Industry leaders are pursuing new collaborations, embracing gender diversity and welcoming designer aesthetics to elevate kids’ wardrobes. Fruit of the Loom teamed up with infant apparel maker Goldbug, Abercrombie Kids ditched gender-specific garments, and Cynthia Rowley harmonized East Coast and West Coast culture in a new children’s apparel collection.
Fruit of the Loom signs Goldbug for babies’ products
Fruit of the Loom has its eye on a new consumer demographic—infants—and it is tapping a major player in the space to create the collection.
The undergarment authority signed a licensing agreement with Goldbug, one of the largest infant and children’s accessories distributors in the U.S. The Fruit of the Loom range, which will focus on layering pieces, will span accessories and apparel, including hats, bibs and bodysuits. The line will debut for Spring ’19, featuring product specific to the needs of the brand’s retail partners, which include big box and department stores.
“We are enormously proud to begin a partnership with Fruit of the Loom, an iconic American brand recognized around the world,” said Goldbug CEO Katherine Gold. “We look forward to a long and productive relationship with Fruit of the Loom, which will allow us to grow together and develop products that offer solution-oriented, pleasing designs that parents will love.”
[Read more on children’s wear: Kids Update: J.C. Penney, BuyBuy Baby and Kmart Bow Exclusive Apparel, Bedding & Gear]
Abercrombie Kids debuts gender neutral ‘Everybody Collection’
For the first time, Abercrombie Kids is making a clothing line that omits gender-specific qualities.
On Thursday, the apparel retailer announced the launch of its first gender-neutral collection, which will be available in Abercrombie Kids stores and Abercrombie.com starting this month.
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At Abercrombie Kids locations, the collection will be merchandised at the center of the space, while the collection will be featured on both the boys’ and girls’ product pages on Abercrombie.com. Abercrombie Kids aims to maintain this collection as an ongoing concept, with plans to update product assortment for the summer and Back to School seasons.
Dubbed the ‘Everybody Collection,’ the line will feature 25 types of garments that span accessories, tops and bottoms. Abercrombie Kids created the collection in response to consumers desire for clothing that doesn’t constrain clothing choices. Unlike other collections, the gender neutral line features a single sizing system and highlights popular trends, like military and streetwear apparel.
“We put our customer at the center of everything we do and are constantly listening to their feedback to provide the right product and brand experience. Parents and their kids don’t want to be confined to specific colors and styles, depending on whether shopping for a boy or a girl,” said Stacia Andersen, brand president of Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie Kids. “We are excited to offer these additional options and are looking forward to building on this initial collection for summer and the back-to-school seasons.”
Cynthia Rowley teams with Maisonette
Traveler and designer Cynthia Rowley is incorporating her stylish-meets-wanderlust aesthetic in children’s wear.
Rowley recently announced that she is expanding into the category with a new capsule—Maisonette x Cynthia Rowley. Created in partnership with trendy kid’s wear company Maisonette, the line harmonizes East Coast and West Coast culture with “Cali York” printed beach totes, T-shirts and sweatshirts. The collection, which is currently available on Maisonette’s website, retails from $55 to $110.
“Travel and adventure and endless summer makes perfect sense. We take retail on the road and pop up. It makes it all fun,” Rowley said. “The whole thing with fashion is diversity and being nimble. You can’t do only one thing anymore.”