hot stage lights, cameras and an hour-long pitch, which Lollacup Co-Owner Mark Lim describes as a sweaty, exhausting whirlwind. The intense setting might not be prime for making major business decisions, but for some entrepre-neurs, Shark Tank has opened the door for broader distribution, patents, better package design and priceless exposure.

Prior to appearing on the show, Tiffany Krumins, founder and CEO of Ava the Elephant, had a pro-totype of her kid-friendly medicine dispenser, but needed to file patents, produce molds for produc-tion and manufacture the first batch of product. “To be honest, I had hoped to leave [the show] with an investment of any size. I was more than willing to give up half of my ownership as I didn’t really own anything at the time, only an idea,” she explains. Krumins ended up making a deal with investor Barbara Corcoran, receiving $50,000 in exchange for 55 percent of the company. She adds, “I got all of the funding I needed to conduct business for the past four years. It changed my life and allowed me to provide for my family in a way I could have never imagined.”

For other companies, the show presents an opportunity to iron out problem areas faster than profits allow. In her deal with Corcoran, Lori Lite, author of Stress Free Kids, shifted to a more cost-effective soft cover for her line of relaxation books, and was able to break into national distribution at

Borders bookstores. Lim and his wife Hanna decid-ed to try out for the show while watching it in their living room, which also doubled as an assembly room. Today the Lims have a more accommodat-ing space to produce the U.S.A-made line of infant and toddler cups for their retailers, which have ballooned from “30 or 40 accounts to 550 doors and some pretty good global distribution” since the episode aired. It is growth that Lim says would have taken years longer without Shark Tank, but he credits advice from his shark and motivator Mark Cuban as instrumental to his company’s boost. “I went into the show hoping to gain a mentor, and Mark has been a workaholic. We e-mail back and forth till 3 a.m. even on weekends and holidays. He has time for everyone, and I refused to be out-worked by him,” he says.

Named one of Inc.’s fastest growing retail com-panies in 2012, RuffleButts was already on the fast track to becoming a household name, but CEO and Founder Amber Schaub says the show kicked that growth curve up a notch. Schaub got her deal (It’s not finalized, but on the episode Greiner offered $600,000 for a 9 percent equity stake in the company.) and immediately reaped the ben-efits of reaching millions of homes. “Business was good before Shark Tank, but to share our business with seven million people on national television is a dream come true to propel that growth,” she explains, noting that sales and site visitors increased as a result of the exposure.

“After Shark Tank, you receive so many hits on your website, it is very difficult for most entre-preneurs to keep their website up during the air-ings,” Krumins adds. Two years later, Krumins still receives 15 to 20 inquiries a week from all over the world, which she attributes to being on Shark Tank. That invaluable chance at national exposure is all the more reason to go on the show prepared. “I think the biggest mistake many entrepreneurs

make on the show is not knowing their business like the back of their hand. RuffleButts is our world, our first born, and we wanted to make sure we were confident enough to answer their questions without hesitation,” Schaub offers. Lim agrees: “We watched every episode, divided up tasks, made up practice questions. It was pages and pages of notes.”

Even so, there were some questions that even the most savvy business owner can’t anticipate. “That’s why you have to really stand your ground and stay true to your vision,” Lim says. It’s that headstrong, entrepreneurial spirit that Lim believes makes the show a favorite for families (and target customers) to watch together. “Shark Tank starts a family discussion. It’s good wholesome televi-sion, and it’s a good market for children’s brands,” he explains, adding that he’d recommend other innovators try the show. Shark Tank has been a favorite of Schaub’s for years, especially as a plat-form for entrepreneurial inspiration. Now she says RuffleButts is often recognized by the name alone as the kid company on Shark Tank. “In this busi-ness, every bit of that helps,” she quips.—Angela Velasquez

Points

From top: RuffleButts CEO and Founder Amber Schaub (with daughter Aubrey) pitch to the "sharks," and poses near the show's famous tank with her husband, Mark.

sInvestors, mentors and national exposure are just some of the rewards for children’s companies that rough the waters of reality show Shark Tank.

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FIRST THERE WAS Facebook, then there was Pinterest and now the cool crowd is flocking to Instagram. With so many social media sites pop-ping up—and so many conflicting reports about which one is best for boosting brand recogni-tion—keeping in touch with your customers online is no easy feat. Even so, two new apps made just for moms have entered the online fray this year, and children’s brands haven’t been shy about signing up. Why? It’s all about reaching a targeted audience, says Eric Dillon, the co-founder of Lil’Stylers, a new kid’s fashion app that allows par-ents to snap and share pics of their children and tag the brands their tot is sporting.

“There are a lot of pictures on Pinterest and Instagram, so you really have to stand out and make it so that moms who are interested in kids' clothes can find kids' clothes,” Dillon notes. That’s why brands can really benefit from a photo-shar-ing app dedicated just to children’s fashion, he adds, since the community is comprised almost entirely of moms. “This gives brands the perfect opportunity to advertise and sell. It’s a dedicated social media network. Like LinkedIn is dedicated to finding a job and building a professional net-work, we’re really focused on kids’ clothes.”

The message must be working: More than 100 children’s fashion brands have signed up for Lil’Stylers so far, including boys’ brand Andy & Evan. “In this ever-evolving and extremely busy world, it’s critical to stay on top of the latest technologies to grow your brand. Especially when it comes to apparel, a product that is so visually stimulating,” notes Evan Hakalir, partner and co-founder of Andy & Evan. “Apps provide the per-fect platform for potential customers to be able to view your product in action, buy your product online and then follow you on social media after they fall in love with your brand. That in my book is the newly defined ‘one-stop-shop.’”

For Shayna Samuels, co-owner of boys’ brand City Threads, the ability to tag brands on Lil’Stylers gives it an edge over other photo-shar-ing sites like Instagram, since parents can click on the tagged item to learn more about the brand. Right now it’s free for brands to register and post lookbooks, announce new collections and link to their website, and Dillon plans to eventually create

a platform that enables shopping.Another new app on the scene, WeeSpring,

is also building a community of moms, but for a slightly different purpose: The app utilizes Facebook to help parents see what children’s gear and apparel their friends recommend, then con-nects them to a shopping site like Amazon. “We’re essentially giving brands’ most passionate cus-tomers a megaphone to tell their friends why they love their products,” says WeeSpring Co-Founder and CEO Allyson Downey. “We’ve built a com-munity where parents can easily access recom-mendations from people they trust, but we’re also catching them at the moment when they’re making a purchasing decision—unlike the social networks, where they might be catching up on the news or browsing friends’ vacation photos.”

In fact, WeeSpring, which launched last April, already has more product reviews than Diapers.com and BuyBuy Baby combined. “Within six months, we’ll have more reviews on baby and kids’ products than anywhere on the Internet, and those product recommendations have a major impact on conversions,” Downey adds. As for retailers, Downey notes that her company is developing technology that will allow them to post WeeSpring reviews on their site for free.

If it all sounds too good to be true, it’s prob-ably worth noting that while both Lil’Stylers and WeeSpring report consistent month-after-month growth, their audience is still just a fraction of the size of social media behemoths like Facebook and Twitter. And Hakalir would love to see the apps "provide better analytical data so that we as brands can be more in tune with our custom-ers likes and dislikes.” And just because one app works well doesn’t mean they’re all a good bet, he notes. “Do your diligence, download the app and see how user friendly it is and who your neigh-bors might be,” he advises. “The last thing you want is to be associated with an app that doesn’t work or live alongside brands that aren’t sending the same message as yours.” —Audrey Goodson Kingo

Two tech start-ups take on traditional social

media sites with apps made just for moms, and

children’s brands are joining the bandwagon.

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AFTER DECADES OF flocking to overseas factories in search of lower costs, a growing number of clothing brands are bringing their previously offshored pro-duction back home, answering a rising demand for made-in-the-U.S.A. merchandise. “There is an increased feeling of patriotism among consumers,” notes Nancy Kaplan Ostroff, associate profes-sor and assistant chairperson at FIT.

But it’s not just patriotism that’s fueling interest in local manufacturing: Rebecca Lazaroff, founder and designer of pima cotton brand Belle & Beanzer, had planned to move just a piece

of her production from Peru to the U.S. for quicker turnaround on re-orders, but when an issue arose and it looked like she might lose her first fall delivery, she turned to her American resources for help. “I said, ‘Look, you don’t have to pick up the slack, but if you can, I’m going to move this whole thing over right now.’ Everybody pulled up and made it happen,” she shares.

Another company that’s homeward bound is Warrior Poet Clothier. The boys’ brand previ-ously manufactured its range of graphic tees and hoodies in China and Mexico, but its Spring ’14 col-lection was made here in the U.S., and Founder and President Tori Young says the company is in the process of moving all of its pro-duction back home. “We started experiencing unexpected delays and, as a result, it was frustrating our retailers,” he reveals.

Likewise, For Two Fitness is bringing production of its athletic apparel for moms-to-be back to the U.S. from China. Because of long lead times and large mini-

mum order quantities, the com-pany often ordered too much of certain styles, prompting sharp markdowns. “Because we’re high-ly customized and have so many permutations, it makes sense to work with smaller vendors here,” Owner Marjorie Stiegler says.

Consumer demand is providing a boost: In a recent Harris poll of more than 2,000 U.S. shoppers, 75 percent said they’d be will-ing to pay more for American-made product. But with sewing machine mechanics and seam-stresses in short supply, many domestic manufacturers are struggling to handle the added workload. And while Boston Consulting Group says the U.S. is becoming one of the least expen-sive places in the developed world for manufacturing, labor costs are still lower in Asia.

“It’s about twice as expensive to manufacture athletic product in the U.S.,” Stiegler says. “You have to know you’re not going to price yourself out of the market by moving back stateside.” —Lyndsay McGregor

Made-in-America is staging a comeback.

