Fiona Coleman, a colour and trends consultant for fashion and textiles, shares her favourite childrenswear collections from CIFF Kids a/w 23/24.

 

AO76

Established Belgian brand AO76 (pictured above) makes easy-to-wear pieces using simple cuts and bold, creative colour combinations, textures and prints for ages 4-16 years. The Artist’s Studio is the theme for the a/w 23 collection. We love the green fleece lumberjack check and colour block knits. A creative, casual aesthetic, many genderless items, and high-quality, durable fabrics, ensure the passing down of garments to siblings and friends; a key factor for a sustainable offering. Passionate about graphic design, AO76 also works with young Belgian artists for special prints. Originally founded in the 70s by sisters Nathalie, Caroline and Patricia, AO76 has recently gone through a renaissance and is currently looking to expand into the UK with retail partners that value their timeless, casual style.
Contact: sales@ao76.com / @ao76_official

 

Designers Remix Girls

Created by the same team as its womenswear brand, Designers Remix, Designers Remix Girls was founded in Copenhagen in 2007 by Charlotte and Niels Eskildsen. Wanting to bring quality and timeless fashion to young girls worldwide, there is a sustainable approach to every aspect of the design process. Innovative and eco fabrics pair with modern, iconic silhouettes for a global green audience. The a/w 23 collection takes inspiration from the soft 70s era and the ‘cool girl’ aesthetic. It blends minimal iconic pieces with contrasting bold and colourful ones, bringing in a playful spirit. We love the sophisticated festive edit with different variations of satin dresses made for special occasions, with a standout sequinned dress as a highlight.
Contact: sales@designersremix.com / @designersremixgirls

 

Fliink

First-time CIFF Kids exhibitor Fliink caught our eye with both a busy stand and an interesting collection for 0-6 years. Founded in Denmark in 2022, its collections have a playful yet timeless Scandinavian feel. Designs are contemporary, mainly in natural fibres, with great attention to detail. The company has a sustainable mindset, only producing after orders are placed to avoid waste and overproduction. Materials are thoughtfully chosen, with the brand striving to replace conventional materials with more sustainable options. Products are carefully made to last beyond the season, to be more responsible, and leave a lighter footprint on our planet.
Contact: hello@fliink.dk / @fliink.kids

 

Flöss

Flöss is a Danish brand creating organic clothes for children from 0-8 years. It was founded in 2020 by Sisse Laigaard, a former womenswear designer who adapted her Scandinavian aesthetics for children. Flöss uses only certified organic cotton grown without the use of harmful chemicals and is therefore gentle on the skin and nature. Quality and timeless design are keywords that define Flöss. Combining neutral colours with classic prints, Flöss produces collections with respect for design, the environment, working conditions, and not least, the people involved. It strives for its clothes to be timeless and long-lasting to the extent that they are still both current and innovative. We love the heart motif weaves and knits.
Contact: info@floess.dk / @floess_dk

 

Minimalisma

Founded in 2011 with roots in the Faroe Islands, Danish brand Minimalisma uses only natural materials of the highest quality and eco standards. As well as its core line of organic essentials, it works with seamless silk and merino wool jersey on styles that start at baby and extend to womenswear. Its Harmony Collection for a/w 23 draws inspiration from the Faroe Islands; founder and designer Maja Akraberg’s childhood home. A spot where time stands still and the rhythms of nature are explored. Earth-inspired fashion in its purest form. Fashion styles we love from the a/w 23 collection include hammered silk dresses, as well as trend-driven cashmere and alpaca knits.
Contact: sales@minimalisma.com / @minimalisma_com

 

