These homegrown kids wear labels, most of them run by mothers, found a gap in the market for quality children’s wear and made it their mission to ensure that the country’s younger set is well turned out. There’s something to offer for new and soon-to-be mothers that will appeal to the senses and bring a sartorial edge for kids. Conscious fabrics, block prints, minimalistic and relaxed tailoring also comes in safe and versatile options that will appeal to all generations. These are the hot new additions to the kid’s segment where there’s more to fashionably explore than just the utility factor.
Love the World Today
The lowdown: Sisters Dipna and Dipti, the former an educator and dance artist, the latter a consumer insights expert, wanted to create a kids wear label that brought together mindfulness and aesthetics. “The clothes are made with absolute love, mindfulness, quality, great design and sustainable
The USP: “We are a purpose-led brand with impact.”
Les Petits
The lowdown: The e-retail platform provides all the luxury names from Fendi to Versace, but just for the little ones. If you’re looking for a special outfit for upcoming celebrations where a little dressier option for your toddler will be most appreciated, look no further. With a flagship store in DLF Emporio mall in New Delhi, the multi-brand space has expanded its access online as well.
The USP: Luxury and premium kidswear from luxury and heritage brands across the world.
Okhai
The lowdown: Conscious and artisanal options for children are hard to come by, but Okhai, speerheaded by artisans from craft communities has also expanded its repertoire exploring clothing for kids, keeping their signature relaxed aesthetics and indie-vibe alive in the range. While the brand may not primarily cater to the kids section, the same artisanal techniques of block printing and sewing spans across their range of dresses, rompers and shirts.
The USP: Handcrafted clothing that supports craft communities.
MuuYee
The lowdown: Sustainable brand MuuYee which means ant in konkani, practices slow fashion for its line of clothing. Hand-dyed fabrics and textiles that are responsibly sourced, the brand’s minimal aesthetic is not only pleasing to the eye but also ensures comfort.
The USP: Minimalistic range of clothing in muted tones come with
Masilo
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The lowdown: Eisha Maskara Sheth, a Central Saint Martins graduate and graphic designer by profession, founded Masilo in 2015. After spending the first few years establishing the brand, she roped in her brother, Ankit, a University of Warwick graduate with experience working in the family business of textiles, to help scale up. “The fabric that touches your baby’s skin matters, and Masilo’s product range now spans blankets to baby nests, towels and clothing,” says Maskara Sheth, who plans to launch organic knitwear and skincare.
The USP: “Most of our products are made with certified organic cotton and eco-friendly bamboo muslin. Our colours and prints complement each other, so it’s easy to mix and match to create a harmonious nursery look.”
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Malabar Baby
The lowdown: The childrenswear label Malabar Baby was started by a Hong Kong-based mom, Anjali Harjani, and named after her family home in Malabar Hill. The highlight of her work for Harjani was when Meghan Markle carried Baby Archie out in his first public outing, wrapped in their mustard gold Erawan Dohar receiving blanket.“I moved to Hong Kong from New York and couldn’t understand why there were no affordable, sustainable and stylish children’s brands—as an expectant mom, I was shipping everything in from the States and Europe. Our designs blend traditional Indian techniques with new technology—we have an extensive range of bedding for children and adults, handmade block-printed loungewear, sleepsacks and towels. We started out as a kids’ linens brand but it quickly evolved into a lifestyle brand for the whole family.”
The USP: “Every collection is slowly made and has a personal story woven through. I feel passionate and proud to have an opportunity to share India’s rich culture and handmade heritage with the world.”
Aria + Nica
- The lowdown: Aastha Mahtani, the creative director and mom of two, was perplexed by the lack of quality footwear for her children. After training under Gregory Viboud, a renowned footwear specialist in Provence, she decided to start her label that spans footwear for girls and boys till their teenage years.
The USP: “Apart from comfort, our brand is known for its innovative, trendy, distinctive and technically correct designs that set it apart.”
BORN by Elodie Le Derf
The lowdown: “Being pregnant made me look at baby clothes with a fresh eye. Back in 2015, there were hardly any options in organic cotton clothing, and definitely none for boys. I started making tiny clothes with my local tailor using fabrics that I purchased over my years living in India. I wanted to create a brand that fuses French style and my respect and love for Indian craftsmanship,” says BORN’s founder Elodie Le Derf, who also founded the label Les Fées De Bengale in 2005, the first trendy sustainable and ethical brand in Paris. (It was bought over by a fashion house, which subsequently opened four stores in Paris and one in Aix en Provence.