HomewardBound

Belle & Beanzer moved production of its pima cotton infant collection

from Peru to the U.S.

1993 201421 Years Of Beautiful Babies


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1 2 E A R N S H AW S . C O M • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4

HOTP R O P E R T I E S

ALREADY A MAINSTAY in the lay-ette market for its soft fabrics and seasonal prints, Little Me has inked deals with Hamco, Kids Preferred and Crown Crafts to bring baby home with bath prod-ucts, plush toys and high-quality quilts and blankets in Fall ’14. Little Me President Jeff Glick says each company was carefully selected for its proven success in the current market. “We worked really hard to choose partners in each category that were best in class for what they do. We asked our key custom-ers who they thought some of the big players were,” he notes.

For bath, Little Me dives into the market with a line of hooded towels, robes and washcloths produced by Hamco. Made from a mix of terry cloth and woven fabrics, the pastel-colored towels and accessories are adorned with

appliqués of puppies, birds and sailboats and packaged with a ribbon, for added gift appeal. Wholesale prices range from $6 to $15. Meanwhile, Kids Preferred is lined up to create a plush collection, which Glick calls, “a natural category for Little Me.” The deal will produce a menagerie of monkeys, puppies, bunnies and teddy bears, all wearing shirts or holding small blankets featur-ing Little Me’s bestselling prints. Also on tap for the plush collection, which will wholesale for $4 to $17.50, is a pajama pals line, featuring animals adorned in Little Me pajamas, and a musical sheep that plays lullabies. Last but not least, Little Me is expanding its blanket selection beyond its current cotton and polyester options by teaming up with Crown Craft for a line of velboa and mink plush blankets and printed quilts, which will wholesale for $15.50 to $40.

The growing strength of the gift category was a big factor in the decision to expand Little Me’s infant options, which Glick believes will be eagerly embraced by the 42-year-old company’s loyal customer base. “From several customer requests we thought the timing was right to expand our footprint into what we think the brand lends itself to,” Glick says, adding that Little Me sought licensees who matched the brand’s focus in four major points: quality, value, safety and comfort. “Because we make clothes for babies, we strive to offer the highest quality possible in what we do for the best price possible,” he says. E-mail [email protected] for more info. — Brittany Leitner

Infant brand Little Me cuddles up to blankets, plush and bath accessories for Fall ’14.

Soft Launch

BABY TREND, INC. is the latest to tap into Sanrio’s ever-growing Hello Kitty license, which in 2012 came in at No. 3 of the Top 10 Licensed Entertainment/ Character Properties in U.S. and Canada, according to PR Newswire. “We are the exclusive licensed Hello Kitty baby goods producer in all of North America for car seats, strollers, highchairs, play mats and swings,” says Brad Mattarocci, vice president and general manager at Baby Trend, Inc. After a Babies “R” Us exclusive offering a few items, like a black and pink booster seat, the full line, which retails from $59 to $279.99, will be available at specialty and mass retail-ers in Spring ’14.

Mattarocci says this is just the beginning for the partnership, which began in 2013. “We have been in the business for more than 25 years, and Sanrio brings fun and flavor to our ex-isting line,” he says, adding, “We have a long-term objective to continue to grow in this category.” To learn more, e-mail [email protected]. — B.L.

Gear UpBaby Trend stamps car seats and more with everyone’s favorite feline.

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mailto:[email protected]

HOT

AS INFANT AND chil-dren’s clothing brand Zutano celebrates its 25th year, the Vermont-based company, known for colorful prints and mix-and-match items, plans on extending its name into the gift and home categories with a handful of new part-ners lined up for 2014.

Up first, Zutano is working with Nat & Jules to craft a collection of the brand’s beloved teddies sporting Zutano layette. In addition, Nat & Jules will not only create blankets, photo frames, backpacks, rattles and more that feature the characters that adorn Zutano clothing, but will also bring them to life as individual plush toys. Each item is priced from $3 to $12 wholesale, and Zutano Co-Founder Michael Belenky expects it to add another dimension to the brand’s retail experience. “We understand the importance of having things that can comple-ment our apparel,” he says. “Gift products make a great story and make shopping more fun.” Plush items and toys will hit mass and specialty retailers this month, with future product releases planned for 2015.

By February ’14, Zutano plans to unveil its first furniture collection in collaboration with Stork Craft, a three-piece set that retails for less than $1,000. “The juvenile furniture market has been quite conserva-tive,” notes Belenky, adding, “We feel there’s a real need for a little splash of color and to have fun with a baby’s room.” The set includes a crib, three-drawer dresser and two-drawer changing station available in multiple colors including yellow, espresso, bright pink and blue. The Stork Craft furniture can also be ordered online and drop-shipped from retailers who carry Zutano products, but may not have the space to house furniture in store.

To complement these bold additions to baby’s room, Zutano is planning on extending its collaboration with Kidsline for bedding and nursery items for new Spring ’14 looks featuring elephant and airplane themes. “We’ve worked with Kidsline for a couple of years now, and they’re really a leader in the baby bedding world. They’ve done a won-derful job interpreting the Zutano essence,” says Belenky. The Kidsline accessories include a four-piece crib or bedding set with a quilt, fitted sheet, dust ruffle and bumper, with a wholesale price of $80 for the set. The collaboration also offers lamps, knit musical mobiles, rugs and canvas wall art wholesaling from $10 to $37.

And finally, for a simple and affordable way to add Zutano flair to a nursery, York Wallcoverings is offering a Zutano line within its “Room-Mates” collection, which offers kid-friendly peel-and-stick wall art. Bright Zutano pink, orange, green, blue and red trees, flowers and bird shapes will be in specialty stores by late 2014. Retailers can e-mail [email protected] to find out more. — B.L.

Small WorldZutano inks furniture, toys and décor deals to celebrate its silver anniversary.

er_01_14_hot_properties_01.indd 13 12/18/13 2:00 PM


R E S H F I N D S

Prim and ProperWith a pinch of British bonhomie and a dash of European style, lux-ury girls’ line Amberley London ramps up its retail presence in 2014. The brand, which launched stateside last fall with a capsule collection at Barneys New York, abounds with classic clothes made from English tweeds and wools, and cashmeres and cottons from France, Italy, Japan and the U.S.A. Retailing from $100 to $500, sizes range from 18 months to 12 years. Visit www.amberley.com.

Geometric prints and bold stripes make a strong style statement, no matter the season.

Little StepsFrench footwear brand Pom D’Api launches Shoo Pom, a trend-driven line of children’s shoes, for Spring ’14. In bright colors and metal-lic or printed leathers, the debut collection comprises graphic sneakers, winged sandals, Mary Janes, wedges and rain boots. Sizes range from 19EU to 34EU and wholesale prices range from $32 to $45. Go to www.pomdapi.fr.

Kids RockInspired by the imagina-tion and joy of child-hood, The Good Ones is a unisex clothing line for sizes newborn to 14 years. Designed in Indiana and made in China, India, Peru and the U.S., many pieces in the collection feature The Final Hurrahs, a fic-tional band the compa-ny created to motivate kids. It all comes to life on the brand’s website, through an interac-tive tour blog, coloring pages, videos and free MP3s. Wholesale prices range from $3.50 to $47. Go to www.thegood ones.com.

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Home GrownMade in New York from cot-ton imported from Italy and Japan, Olivia und der Baum is a nature-inspired clothing line for girls ages 12 months to 12 years. Meaning “Olivia and the tree,” simplicity sprouts for Spring ’14, with styles spanning a white sleeveless tunic covered in fine black polka dots and topped off with a handmade daisy corsage to a nautical striped number with a bubble hem. Wholesale prices for the collection range from $25 to $39. Visit www. oliviaundderbaum.com.

Dress CodeKnown for its line of light-weight, mix-and-match kids’ shoes, Bailey Berry branches into apparel with a line of comfy clothing for children ages 2 to 6. Combining fun and func-tion, each piece is made in Los Angeles and whole-sale prices start at $10. The girls’ collection spans capri pants and shorts to dresses and tees in ombré and solid colorways, while boys’ sweats, shorts and tees come in punchy pops of orange, yellow and tur-quoise. Check out www.baileyberry.com.

Not So SquareBased in Brooklyn and made from 100 percent GOTS-certified organic cotton, RouxRoo debuts a range of swaddles, blan-kets, bibs and burp cloths—designed to stimulate baby’s brain development with a combination of bold, geometric patterns, clean lines and primary colors. Wholesale prices range from $8 to $62, and every-thing is non-toxic and pes-ticide- and phthalate-free. Visit www.rouxroo.com.

You’ve Been FramedThey say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but the right shades can offer a peek into your per-sonality. Meet Jollies, eyewear that does just that. With 10 frame choices ranging from basic black to neon green, a variety of interchangeable lenses and tons of themed “Jems,” kids can show school spirit, celebrate holidays or support their favorite team. Wholesale prices range from $0.60 to $4.50. Go to www.myjollies.com.

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RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL store isn’t al-ways about pushing product. At Angelique Kids in New Orleans, LA, it’s also about becom-ing a part of the community it serves. “We do a lot of outreach in the neighborhood: trick or treating, spring festivals, art festivals, lemon-ade stands,” notes Co-Owner Jennifer Atkins. “Anything that helps us hold onto customers

from the crib all the way to when they start shopping in adult stores.” Atkins is definitely onto something: As retail research continues to pile up, it’s becoming undeniably clear that customer loyalty is intrinsically linked to a store’s long-term success—much more so than simply boosting foot traffic. In fact, a Lee Resource

Inc. statistic reveals that attracting new cus-tomers will cost your business five times more than keeping an existing one, while Gartner Group indicates that 80 percent of your store’s future revenue will come from just 20 percent of your current customers.

