There’s something refreshingly innocent and unpretentious about childrenswear fashion shows, a far cry from seeing a parade of impossibly thin, stony-faced grown-up models who make fashion feel unreachable, or even intimidating at times.
Tutti Frutti
The recent Central Kids’ Runway 2014 fashion shows were more of a playground, full of impeccably dressed mini celebrities running around without a care in the world, the least of their care being what they were wearing. Whereas adults pick clothes that make them look good, when it comes to children, it’s that natural, unbridled enthusiasm that makes the clothes look lively. Sulking on stage, refusing to walk in the right direction and freezing in the middle of the runway added more innocent charms to the whole show.
The two-part event presented the latest summer collections from leading luxury brands and kids’ brands in Central Department Store’s Luxe Kids zone. The first show, Luxe Summer Garden, showcased international brands including Diesel, Junior Gaultier, Kenzo Kids, Little Marc Jacobs, Paul Smith Junior, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear and Young Versace. The second show, Once Upon A Time, presented summer collection from Thai brands, including DekTay, Paula and Baby and Tutti Frutti.
Trends are never a major concern for children, so forget the spring/summer staples you’ve seen from other runway shows. Children’s fashion is blissfully basic, with a few decorative elements and simplified details from the big brands.
Little Marc Jacobs plays with grey and white stripes and flower print for girls and bright blue and red for boys. The cotton satin fabric is perfect for summertime — light, breathable and silky on the skin. Also in on the floral trend is Paul Smith Junior, pairing sweet pastel tones with découpage floral prints to create a girly look. Its tutu, T-shirt and cardigan are sweetened with pink dandelion print.
Junior Gaultier girls look adorable in marine-inspired red, white and blue. Print on print action continues to be a significant trend, while contrasting texture combinations, sheer with cotton, shiny with matte and so on, make the style seem more effortless and stylishly casual.
Young Versace boys and girls enjoy the same bold print in black, white and yellow, while signature design like a plain dress with its logo is still a runway staple. The same can be said about Kenzo Kids, with its tiger head allowing instant brand recognition. Nothing is simpler than a pink dress and a statement logo, and that’s a piece that will never go out of style.
Boys also got their fair share of sartorial offerings in this show, especially from Diesel. Diesel boys look like a smaller version of Hollywood bad boys, with leather jacket, faded jeans and that cool but cheeky attitude. Interestingly, the boyish brand this season also presents a pastel hoodie T-shirt. It has been years since there was a call to remove gender-stereotyped colours. It’s nice to see big brands answering that call.
The second part of the show was all about local brands. DekTay by Rybena Tanwimol premiered for the first time in this event, presenting cool, street style for boys and girls. You wouldn’t expect anything less from the wife and kids of the renowned hip hop star Prinya “Way” Intachai of Thaitanium.
Tutti Frutti continued with its dolly, princess feel loved by girls and their mummies alike. The use of blue and white lend a relaxing nuance to the pieces without being overly sweet. Paula and Baby by Paula Taylor, which debuted last year, shared the feminine feel, but a little more casual and a little less dressy.
Thankfully, all the pieces are not awfully trend-driven that they will end up looking irrelevant in a few months’ time (but then again, the kids will probably have outgrown them by then). Some are classic pieces that can be worn on many occasions, a good investment especially for families with many children.
Junior Gaultier
Young Versace
Kenzo Kids
Young Versace
Paula and Baby
Little Marc Jacobs
Paul Smith Junior
DekTay
Diesel
