The Parent Stylist
Children’s and particularly babies clothing is an increasingly lucrative business. A doting parents’ desire to attire their newborn as the superlative mini-me, in the latest designs and styles that match their own personal taste is overwhelming; and there are whole stores devoted to clothes aimed at the newborn to 4-year old age group.
This relatively new and increasingly popular parental past time can divide Mum and Dad stylist into several different humorous sub-groups
1. The premise of this species is high fashion-high budget; the female works in PR, advertising or marketing, the male almost certainly works in the music industry or media. They favour one-off internet children’s clothes sites, independent boutiques and well established French brands such as Petit Bateau. Baby is independent and often a parentally proclaimed prot?�g?�, able to recite Shakespeare at six months and play chopsticks by the age of one, they have been visiting Michelin starred Restaurants, play recitals and the odd trendy nightclub with Mum and Dad since birth.
2. This parent eats organically, bakes bread and practises Ashtanga yoga five times a day. In a former life they were a teacher or social worker but have given it all up to become full time earth mother/father. Baby is robed in natural fibres such as bamboo and wool bought online from Bamboo Baby. Terry towel nappies are hand-washed whilst parent simultaneously knits bonnets, breastfeeds and tends an all organic allotment.
3. This child, as appropriated by Daniella Westbrook and infant in ubiquitous Burberry check circa 2001, is clad identical to either parent. The order of the day includes Stone Island, Ralph Lauren, Armani Junior and Paul Smith Kids for boys and Miss Sixty Junior Gaultier and Juicy Couture girls for the young ladies. Dior silver bottles nourish a newborn whose hunger should not interfere with Mummy’s shopping or boob job. She’s a WAG or wants to be, if he’s not a footballer he’s made more money than his IQ should warrant, some other way.
4. This parent is the most common of the genre’s and tend to buy offspring clothing from a range of the above as well as Mother-care, Marks& Spencer and Supermarkets. Accepting the odd item of clothing from friends or relatives with a similar breed of, but slightly older child. Parents are anything from Dentist’s to Plumbers, they go to work every day, go on holiday two weeks a year and have a dog called Max. To the above sub-groups they are considered un-intellectual, apolitical or poor. They are probably normal and common.
From the organic, natural fibers worn by sub-group Number 2 offspring to the excessive brand named attire of Number 3, all of these categories of clothing can be bought at either the same store, or on-line business, who generally will have bought their stock from a wholesaler.
Some specialist stores act as a wholesaler, selling their own specific products to other businesses, whose job it is then to market their wares toward whichever of sub-group listed is their chosen market.