With the economy and retail industry still in a comparatively slow recovery mode and increased competition from the online tier, customer service and engagement are more important than ever. But many retailers are so focused on gaining new customers—and pour-ing money into digital marketing—they fail to effectively address the need to retain those they already have. It’s a major retail fail, con-sidering that it’s far easier to sell to your exist-ing base than to entice new prospects. “Mar-keters simply want to bring in as many new leads as possible. And if you bring in bad leads, there’s nothing to retain because they’re bad to begin with,” says Jerry Jao, CEO of Retention Science, a two-year-old Santa Monica start-up producing customer retention and market-ing automation software. After all, there’s no guarantee a new shopper will return for more. “Customer retention should be as important, if not more important, than customer acquisi-tion,” he adds.

Why? Try this statistic on for size: A 5 percent increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by 75 per-cent, according to a recent Bain and Co. study. Or, as Sarah Knup, head of strategy and mar-keting at San Francisco clothing brand Tea Collection, puts it, “All of the energies and costs that go into acquiring a customer are worthless if you don’t then focus on customer retention.” To that end, everyone from big box stores to mom-and-pops needs to keep their customers eager to return for more with a mix of stellar customer service and new promo-tions, including loyalty coupons and rewards. Here’s how.

KEEP ’EMCOMING

SHOP class

Customer retention is key to long-term success, but it’s not always easy. Industry

experts share their tips on how you can keep shoppers coming back for more.

By Lyndsay McGregor

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2 0 1 4 J A N U A R Y • E A R N S H AW S . C O M 1 7

1. SELL SMILESCustomer service has the power to make or break a small business. Simply put, it’s essen-tial to establish a solid policy for the entire sales staff to follow. “If people leave your store feeling like they didn’t get good service, they aren’t like-ly to come back,” says Tamsin Carlson, co-owner of Wee Soles, a children’s shoe store in Los Angeles. She’s right: According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 89 percent of consumers have stopped doing business with a company af-ter experiencing poor customer service.

Toni Budworth, who with her husband, Frank, owns and runs Birkenstock Midtown in Sacramento, CA, believes that paying employees on a salary basis removes the motivation to simply sell the most expensive products to a customer without truly considering her needs. “We try to build a camaraderie where we’re all working to-gether to find a solution,” she says, adding, “We try to make suggestions that are great solutions. We emphasize to customers that our goal is to find them great shoes so when they get up in the morning and go to the closet they’re so happy they can put that shoe on.”

“We really spoil our clients,” Atkins says, add-ing, “If there’s no easy parking for them, we run out to the curb for transactions.” Nina Takesh, co-owner of Los Angeles-based baby boutique, Petit Trésor, says customer service is the pillar of her business. “It’s easy now to offer everything to everybody, but it’s a lot more difficult to hand-pick and offer the products we feel are relevant. We have a very niche client base. Customer ser-vice goes hand in hand with our curated product selection,” Takesh shares. Budworth echoes this. “Our staff will sometimes speak to us about op-portunities we may have missed, like a brand that people keep asking for that we don’t carry. By doing that we’re really able to fine-tune our collection so it’s meeting the needs of our com-munity, and our customers can walk out wearing the shoes they walk in looking for,” she says.

2. KNOW THY CUSTOMEROne of the biggest advantages to being a small business is the opportunity to know customers in a way the big guys don’t: first by face, then by name. “Most of my customers have my personal cell phone number and are friends with me on Facebook. Sometimes we could be texting at 10 p.m.!” Atkins laughs. If customers receive that level of familiarity every time they visit your shop, they’re likely to keep coming back.

“Be able to collect as much data about your customers as you can,” advises Jao, using e-mail addresses, shopping histories and on-site be-haviors as examples. With regards to the latter, he says, “If two customers each spend five min-utes on your e-commerce site and you notice

that Customer A spends three minutes looking at dress pants and reading the product reviews really closely, while Customer B looked at 20 dif-ferent products and went from page to page, you know Customer A is more likely to buy in the future.” As he puts it, when you can anticipate a need or pinpoint what they like, you can get ahead of the game.

For example, Carlson keeps a database of in-formation about Wee Soles’ customers, includ-ing their shopping histories. When she receives new inventory, she delves into her records to see who she thinks would be interested and calls to let them know. It’s a tactic that works: One-third of her business comes from repeat customers, she says. “It all comes back to customer service,” Knup states. “Capture customer data and use that data to send targeted information to con-sumers. If someone only shops sales, let them know there’s a sale on. If someone loves new ar-rivals, reach out and let them know.”

Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears and Jessica Alba are just a few of the famous faces that re-turn to Petit Trésor time and time again for nursery consultation and design. “When we do home visits within our design services, we get to know the client, and we are involved on a more detail-oriented level. Not only are we design-ing the room, but we’re giving them advice and building relationships,” Takesh says. “Every-thing is about differentiation, hand selection and keeping the end customer fully in mind.”

3. SELL YOUR STAFF Whatever skills and attitude you teach during sales training affects how your employees will approach their job with you forever. That’s why top-notch training should focus on your staff’s long-term ability to move your merchandise. “We have a list of clients that I ask our employ-ees to call every day. They update them on the merchandise that’s coming in, but it also helps employees get to know that client,” Atkins says. “That way if they open a box and it’s something they know X would like, they know to call. Or if Tea Collection leggings come in, they know to pull every pair in a size 5 and call Y.”

Obviously you need to train new hires on just about every aspect of working in your store, but don’t forget your seasoned associates, too. It’s easy to assume that someone who has been with you for a number of years knows all there is to know about a particular product or technique, but assuming this will only hurt your business. Regardless of skill level, everyone in your store will benefit from ongoing training. “There’s a continuous education process that has to take place not only with regards to obvious things, like social media, but with how we market and advertise our store and the way we reach our

MAKE EVERYE-MAIL COUNTSharing photos and interacting with fans on social media may be great for engaging with your customers, but e-mail market-ing still brings in the big bucks: Customers who come to businesses via e-mail tend to shop more and spend more.

“E-mail has proven to be one of the largest revenue drivers for repeat orders for many online businesses,” says Jerry Jao, CEO of Retention Science. “Ads work, social media is great for generating aware-ness, but e-mail is more of a guarantee compared to the others.” Part of this has to do with human nature: Retail e-mails are pushed to inboxes while consum-ers have to actively seek social media interaction. And if someone’s signed up for a retailer’s listserv, it’s fairly safe to say they’re interested.

But how do you prevent customers from hitting that unsubscribe button? At the very least, e-mail should not annoy. “Do not send irrelevant or too-frequent e-mails. Understand what your customers want and what their product preferences are,” Jao advises. Here are three ways to ensure you send e-mails your customers will love.

Try targeted offersDon’t treat everyone on your e-mail list the same. As Jao says, “Send an offer that is tied to a product that your customer has purchased before so there is greater rel-evance.” According to Marketing Sherpa, segmented e-mail campaigns produce 50 percent more click-throughs than undiffer-entiated messages.

Send well-timed messagesThe time in which your e-mail reaches a subscriber’s inbox can impact the results of the message. If you catch recipients at a time they have allocated for Internet activ-ity, they engage more deeply. “If your cus-tomers are always opening your e-mails at night, reach out to them at night; do not bother them in the morning,” he says.

Consider conversion e-mailsUncover customers who view product de-tail pages or leave items in their carts. Jao notes that they are more likely to complete their purchase if you send them an e-mail offering an incentive to do so, such as a coupon code or free shipping.


customers,” Takesh notes. Every few months, Budworth devotes one

Birkenstock Midtown team meeting to associate training. “If we see a member of staff really excel at something, we ask them to lead the meeting and we do an exercise in fitting each other and selling to each other. We all have to be reminded from time to time,” she says. She also places in-formative articles in the break area for associ-ates to underline and initial any comments that

resonate for them. “The more we know about our products, the better service and solutions we can offer,” she adds. Knup agrees: “Ongoing training on great service is important, particu-larly as the retail world continues to change and evolve.”

4. GET CONNECTED Retailers are increasingly turning to social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter,

Pinterest and Instagram to engage with their customers, share promotions, introduce new products, drive traffic to their websites, send people to the store and much more. “We used to have a very expensive, before-its-time shop-pable website back in 2006, and it was a lot of labor. I found myself starting to sell more on Facebook, and now it’s a shopping tool,” Atkins shares.

According to social media analytics start-up Campalyst, 97 percent of the Top 250 Retailers are on Facebook and have an average number of fans ranking close to one million. Takesh notes that social media helps Petit Trésor stay in better contact with its clients. “If we’re given the green light, we’ll post a nursery design or a photo of a customer’s baby,” she says, adding, “It’s helped us maintain the integrity of the re-lationship and the relevance of the product.”

Carlson recently set up an Instagram ac-count for Wee Soles. “Rather than send my cus-tomers an e-mail every time I get a new product in, which would be annoying, they can follow me on Instagram and see what shoes I get when I get them,” she says, noting that it helps keep Wee Soles top of mind with its audience. “The big thing with social media that we find as a brand is it’s definitely an effective tool to push information out, but you need to be engaging;

“Ongoing training on great service is important, particularly as the retail world continues to change and evolve.”

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post something that gets consumers to engage with you and with each other,” Knup advises. “Social media is a platform for conversations. It presents an opportunity to learn a lot more about your customers.”

Social media may be the hot new thing, but tried-and-true e-mail is still king when it comes to reeling in customers: More than 75 per-cent of consumers who get retailer e-mails not only read them, but also use them for shopping, according to a study conducted by Mill-ward Brown Digital. “I think social media is very effective in terms of generating awareness and getting people excited about your product or service, but in terms of actual conversion I think it’s very inconsis-tent. One thing we all know still works very well is e-mail,” Jao says. York Rasmusson, management consultant at New York’s The Parker Avery Group, thinks e-mail is an important retention tool. “It’s a bit of a golden nugget that’s largely untapped, and not a lot of retailers are following up with e-mail post-customer engagement,” he says. Bud-worth is inclined to disagree. “I’m seeing some resistance to e-mails,” she says, but concedes, “We were recently offered an opportunity to present a limited-edition sheepskin Birkenstock boot. We e-mailed our customers about it and by the end of that day we had five people call about the boot.”

