The Best of Kid Show January 2017
I absolutely loved the Kid Show held in a beautiful sun-drenched space near the Canal St Martin in Paris last month. There were so many great exhibits and people to meet, and to learn about exceptional brands and products for kids sold here or that ship to France.
Here are my favorite new and noteworthy brands you should check out and keep on your radar. (Stay tuned for my favs of Playtime Paris too, which was five times the size of Kid! Exhausting but good stuff.)
Whole
Whole is waste-free, hand-dyed, organic, local, and eco-friendly items for the home and children. Their eco-responsible practices are impressive, and their products are simply beautiful. I love the blankets and pillows in soft pastel color palette of the current season. You can shop for Whole on Smallable or in-store at the atelier, open every Saturday from 12-7pm. And if you are crafty or a craft wannabe, go for their weaving and dying workshops.
Where to buy: Whole at 86 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75001 Paris or Smallable
Information about upcoming workshops: Whole Workshops
Studio Romeo
Studio Romeo is a fairly new brand with baby carriers (porte-bébé) for those who think most wraps are annoyingly impossible origami. They come in simple black-and-white prints so you don’t have to worry about baby cramping your style.
Where to buy : Studio Romeo, Smallable, Centre Commercial Kids, Womb, Chasse Gardée, or Papier Mâché.
Enfance Paris
Enfance is a line of bath products for children made specially for different age groups, 0-3, 3-8, and 8-12. The products are not tested on animals (only children) and don’t contain parabens, palm oil, preservatives, chemicals, or mineral oil. They are keeping it clean on shampoos, soaps, and oils to keep the kiddos clean.
Where to buy: Visit their website for a stockist list
Birds of Nature
It’s very easy for children’s brands to start looking alike, but Birds of Nature jumped out at me immediately. Their super-cute soft leather booties and sandals looked like something I would want to wear, but sadly they’re for babies and toddlers seulement. Luckily for moms Birds of Nature also make an attractively priced Mama Clutch, a soft leather pouch for all of baby’s stuff that doubles as a chic clutch sans diapers. The Dutch brand was launched September 2016 by two women who are passionate about craftsmanship and ethically made products.
Where to buy: www.birdsofnature.com
Koh Mabby
Paris-based brand Koh Mabby is only a year old but I reckon it has a lot of potential. The collection embraces color and different silhouettes than what one normally finds in kids clothing.
Where to buy: Chasse Gardée, Pauline et Julie, Owl Paris
Rosajou
Little girls love to get all dolled-up (like their mothers) so I was very happy to see another brand enter the children’s beauty market, which is pretty slim really. Rosajou offers nailpolish, blush, and lipstick
Where to buy: Visit Rosajou online for a list of retailers across France.
Les Petits Collectionneurs
I love illustration and art for children, as you know, so it’s no surprise I loved Les Petits Collectionneurs. Colombine de Forville’s arthouse is a perfectly curated collection of framed art prints and lithographs for children’s rooms. She collaborates with and commissions art from French artists to create these colorful works. And all the pieces are framed and nicely packaged for delivery. Before Les Petits Collectionneurs I found myself aimlessly trolling Etsy for art, then annoyingly spending weeks looking for the perfect frame, so an arthouse like this is very much appreciated.
Where to buy: Les Petits Collectionneurs
Sweetcase
Sweetcase makes sweet (yep, that’s right) clothes and home decor for children, but what drew me in were the prints on their sheets, which I have already ordered for my daughter, and the newborn and maternity suitcases. What a perfect gift for a friend too! The fabric suitcases are perfect since you don’t want any extra weight at the hospital. Yet they are filled with a bed sheet, a sleep sack, spit up cloths, a bib, a towel, and some other newborn essentials.
