London-based designer Sara V Regi, founder of Seasons by Sarah, has created her first children’s collection for ethical clothing brand Karee. Little Garden Days is a collection of four girls’ dresses and sets for 1-10 years inspired by magnolias, clover and long summer afternoons.
Each piece is made in small runs in Bridgend, Wales, from cotton and linen, and designed to last long enough to pass on to a younger sister, a cousin or a friend’s child.
The collection includes the Floral Shirt Dress featuring white magnolias and lilies on a green cotton poplin base, a stand collar, cap sleeves, matching tie belt and curved high-low hem. Also in cotton poplin, the Ruffle Dress has a ruffled collar and bib, double flutter sleeves and a braided tan belt with tassels and wooden beads.
The Botanical Dress combines a clover leaf and ochre floral print on ivory cotton lawn with flutter sleeves, a gathered waist and a ruffle-edged V-back finished with a bow. Completing the collection is the Pinafore Set pairing a square-bib pinafore with crossover straps in washed linen-cotton with a soft white jersey T-shirt.
All pieces feature wooden buttons, functional pockets and Karee’s signature elephant embroidery on the chest. Production is limited to no more than six pieces in each colour and size, with colourways sold as one-off editions and not repeated.
Regi’s interest in clothing began in India, watching her mother sew and spending time after school in her parents’ tailoring shop and boutique in Kerala. She started by stitching pencil pouches before designing her own clothes, later studying Fashion Design in Chennai. She launched Seasons by Sarah, her customised womenswear and bridal label, on Valentine’s Day 2022 before moving to London.
Commenting on the collection, Sara V Regi says, “Children’s clothing should be comfortable, practical, beautifully designed and made with care. Cheaper clothes don’t last, and good ones aren’t cheap to replace. I wanted to make pieces that are worn hard, loved, and then passed on to a little sister, a cousin or a friend’s child.”
Karee co-founder Tina Mathew adds, “Karee has always been about sustainable fashion, comfort and limited editions, and Little Garden Days brings all three together in the most joyful way. Working with Sara has let us create pieces that are made in small numbers, made to be worn hard and loved, and made to be passed on.”
Karee holds Ethical Accreditation from The Good Shopping Guide, with a score of 99 out of 100, and uses plastic-free packaging for every order.