5. REWARD AND REPEAT Everyone from drug stores and bookshops to home and garden super-stores offers a rewards program to keep customers coming back for more. Not only do these offer an incentive to buy additional products and services, effective loyalty programs also reinforce and cement customer relations. At Wee Soles, loyal customers get a punch card that gives them 10 percent off every sixth pair of shoes purchased. “It’s small, but it’s always a nice surprise when reached,” Carlson notes.

Birkenstock Midtown offers a free set of earrings to customers who purchase three to four pairs of shoes at a time. “The earrings have a perceived value of $20 to $30 but cost us half that. The customer like-ly smiles and thinks of us whenever she sees them. The same principle works with a pair of quality socks as a gift. I like to give them with a warning that they are addictive—plant that seed. Both are tangible ways to thank them for shopping with us,” Budworth says.

Another key to an effective rewards program is to run relevant pro-motions that make customers feel good about doing business with your company and encourage them to do more of the same. “When we identify our top customers, we invite them to shop early in the sea-son at a trunk show with a small discount. We feel like that gets them wearing new product early in the season so their friends will see it on them,” she shares, noting that while last fall’s trunk show was pushed forward by three weeks, it didn’t hurt her business: Sales were up 20 percent compared to the same period in 2012. “Timing is important. I’m convinced that people who are interested in fashionable shoes shop earlier.”

On a more personal note, “thank you” e-mails and birthday cards with incentives and coupons codes meant just for loyal shoppers are additional ways to express appreciation and potentially increase reten-tion. For instance, Angelique Kids sends holiday gifts to its repeat cli-entele. “We do appreciate that loyalty. They could go to 10 other places, but they come to us,” Atkins says.

At the end of the day, being lax about customer retention only leads to greater attrition. Small businesses that collect data, reward loyalty and actively communicate with customers to keep them engaged are well on their way to achieving the prime goal of any customer retention program: keeping shoppers coming back for more. •


On Trend

Halabaloo swing dress

Lemon Seed Kids daisy print dress

Dolls and Divas Couture metallic-accent dress

Daisy Jane butterfly dress

Anais & I glittery star hair clips

Milla Reesepeace sign barrette

Siaomimi Play sequin skirt

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The Disco Age didn’t bring with it just a plethora of polyester and bad dance moves. It also marked the era of the roller rink, the local hot spot where adolescents (a.k.a. tweens) mingled under the glow of a mirror ball to the tunes of ABBA and did the hustle clad in psychedelic prints. Flash forward to Spring ’14 and the groovy designs of yesteryear are making a come-back. Refreshed with modern silhouettes, techy fabric and a bit of glitz and dazzle, these party dresses look great with or without a disco ball. —Angela Velasquez

Queen

Hudson Threads geometric tank dress

Stella Industries dress with tulle skirt

Hollyworld full skirt dress

Lipstik Girls neon dress

Elisa B. bow-accented dress

Apple Pie cuff bracelet

Philipp Plein Petite

Dancing er_01_14_trends_04.indd 21 12/19/13 11:36 AM


On Trend

iScream sweat-shirt and Life Clothing Co. pompom- accented shorts

Purple Pixies lyric-inspired sweatshirt

Paper Heart blue tie-dye sweatshirt

Wildfox sweatshirt

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No At the helm of the “ugly fashion” trend—the craze that has duped fashionistas into pairing their Birkin with Birkenstocks—is the sweatshirt, the ultra-relaxed top ubiquitous of joggers, gym-goers and college kids the world over. For spring, cozy up to the look with girly embellishments like sequins and crystals, which lend a luxe vibe to the sportswear mainstay. Or, revel in the style’s casual roots with oversized silos, cheeky sayings and deconstructed finishes. —A.V.

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Sparkle by Stoopher metallic-embellished sweatshirt

Homespun Vintage striped shirt

Freshtops pizza-themed sweatshirt

Firehouse sweatshirt with raw-finished neckline

LA Made sweat-shirt with pocket

Fun & Fun

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Meet the modern dad: According to a recent Pew Research survey, he’s young (27.4 years old) and spends nearly triple the amount of time at home than dads in the ’60s ever did. But he still finds more time for leisurely pursuits than mom (three hours a week more to be exact). Luckily for this sport-addicted, tech-driven, sharply dressed new father, the world of baby gear has moved on from blue bunny blankets, ho-hum lullabies and mom-friendly diaper bags, and is taking cues straight from GQ and ESPN. On-trend cam-ouflage prints, handsome shades of navy, orange and red and teethers befitting a future all-star make father-hood all the more fun—and are the perfect excuse to hit the ball field. —Angela Velasquez

1. OXO 4 oz. food storage containers and on-the-go feeding spoon (see 8.) 2. Meg Original plush burp cloths 3. Chewbeads New York Yankees silicone teething ring 4. Tickle Toes fabric covered diaper case 5. Diaper Dude camouflage sling diaper bag 6. Mondaine watch 7. Rockabye Baby! CD of lullaby rendi-tions of The White Stripes 9. Puma portable iPod and iPhone speakers 10. KinderStuff organic cotton one-piece 11. Mud Pie football socks.

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AmericasMart.com/ChildrensWorld | 800.ATL.MART | ©2013 AMC, Inc.

Jump into Style at Children’s World

Clothing | Accessories | Shoes | Gifts

Décor | Maternity | Juvenile Products

at Children’s World

January Children’s WorldJanuary 30 – February 3, 2014

April Children’s WorldApril 3 – 7, 2014

June Children’s WorldJune 5 – 8, 2014

August Children’s WorldAugust 7 – 11, 2014

October Children’s WorldOctober 16 – 20, 2014

© 2014 AMC, Inc.

AmericasMart.com/Children’s World

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2 6 E A R N S H AW S . C O M • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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Visitors at the Classic Toy Museum in Burlingame, CA, take a nostalgic journey back to the battery-free days when Tinker Toys kept tiny hands busy, building blocks fed imaginations and cuddly toys were best friends. But why pay the ad-mission when you can just go to your local children’s boutique to reminisce? This fall, the cozy quarters of little ones’ rooms are about to get even warmer with a treasure trove of simple, yet charming knick-knacks, toys and décor. From wood-land creatures dressed in heirloom-quality materials to dolls as delightful as a trip to grandma’s house, the latest crop of throwback goods prove that batteries are not required for fun. —Angela Velasquez

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1. Jammies by Hélène Lauré long john pajamas in a jar 2. JoJo Maman Bébé multi-colored knit blanket 3. Baby Abuelita singing plush dolls 4. Manhattan Toy stack-up toy 5. Milestone Baby cards 6. Hazel Village woodland plush dolls 7. Wooden tractor toy by Manny and Simon 8. Eeboo animal-themed block tower 9. Loralin Designs knit cat and dog 10. Wooden bobblers pull toy by Baby Baazaar 11. Keep Leaf house pillow 12. Spinning tree tops by Karl Zahn for Areaware.

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STYLE INCUBATOR

MAX & DORAMax & Dora, a children’s clothing line, features clas-sic style, contemporary fabrics and vintage trims to reflect innocence and playfulness. The collection pays homage to an ideal childhood and is inspired by those who came before us and made the present pos-sible. Our team’s vision and memories of a wonderful adolescence are reflected in the clothing. We proudly make each piece in America with a focus on quality. We invite retailers to, “Come, let us blow you away.” Sizes range from 2T to 10 and wholesale prices start at $15. See the collection at ENK booth #1473 and at Children’s World in Atlanta.

Contact:Tiffany Christoffers (561) 762-6576 [email protected] www.maxanddora.com

BELLE & BEANZERFast. Easy. Convenient. Adorable! Belle & Beanzer streamlines life with baby with easy on-off functionality and multipurpose design. And our heartfelt messages encourage par-ents to bond with their new arrivals. Shop our:

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Visit www.belleandbeanzer.com, call (855) 218-9886 or contact our reps:New York: David Lefelstein, (609) 448-4437New England: David Alterwitz, (781) 407-0001 West Coast: Nicky Rose Kids, (213) 593-1322

FRENCHIE MINI COUTUREFrenchie Mini Couture is a forward-thinking company that strives to lead the baby clothing and accessories industry by fusing fashion and fun to create fresh and practical products each season. We pride ourselves on developing high-quality items at competitive prices while main-taining exceptional customer service. Check out our new boys’ line consisting of button-down bodysuits, shirts, pants and more. Visit us at ENK, Jan. 12-14, at booth #1560 and at www.frenchiemc.com.

Visit our reps:New York [email protected] (347) 948-3901 Dallas World Trade Center Showroom #8608 [email protected] (214) 748-0404 Atlanta Room 13s341 [email protected] (662) 327-9685

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I

[ON THE BLOCK]

It Takes A Village T’S THE TYPE of story usually told be-tween the pages of a great American nov-el: The story of a family who manag-es to survive the Great Depression, then WWII, and turn their family business into a 77-year success story. The story of a family who passed that business down through three generations, each adding their own stamp, while weathering the in-evitable ups and downs through decades of setbacks and successes, boom times

and recessions. And best of all, as David Penning can tell you, it’s not fiction.

The tale begins in Kalamazoo, MI, in 1937, when David’s grandfather, Bill Penning, was a nervous new dad in search of a crib and mattress for his infant daugh-ter. Unhappy with the options on the mar-ket, he made his own. It wasn’t long before word spread about the quality of his work, and soon after The Tot Shop and Mattress Factory was born. “He had a full-time job

as a printer, but he was repairing and re-furbishing cribs and used high chairs and reselling them,” David Penning describes. “It started small, out of the house, and it just kind of grew.”