Molo

Returning to the show for the first time since the pandemic, Danish brand Molo was an important addition to CIFF Kids. Its eco-friendly clothes are colourful with a humorous twist and quirky details, with no compromise on functionality or quality. Sustainable materials and processes are part of its DNA as a GOTS, GRS, and OCS certified brand. It uses recycled fibres for its outerwear collection and recognises that sustainability is also about quality and longevity. “At Molo, we prioritise quality, and we encourage getting as much out of the life of the clothing as possible by passing it from sibling to sibling and friend to friend. In this way, we can all contribute. We continue our sustainable journey to develop and improve our practices. We recognise the challenges the apparel industry faces, and we understand our responsibility to future generations.” Under the Same Sun is the theme for the a/w 23 collection. Molo incorporates the feeling of the sun throughout the collection in colours, prints and symbols. Inspired by the knowledge of fungi and their essential part of nature’s own recycled system, mushroom prints also feature.
Contact: molo@molo.com / @molo

 

Paade Mode

Founded by Linda Raituma in 2011, Paade Mode is an internationally recognised, award-winning children’s luxury fashion brand. It has become one of the leading brands in slow fashion across Northern Europe, selling in over 20 countries. Casual items mix with contemporary elegance. Colour blocking, custom design embroidery, seamless knitwear, and premium quality Japanese, Italian and Portuguese textiles also combine to create the signature Paade Mode look. Ages are 2-16 years, with selected styles adapted for babies. Alpenglow is the theme for a/w 23. Offering the freedom to mix and match, effortlessly changing from a casual, laid-back look to a chic, outgoing party outfit. We love this alpine theme and the teddy fur used for coats, jackets, gilets and trim for polka dot cord items.
Contact: info@paademode.com / @PaadeMode

 

Poupée

The Poupée collection was on show for the first time at CIFF Kids. Poupée’s designer and creative director Christina Mathea, a young mother from Greece, has a theatrical background in costume design. Launched for s/s 18 and previously showing at Playtime Paris, now the time has come to share the creative collection with a wider audience. It is also launching the collection this season into the US market at Playtime NY. Poupée shows complete outfits built-up around insightful scenarios inspired by childhood memories; either real or make-believe. Catering for 6 months to 12 years across boys and girls, the choice of theme for a/w 23, Play On, takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night. There are imaginative Elizabethan flourishes for print and details, with sparkle-filled net skirts and pompom ruffs. Shakespearean hues include dusty creams, midnight blacks, petrol blues, fluorescent rubies and oranges, burgundy and gold. We love the simple interpreted prints of ruffs, ribbons, bejewelled crowns and swords. Definitely a collection that takes centre stage.
Contact: info@poupee.gr / @poupeekids

 

Soft Gallery

Established in 2007, Soft Gallery is a Danish kidswear brand now owned by LUXKIDS, which has grown from its inception in 2016 to become one of Denmark’s largest multi-brand houses for children’s clothing and interiors. As well as Soft Gallery, the family of brands includes THE NEW, THE NEW siblings, Mikk-line, and Fabelab. Building around a unique story, each Soft Gallery collection takes inspiration from memories and fantasies. Every season, it collaborates with local and international artists, bringing items to life with unique prints and materials. The Home Stories collection for a/w 23 takes inspiration from the fairytales of H. C. Andersen, infusing fantastical daydreams with the appreciation of everyday items. The campaign shoot was done in analogue instead of digital to further echo the nostalgic fairytale feeling of the collection. Emphasis is placed on high-quality materials and comfortable silhouettes, with two main collections a year. There is also a swim range and Christmas capsule. Alongside the main collections, there is a NOOS (Never Out of Stock) programme. This includes basic styles made from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton.
Contact: sales@softgallery.dk / @softgallery

 

Wheat

Founded in Denmark in 2002, Wheat is now an international brand with a reputation for high-quality and long-lasting clothing. The brand prioritises natural, organic and recycled materials along with hand-drawn signature prints and a soft Scandinavian colour palette that characterises all of the collections. Wheat dedicates itself to minimising the negative impact on the planet and continually works towards being even more responsible with its production. The aim is to create responsible production in responsible materials, with a product’s entire life circle in mind. One of its focus areas is to support the notion of long-lasting clothes to pass on from child to child, with repair guides and transparency two areas where it is focusing its efforts. With a new UK agent, Wheat is now looking to expand its UK accounts in 2023.
Contact: info@wheat.dk / @wheatdk

For further information on Fiona Coleman and to visit her website, please click here.