Fall 2005 at Your Fingertips
For this story on sourcing great Back-To-School looks via the Internet, I spoke with a few childrenswear designers whose lines are included in this column, and asked them what inspired them this season. Each said it is "fabric" that drives their collections.
Bernadette Reiss who designs the Kate Mack collection of outerwear and Biscotti, a girls' sportswear line, fell for a gorgeous aqua and lilac novelty textile paisley that she embellished with sequins for a coat with a fairy tale feeling. "That fabric was just so frivolous - and fun!" she said.
"We're always influenced by the texture of a textile," said Deborah Schoch, an owner and creator of Cozy Toes. Her striped sweater in a buttery cotton knit, and matching velour pants are all about covering a child with softness and warmth.
It's rock n' roll that powers the Kumquat collection, but for owner and designer Angelyn de la Garza, nothing that isn't "super soft and easy to move in" makes it to the cutting table.
The items in this column reflect the designers' love of all fabrics pleasing to the hand. The garments included had to be as fashionable as the children's clothing I found on my recent trip to France and Italy, and it was important that the price points reflected the quality of the goods.
Need I mention the ease of ordering online? While I loved flying to Europe, browsing the shops and dining (Lavender flavored gelato! Pasta carbonara! Glasses of sparkling Prosecco!) there's something undeniably appealing about sitting in an air conditioned office and finding goods every bit as hip as those I saw in Europe.
INFANT GIRLS. You can say your child is the best dressed and mean it when you log onto Best Dressed Child (bestdressedchild.com). The 3-piece outfit from Hartstrings - knit dress in sweet pink, apple green and cream with the classic argyle motif along the bodice, a coordinating bodysuit and matching panty - is correct for any occasion. ($56 for the set, 3 months-24 months).
Your little girl will be unforgettable in Baby Lulu's Cabbage Rose Square Neck Dress available at Forget me Not Kids (forgetmenotkids.com). Like all of Baby Lulu's designs, the prints are charmingly old-fashioned, while the colors dip into the season's trends. ($36, 12 months to 24 months; $38, 2T-4T.) To finish the look, you'll find L'Amour's cowboy boots ($36.99, 8-13 and 1-4 "big girl" sizes) in lilac and black suede (also available in tan and black) on the site, too.
INFANT BOYS. Mothers won't complain that girls get all the good stuff when they see what Bundles of Blossoms (bundlesofblossoms.com) has for little boys. The zip-front, all-cotton, hooded sweater-jacket by Melange ($33, 9 months-24 months) in a sophisticated gray, cocoa and red Nordic inspired stripe, is as timely as anything in the girls' department.