Over the course of three generations, Bill Penning’s legacy became a village, in fact, eventually renamed The Tot to Teen Village to reflect its growing selec-tion, encompassing everything from chil-dren’s furniture to clothing to gear. But

How a Midwest mattress store survived the Great Depression and became a 77-year-old one stop shop for local parents. By Audrey Goodson Kingo

Bill Penning and his wife Helen opened their

children’s shop and matress fac-tory in 1937, and sometimes sold at county fairs.

er_1_on_the_block_01.indd 28 12/19/13 1:06 PM

the first big change for the store came in 1952, when David’s father Robert came back home from the European Theatre where he served as an MP, and took over the shop. For Robert, it meant the chance to mold the store into a more modern endeavor, focusing on marketing and displays and updating the selection to include children’s clothing and a wide variety of toys—and scrapping the mattress making. “I just knew my father was not very good at it and not very happy doing it,” David recalls. “So not very long after he took over, the name was short-ened to The Tot Shop and the mattress making was long gone.”

For most kids, growing up in a toy store is just a dream. But for David, it was reality. As a kid, most of his weekends and holidays were spent helping out at The Tot Shop. Filled to the brim with the latest toys, what might have been a chore—stocking shelves and pricing items—became a veritable playland. “The great part is when your dad’s a big toy store dealer, all the broken toys get to come home,” he recalls. That is, until “eventually your mother puts her foot down, and says, ‘We’ve got a million toys around here, and all of them are broken.’”

Yet while David’s home may have been a de-lightful isle of misfit toys, The Tot Shop itself was stocked only with high-quality products, a legacy David continues to honor to this day. In fact, as the shop’s Merchandise Manager Lorri Clark can attest, David can often be found pay-ing house calls, helping customers assemble nursery furniture and fix problems. “We try to make things right—we want people to be happy with the things they buy here,” says Clark, who believes that the boutique’s emphasis on qual-ity is what makes it continue to thrive, even in the face of increased competition from big box shops. “We find that a lot of times people will look here, and they’ll go down to Babies “R” Us, and pretty soon they’re back here. I think we have better quality brands.”

The shop also boasts another benefit that’s hard to find at big box shops: An old-fash-ioned focus on friendly, personalized service that keeps customers returning year after year. Clark, who has worked at the store for 35 years, knows many customers by name. And two em-ployees recently retired, including David’s un-cle, after logging more than a combined 50 years of service in the store—an increasing-ly rare feat in today’s high-turnover retail cli-mate. “We get to know a lot of our custom-ers through the years, and I’m starting to see a lot of them come back for their grandchildren now,” Clark says.

ONE STOP SHOPWith everything from Bob strollers to Mud Pie bibs, The Tot to Teen Village has come a long

way from its humble roots in Bill Penning’s home. The shop’s current spot, a freestand-ing store with more than 15,000-square-feet of space, is not only a showcase for a wide va-riety of juvenile products and apparel, it also serves as a play space for its littlest customers, with trees soaring to the ceiling—all designed by David’s dad, Robert. “Every tree is native to the United States, so every tree has different leaves on them, and the bark is from Portugal, and it’s real cork,” Clark says. If frolicking in a forest isn’t enough to interest the store’s small clients, then there’s also a fitting room playful-ly designed to mimic a jail cell, or a Christening section that serves as an ode to New Orleans, with grillwork and a “Louisiana feel,” Clark describes.

While kids play, parents browse the shop’s merchandise, including an apparel section that skews traditional, to suit the shop’s slight-ly more conservative clientele. “We get a lot of grandmothers, and we have a lot of faithful

customers, and they don’t want all the blingy stuff,” says Clark, who handles the buying for the apparel side of the business. Clark also must be careful about trying out trends too quickly: “When I go to the Dallas market and everyone says, ‘Oh, this is so fabulous, you’ve got to get it,’ I’ll get it, and I’m almost a year ahead. Next year is when it will be popular here.”

Instead, Clark prefers to rely on tried-and-true favorites. For girls, she looks to brands like Hartstrings, E-Land, DKNY, Mud Pie, Flapdoodles, Mayoral, Wheat, Joules and Isobella & Chloe, which Clark calls “a very, very good brand for us.” For boys, the shop offers Under Armour, E-Land, Mulberribush and Wes & Willy. “People come to us when they want things that will last and they can pass down,” she says of the brands she prefers to stock.

Yet while clothing is still a big part of the shop’s business, in recent years it’s given way to other categories, like furniture, gear and gifts. “It used to be 40 percent furniture and 60

How a Midwest mattress store survived the Great Depression and became a 77-year-old one stop shop for local parents. By Audrey Goodson Kingo

The current location (top and bottom right) is quite a change from the original Tot Shop and Mattress Factory (bottom left).



percent clothing and now it’s kind of flip-flopped,” Clark says. She chalks it up to increased compe-tition from mass merchants—part of the reason why the shop carries a wide selection of special occasion wear, she says, noting, “At the box stores, everything is tops and leggings.” The shop also shied away from carrying a wide array of toys in recent decades, a development largely spurred on by the spread of Toys “R” Us.

Increased competition from the online realm

is another reason behind the store’s shift in focus towards furniture, David adds. “The rise of the Internet has had a huge impact on our industry,” he points out. “It effects the things that are easily shippable, and those would be your gear lines. But it’s much more difficult for online retailers when you get into the big boxes of cribs and dressers.”

STAYING AHEADWhile today’s rapidly shifting retail landscape

WHAT’S SELLING?Bestselling for girls: Isobella & Chloe dresses.

Bestselling for boys: Lito suits, especially around the holidays.

Bestselling for infants: Anything by LeTop, Petite Ami smock dresses and Mud Pie suspenders and holiday accessories.

Bestselling toys: Lipper table and chairs.

Bestselling gear: Bob strollers. It’s a ver-satile, well-made stroller. And Britax car seats. To me, they’re the best car seat on the market—all my grandkids have grown up with Britax car seats—and we carry the full line. We’ve had them for more than 15 years.

Bestselling furniture: Baby’s Dream Furniture. We carry a lot of it, and people buy a lot of it because it’s good furniture.

Strollers, toys, clothing and a special New Orleans-themed Christening sec-tion are just a few of the shop’s offerings.


certainly has its challenges, Clark notes that the Village is well-equipped to compete. Aside from the store’s exemplary customer service and a wide variety of better-quality brands that can’t be found at big box shops, David is of-ten willing to match prices with the mass mer-chants. “Depending on what the item is, David will match prices on strollers and car seats,” Clark notes. “For example, if they’ve got a seat advertised at a certain price, usually he’ll match it or split the difference. I’ve seen him do that on the Bob strollers. They’ll have found it online for $50 cheaper, and if he can’t do $50, then he’ll split the difference, and the custom-er will walk out with the item.”

The store also reels in shoppers with annual events, like the Ladies Night it hosts every fall,

which Clark calls “one of the biggest sale nights of the year.” Moms come for the discounts—ev-erything in the store is half price—and a $10 off coupon, but they stay for the plum giveaways. “Last year we even gave away a bed, and this year we did a Britax car seat,” she says. “They get really, really good buys, plus they get a little bag with some candy and stuff in it as a parting gift. It’s a fun night.”

And if that’s not enough, David sees some encouraging trends taking place in the mar-ket, namely a groundswell of support for neigh-borhood stores. “I see a movement of more people liking to support their local business,” David says. “They see that when you only shop big box, that money is leaving the community. When you shop local, then it’s your neighbor

getting jobs,” he says. And the best part about it? “You still have to be price competitive, but you may not have to be the cheapest available,” he notes. “And of course, people enjoy custom-er service. If you buy it on the Internet and something’s broken, oh brother, good luck. I see that happen a lot.”

He’s also encouraged by the shift back to American-made products. “It’s amazing. It’s even a little bit surprising to me how rapidly it’s moving,” he says, particularly for wooden fur-niture. It makes sense, since as both Clark and David have observed, shoppers are increas-ingly interested in making patriotic purchas-es. “I think in the beginning the pushback I saw was in part because Michigan has always been a pretty heavily unionized state. Now I’m see-ing it more as, instead of being a negative push-back, it’s more of a positive attitude. Rather than the negative of it being made in China, it’s the positive of it being made in the U.S.” It’s a perfect development for The Tot to Teen Village, since the Penning family’s story of re-tail success through three generations is about as American as it gets. •

“ I see a movement of more people liking to support their local business... When you shop local, then it’s your neighbor getting jobs. ”

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Q&A

TALK ABOUT GOOD timing: When Margaret Hardin took over Ergobaby in May, little did the new CEO know that the company was headed into one of its most exciting years yet. Aside from making plans to celebrate its 10-year anniversary in October, the Ergobaby team was also putting the finishing touches on several new products set to debut at the ABC Kids Expo in the very same month. “It was an amazing time to come in to the company,” Hardin recalls. “A lot of the items we were debuting at ABC were in their final stages so I got to come in, look at them, make a couple tweaks, and say, ‘Okay, we gotta go.’”

That buzz was certainly evident at the brand’s booth in Las Vegas, which was flooded with visits from bloggers and buyers alike, all eager to check out Ergobaby’s new offerings, namely a wrap carrier available for the first time in the U.S., and the brand’s first carrier with a forward out-ward-facing position option. Dubbed the Ergobaby 4 Position 360 Carrier,

it allows baby to sit in four positions: inward-facing on mom’s back, front and hip, and outward-facing on mom’s front. On paper, a baby carrier company offering a new type of carrier may not seem all that exciting, but as the babywearing community can attest, it was a Big Deal.

This is where it helps to have a little company background: Ergobaby was founded in 2003 by Karin Frost, with the idea that inward-facing car-riers (where baby faces mom or dad) offer better ergonomic support for little bodies. To this day, many babywearers are split regarding the safety of carrying baby outward, with some arguing the position runs the risk of overstimulating baby and even increases the chance of hip dysplasia. On the other hand, many parents love that the position allows little ones to explore the world around them.