The USP: “Muted and gender-neutral colours, unique prints created in-house, a love for hand embroidery and delicate details, the GOTS-certified organic cotton range and finally a distinctive Parisian style with an Indian touch. Our first twinset line for mom and kids is stylish enough to cater to all women, not just mothers.”
The Story Brand
The lowdown: Mayana Rajani, a former banker, started The Story Brand with the aim to employ women from low-income homes. “Our collection includes Western wear, Indian wear, and accessories for both girls and boys—from newborn till 16 years. Our prints are bright and colourful and we use 100 per cent cotton fabrics for our collections. We strive to be a zero-waste company; we believe in putting our waste fabrics to productive use. Our necklaces, hairbands and hair-ties come out of these fabrics.”
The USP: “We are also committed to giving back—proceeds from our sales contribute to various social initiatives that we have undertaken. Our focus is on street children, children’s education and feminine health and hygiene.”
Dandelion
The lowdown: Serial entrepreneur Samyukta Nair wanted to address the lack of stylish and comfortable sleepwear in the market while paying homage to her family’s textile heritage with her label Dandelion that also focuses on kidswear. “Our emphasis is playful prints. Our choice of fabric and bespoke quality across the entire range aim to give women and children something beautiful, delicate and fun to sleep in as well as to rise with,” says Nair.
The USP: “You can customise your sleepwear: choose your print in the silhouette of your choice, add a monogram, or better yet, match with a loved one. We also customise maternity sets based on measurements to make pregnancy dressing a little easier (or to throw into a hospital bag for when friends and family make hospital visits).”
OriOri Kids
The lowdown: “OriOri is a brand that empowers a parent to question who their child really is and what they would like to inspire in them via the mediums of clothing, books and activities,” says founder Diksha Kaur. “For that reason, our collections are not based on prints but rather on personality—for example, the Naturalist, the Dreamer, the Adventurer, the Artist and so on.” The brand has three product ranges—the SleepBox, which includes a nightsuit and a book; the FestiveBox, which includes an Indian outfit and a book on a god or goddess; and the PlayBag, which comes with a T-shirt/book and
The USP: “Environmentally conscious: each part of our packaging forms a colouring playmat and an inbuilt learning activity that is reusable; theme-based products/experience; building a strong connection between parents and children; softness: we have quickly gained a reputation for having the softest, snuggle-worthy fabrics,” she lists.
Frangipani Kids
The lowdown: The label Frangipani was founded in 2012 by two young moms, Mansi Kilachand and Sunaina Patel. “At the time, the children’s marketplace in India was small—there were few good-quality clothes available and almost certainly no good-quality ethnicwear or sleepwear. As young moms, we sensed a growing need for an indigenous brand that offered high-quality kids’ clothes at affordable prices,” says Mansi.
The USP: “We pride ourselves in using the highest quality organic cotton, printed with our signature prints that kids and moms love, at highly affordable prices,” she adds.
Little Tags
The lowdown: In search of quality materials and premium cuts for her newborns, founder Chandni Agarwal came across the idea of starting her own little establishment that would become a one-stop-shop as a mult-label kidswear platform, providing mothers less on time and patience the perfect space to fulfil their needs and also the aspirational hopes of dressing up their tiny tots in enviably fashionable and quality gear.
The USP: Luxury kidswear in the finest quality cashmere, silk and organic cotton.
Viherä
The lowdown: Eco-friendly is the best way to go for your baby, and Viherä, which stands for “green” in Finnish, will give you just that. Founded by Aarti Tharwani and Neha Kamath, the rising label has a range of easy and breezy summer dresses, shirts, and more for little girls and boys that carry interesting details such as floral embroideries which enhance the look of a simple and carefree outfit.
The USP: Cool-as-a-cucumber summer dresses and khadi rompers make this label a great investment.
Eda Mamma
- The lowdown: Established by now soon-to-be mother Alia Bhatt, Eda Mamma is the label to seek out when you’re looking for playwear to add to the kiddy wardrobe. Bhatt wanted to combine clothing for kids with a planet-positive outlook, and so the label comes with a conscious edge, that also satisfies the needs of mothers looking for clothes that will survive the test of mishaps and accidents that babies are prone to. Fuss-free prints, durable and conscious fabrics, and nickel-free trimmings ensure that this is the right choice to make for the everyday.
