Trendy toddlers: Behind the booming market for kids’ fashion
ONLINE magazine and retailer Hypebeast has long been a top destination for men’s urban fashion and sneaker news, so there was little surprise when it launched Hypebae last year to cater specifically to its female readers.
However, Hypebeast has now gone one step further with the creation of Hypekids, to address the needs of budding streetwear enthusiasts, and of course their stylish parents. Launched in collaboration with Kids Foot Locker, Hypekids will feature the latest children’s wear news from leading fashion labels such as Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as sportswear and streetwear brands such as Nike, Adidas, Vans and Bape.
While many parents might be reluctant to spend money on designer clothing that their little ones will quickly outgrow, the children’s wear market is clearly booming.
A report last year by research firm Euromonitor revealed that in 2015, sales reached US$135.6 billion worldwide and accounted for 12 per cent of the overall clothing market, while over the past five years, growth in the children’s wear market has outpaced both women’s wear and men’s wear.
Though this phenomenon can partly be explained by the media’s attention to the stylish offspring of celebrity couples, such as North and Saint, whose parents are Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, as well as Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy, it is impossible to ignore the influence of social media, especially Instagram.
Just as young female fashion bloggers have built careers by posting images of their fashionable outfits, stylish parents have found a huge following for photos of their well-dressed kids. Farouk James (@faroukjames), a mini model who is famous for his large Afro, has over 192,000 followers, while Coco (@coco_pinkprincess), a six-year-old from Tokyo with an avant-garde style, has over 125,000 fans.
If, on the other hand, you and your little ones are fans of a more classic children’s wear style, then you might look to royalty for inspiration. Four-year-old Prince George and his little sister Princess Charlotte, for whom the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge favour staples such as dungarees, smocked dresses and gingham shirts, are also style icons.
— AFP