For the Ergobaby team, the solution was clear: Create a carrier that allows babies to sit outward, but offers the same ergonomic support as P

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Margaret Hardin leads Ergobaby from its light-filled Los Angeles headquarters.

With 13 years of executive experience in the children’s industry, Ergobaby’s new CEO Margaret Hardin is ready to shoulder the responsibility of the brand’s latest ventures in babywearing and beyond. BY AUDREY GOODSON KINGO

er_1_Q&A_02.indd 32 12/19/13 4:30 PM


the company’s classic design. “It’s all about the feet,” Hardin explains. “We created a structured bucket seat, so that when the child is in an outward position, they have nice sup-port. They’re able to sit down and the knees are slightly raised, which is the recommended positioning inside a carrier. So we’re able to achieve almost the same ergonomics in a forward outward-facing position as we are in a forward inward-facing position,” she says.

Hardin has high hopes parents will embrace the 360, based on the enthusiastic response from retailers at the ABC show, and also thanks to Ergobaby’s 10-year legacy of creating products parents love. “We really were the first to have the ergonomic soft-structure carrier, and we’re known for that, so when we say we have an ergonomic forward-facing position, I believe moms trust that about us,” she adds.

If overseeing the debut of several new products seems like a lot to man-age on top of learning the ropes at a global children’s brand, leave it to Hardin to handle it with aplomb. In fact, it’s what the highly capable CEO did on a daily basis for 13 years at Munchkin, first as CFO, then as COO and finally president. Hardin jumped into the world of juvenile products in 2000 after working in finance for four years at Procter & Gamble, and it was a natural fit for her entrepreneurial spirit and love of consumer research.

“She has a deep knowledge of the consumer and the importance of creating a sustained flow of safe, innovative products,” says Andrew Keimach, who took over as president at Munchkin after Hardin. In fact, the two worked together at both P&G and Munchkin. “Margaret is one of the brightest and smartest people that I have ever worked with,” he adds. “When Munchkin was searching for a CFO, she was the first person that I thought of for that role. Not only did she do a great job as CFO, she dem-onstrated terrific ability to understand the drivers of our business and was a key member of the team that helped Munchkin sustain leadership growth and a continuous stream of product innovation.”

Hardin will certainly have a chance to put those product innovation chops to use at Ergobaby. In 2011, the company acquired stroller brand Orbit Baby. And early last year, Ergobaby branched into new territory with the launch of the Ergobaby Swaddler, a swaddle blanket that prom-ises the same healthy hip positioning as the brand’s carriers. “That was our first product launch into a category outside of babywearing,” Hardin notes. “It has been extremely well received, and it has given us confidence to continue looking into other categories for opportunities to bring our ergonomic design to products on the market.”

Clearly this is a company eager to conquer new categories, and with a presence in 2,500 retail doors across the U.S. and in 30 countries world-wide, Ergobaby is perfectly positioned to expand. Still, even with all of the exciting opportunities on the horizon—and the consumer launch for

the wrap and 360 carrier set for next year—Hardin’s favorite part of her job is still connecting with the customers who make it all meaningful. “I could talk to moms and consumers all day long,” she shares.

You began your career at Munchkin. What was that like?I left Procter & Gamble to join Munchkin when it was really a start-up. The founder was just creating his management team, so a lot of us came in at the same time, and it was like growing up together. We had a company that was extremely new and extremely young and a very passion-ate and dynamic founder. We had a whiteboard in front of us, and we basi-cally said, ‘Where do we want to take this thing?’ I was there for almost 13 years, and I think we looked at that whiteboard every year. When I left it was a nice mid-sized company in this space, so I had a fabulous career there.

It must have been a big change to go from P&G to the world of chil-dren’s products.It was definitely different than selling

toothpaste [laughs], which is what I was doing at P&G.

What were some of the biggest differences you noticed?P&G was very much about customer retention. We get you started on Crest and you use Crest throughout your life. But in the children’s space, our consumer is constantly leaving us. You might keep them for four years if you’re really lucky, but then they’re gone. So that’s a very different prop-osition where instead of being focused on retaining a single customer, you’re really trying to create a customer chain. You’re trying to get your current consumer to love your product so much that they’re going to tell all their friends. That word of mouth is so critical in the children’s market. We have to have it to pass along our brand reputation.

What drew you to Ergobaby?I think one of the things that attracted me to Ergobaby is the similarity in the growth profile [to Munchkin]. Ergobaby has an amazing baby carrier designed by Karin Frost that’s been on the market for 10 years. The ques-tion is: Where does Ergobaby want to go from here? It’s a little bit of an opportunity to get a new whiteboard and figure out where we want to go. But Ergobaby is a bit different in that it is much more international than my first company, so I’m learning new things along the way too, which is very personally rewarding for me.

Would you say that learning the international market is one of the biggest challenges of the new job?Absolutely. I was in a very lucky spot—there was very little that needed to be changed. It’s a great company with great products and great people, so I have an easy job. But we’re very complex by being so international, and

The Ergobaby 4 Position 360 Carrier, set to debut next year, is the brand’s first outward-facing carrer.

er_1_Q&A_02.indd 33 12/18/13 2:19 PM

the needs of our Asia market are very different from the needs of our German market, for example. The challenge is how we gather all that feedback in a way we can respond to it without spinning in circles. I’m really focused on creating the appropriate feedback cycle so we can learn about the different markets and make the right products for them.

Any regional quirks that surprised you?I love that our Korea market, which is absolutely fabulous, is a fashion-oriented market. They abso-lutely are looking at what prints and fabrics we’re choosing. Then you take a market like Germany, and it is 100 percent about the ergonomics—are you sup-porting the child in the right way and is it appropriate for a newborn with the infant insert? There are definitely regional differences, and those are exciting and exhausting at the same time.

I’ve noticed that a lot of carrier brands are using photos of dads in their ads lately. Are men finally jumping on the babywearing bandwagon? I would say probably just in the last couple of years more dads are seeing babywearing as a great way to bond with their children and also to lead an active lifestyle. We have a performance carrier that is geared more for hiking, because it’s made of a lighter fabric, and dads absolutely love it. I think the number of dads doing babywearing is growing every single day.

Is that why Ergobaby launched the 360 Carrier, since many dads seem to prefer outward-facing carriers?It was one of the reasons, but it wasn’t the only one, since outward-facing carriers have been on the market for a while. Obviously Ergo has not participated in that because we believe we have to create an ergonomic solution, and we didn’t think it was on the market. When we began creating the 360, it was actually because moms were asking for it. But we do see dads being very excited about it, so I do think they are an oppor-tunity, but they weren’t the primary market.

What were moms looking for? What we hear from moms is that they absolutely love our carriers, but in certain situations, like at the zoo or the museum, where the child wants to explore the world around them, doing it in an inward-facing position is slightly difficult. So mom wanted an option specifically from Ergobaby to go into outward-facing position for a short period of time. And then obvi-ously when the child has had enough stimulation or is starting to get tired, you can easily move her back into our forward inward-facing position.

How does Ergobaby stand out from brands like BabyBjörn, which is also introducing a front-and-back carrier next year?For us, we view it as the more people we can get babywearing, the better

“We view it as the more people we can

get babywearing, the better the world

would be.”

er_1_Q&A_02.indd 34 12/19/13 1:21 PM

the world would be. The market is continuing to grow, but it’s still very small inside the U.S. So while BabyBjörn is a competitor, we absolutely believe the market is large enough for both of us. And how does Ergo stand out? We really were the first to have the ergonomic soft-structure carrier, and we’re known for that. So when we say we have an ergonomic forward-facing position, I believe moms trust that about us, and I believe that’s how we’ll stand out at the shelf.

How about the wrap—what was the inspiration behind that launch?That product started inside our European office, where wraps are much more prevalent than they are in the U.S. Based on their urging, we took a look at it, and we said, ‘You’re right, we can make a great wrap.’ We expected it to be a pretty European product, but when we debuted it at the ABC Expo, we were pleasantly surprised. We hope the consumers will react as positively as our retail partners did when it hits the market in February.

Who is the target audience for wraps in the U.S.?What we’re seeing inside the U.S. is that some moms who know they want to babywear from day one are choosing the wrap for the first couple of months and then they’re moving into a carrier. So while we offer the infant insert for our carrier, and we believe you can use it from day one, we know there are moms who like to start with the wrap. So we said, if they’re going to start with the wrap, they should start with the Ergobaby wrap.

With brands like Boba and Moby on the market, how does the wrap stand out at retail?The Ergobaby wrap is a premium positioned product where our unique fixture is our material. We’re using an innovative 4-D stretch material, so the fabric flexes in four directions, providing a perfect fit for parent and baby. It allows mom to wear the wrap nearly all day without hav-

ing to readjust or worry about the fabric sagging. We believe there is room for multiple options on the market, and we think our product has a unique benefit with the fabric, and we’re looking forward to mom’s response.

Education is such an important part of teach-ing parents about the benefits of babywearing. How does Ergobaby help in that regard?Education is hugely impor-tant to us, and it’s some-thing we work on every day. We participate in industry conferences, like MommyCon, which pro-mote the benefits of baby-wearing, and we support groups like Babywearing International, which helps

Ergobaby introduces its first wrap in 2014.

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er_1_Q&A_02.indd 35 12/19/13 10:55 AM


local organizations inside cities teach moms about the benefits of babywearing and bonding with your child and quite frankly the comfort of just having your hands free again as you try and do simple chores around the house. We also work with medical experts when we look inside new categories. And we attended the American Pediatrics conference that was recently held down in Florida. Ergobaby also has a YouTube channel, and it has a lot of instructions about how you would specifically wear an Ergobaby product, but it is also an educational resource for mom.