The USP: Conscious playwear for kids that also provides longevity.
Little Muffet
The lowdown: Former banker Anchal Dhanuka left her corporate life for motherhood only to find that she wanted to spice up the wardrobes of her expanding family. The result? An online store of kids clothing that provides comfort and aesthetics both.
The USP: Choose from a variety of sets, jumpsuits and dresses for your toddler catering to every occasion, with the ease of finding your chosen item from a wide age range.
L’Adore
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- The lowdown: Prachi Saraf, a Wharton Business School graduate, wanted to provide mothers and children with comfortable, quality clothing at competitive prices. “Quirky and cool designs are our hallmark.” Saraf has the backing of her family export house.
The USP: “Our brand is known for using premium materials, and everything is created in-house. We are also proud of our all-women workforce—we have 1,200 women at our factory.”
Pochampali
The lowdown: A Delhi girl married into a Hyderabadi family, Neha Hassan decided to put family connections into play for her label. “My husband’s aunt is the legendary revivalist Suraiya Hassan Bose. In 2017 I had the idea of using those lovely ikats, linens and cottons we would get from her to make clothes for children.” The focus is functional clothing from luxe Indian fabrics—nothing too fussy. “Our fabrics are completely organic and spun and dyed in Pochampally, Andhra Pradesh, the heartland of the handloom fabric.”
The USP: “I think our customers love the sense of fun that Pochampali has. With two daughters, I know I want them to feel comfortable and look stylish. Our use of Andhra ikats, high-quality linens and fine cottons, and pom-pom details are appreciated.”
COO COO by Pallavi Swadi
The lowdown: Like many on this list, Pallavi Swadi is another mum who discovered a scarcity of quality, classic designs in the Indian market and launched COO COO with a nod to nostalgic styles. Despite limited experience in the sector, Swadi has managed to create a well-established kidswear label as well as her eponymous label for women.
The USP: “Classic design, fabric, comfort and quality and customisation. We are known for our personalisation—through monograms and brooches. We have also created an exclusive ‘return gift’ service called the Dress Up Closet, where we create a unique gifting experience of our products at children’s birthday parties.”
Amba
The lowdown: This label of small batch loungewear and textiles was started by Hema Shroff Patel in 1999. “Design is in the small details,” she says.
The USP: “Amba uses both refined Maheshwari cotton with border details and hand-block prints to create its crisp, cool range of loungewear each year. Each season a collection is launched featuring a new iconic Indian motif, such as the Ambassador car, rickshaw, or chappals. Block details are created from quirky inspirations seen in cityscapes and rural pockets of India,” adds Patel.
Mal the Store
The lowdown: Minoti Sampat’s store in Juhu, Mumbai, was one of the first stores to offer designer kidswear. Now, its the celebrity-approved space to shop at for baby showers and celebratory events where you have a sure shot and finding the right outfit. Festive options replete with embroideries and intricate details are the big find here.
The USP: Find the festive options that range from tiny kurta sets and lehengas replete with sparkles and embroideries for the next Rakhi or Diwali function.
Little Ivy
The lowdown: Situated at The Club in Bandra, Mumbai, this store offers children’s wear and gifting options with playful prints. If you’re looking for the full experience, the store offers more than just clothes, so you can just mix and match, and take an entire head-to-toe outfit back home.
The USP: Their sleepwear line has a delightfully colourful range of pajamas that are sure to appeal to toddlers and their parents.
Almirah
The lowdown: A mother-daughter duo are the forces behind this popular store with outposts in Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Kochi, and their product range, which includes clothing, bedding and accessories, comes with a strong Indian stamp.
The USP: If you’re looking to add some colourful prints and patterns to your kid’s wardrobe, this is the place to shop.
Aya Papaya Kids
The lowdown: As any mom will tell you, band-aids are often the coolest accessory for kids of a certain age. With her brightly patterned versions, Aleesha Malhotra ensures that these are practical and pop with unparalleled comfort and style.
The USP: The vibrant printed Ouchie bandages by Aya Papaya Kids are non-toxic hypoallergenic, and latex free, which means no itchy allergies and also clinically and dermat-tested safe for sensitive skin.
Disclaimer: This article was first published in 2020 and updated here.
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