Fiona Coleman, a colour and trends consultant for fashion and textiles, shares some of her favourite childrenswear collections from Pitti Bimbo SS24.

 

The Middle Daughter

It was a welcome return to Pitti Bimbo for this creative UK company. The Middle Daughter (pictured above) is exclusively a girlswear brand for 2-16 years based on a concept to create styles where a love of the pared back is blended with looks that catch the eye. The focus is on beautifully made, sustainable garments, with all production in Europe. For SS24, The Memory Collector is a love letter to childhood memories highlighting two prints. Firstly, Willow Pattern, which takes inspiration from the designer’s fond childhood memories of her adored great aunt’s tableware. Also, Exotic Bird Stamps, which plays with the notion of collecting. The colour palette uses joyful hues of orchid, cucumber, just peachy, mango and sky, combined with porcelain white. Details include asymmetric hems as well as puffballs on hems and cuffs. We love the brand’s signature playful contrast edging and inventive colour-blocking.
Contact: Ric@themiddledaughter.co.uk / @themiddledaughterlondon

 

 

Esther

This contemporary children’s brand was born in Puerto Rico and is currently based in NYC. Esther’s focus is to create amazing pieces that become your family’s next heirloom, cherished for generations. Initially focusing on patchwork for reduced waste, the collection has now expanded into other techniques but all with a focus on nostalgia. Garments are made in a GOTS-certified factory using only the best natural materials. The SS24 collection, Sueno de Verano (Summer Dream), was launched this season at Pitti Bimbo and also showed at Playtime Paris. Taking inspiration from memories of childhood summers, the aim is to recreate the feelings from those days. Fabrics include evolved versions of Esther’s signature patchwork, cute organic cut-up stripe knits, and beautiful cross-stitch pieces inspired by vintage tablecloths.
Contact: diana@estherkids.com / @_estherkids

 

 

I Haven’t the Foggiest

I Haven’t the Foggiest offers poetic designs from unique hand-illustrated paintings for ages 0-16 years. The brand creates all prints in its London studio and produces many of its own fabrics, too. It sources other fabrics from Italy, France, Japan and Ireland. I Haven’t the Foggiest strives to be responsible in as many aspects of the supply chain as possible. From manufacturing facilities to packaging, fabrics and the printing/dyeing process. It produces in small batches to prevent waste and donates leftovers to various charities. It also works with a non-profit organisation in the US, which supports homeworkers globally to produce its cashmere and alpaca accessories. The brand believes in effortless dressing and minimal fuss without buttons or zips. For SS24, the collection features a rich pairing of romantic pastels and buttery brights. Uniquely engineered prints fold into origami detailing. It is a collection that is soft in application noted in the easy linens, swirling blooms and florals, yet graphic in approach with some of the structured silhouettes and Manga-influenced illustrated print. We love the asymmetric tops and cute lightweight cropped pants.
Contact: info@likefoggiest.com / @ihaven.tthefoggiest

 

 

Momohanipopo

Launched in 2020 and showing at Pitti Bimbo for the first time this season, Momohanipopo was a welcome addition to the show’s Apartment area. Catering for 2-12 years, intense colours, unexpected pattern scale, and simple silhouettes are key features of this South Korean brand. The label revisited some of its popular styles with updated prints as well as evolving new silhouettes to show off the eye-catching prints. Momohanipopo started selling internationally when discovered through Instagram and now sells to a few UK stores. After studying textiles at Rhode Island School of Design and then working at Anthropologie as a knit designer, Hani always wanted to focus on kidswear, where the prints and patterns can be fun. “We do have some blankets and knitted bags in our collection. But I want to focus on kidswear, because seeing kids running around in Momohanipopo is something I wanted to do for a long time.”

Contact: info@momohanipopo.com / @momohanipopo

 

 

Play Up

Sustainable Portuguese brand Play Up has been reviewing its past collections and has put much of what it has already learnt about closed loop production into its new ranges. “We are proud of the fact that we can close the cycle with our garments returning to the motherhouse, being able to take care of them again and give them a new life so that other children can wear them or, as a last resort, recycle them and transform them into valuable resources.” Creating art with its textile waste will be a new form of expression for Play Up. Vanessa Barragão is this season’s guest artist. Fascinated by the magic of the seabed, she represents the captivating coral ecosystems threatened by pollution in her creations. She applies artisanal techniques in her creations and only uses waste from Portuguese textile factories. In this partnership, Vanessa created unique pieces using yarn from recycling surplus raw materials, waste resulting from the production of this collection, and integrated damaged, post-consumer pieces. This was shown at Pitti Bimbo in a symbiotic presentation complementing the SS24 collection of beautiful ‘under the sea’ prints on naturally dyed cotton.
Contact: info@playupstore.com / @_playup_

