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Jun 4 2014
Mass Appeal
With 30 years of experience in children’s fashion, including a stint at Tommy Hilfiger, industry veteran Barry Kottler of BAK Apparel has mastered the art of survival in an ever-shifting retail landscape, establishing a reputation for quality and building a legacy that will last as the next generation steps up to the plate. By Audrey […]
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Apr 28 2014
Boy Wonder
With a keen eye for fashion thanks to a decade of design experience, Kapital K’s young founder Spencer Sujjaporamest helped usher in a new era of dapper apparel for little dudes. By Audrey Goodson Kingo Browse the aisles of any children’s boutique, and it’s hard to imagine a time when boys weren’t bedecked in dashing […]
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Mar 3 2014
Baby Boom
After taking over at Paty, Inc., Derrick and Caren Veillon revamped the storied infant brand by paying homage to its Peruvian-born, American-made roots. Here, Derrick reveals why their labor of love will reap big dividends in 2014. By Audrey Goodson Kingo Ruth Abugattas (right) helped found Paty, Inc. in 1955 and paved the way for […]
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Feb 4 2014
Silver Lining
Leading a luxury kids’ brand through a rocky recession is no easy task, but Bill LaRossa, president of Primigi USA, shares his secret weapon: Gina, his business partner and wife of 25 years. Here, he reveals the recipe for their success, and why 2014 will be the brand’s best year yet. By Audrey Goodson Kingo […]
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Jan 7 2014
Carry All
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 Talk about good timing: When Margaret Hardin took over Ergobaby in May, little did the new CEO know that the company […]
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Dec 4 2013
Good Stuff
Looking for a better way to unload your unsold inventory? Cindy Hallberlin, president and CEO of Good360, and Carly Fiorina, board of directors chair, reveal how their organization plans to revolutionize the way retailers and charities work together to help those in need. By Audrey Goodson Kingo Here’s a scene every retailer knows all too […]
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Oct 3 2013
Sixteen Candles
Founder and Owner Roxana Castillo celebrates Kissy Kissy’s super sweet birthday by revealing how her retail background helped her build a multimillion dollar layette line that propelled the rise of Peruvian pima cotton. By Audrey Goodson Kingo When Kissy Kissy owner Roxana Castillo moved to the U.S. from Peru at the age of 20, she […]
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Sep 3 2013
Harvest Time
In just four short years, organic brand Apple Park has become a baby shower staple for eco-conscious moms. Co-founder and President Angie Ting and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Susannah Searson reveal the company’s plans to reap the rewards with lower-priced options for tots and by EXPANDING ACROSS THE GLOBE. By Audrey Goodson Kingo […]
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Jul 29 2013
Ruling the Roost
A former exec at Tommy Hilfiger and Gap, Stacey Fraser, the founder and designer of Pink Chicken, is using her fashion bona fides to turn her bohO-chic dresses into a lifestyle brand for family and home. By Audrey Goodson Kingo Looking at Pink Chicken’s easy, breezy designs, you would be forgiven for guessing the company’s […]
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Jul 9 2013
The Wonder from Down Under
Raegan Moya-Jones, the founder and CEO of Aden + Anais, turned her love of muslin blankets into a million-dollar children’s brand, but the mom from Brooklyn by way of Australia is ready for round two. By Audrey Goodson Kingo t’s a busy day in the Moya-Jones household—otherwise known as an ordinary day. With the family’s […]
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May 31 2013
On a Roll
On the heels of adding Heelys to the BBC Int’l. portfolio, Tracey McLeod, president of worldwide sales and marketing, discusses the conglomerate’s global brand strategy in kids’. By Greg Dutter To say BBC Int’l. has just about cornered the kids’ footwear business would not be so far off. A one-stop kids’ resource that features a […]
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Apr 30 2013
Color Me Zutano
Michael and Uli Belenky dish about their 24-year-old childrenswear label known for bright hues and modern prints, and how they’re keeping it fresh in new markets season after season. By Jennifer Cattaui Nearly 25 years ago, Uli and Michael Belenky ditched their jobs as a creative director and freelance photographer and dove into something new. […]
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Feb 26 2013
To a Tea
Tea Collection’s Emily Meyer and Leigh Rawdon talk about building their brand around cultural appreciation and how they’ve upped the ante for vendor-client relationships. By Jennifer Cattaui The Empire Hotel’s dimly lit second floor lounge was punctuated by a hushed din of voices chatting about their businesses, experiences and, of course, the host. If you […]
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Feb 7 2013
Twinkle Twinkle
Swarovski Elements is collaborating with a range of childrenswear designers, adding some optimism and glamour to the U.S. fashion industry. By Jennifer Cattaui If there’s anything the children’s industry could use, it’s a dose of sparkle. Right on cue, Swarovski Elements enters the market through collaborations with key childrenswear designers for the Spring/Summer ’13 season. […]
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Jan 8 2013
Being B
Bernardo Fashions Founder and President, Stuart Pollack, and Director of Sales, Childrenswear, Michael Hollander, give us the scoop on contemporary juniors’ and kids’ brand Collection B, and what it’s like to be an outerwear tween sensation fresh on the scene. By Jennifer Cattaui It was a Monday and their Facebook “likes” were going through the […]
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Sep 25 2012
The Rite Foot Forward
Sharon John, president of Stride Rite Children’s Group, talks about the high-engagement category of children’s footwear and the opportunities the company is seizing to keep the heritage brand perfectly positioned in the modern marketplace. By Jennifer Cattaui On a shelf in her office sits a pair of white lace-up Stride Rite shoes. Her father dug […]
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Aug 27 2012
Pie in the Sky
Mud Pie Founder Marcia Miller molded her homegrown ceramics company into a gift industry powerhouse. By Jennifer Cattaui mud pie didn’t have the markings of an approaching-$75 million company. In fact, the original concept was pretty humble. “I thought I’d build a little business where I’d make some family income and work a few days […]
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Aug 1 2012
Made in Italy
Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Italy’s premier trade show Pitti Immagine, shares his insights on the international childrenswear scene. By Jennifer Cattaui With more U.S. exhibitors seeking out the international reach of Pitti Immagine Bimbo, the Florence, Italy-based trade show that has showcased the children’s fashion scene since 1975, CEO Raffaello Napoleone feels confident that the […]
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Jul 13 2012
An Occasion to Remember
Us Angels’ President, Hank Shalom, and Director of Sales and Merchandising, David Gardner, talk about the recent acquisition by S&C Bridal and the next phase of growth for the special occasion dress company. By Jennifer Cattaui One dress at a time. This is how David Gardner, director of sales and merchandising, and Hank Shalom, president, […]
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May 31 2012
9 Million Lives
Janet Hsu, new chief operating officer of Sanrio—holder of arguably the cutest license in the world, Hello Kitty—talks about the sheer volume and variety of Hello Kitty goods and reveals her plans for the cat to take a bigger leap this year into the North American infant/toddler market. By Jennifer Cattaui This cat’s got some […]