Who:Elfie London
What:An independent British childrenswear brand offering equal doses of tradition and whimsy.
Why:
This Summer collection inspired by the illustrations of Roland Pym for Bryan Guinness’ book Priscilla and the Prawn (we admit it, we had to google – it’s beautiful) is a wonderful celebration of life on the ocean wave or simply pottering along the coast in pretty pastel dresses. The panel loved the gorgeous nautical flourishes in particular, including Breton stripes, embroidered seashells and sailor collar dresses.
The simple elegance of the sailor dress in wearable soft jersey was a big hit and the beautifully made classic separates with their special Elfie twists made everyone smile.
Elfie’s collections always have such a strong identity, which is what every brand wants and I always love their eclectic sources of inspiration. Absolutely love this vintage seaside theme.
The most charming brand. Some of my favourite pieces in my own children's wardrobes have been from Elfie.
Best of the bunch. Nice mix of retro designs
Adore the charming designs and feel of this brand. Beautifully made garments.
The elegant yet wearable sailor’s dress is one of my favourite pieces and all the witty seaside references in this collection are wonderful.
Who:Baba
What:An independently and ethically run children's clothing and accessories brand
Why:
This small batch clothing collection really stood out from the crowd and was not only beautifully presented on its bamboo hangers but the very simple silhouettes and softly coloured block prints all felt extremely fresh and wearable.
The panel was impressed by the brand’s commitment to sustainability and low impact production and applauded the use of 100% natural fibres and dyes as just one of the many steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
These dresses are so beautiful! Great that they are oversized so that they last a little longer before they’re handed down
Dreamy summer pieces...
Lovely boho vibes and quality…
The perfect lightweight dresses for high summer days that would look just as adorable on the beach as they would at a wedding.
Who:Grass & Air
What:amily Lifestyle Brand
Why:
Our panel were excited to see just how busy Grass & Air have been over the last year adding fab loungewear and swimwear to their existing range of wellies and outerwear. The judges loved the bright sorbet colours, simple clean graphics and inherent sense of fun that is part of the Grass & Air DNA. A particular hero piece was the Power Poncho from the Sun + Swim collection that features a brilliant Whales, Tails and Rainbows game printed on the reverse.
The fact that this collection is made from recycled plastic bottles or repurposed fabric offcuts with UPF 50+ was much applauded.
This is such a fantastic example of a brand building on its popularity and success with new and exciting categories that continue to keep kids' and parents' needs at their heart. Useful, cool and super fun.
The new ranges are excellent! I love the colour combinations. My own children all have the swimwear. It's super cute and completely practical.