 

 

C’era Una Volta

The theme of C’era Una Volta’s SS24 collection is Postcards from My Memories, where we see fragments from different countries including Japan, France and Italy. Highlights include the SAKURA pattern, with impressionistic petals on airy balloon sleeve dresses. Interior in TOKYO inspires a pattern where rationalistic lines intertwine with Ume blossoms. From SARDINIA with Love is inspired by the family’s lace curtains reinterpreted into openwork knits and details on dresses, skirts and shirts. The palette is taken from Italy and Japan, toned by a vintage flair. A delicate terracotta, a rich ochre, the cleanest sky and a dandelion white. Also launching alongside the main collection is a capsule comprising 21 styles and five accessories. The capsule features Flocus™, a new intelligent fabric that is more ecological, softer and warmer than regular cotton. Using this blend of 20% Kapok and 80% BCI cotton significantly reduces water consumption in comparison to regular cotton. This is due to the nature of the Kapok tree, which requires no artificial water to grow. Each garment will have a dedicated tag highlighting the benefits: hypoallergenic, a silky soft touch, lightweight, antibacterial, quick dry and saving water.
Contact: info@ceraunavoltabambini.com / @ceraunavoltabambini

 

 

DL 1961

Family-owned brand DL 1961 has been creating premium denim with sustainability at its core since 2008. Overseeing the entire process from fibre to finished garment, DL 1961 utilises sustainable technologies that raise the bar for both itself and the wider denim industry. Launched in 2014, the kidswear collection of this sustainable brand is stocked by retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks in the US. Plus, Childsplay and Harrods in the UK. Its SS24 presentation at Pitti Bimbo covered a good selection of boys’ workwear-inspired pieces as well as an exclusive collaboration with Ukranian designer, Ksenia Schnaider. The fun denim collection plays with both textures and silhouettes. It also experiments with different techniques such as zodiac embroidery, multi-coloured denim patchwork, and our particular favourite, an elaborate fringe denim application that mimics fur.
Contact:  daniele@brand-stable.com / @dl1961denim

 

 

Poupette St Barth

For more than 25 years, Poupette St Barth has been creating collections with a bohemian flair. The adventure started when free spirited and self-taught French designer, Poupette, fell in love with St Barth and decided to settle down there to share her dream wardrobe. Today the brand has a worldwide presence and offers three collections per year. The offer comprises resort and beachwear for women as well as ‘mini me’ looks for girls aged 2-12 years. Using Eco-Vero viscose, cotton and silk, the label oversees every step in the process, from design to manufacturing. At its Indonesian design studio and production sites, exclusive prints and garments use traditional craftsmanship techniques such as hand-screen printing and local dying. One tailor then skilfully assembles and ornaments each piece. The kids’ collection is free of zips and buttons, so is practical, comfortable and easy care. The theme for SS24 is the celebration of the French Savoir-Faire, inspired by the arts of porcelain painting and wall tapestry featured in prints and new styles. The brand is also introducing a new striped cotton fabric and continues its action towards a greener manufacturing process.
Contact: sales@poupettestbarth.com / @poupettestbarth

 

 

Akwa Baby

Brand founders Claire and Ogo Mkparu presented Akwa Baby in Florence for the first time this season, and there was a good reaction to the collection from both press and buyers. Born from a place of pride for African heritage, Akwa Baby wants to creatively inspire the world to celebrate colour. Inspired by the ancient African tradition of storytelling, every piece of art printed onto its kid-friendly, eco-conscious fabrics carries an empowering message passed on between generations. The SS24 collection, From Lagos to London, takes inspiration from “the journey of ancestors who left beloved Mother Lands but never forgot their culture.” Through emotive storytelling, designs resonate with today’s need for clothing to offer something more – and this unique brand offers just that.
Contact: info@akwababy.com / @akwababy

 

 

Atelier Molayem Kids

Inspired by art, design and tradition, Stella Molayem, founder and designer of Atelier Molayem Kids, creates unique and versatile jewellery for both adults and children. Handmade in Italy by skilled craftsmen, the different collections feature 9 and 18-carat gold or silver with gemstones and enamel. For its second participation at Pitti Bimbo, Atelier Molayem Kids presented its signature ABC cubes. Using a 9-carat yellow gold base with coloured enamels and complemented by soft rubber bracelets in the same shades as the cubes, numbers have also been included to allow for experimentation with special dates and words. The collection is light and geometric and refers to the spirit of our inner child, always eager to express individuality and playfulness. “While jewellery has typically represented wealth, power and status, its true meaning, sometimes hidden, lies almost always in love. And there can be no greater love than that for our children. They embody the future, a future to which we want to pass on to loved ones.”
Contact: kids@ateliermolayem.co / @ateliermolayemkids

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