Playtime New York 2015: home decor and collectible steal the show

Lats week end I had the pleasure to attend Playtime in New York. Playtime is the world’s largest trade show network for children’s collections. It is THE place for all amazing children related products and this year, the New York edition celebrated it’s 10th birthday. For the occasion, the show took place in a brand new spacious venue: Metropolitan West Pavilion. They were over 120 exhibitors, 16% more brands compared to the summer edition and 40% of newcomers, which made it a pretty interesting one. The show encompasses infant and children clothing, shoes, accessories, baby gear, toys, home decor, childcare and maternity. Key words this time around were again: simple- organic- sustainable and locally made. It seems that brands with a purpose definitely are a strong trend. There is a true willingness to make not only pretty things but also things that can make a difference in the world.  In terms of colors, there is a clear come back of black and white. You could  also spot a lot of neutral colors with all kinds of shades of greys, khakis as well as a touch of “spicy” colors: chili peppers- saffron…

The exhibitors that I talked to seemed thrilled with the new place, all the amenities and the brand selection. Those who had participated to the Paris fair mentioned that the traffic was slower in New York. Probably also because of the fairly bad weather conditions. The work atmosphere was definitely rather relaxed. And most retailers I heard, expressed their enthusiasm for this trade show because of the relatively slow pace and more serene ambiance.

It is always so much fun to visit Playtime, discover exciting newcomers and see more established brands again. I enjoy taking a joyful plunge into the collections to come and meet the talented teams behind the products. It is a pretty unique opportunity for everybody. I continue to be amazed by the designers, their entrepreneurial spirit and their passion about what they do. It is super uplifting to attend this kind of fair. I feel that not only the selection of products is impressive at Playtime but also the people behind those products are truly inspiring.

In this context it is very difficult to narrow down to a list of favorites so, this time, I tried to mainly focus on North American brands and newcomers. That said, there were some booth I just couldn’t walk by. They had some eye-catching things impossible for me not to mention. Overall, the clothing collections were incredible but I think this trade show was very strong in home decor, collectibles and accessories with some outstanding discoveries.

Let’s start with one of my “coup de coeur” for this show : Elliefunday. Elliefunday is a brand of baby blankets from heaven. It was created by a couple from San Jose in California. The beauty of their delicate products as well as their mission to help improve the lives of underprivileged women in India really caught my attention, not to mention the super sweet personality of the designer, Sarah Lin.  The hand embroideries are exquisite and the little baby bonnets irresistible. Everything started with a dream to make a beautiful product that would make a difference in the world. Sarah, the designer, had a love story with her very own blankie when she grew up. While traveling to India she discovered a mission that had a sewing center employing marginalized women. She made the link between the beloved memory of her blankie and these unique skilled women. Her leitmotiv is to “change the world one blankie at a time”… Maybe I am biased because I lived three years in India but to me, those blankets are beautiful because they are both a symbol of hope for underprivileged families and an amazing gift to treasure for ever for new comers in this world.  The 4 layers of organic cotton muslin make them super soft and long-lasting and the designs are timeless with a vintage feel.

 

 

Devon’s Drawer, an other brand from California also made a strong impression on me. They make colorful jackets and coats, cashmere sweaters and uber cute bonnets. Devon is the designer’s father and grandson’s name. The brand name evokes transmission from the past to the future. These classic pieces with an edge reflect this idea and are timeless. I love the fun and colorful linings, the unique stitching and of course I love the warm and kind personality of Cynthia, the designer. As she said “all designs are kid-tested and parents approved” and I believe her! It was such a pleasure to meet her and her daughter and discover her fair trade collection. Let’s hope she will make some fun bottoms matching those amazing linings!

 

 

NY based Luisa and Luna‘s lama wool hand-knitted chunky pieces in pastel color stood out and would add a touch of coziness and fun to any silhouette. I am looking forward to seeing more of this new whimsical and poetic brand. I heard someone saying that the name sounded like the title of a St Exupery tale and it is true. The collection is like a plunge in “Le petit prince”.

Bacabuche baby line is still going strong and modern with mainly neutral color pieces. I can’t get enough of their knitwear and how cute is their kimono baby gown? I am still hoping they are going to extend their size range a little bit!

 

The LA based brand Boy+ Girl new baby’s collection in tartan prints is a wonderful addition and will make any mini one look super cool.

It is impossible not to mention the new Tiny Cottons collection. No wonder this new brand from Barcelona received the “prix mode” by Milk in Tokyo. The touch of these clothing pieces made of pima cotton is incomparable and I love the playful graphic prints . Next winter will all be about hibernation and celebrating the cold season. As always all pieces can be mixed and matched to make parent’s morning a bliss.

