Pirouette : Halcyon Nights: Bold Colours, Playful Prints & Aussie Jo

Bold colours & fun prints Halcyon Nights is a brand you cannot miss…

When we were first introduced to their collection it was difficult to select one piece to showcase “maybe the jumper? or perhaps the boots… ahh but I love the blanket”. Aussie design is really rocking it currently – hitting both ‘adorable’ & ‘wearable’ factors.

In fact I tried recommending them to my sister-in-law living in Melbourne, but it turns out she is already one of their biggest fans. Halcyon nights is one label not to be missed. The perfect eye catching collection to add to your offering as a store. We chat with founder Kym Purtell about this season’s collection.

What should buyers & retailers look out for this season from Halcyon Nights?

We are always so excited for winter! Each season our garments are inspired by our seasonal prints. It’s a combination of what we love and what we believe kids will love. This season we are in love with puppies, horses, bananas, elephants and pencils. Our collections are about texture, art, colour and they deliver on happiness. Our garments are playful essentials. Wintertime is all about our iconic picture knits, cosy berbers & jackets, and soft textured appliques on our fleeces & terry’s.

Keep your eyes peeled for our new Kids backpacks which will have you ready-to-go. But the big news is, our core print jersey for babies will be delivered in organic fabric this year. Saddle up for soft, soft, soft!

"It’s all about collaborations and it always has been. It allows us to keep our style and the brand fluid. "

Kym Purtell, founder

How do you come up with your prints?

It all starts with dream time where we (the team) doodle, play and dream of what we love and are inspired by. Next, it’s time to think about our kids, what they have enjoyed and love, then we bring together these ideas. The final step is to identify artists that can bring these ideas to life. But it can also work in reverse where we fall in love with an artist’s work and apply this to the collections.

So, is collaborating with different artists part of the brand’s DNA?

Absolutely. It’s all about collaborations and it always has been. It allows us to keep our style and the brand fluid. Every print collection is a collaboration. We are creators of wearable art. It’s about inciting emotion, nostalgia and fun. The work must have an adult sensibility and a childlike appeal. The collections are not driven by fashion but by the artistic collaborations themselves – as artworks they stand the test of time. They become keepsakes, handed down to friends and family. This also makes our pieces incredibly giftable. The artists we work with are from all over the world, but we predominantly work with Australian artists. This season we are launching collections with Claudia Van Eeeden (Australia), Susie Hammer (Poland), Katie Vernon (USA) & Lulu Kouno (Japan). The collaborations don’t just stop at the artists though, we also collaborate in house with our incredible team. Everyone really comes together to laugh and contribute to what’s coming next.

What role does colour have in your collections?

Colour is everything to us. Each collection must inspire. It is all about connecting with each other & our customers. This can come through, humour, nostalgia, joy or colour. Sometimes colour can make you feel happy and that is our intention.

How should kids dress?

We love kids to be dressed for comfort. So, they can move and stretch, play and grow. Our garments are all designed with this ethos in mind.

Is there any important business information you’d like to share?

We create collections that are specific to both Northern and Southern Hemisphere’s seasons. We ship from either Australia or China. We are also excited to announce that we can provide costs either landed or ex-works for customers in the USA & Europe.

Are there any countries you are particularly keen to have stockists?

We have been thrilled by the interest in the brand, now stocked in stores across the USA, Europe and South Korea. We have incredible stores in Poland, Spain, Italy, Georgia & Greece and we are so excited to see it grow.

What should a store expect from taking on Halcyon Nights?

Stores should expect, well priced, well-made, high-quality garments that are delivered on time. We also have some amazing packaging that has become a feature of our brand. We have seen our stockists generating very healthy sell through rates, so be ready to come back for more!

Our Halcyon Nights picks

Katie Kendrick

Katie is a specialist in kids’ fashion and lifestyle, editor, consultant, content creator, and owner of Pirouette - a leading resource to the industry.

With a keen interest in both the business and creative aspects of the industry Katie has interviewed buyers, agents, stylists, designers, influencers, covered runway shows, produced trade show reports and curates thought provoking and engaging exhibitions.

She is passionate about good design, creativity and brands that manage to combine this with their environmental responsibility.

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