Auld Lang Style

This year will be a very special year for us at Earnshaw’s. In April, we celebrate our 95th anniversary, and to prepare, we are spending weeks rifling through our archives, learning what it was like to be a retailer and own a part of the “American Dream” in 1917 and the decades that followed.

Those big dreams are captured in our fashion story, “Wild West” in which photographer Christophe Kutner shows children at play in the wide-open American land- scape. On a misty day in Long Island, the kids set up camp and spent an afternoon climbing trees, running through the thick and taking no prisoners, while keeping warm in Fall ’12 outerwear.

We continue the coat conversation in “Coats of Glory” and get a glimpse of this year’s boys’ outerwear, a study in utilitarian styling, while we show off some girlier looks in our kids’ choice section, Remix. Speaking of mixes, a great retail mix can lead to success, and in our feature “Mixmasters,” retailers who have taken a new look at the merchandise they stock tell us how they have updated their shops to reconnect with today’s customer. This may mean adding new labels, focusing on new size ranges or amping up the giftables for tourist clientele.

Nowadays, not only are customers changing, but back-to-school season is changing, too, with a greater number of schools requiring uniforms for their students. In “Making the Grade,” we find that uniforms are more stylish than ever, with bolder colors and flat-front pants, chunky knits and more feminine polos.

Change was the topic at hand when we chatted with Little Giraffe CEO Trish Moreno for our feature “With Love, Little Giraffe.” She gave us insight into her brand- building techniques for growing the infant company— which has attracted a decidedly A-list following, thanks to its super-soft blankets, robes and plush toys. Only two and a half years in at the helm of the 12-year-old brand, Moreno dishes about the revamped website, redesigned trade show display and updated product line. We also spoke with style setters Jennifer Connaughton of apparel brand, Ferd, and Erin Sander of boot behemoth, Sorel, about their new designs and plans for Fall ’12.

All signs point to yes for a very stylish year ahead!