Show Report: Playtime Paris #23 AW18

On arrival to the 23rd edition of Playtime it already felt super busy. It seems we keep seeing buyers and press arriving bright and early ready to go first thing on day 1 – maybe hoping to capitalise from fresh brains & fresh eyes. This was born out by the visitor figures, with Saturday hitting the top day, worth noting for brands. The show welcomed 7,654 professional visitors through the doors at Parc Floral and interestingly for the first time the international visitors outnumbered the french home crowd.

Exhibiting was an impressive and extensive list of labels, there’s a lot to see and find under one roof. More than ever before stand presentation is crucial for a label presenting their collection and wanting to capture the visitors attention. Whether it be by having a pure white stand and letting your bold, bright chunky knits draw in the visitors a la Little Mr.Mittens; or by using a single strong, clean image and allowing space to present your nature prints as with WAWA, alternatively you can build a unique and complex installation equipped with an in-built swing such as Mum of Six; or as with Severina kids draw the illustrations by hand directly onto the canvas. Only for the brave! There is no single way to present your stand but it is vital to be bold.

In this edition we saw the future is retro, style can also be kind to the earth. Compassion in kid’s fashion is forging ahead.

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Stand Up & Stand Out!

Mum of Six

First time at the show, bright bold and fun.

Severina Kids

When designer and founder Alejandra discovered the vinyls she commissioned were not sticking, she didn’t panic she just got out a pencil and pen, put on some music and drew the stand by hand…very wonderful!

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Discoveries …

Little Mr. Mittens

Walking the show the second day, weaving through the aisles I looked up from my map and was overjoyed to be face to face with the mini line of this much loved Australian knitwear label I love Mr Mittens. This chunkiest of chunky knitwear label renowned for their women’s line presented this children’s collection at Playtime Paris @littlemrmittens.

WAWA Copenhagen

Organic childrenswear label WAWA is a simplistic unisex clothing line for children. Their aim is to produce the highest quality whilst having the lowest impact on nature. The collection is made only with GOTS certified organic cotton avoiding health and environmentally harmful chemicals throughout the production process. We love the eye catching nature prints of the ‘Hello Diversity’ AW18 collection, but also the fine detailing, lines and textures that can be found. A really eye catching collection at the show, one of our favourites being the illustrated cocoa beans and sycamore helicopters!

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Style & fashion can also be kind to the Earth…

Colchik

This is one of those labels where the question “do you have an adult line?” is asked early on. Good news… the answer is “Yes”. Wonderfully simple – a jacket, a trouser, a dungaree, a dress, a shirt and a boiler suit. Four colours, indigo, baltic, rust and rose. Each purchase they plant a tree in partnership with Reforest action … Love!

City Goats

Designer Ching Ching’s grandfather and father were both traditional chinese medicine practitioners. These roots have seemingly influenced City Goats into a kind and sensitive children’s label that use botanical dyes with antibacterial properties. The pieces have a clean silhouette with a practical everyday purpose. The City Goats mantra:  ‘GOOD HEALTH, GOOD EARTH’. This is a must see young label to check out.

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Trends: the future is retro…geometric shapes, retro colouring & nostalgia references

Carlota Barnabe
‘We are so retro’

This is Carlota Barnabe’s second foray into print and this geometric retro print stole the show! Keeping to their signature muslin, this Portuguese label’s pieces are becoming more sophisticated and edgy with each collection. A developing label to keep an eye on!

Tia Cibani

Burnt orange, olive greens, maroon, taupe the colour pallet for Tia Cibani kids AW18 is retro rich!

Oeuf
Pink panther

So this Pink Panther film poster is an absolute favourite, and one of the references for the Pirouette One to Watch posters this season. It was to my joy when Olivia from Oeuf pointed out the Pink Panther suit for AW18. One of those moments when I thought ‘ oh I wish I had a baby’ then realised I can buy for a friend :-) All together now “de dum, de dum, de dum de dum, de dum de dum, de daaaaaa….”

