Style and attitude weave interesting images of our personality, believes young fashion designer and fashionista Nivedita Thomas. A person’s outfit reveals a lot about the individual and her/his character, she adds. So when it came to choosing a career, Nivedita had several aces up her sleeve. She had no doubts at all that she wanted to be a fashion designer and her passion for playing with fabrics, colours, seams and cuts opened the door to a career in fashion.
After completing her course in fashion designing from Mod Art International, Mumbai, 22-year-old Nivedita worked for some time with leading fashion designers and outlets before she garnered the confidence and know-how to launch her own line, Lillibet. However, instead of launching a line for youngsters, she decided to begin with children. Nivedita’s informal market surveys found that there was a segment that was not given adequate attention – kids’ fashion.
“There were hardly any choices, especially in the age group of six months to four years. Most of what was being sold was an imitation of clothes for adults, and that too in nylons and other synthetic stuff. That is certainly not the right material for a tropical country like ours. No thought was given to a child’s comfort or convenience. Fussy frills, buttons, garish embroidery and strange fashions completed the picture,” she says.
The few brands that appealed to choosy and knowledgeable customers were not widely available outside the metros and some of the international brands proved to be prohibitively expensive. “I was always interested in clothes for little kids. The first garment I designed and tailored was for a baby. I found that designing for children brings out the best in me,” explains Nivedita.
That is how Lillibet was launched in April. The accent is on comfort. Clean, simple cuts in child-friendly fabrics are embellished with collars, soft lace, embroidery and cutwork. All bling has been eliminated and frills and ruffles, if any, are used very carefully. Minimalism is the key and so are the pastel colours used for her creations. Each dress in the collection has been designed by her and tailored in the city and in Mumbai by a select group of tailors.
A-line sleeveless dresses in pastels, checks and floral prints come with Peter Pan collars. In addition to dungarees and rompers, there are cute lacy baby clothes and pinafores with cross-over straps at the back. Crochet lace, pockets and satin ribbons give an old-world charm to her clothes. Pin tucks, sashes, pleats, scalloped hems, cap sleeves and so on adorn the cute range of clothes that make you go gooey over them.
“I select the fabrics, lace, button and everything else that are used in my clothes. I ensure that the buttons do not hurt the children and, as far as possible, avoid using heavy hooks or buttons. Travelling has become a must to choose the material and meet my tailors. My mother, Beena Augustine, accompanies me on my trips,” says Nivedita. Prices begin at Rs. 1,200.
The designer adds that clothes for special occasions such as christening and birthdays will soon be up on her page and she is also open to customised clothes.
The city-based Nivedita, a former student of Trivandrum International School, wants to make her brand strong in the online market. Exhibitions in Mumbai and Bengaluru have made her confident about her brand and its range of products that are available at www.facebook.com/
lillibet.babygotclass. She is thrilled that she has already got a contract for supplying to one of the biggest online retailers of baby clothes.
“Baby got class’ is our tagline. My line has a predominantly vintage British look, whether it be in the colours or the pattern of the clothes,” says Nivedita.
And the name? “Oh, Elizabeth is my middle name and I have heard that Queen Elizabeth used to call herself Lillibet as a toddler, when she was unable to pronounce her name. The late Princess Diana, who had an impeccable sense of fashion, apparently used to call her Aunt Lillibet. Since my pieces are inspired by vintage British clothes for children, I thought the name was just right,” she explains.
