Best Children’s Knitwear Collection | Junior Design Awards 2021
Stylish knitwear for kids is top priority for these brands so winning a Junior Design Awards was pretty much sewn (or, should that be knitted) up!
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WINNER OF BEST CHILDREN’S KNITWEAR COLLECTION: PLATINUM
WHO: Mabli
WHAT: Heritage knitwear
WHY: It’s hard to explain the wonder evoked by Mabli’s beautiful knitwear but suffice to say our guest judges always seem to spot this collection from wherever they are in our vast exhibition space and make a beeline for it, uttering expressions of delight and awe. No exaggeration. This year’s collection featuring the brand’s signature adaptations of Welsh blanket patterns made into the sweetest rompers and trousers with braces, beautiful berry and tobacco tones and simple ribbed basics of the highest quality, really wowed our judges who all felt this ethically and sustainably produced brand had managed to find the sweet spot between contemporary and traditional, not to mention adorable and cool. Congratulations on a Platinum winning collection Mabli!
WHERE: Mabli
WINNER OF BEST CHILDREN’S KNITWEAR COLLECTION: GOLD
WHO: Mika & Milo Cashmere
WHAT: Sustainable Children’s Cashmere brand
WHY: These beautifully made cashmere clothes really appealed to our judges who loved the mix of traditional silhouettes in beautiful sugared almond shades and more contemporary pieces featuring lightening bolts in a zingy palette of cobalt blue and tomato red. An adorable popcorn knit romper with ruffles was a stand out piece as was a zippable cashmere cardigan that was deemed very cool by several of our judging team. The panel were also extremely impressed with the founders’ dedication to creating a brand that is the antithesis of fast fashion with an emphasis on creating clothes that are long lasting and kind to the planet.
WHERE: Mika & Milo Cashmere
WINNER OF BEST CHILDREN’S KNITWEAR COLLECTION: JOINT SILVER
WHO: Minimom
WHAT: Minimom Popcorn Cardigan
WHY: All parents know the value of a well chosen cardigan – essential for keeping kids cosy when the weather’s unpredictable and giving an outfit a lovely lift! Our judges felt that Minimom had created pretty much the perfect throw on cardigan that was gorgeous to look at, tapped into the growing trend for handmade, textured pieces and would go with any look from smart to casual. The brand’s strong eco credentials also scored highly with our judges who were excited to hear that theses knits are ethically produced by hand and made from %100 organic cotton hand knitting yarn with GOTS certification. Even the buttons are made from natural coconut! Bravo!
WHERE: Minimom
WINNER OF BEST CHILDREN’S KNITWEAR COLLECTION: JOINT SILVER
WHO: The Faraway Gang
WHAT: A unisex children’s knitwear brand with a slow fashion approach
WHY: These beautiful, timeless knits are made for adventures and our judges loved the spirit of fun that they evoke with their bright, zingy colours, bringing life to traditional knitting motifs and silhouettes. The quality of these jumpers was superb and the panel was extremely impressed with the brand’s central ethos that clothes should be made well, made to last and handed down. The Faraway Gang’s collaboration with the children’s charity Clear-Sky, who work to enhance the emotional well being of children and families through play therapy, also excited our judges who were delighted to hear that a proportion of the profit made from every garment sold goes to this charity. A wonderful quality brand with heart, bringing life and colour to children’s knitwear.
WHERE: The Faraway Gang
WINNER OF BEST CHILDREN’S KNITWEAR COLLECTION: BRONZE
WHO: Anita’s House
WHAT: Anita’s House Denim Collection – hand knitted merino wool baby clothes and accessories made in England.
WHY: These teeny, tiny mix and match hats, jackets and jumpers in beautiful shades of indigo and contrasting white, really made our judges broody! A sure fire sign that a brand is working overtime with its cuteness! The beautiful crochet blankets that could easily be worn as scarves by mums and the adorable sailing boat motifs were all commented on and this collection was praised for its baby friendly softness and the sense that these pieces would be really easy to put on and take off. Our panel felt that these clothes and accessories would make a perfect baby gift – as did Princess Eugenie who dressed baby August in the brand for his first photoshoot!
WHERE: Anita’s House