For the little ones: A growing list of baby and childrenswear by Australian fashion labels
IMAGE VIA BLANCA
Words by Fashion Journal
For kids better dressed than you.
A few years back, a meme went viral of a heavily pregnant Rihanna making a ‘naw’ face at a teeny, tiny Burberry coat. While most of us will likely never buy a four-figure designer jacket for a child who likely won’t fit it in a year’s time, strangely, the image resonated. There’s something universally cute about adult clothes made for very small humans.
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Fortunately for anyone who’s ever scrunched their face at a tiny baby Nike shoe, a number of Australian designers have expanded their ranges into childrenswear. These collections can be hard to find unless you’re a close follower of the brand, as most aren’t stocked elsewhere nor heavily promoted online. For anyone with little ones (or a soft spot for comedically small clothes), we’ve started shortlisting the labels making clothing for little humans, as we all as big ones.
Threadgate
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Threadgate was founded by a screenprinter, a fact that springs to life once you view its collections. There’s a strong emphasis on colour and pattern across all of designer Emma Threadgate’s work, which lends itself nicely to childrenswear. The brand’s ‘mini’ capsule collection Juno caters to little ones from three months to six years old, with pieces screen printed by hand. The same fabrics are used across Threadgate’s adult collection, homewares and accessories, which is perfect if you want your entire household to match your mini-me.
Strateas Carlucci
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When we first learnt Strateas Carlucci had branched into childrenswear we braced, expecting a price point more reflective of their adult range. But the Melbourne label’s childrenswear is surprisingly accessible given the name behind it. Right now, between seasons, you can buy tailored pants for $59 and tees from as little as $24. It caters to kids from three to 12 years and the designs are exactly as you’d hope from the luxury streetwear label, with pieces like vegan leather pleated pants, ribbed knits, box-cut jackets and hoodies. It’s all well worth a browse.
Blanca
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Bebe Blanca is the colourful kids’ collection from Ana Piteira, the founder of Reliquia Jewellery and womenswear label Blanca Studios. Offering the same playful, summery separates as its adult-sized counterpart, BeBe Blanca is designed for mixing and matching in your tiny person’s wardrobe. The colour palette of soft sorbets and bright primary shades is especially cute, and all garments are designed for comfortable walking, crawling, wandering, exploring and more.
Shrunk
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Shrunk is a childrenswear project from Melbourne designer Myra Spencer, one of the founders behind footwear label Post Sole Studio. With strong credentials in the fashion space, she’s bringing her expertise to clothing for children up to four years old. Myra has taken a highly considered approach to design, with each style classic and timeless in its aesthetic. The idea is that Shrunk’s pieces become heirlooms to keep and pass down. Everything is made in Melbourne from deadstock fabric, and fabric waste is recycled through Upparel to give it new life. Shrunk also collaborates with local Melbourne labels for limited edition pieces, like the Penny Sage trousers and H.B Archive baby bag.
Clothing the Gaps
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Meaning ‘children’ in the local Wurundjeri language, the Bubup collection from First Nations-led label Clothing the Gaps caters to a range of bubs, from infants to older toddlers. Clothing the Gaps makes merch with a message, and the Bubup collection gives your little one the opportunity to wear ally-friendly or mob-only merch to match yours.
Amber Days
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Taking the reverse approach to most in this list, Amber Days started as a childrenswear label before expanding into adult sizes. Aboriginal-owned and regularly collaborating with different Aboriginal artists, the label takes inspiration from the Australian bush, desert and sea. All garments are handmade in India under Fairtrade conditions and the brand uses GOTS certified organic cotton, so you can trust the quality is as strong as the designs.
Nico
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Australian label Nico specialises in soft, high-quality basics made from plant-dyed cotton, so its expansion into kidswear made perfect sense. The brand offers two mini-me capsule collections – one for babies, and one for big kids. Both are comprised of essentials like tees, singlets, rompers and shorts, designed in a variety of gentle pastel shades. Prices are super reasonable, and you can nab a two-for-one bundle for extra savings.
Kowtow
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The Kiwi label has partnered with neighbouring fashion brand Nature Baby to bring its designs to smaller bodies, from newborn to two years. The capsule collection caters to both mothers and babies, with matching items in the brand’s pure organic cotton. Those who have followed Kowtow will know it’s a leader in the sustainability space, with a focus on responsible, transparent manufacturing and circular design. The entire label is plastic-free, making it a great choice for mothers who want to wrap their little ones in the highest quality materials.
Found what you love? Find the right size for your little one here.
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