Today's children are iPad savvy, mobile-friendly and also fashion forward. Thanks to international fashion houses promoting their labels and Indian designers looking at dressing up the young, their sense of style has improved drastically. Go to malls abroad and you will see Baby Dior, Armani Junior and Burberry Children as separate concessions in most department stores. In some countries, it has been so successful that brands have opened separate luxury outlets for children and teenagers.
India is not far behind, in the last couple years both Gucci and Burberry have increased their sales of clothing for children and now Armani Junior is set to open as a flagship store in Delhi's Emporio Mall. It is just a few doors down from Les Petite, a 1,500 sq. ft. shop that is home to labels such as Baby Dior, Miss Blumarine and Fendi Kids.
From just-born to teenage fashion, houses now have it all covered. If you prefer “Made in India” there is Kidology, which has two standalones in Delhi and is also available in multi-brand stores such as Anahita in Hyderabad and Brocade in Kolkata.
In Mumbai, Minoti Sampat has launched her second boutique, MAL, which specialises in children's clothing. Says Sampat, who works with 20 well-known Indian designers, “Today parents want their children to have the best and will scrimp and save for it.” She started her boutique around two years ago when she saw friends and family splurging on clothes for children.
Designer Gaurav Gupta, who has been with Kidology since its launch, says, “It's a growing market and those who start now will have the early bird advantage. I am not surprised that Armani is coming with a standalone clothing store for kids, even though Armani Casa is probably a better-known brand in India than Armani Junior.”
Gucci is looking at expanding the kids' section and will dedicate a whole corner of their flagship store in Delhi to it. Gucci launched its range for 0-8 years old in 2010 and is expanding the line both here and abroad.
Cecilia Morelli Parekh of Mumbai's uber chic lifestyle destination, Le-Mill, points out another reason for designer retail becoming child-friendly. “It is great that mothers feel that they can come with their children to the store” By having a section in the store where children can be indulged; mothers often feel less guilty about time spent shopping. When it comes to children's fashions, she finds mothers are looking for a price that fits in with the quality they are buying.
If you think children's wear comes at a fraction of the cost just because it is pint-sized, think again. A designer lehenga for your three-year-old daughter can cost around Rs.15,000, a pair of Gucci loafers Rs.12,000 and a designer bib set for a new-born can set you back by Rs. 7,500. Actually making clothes for children requires more expertise, as seams and fabric need to be chosen very carefully. The younger the client the more sensitive the skin is. Clothes also need to be “play” friendly!
Children can now wear a pair of Tod's drivers, a Burberry trench or a Dior party dress before they know to spell any of these brands! Of course there are those who think this is not a healthy trend, and that children should not be exposed to designer clothes — last year many fashion magazines refused to cover the India Kids Fashion Week. But this seems to have made no difference to the growth of this new segment.
As Gupta says, “People should be allowed to spend their money on what they want. Sampat, who gets many customers from second-tier cities, has opened pop-up stores there. She even thinks e-tailing may be her next step!
So while most adults had to wait many years before they made their first luxury purchase, children today may find that luxury is just a way of life.