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#CoupDeCoeur

#CoupDeCoeur: Home Decor
ILA Y ELA

Just plain lovely. And a little bit different to all the animal busts we’ve seen of late. Raaar!

#CoupDeCoeur: Mummy Baby Product
NANAMI

What a fantastic show Nanami had first time of showing in Paris. Playtime posted their adorable image of the baby & polar bear feeding cushion, and the sweet image justifiably captured visitor’s attention for this baby lifestyle label. The feeding cushions are available as a polar bear, whale or dog in various hues. Really loved this label from the Netherlands. We think NANAMI will be very visible very quickly.

#CoupeDeCoeur Bags & accessories
Miss RILLA & Sticky Lemon labels under the Rilla Go Rilla umbrella

 

Rilla go Rilla introduced a new label Miss Rilla aimed more at a broader market than our #Pirouette12Watch wining label Sticky Lemon. It’s a bold, fun line making use of graphics and slogans. Beautiful fun imagery and styling from this growing company in the kid’s accessories market.

#CoupDeCoeur: First time exhibitor at Playtime Paris
Lali

It was USA based Lali’s first time exhibiting in Europe. With a boho feel Lali offers an extensive range of references, from girls wear and knitwear to accessories along with a new boy’s line. Kinnari the designer and founder draws each print herself and employs small scale printers and weavers to bring these highly wearable, beautifully made garments to life.

#CoupDeCoeur: Knitwear
Mabli

Merino & Alpaca knitwear collection, super quality with a lovely use of a rusty, charcoal colour palette. Beautiful collection based in the UK.

#CoupDeCoeur: Collection
Tuchinda

Earth tones, rust ruffles, extravagant and luxurious embroidery. Tuchinda homes in with this collection to give you a stunningly well conceived set of pieces. Very well received by the press at the show, Milk awards & Kid’s wear mag selection.

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Lets’s get behind The Bonniemob charity collaboration for Aw18!

Following the success of The Bonniemob’s collection in collaboration with Selfish Mother (for more info click here) …… The Bonniemob wish to continue their work for Refugee Support Europe  for Aw18. They have designed a collection (for release later in the year) of cotton and cashmere blend jumpers and playsuits with a percentage of profits going to charity.

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First Pirouette Screen Capture: A girl in this world at Playtime Paris

Big thanks to all the photographers who took part in the first Pirouette Screen Capture exhibition at Playtime Paris. The online exhibition is available to view here.

The gorgeous little two playing around in the video are wearing KIBORO – environmentally conscious products for children based in NYC. Deconstructing existing resources and creating new pieces to love. Wonderful label check them out!

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Trade Show Stats

Total number of visitors: 7654  (Split: France 42.3%, International 57.7%)

Breakdown: 57,7% Europe* : 43,6% middle East : 2,5% Asia : 7,4% Africa : 0,4% Americas : 3,4% * Excluding France Oceania : 0,4%

Top 5 Europe

• Belgium
• United Kingdom
• Spain
• The Netherlands
• Italy

Top 5 outside Europe

• United States
• Japan
• China
• South Korea
• Russia

Distribution of visitors per day

• Saturday Jan 28th 36.7%
• Sunday Jan 29th 33.9%
• Monday Jan 30th 29.4%

Top buyers in attendance:
4mamis, 9months, Alice & Alice, August Pfüller, Bentalls, Bon Bon Bleu, Bon Tot, Bonbon Kid, Boobs-N-Burps, Carrousel Kids, Centre Commercial Kids, CHOU, Cmonpremier.com, Cup of Milk, Der Kleine Salon, Enfant Terrible, Galeries Lafayette, Harvey Nichols, Kangaroo, Karamell, Kids department, Kleines Karussell, Las Perlitas Maternity, Le Bon Marché, Lemonade, Les Casse-Pieds, Les Petits Chapelais, Le Printemps, Liberty, Little bandits, Littlehipstar, Mammafashion, Melijoe, MonShowroom, Natal market, Orange Mayonnaise, Rose & Cabbage, Scandi Mini, Sarenza.com,