Forest adventure, D&G mini-me and luxury sneakers: the kidswear trends at Mytheresa

The children’s fashion fair Pitti Bimbo just took place in Florence,
where buyers of Mytheresa were active as well as at Playtime in Paris as
they looked to discover new brands and trends.

But what role does children’s fashion play in the luxury sector? Is it
all about occasion wear or do customers also buy their children everyday
clothes in the high-priced segment? Tiffany Hsu, chief buying officer at
the Munich-based luxury fashion retailer, explained these factors and what
else is currently defining the segment.

How important are trends in kidswear?

Kidswear trends are frequently influenced by and derived from adult
fashion. However, overall, kidswear is a category that is less driven by
trends.

If trends are not as strongly represented, what is shaping children’s
fashion?

Bright colours and bold prints have been trends dominating the fashion
scene for both boys and girls for many seasons, and green shades are again
featured prominently in the upcoming autumn/winter ’23 collections.

We also see a great number of brands drawing inspiration from the
forest, using the neutral colour palette across a range of fabrics and cuts
to create silhouettes reminiscent of nature.

For adults, the logomania trend seems to be cooling off a bit. Can the
same be said for kidswear?

In general, logomania was never a prominent aspect of kidswear, and even
if it did exist, it was mainly limited to the “super brands”. However, we
have noticed this has been slowing down for kids as well.

What about the ‘mini-me’ trend? Are parents specifically looking for a
matching look for themselves and their kids?

Over the years, we’ve observed that “mini-me” looks were very much
appreciated by our customers. Specifically, shoes and accessories have been
particularly popular in this regard.

How important is this section at Mytheresa?

At Mytheresa, we offer a wide range of brands dedicated exclusively to
kids, but we also offer some “twin look” options from brands that design
for both adults and children. As an example, on May 24 we launched an
exclusive capsule collection with Dolce & Gabbana, for women and their
children. The collection includes eight kids’ looks and marks our third
collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana on an exclusive womenswear and kidswear
collection.

What pieces are doing well for boys and girls right now?

Sneakers are having great momentum throughout the year and we’ve seen
this category experiencing continuous growth, particularly driven by brands
such as New Balance, Rick Owens and Nike.

Moreover, for the current spring/summer season, we notice a significant
increase in demand for summer dresses from brands such as Zimmermann and
Chloé.

Is kidswear more about clothes for formal occasions or also everyday
wear?

I would say it’s a fair mix of the two, as they’re both very important
categories for us. In the autumn/winter season, ‘Back to School’ is a topic
just as significant as the festive season for instance.

This interview was conducted in written form.