Featured Articles

Winner’s Circle

From cool shades and 3-D footwear designs to ruffled swimwear and relaxed denim, we’re proud to announce the 2012 Earnie Award winners. The top brands, voted on by their peers, celebrated at the ENK Children’s Club as our fashion models worked the runway wearing their looks. By Angela Velasquez, Maria Bouselli and Lyndsay McGregor Photography […]

Here, Here!

Celebrating a retailer, a charity and an independent representative, the newest inductees to the Earnshaw’s Hall of Fame. By Jennifer Cattaui Meet our three Hall of Fame honorees for 2012, recognized by Earnshaw’s for their dedication and the impact they have made on the childrenswear industry. Barry Cohen, Lester’s Although Lester Kronfeld passed away this […]

Tween Spirit

Retailers increasingly focus on pintsize pundits and their phenomenal purchasing power. By Lyndsay McGregor. Photography by McCandliss and Campbell. When Hailee Steinfeld teamed her pink tulle Marchesa gown with Converse sneakers at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscars party, the internet erupted. In a move that sealed her reputation as a style icon (and smacked of […]

Join the Crowd

Instead of dictating the trends, brands and retailers are banking on consumers’ input (and generosity) via social media, high-tech customization programs and crowdfunding sites. By Lyndsay McGregor We’re all familiar with the age-old adage “the customer is always right.” Today the power of the crowd is driving the future of business more than ever, even […]

If the Shoe Fits

Store owners give advice to retailers on how to integrate footwear into their product mix. by Maria Bouselli It’s a quandary many retailers face—to shoe or not to shoe? Children’s footwear makes up more than 14 percent of total yearly revenue for the shoe industry, according to Matthew Priest, president of the Footwear Distributors and […]

Born in the U.S.A.

As Chinese labor shortages continue to be a source of woe and materials and shipping costs skyrocket, domestic manufacturers flaunt their stateside addresses, answering both logistical needs and an increasing demand for made-in-the-U.S.A. merchandise. By Lyndsay McGregor When Ruth True opened her specialty shop NuBe Green in 2009, the Seattle, WA-based retailer had to dig […]

In Character

A growing number of boutiques are stocking high-end licensed products, cashing in on parents’ nostalgia and desire to make their kids stand out. By Mary Avant Chances are, if you spend even five minutes in a store—whether it’s the local Walmart or a fast-fashion chain like H&M—you’ll see your fair share of licensed products. Everywhere […]

European Trend Report: Ready…Jet…Go!

BY ANGELA VELASQUEZ If the appeal of a few days in a European city doesn’t pique your interest and the thrill of a fashion catwalk falls flat, Bubble London, CIFFKIDS and Pitti Bimbo gave retailers many new reasons to attend the Fall/Winter ’12 round of shows, most notably a host of new lines adding to […]

Social Skills

From Twitter to Tumblr, target the tween demographic where it goes to talk and play: online. The name of the game in retail is to be where your customers are, and if they’re tweens, you’d better bet that’s YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and an ever-growing list of social sites. Leigh Whitney, owner of Level 2, […]

Cool Kids: Making the Grade

      As more schools call for uniform programs, school uniform manufacturers are learning what it feels like to be part of the in-crowd and are delivering the goods this fall with fresh updates on classroom favorites.  A ruffle there, a pocket here—with meticulous guidelines mandated by school officials, school uniform manufacturers admit they […]

And the Award Goes To…

Tween Scene 101

Break out your books, sharpen your pencils and pay close attention: Keeping up with the diverse, modish and mercurial whims of today’s tweens is no easy feat. Thanks to respected teenage fashion bloggers like Tavi Gevinson and TV shows featuring tween idols decked out in designer duds, it’s easier than ever for kids to keep […]

Original Recipe

Is there any word in retail more alluring to savvy shoppers than “exclusive?” Conjuring images of velvet ropes and members-only benefits, exclusivity is catnip to consumers seeking originality in their purchases, especially to parents scouting unique duds for their tykes. Whether it’s snapping up the latest European line to land in the States, finding an […]

They Like Me

When Kim Sledgister took over Little Green Baby a year ago, she made a lot of changes to the Chicago-based children’s store, including nixing the shop’s merchandise that wasn’t focused solely on eco-friendly baby gear. But her most important move was emphasizing customer service as the boutique’s cornerstone and reaching out to former customers who […]

Every Good Deed

TOMS Shoes, a company that rose to public consciousness with their mission to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every one sold, made giving back cool—and personal. They fly to needy areas and personally distribute the shoes to deserving kids. In June, TOMS’ founder Blake Mycoskie announced his business’ transformation […]

Shopping Goes Social

Facebook isn’t just for finding high school flames and playing Farmville anymore—for a growing number of users, the ubiquitous social network is the latest place to find toys and apparel for their tots. According to a recent survey by NPD Group, a consumer market research firm that tracks the apparel industry, 80 percent of moms […]

The Cotton Conundrum

It may be the fabric of our lives, but for children’s manufacturers and retailers feeling the pinch of skyrocketing costs, cotton has become the hassle of our lives. Prices on the traditionally affordable fabric have more than tripled in the past year, hitting a historic high of $2.30 per pound in mid-February. Although prices have […]

Get Your Groupon?

Group-buying sites are hotter than ever, and it’s no wonder: Offering deep discounts at businesses in hundreds of local markets, Groupon and its competitors are a bargain shopper’s dream come true. But the reality can be a nightmare for retailers who offer steep discounts without sufficient preparation. Marketing experts urge merchants to use common sense […]

Denim Branches Out

The American classic is being redefined this season as designers broaden what it means to be jeans. By daring to flare, bulking up with cargo pockets and ditching denim completely, the industry is moving beyond basic blue. Here, denim experts dish on the trendy knits and silhouettes coming for fall. Flare Up Skinny is still […]

Life of the Party

The venue: The Harry Houdini estate in Los Angeles. The party favor: A diamond necklace. The Event: A birthday party for a 4-year-old. If you watch “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” on Bravo TV, the above scenario may sound familiar. Housewife Taylor Armstrong recently threw her daughter, Kennedy, a $60,000 birthday party that included […]