Do you help educate retailers about the prod-uct, too?Yes. We offer staff training for our retailers to help them understand the benefits of our prod-ucts. When you go inside a retailer’s store, we have education kits, and a lot of times we have a demo sample so parents can try on a carrier before purchasing it. And we offer materials just to help the retail staff help mom understand the benefits of babywearing,

Are specialty retailers an important part of that effort?One hundred percent yes. There is no other chan-

nel that can provide education like a specialty store. They still have incredibly trained, dedi-cated and motivated staff. The specialty channel is a huge supporter of babywearing—they allow us to go in and train and partner with them. For me, it’s a very symbiotic relationship.

Who else helps get the word out about Ergobaby products?Facebook and bloggers are pretty critical for us during any U.S. launch, and our activity in the social media world is absolutely insane. We also have a full-time blogger on our staff who is a pas-sionate babywearer herself, so our employees are using our products every day, and they are out there talking in the social media world about the product. I think that is something that we’re doing slightly differently than other children’s companies, and I think that’s part of the reason why we have such a great fan base. You would also be amazed at how rapidly our Pinterest page is growing.

Social media is such a crucial way to reach moms these days.I recently overheard some moms say they trust their friends on Facebook more than their

UPCLOSEWhat’s your favorite way to spend a lazy day? I am really lucky to be in Los Angeles so I would have to say hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains.

What are you reading? I just finished A Game of Thrones. I watched the show first, and I enjoyed it so much I had to go back and see how closely it followed the book because you know they never do. And it was amazing—the show is so closely aligned to the book. It was really a nice appreciation of the original author.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I would love to be able to fly. You have to understand why: I hate flying. I actually really, really hate it. So if I could fly on my own, I figure it’s got to be better.

What three things could you never live without? Coffee, my iPhone and my passport.

er_1_Q&A_02.indd 36 12/19/13 3:13 PM


doctor for recommendations on children’s products. That’s absolutely game changing. The importance of social media has never been higher and I only see that growing in the future.

How about e-commerce? Is that a big part of your web strategy?Our online presence is really geared towards communication. We have links up to our Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram accounts, as well as our blog, and those sites link back to the website. The goal is if mom wants to find out why she should use an Ergobaby product, she will find that on our site. The online sale is a very secondary goal for us. If mom is searching and doesn’t have access to a local specialty store, she can complete that purchase on our website.

Ergobaby’s branding is always very consistent. Is that a priority? It’s hugely, hugely important. Even inside our industry, I’ve seen a lot of brands create multiple versions of the same product and adapt it for a spe-cific retail channel, and while there are definitely pros to that, the con is consumer confusion. Our brand is consistent because every carrier that we make delivers comfort through ergonomics. Moms know what they’re get-ting when they buy our products.

Ergobaby is carried everywhere from small specialty stores to BuyBuy Baby. Are there any challenges to being in so many doors?Sometimes yes, because I think retailers still feel the squeeze of the last five years and they want uniqueness inside their doors, so that’s a chal-lenge. On the flip side, we have more than 30 carriers inside our offering, so we are able to customize orders to a retailer’s specific needs and their specific consumers.

Any other challenges you’ve noticed since taking over?For us, the challenge is that the product lifecycle on the carrier has gotten shorter. Retailers want freshness in the design. They are looking to us to continue to innovate the category—and we happily accept that challenge. Those really are the main challenges: staying ahead of the competition and keeping our designs fresh.

Keeping products affordable also seems to be tricky these days, since many shoppers are motivated by price. What do you think?When you take it back to the children’s product market, parents care about safety and trust more than any of those other things. So while price is always a factor, it’s not the dominant factor in this industry—which is

probably another reason why I love it [laughs]. When consumers are search-ing for baby carriers in particular, they’re not looking for the lowest price. They’re looking for the one that is comfortable for them, that they believe is comfortable for the baby, and they’re looking for one they can trust, that their friend recommends. It’s a great industry to be in for those reasons.

Have you spied any new trends in the babywearing community lately?What I’m seeing right now, and I think this is a great thing, is that moms are starting to wear their babies lon-ger, meaning more into the toddler age, and we are seeing an increased

demand for toddler carriers. (We don’t have one specifically for toddlers, although our carriers are good through 4 years old.)

What’s your favorite part of your job?I fell into consumer products very early, but it’s a perfect spot for me because I love consumer research. Every mom you talk to is an individual and you always learn something new. It’s never boring. That is absolutely my favorite part of the job. •

The Ergobaby Swaddler, which debuted last year, represented the brand’s first foray outside the carrier category.

er_1_Q&A_02.indd 37 12/19/13 3:13 PM

38

FALL ’14 OUTERWEAR HERALDS AN ICE AGE OF FROTHY WHITE AND

HANDSOME TAILORING.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAPHAEL BUCHLER • ST YL ING BY ANGELA VELASQUE Z

Sonia Rykiel cropped jacket, Tutu Du Monde dress, mittens by Marili Jean.

er_fashion_01_14_03.indd 38 12/19/13 3:25 PM

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Collection B lace-accented jacket, Bonnie Young sweater, Reina Mora skirt, vintage mittens. Opposite: Magpie by Mack & Co. coat, Amberley London dress, Jefferies tights, Marili Jean mittens, Stride Rite Mary Janes.


4242


Izod by Cutie Pie Baby coat, Levi’s jeans, beanie by Appaman, Mini A Ture scarf. Opposite page, from left: Appaman pinstriped blazer, Hugo Boss cardigan and pants, Busy Bees button-downshirt, Mini A Ture gloves, Dorfman Pacific hat; Collection B cream jacket, Bonnie Young dress, Peace of Cake gloves.


Bonnie Young cardigan, Wildfox T-shirt, Tutu Du Monde tulle skirt, Little Giraffe legwarmers worn on arms, Andrea’s Beau headband.


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Appaman coat and beanie, Alpha Industries sweater, Andy & Evan button-down shirt, vintage scarf. Opposite page: Hucklebones coat and top, Petit by Sofie Schnoor sequin leggings, Dorfman Pacific mittens, Marili Jean hat, model’s own Ugg boots.


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Mini A Ture coat and mittens, Chams by C.D.B. Apparel cargo pants, Appaman hat. Opposite page: Appaman coat, sweater, pants and hat, Bonnie Young button-down shirt, TicTacToe camo print socks.

Hair and makeup by Clelia Bergonzoli for Utopia.



HEN YOU TAKE a vacation and leave loved ones at home, you can bring back a postcard, a snow globe or a City Threads hoodie. What started in 2002 as a line of basics embroidered with the names of popular cities, the kids’ brand has since expanded into multiple product catego-ries, including graphic tees for boys and girls, dresses, underwear, accessories and

separates. And now for Fall ’14, the made-in-Los Angeles brand is introducing 100 percent cotton pieces in infant and toddler sizes, as well as lower-priced versions of its bestselling styles.

“We want to create options for all types of customers,” says Joe Willis, who co-owns City Threads with his wife Shayna Samuels. “We realized we were missing a basic T-shirt with a really cool graphic, at a lower price,” he adds. To accommodate a wider customer range, City Threads plans on transforming its bestselling styles (for example, its skull and crossbones graphic shirt) by eliminating costly details like side paneling, while keeping the same quality material and original design. “You can still have a basic T-shirt with great graphics and bring the price down,” says Willis, who notes the brand’s infant T-shirt that would previously wholesale for $18.50 is now available for $12.

City Thread’s first collection of infant and toddler pieces, ranging from 0 to 24 months, will coordinate with prints found in the brand’s big kid styles, including T-shirts with phrases like “big brother” and “little sister.” Samuels notes a butterfly print is the top-selling style for girls while dinosaurs, race cars and skulls are a popular pick for boys. City Threads will also introduce fleece-lined zip hoodies and hats for both infants and kids with prints that coordinate with the apparel line, an extension aimed to meet a retail demand for more product. “I remember hoping for one order, not even being sure if we would get that,” says Samuels. “But each launch reflects what stores have been asking for, which is more.” The Fall ’14 collection whole-sales from $7 to $27 and is available in sizes 0 to 14 years.

Despite the growth of the line in the past 12 years, City Threads still stays true to its roots and ships its custom-order city-themed apparel, available in three different colorways and 14 sizes, three or four times a year. Unlike most designers who get the ah-ha! moment to tap into children’s fashion after having their own kids, Samuels got the idea after working as a nanny and experiencing the frustration of trying to find unique clothing for boys. With hoodies adorned with 3-D shark fins and monster scales available in this year’s collection, Samuels is already lending a cool vibe to mom-approved basics. “The moms really liked to shop,” she recalls. “And right away I saw a need for cooler boys’ clothing that was missing from the market.” –Brittany Leitner

BEHIND THE SEAMS

WA line formerly focused on locale-specific clothing stretches beyond its borders into new product categories.

City Slickers

er_01_14_behind_01.indd 50 12/19/13 4:37 PM

FTER SUCCESS-FULLY LAUNCHING a children’s clothing boutique, Angelique Kids, just one year after Hurricane Katrina dev-astated New Orleans, Jennifer Atkins vowed to give back to her

resilient city when she launched her girls’ clothing collection earlier this year. It went without question that Atkins and her business partner Crickett Lapeyre would produce their line, Peony, in their hometown. “We are really proud of our city, and it reflects a lot of who we are,” Atkins shares. “It has international appeal and so does our line.”

Best friends, moms to twins, and passionate about clothing, Atkins and Lapeyre combined Atkins’ retail experience and Lapeyre’s design background (Her women’s line, Libellule took off in 2010.) to create a collection that combines contemporary fabrics with timeless silhouettes. “There’s definitely a continuity between Libellule and Peony—both are vin-tage inspired and combine elements to make something modern and pretty,” Atkins notes.

Atkins, like a lot of New Orleans locals, lost many of her possessions during Katrina, and she viewed Peony as an opportunity to replace some of her beloved heirloom items. “I want to make sure there are still things we can hand down to our children,” she explains. “I see my daughter handing down these dresses.”