 

The Spunky stork‘s onesies silkscreened to order were a fun discovery. This brand from sunny Florida print anything you want but you can also use their own designs. There is no minimum to order or no design fee. I particularly liked the “fill out your own hospital onesie”. It would be a nice way to introduce a new comer in this world.

Louise Misha‘s jackets and accessories are still to die for. The use of bright fushia and yellow colors were refreshing and will make any child shine. Every collection is a dream for the bohemian chic moms.

 

One of my other “coup de coeur” is the stunningly beautiful handcrafted Dumye dolls from Dubai. I was in awe in front of those dolls. They are upliftingly pretty and will make mothers and daughters equally happy. Your child can play with them or you can use them as a home decor piece. Their almond shape eyes, rosebud mouth, amazing hair style and super stylish clothes are hypnotizing. I want the whole look in adult size to go, thank you! What makes them stand out besides the fabulous aesthetic is that they are all unique. While ordering a doll with a specific dress style you can personalize the color of the body, the hair and the eyes but also the hair style. You can even add a heart with a monogram. Each doll also has a small “purpose pocket” in the back with a blank piece of cloth awaiting the message of your choice. For each doll sold, one doll is gifted to an orphan child. The production is done in an Indian NGO supporting economic empowerment for women and girls education. They truly are “dolls with  a purpose”.

 

Walnut Animal Society‘s beautiful handcrafted stuffed animals also stole my heart. All animals are lovingly imagined by the super sweet Lauren and are made in the USA using natural and locally sourced materials. It was their first playtime and they did everything right. Their welcoming attitude and Lauren’s bright smile would make the grumpiest person happy. Their booth stood out with a dark green background who highlighted the adorable wooden animals. Her association with Fanny and Alexander uber stylish wooden toys who made custom-animal sized camera for the occasion added some cuteness and was clearly an invitation to imaginative play. I also liked the paper flower shadowboxes by Dear Whimsy. What a great start! I am looking forward to seeing more of your creations!

Luez Design & play ‘s shadow puppets inspired by NYC and circus artists, as well as their outer space mobiles were definitely a highlight of this playtime edition. This New York City brand presented a collection both playful and simple that really allows and encourage children’s pretend play. Once they outgrow them, just put them on the wall! They would make any room look fun and happy.

Radish Moon watercolor creations were invitations to dreams. I especially liked their new cotton and Belgian linen pillows as well as their unbleached organic cotton onesies with sun-faded artwork and eco friendly printing.

 

Barcelona based Nobodinoz brand made quite an entrance. Their vibrant booth was a show stopper generating lots of enthusiastic reactions. Their instantly recognizable prints, beautiful color palette, full of humor cartoon eye pillows or super cool tents and poufs, all convey a feeling of happiness almost immediately. I loved every single piece of this collection and can’t wait to see their furniture collection “for real”. What a hit!

Impossible to leave the show without an Oli and Carol natural rubber toy. They are simply adorable. They come from Hevea trees latex and are safe to chew, easy to clean and will undeniably allow hours of bath fun for small and not so small ones. I loved both the soft colored reedition of original designs from the sixties and seventies and the bright color ones.

 

Coq en Pate ‘s booth was full of color and fun designs. It looked outstanding and so was the team behind the brand. If you have a chance, go talk to them. They have so many anecdotes and amazing stories to tell you. Their enthusiasm is contagious. The animal endangered collection featuring bold graphics and the SOS morse code is both fun to look at and educational for the children. I really loved the Do It Yourself lovie towel. It allows mothers to create their own children lovie. The idea is that the lovie will be unique and take the mom’s smell which will reassure their little one even more.

My Brooklyn side was happy to see FCTRY with their mustachifier for “the new man in your life”. My son has the “gentleman” mustache pacifier and people can’t stop asking me where I bought it.

Project five perforated loafer in bright happy colors made this soft sole shoe brand from San Francisco stand out.

SoYoung insulated lunch bags from Canada coming in laminated linen are perfect for kids bringing their lunch to school or on the go. They look good, are super practical and are easy to clean. What else can we ask from a lunch bag? Maybe a Yumbox! Yumbox is a leakproof bento-style lunch box. They have clever pre-portioned illustrated trays describing each food groups and guiding you to pack a healthy and fulfilling snack. They are super easy to open and close thanks to a unique open latch making it a favorite in Montessori schools.

 

As you can see, there were a lot of great discoveries this time again! Thank You Playtime!