Fittingly, Peony’s designs are inspired by the ones Atkins’ mother used to sew. In fact, she was so skilled at French hand sewing that a teacher submitted one of her dresses in a competition, and the dress made it all the way to Monaco with Princess Grace Kelly as the final judge. “It ended up winning number one in the world,” Atkins says. To capture that vintage feel, Peony’s designs, which wholesale for $30 to $65, are based on the original dress cuts and patterns her mom used, but replace details like French hand sewing with wrinkle resistant fabrics and washable silks, keeping today’s moms in mind.

With dresses and separates available in girls’ sizes newborn to 14, Atkins and Lepore hope to add a boys’ collection by Spring ’15. The two are currently working on samples for Fall ’14, and Atkins hints that gold accents, luxury fabrics and rich colors like wine will make an appearance. “We are looking at ‘60s and ‘70s mod as inspiration,” she reveals. “It’s going to be fun for us to explore a more mod tween customer.”

And despite the brand’s Southern roots, Peony was picked up by retailers across the country after its first appearance at ENK in August, Atkins notes. “We have funky retailers in Brooklyn and high-end conservative shops in Dallas,” she says. “A hip person in Brooklyn can see our all-white clean and classic lines as modern, while someone in the South can appreciate Peony’s vintage qualities,” she adds. –B.L.

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Big Easy-based Peony offers

boutique looks with modern appeal

and traditional southern comfort.

QuarterFrench

Any way you stack it,

Dallas offers more for kids

Dallas KidsWorld MarketAPPAREL. GIFT. ACCESSORIES. TOY.

January 23-26, 2014Thursday-Sunday

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5 2 E A R N S H AW S . C O M • N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

HEN BLAIR EVERETT, U.S. distributor for Ragtales, first discovered the U.K. brand, he knew he had found some-thing special.

“I had been working on a concept of trying to develop a tooth fairy doll for the United States,” he recalls. In a toy market driven by fad items (i.e. Beanie Babies, Webkins, Bratz dolls), Everett was interested in something that had potential to survive the market in the long term, an “heirloom item” that could be passed down and cherished through generations.

With features like sewn-on eyes, velour hair and 100 percent wool clothing and accessories, Everett believed Ragtales dolls would withstand the test of time. “When I looked at the product, I thought it was unbe-lievable,” he notes. He immediately went to work persuading the company to let him head distribution efforts in the States. Of course, it didn’t hurt to have a little street cred in the industry, with more than 30 years of experience representing classic, vintage and high-end toys under his belt. “I’ve been in the toy business for 38 years, and I have

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Shelf LifeAs toy itemshelp boost the gift category, new line Ragtales aims to stand out with staying power.

never seen this level of detail in a toy,” he quips of his new brand.

The British- and French-inspired collec-tion, which wholesales from $10 to $42.50, includes Everett’s coveted tooth fairy doll, rabbits, teddy bears and more. Each doll is 14 to 18 inches long and is outfitted with velvet ruffle dresses or hand-knit sweaters. “In addition to [the bear and bunny] being floppy and jointed at the legs, they also have a little bean bag at the bottom that allows the dolls to sit upright,” Everett describes.

The dolls are packaged in playful, magnetic panel cases designed to look like a wardrobe or a story book, which make them an excel-lent gift item—a category that is quickly rising as retailers look to rev up selection. “Year to date, my best customer is an upscale children’s apparel store,” Everett points out. “In the apparel side of the business, one-third of what retailers buy is going to get marked down. Gifts are a margin builder.” Plus, moms are always looking for a one-stop shop to check multiple items off their list at once. “I think mom is in an apparel shop way more than a toy store,” he adds.

After a successful first season (includ-ing a shelf spot at FAO Schwarz during the holidays), the brand intends to surge into the upcoming year full-speed-ahead, expanding its selection and broadening its retail range. “We have 12 new items coming out in 2014,” Everett hints, adding the brand will intro-duce items with lower price points to hit an even broader gift distribution. “My business is now as much gift as it is toy,” he says. –B.L.

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VEN FOR A brand that’s more than 170 years old, tim-ing still has to be perfect. Clarks shoes have been a go-to wardrobe staple for parents in the U.K. since just a few short years after the company’s 1825 launch, but it wasn’t until Fall ’12 that the brand’s first kids’

collection landed stateside. “We saw a need in the marketplace that we felt wasn’t being met by other kids’ shoe makers,” says Brian Alves, sales manager for Clarks Kids. “Many of my accounts would ask me when we were bring-ing Clarks Kids over,” he adds. “During the last couple of years we have worked towards pull-ing together our strongest assets, resources and people from each region in an effort to become a stronger global brand. We now have the resources in place to deliver.” Since the launch, Clarks Kids is well on its way to becoming, as Alves puts it, “the premier kids’ brand in the U.S.” After appealing to mass retailers like Nordstrom and Dillard’s with the brand’s deep-rooted history, the company is now working on expanding its boutique accounts for 2014. The collection’s styles, which begin with pre-walker sizes 2.5 to 5 and go up to junior sizes 7.5 to 13, are mostly

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made of leather with just five percent sourced from other materials like suede. Newborn and infant styles fea-ture thoughtful details like super-soft,

flexible leather and easy Velcro closures, Alves notes. “We look specifically at each devel-opmental stage of the child’s foot and design and engineer around that,” he adds.

While many kids’ styles are scaled down from adult clas-sics (like the iconic Wallabee

boot), Clarks also makes it a point to introduce designs that are strictly for kids, like the Zora Zippy sneaker. With a hidden mini doll called Daisy underneath the foot bed, the pink leather style sports both big kid laces and a zipper side for little ones still mastering the art of shoe tying. The shoe comes with an access code that unlocks a fashion app where girls can play games, download printable coloring pages, pair outfits for Daisy and more. The doll comes out of the shoe for playtime and can fit back inside the heel securely to take on the go. “This is something that’s also hugely successful in the U.K.,” says Alves. “I see the line expanding with market support behind it. It’s a very unique idea.”

On deck for the brand in Spring ’14, in addi-tion to take down styles from mom and dad, is a wider range of materials, including suede and canvas, an updated color palette and innova-tive closures. Wholesaling for $45 to $65, Alves notes the collection will offer everything from girls’ ballet flats with cutouts in pastel colors to boys’ canvas sneakers with an alternative hook and loop closure and a higher-top silhou-ette that allows for more functionality. “We are always striving to make high quality shoes that kids will want to wear every day and kick around in,” Alves says. “Our shoes are expertly crafted with world-class style.” –B.L.

With almost two centuries of history in the U.K.,

Clarks Kids finally finds a home in the States.

TravelPermits

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As seen on ABC’s Shark Tank,NBC’s Today Show, Anderson,

People and Inc Magazine

RuffleButts.com Ruggedbutts.com

MARKETPLACE

THE SHOE ISSUE

Contact: Noelle Heffernan (646) 278-1531 [email protected] advertising rates, sponsorships and custom publication opportunities.

Infants’, GIrls’ & Boys’ Wear revIeW • june 201 3 $5.00

Tracey McLeod on BBc’s sTeLLar BrandsfLicensed To ThriLLfWee soLes, Big success

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TOY STORYWe share the top tips for selling the gizmos and trinkets tots love, and our On the Shelf section reveals the delights that await buyers at this year’s Toy Fair.

SHOE INFrom rain boots to ballet flats, find the latest Fall ’14 footwear on our inspirational fashion pages.

SO MUCH MORE…Influential and insightful, Earnshaw’s maga-zine has been the go-to resource for chil-dren’s apparel retailers for the past 96 years. With thousands of followers on Facebook and Twitter, in addition to its award-winning print publication, Earnshaw’s is an indus-

try leader across a diverse array of media platforms, relied on by buyers and manufac-turers for the best in children’s fashion and retail news.

A STEP ABOVEAdvertise in Earnshaw’s and place your brand message in front of 15,000 child-renswear buyers and professionals. Brand impression is everything today, and we can make sure your message remains top of mind within the industry.

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FEBRUARY ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

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Join Earnshaw’s Marketplace

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ot many retailers can boast of being one of the oldest stores in the United States and a New York City tourist attraction, but as anyone would know from watching Tom Hanks’ iconic piano scene in Big, toy store FAO Schwarz

is anything but ordinary. “It’s best known for its selection of high-quality merchandise and timeless treasures,” says FAO Schwarz Spokesperson Adrienne O’Hara. “But it has also carried on the tradition of serving as a stage to introduce new and exciting products to consumers,” she adds.

Established in 1862, the 44,000-square-foot-space offers everything from small gifts and treats available for less than $20 to the giant floor piano retailing for $250,000. The store is also home to a number of shop-in-shops like the Muppet Whatnot Workshop, FAO Schweetz, a 6,000-square-foot candy store, and a newborn doll nursery where employees dress as nurses and teach little customers how to care for their new bundle of joy.

In recent years FAO Schwarz has played host to celebrity moms like Jennifer Garner, Kourtney Kardashian and Miranda Kerr, but even stars without kids enjoy indulging in the shop’s sense of childlike wonder: Liam Payne from boy band One Direction was recently spotted playing with a Nerf gun outside the store. “It’s a pop culture icon for generations,” O’Hara says. •

FAO Schwarz, New York, NY

stargazing

Celebs treat their tots to the 151-year-old store’s whimsical world of high-end toys. By Brittany Leitner

What the A-list love at…

Cra-Z-Loom bracelet kits are the perfect time-filler for kids who spend hours on set with mom, like the Jolie-Pitts, who stop by the store when they’re in town.

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A Wish Come True costumes are a bestseller among celebrity clientele. Katie Holmes loves visiting the store and dressing daughter Suri in poofy princess gowns.

Victoria Beckham flocks to Fisher-Price for her four kids. FAO Schwarz houses the brand’s classics collection in addition to more modern items.

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