Lola lives in North London with her parents and younger sister Sissi. She is a little editor at Anorak magazine. Her mother Michelle Marshall is the owner of http://www.quirkycollective.com and founder of the blog http://iamquirky.com which was shortlisted for the 2010 Cosmopolitan Blog Awards.The inspired mother and daughter share a moment of their life with us.

Lola

What you want to be when you grow up Farm Lady

Your favourite famous person Tom+jerry

What makes you laugh/happy Daddy

What makes you angry Not having what I want to eat for dinner

Your favorite book Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

Your favorite films Charlotte’s Web

Your favorite places for holidays Skiing in the French Alps

A place that you would dream to visit A Cloud

Who chooses your clothes in the morning Mummy

Your favorite color Silver & Gold

Your favorite outfit My ballet outfit

The piece your like the most from your wardrobe My big rainbow coloured fairy skirt (kaiya eve pettiskirt)

The next item of clothing you would like to get Spanish flamenco dress

Michelle

Your favorite children’s brands Too many to name them all. Obviously all the brands featured in my store. Timeless staples:  Petit bateau, Bisgaard, Cos for kids, bb+++, Bensimon, Polarn o. Pyret, Hartford, Startrite, Pom d’api. Basic staples:  H&m, La redoute, Vert baudet. Playful tailoring:  kicokids, popupshop

Your favorite children’s stores Mine!

Your favorite online destinations Tn29, Labour of love, ebay, Apc, Fine little day, Gloubi*bloga, Anja Mulder

Your current obsession : Food (got to eat well) + shopping (got to look good)

Your inspiration My two daughters.  As small babies, i used to stare at them for hours in awe of the wonders of mother nature and the human body. Nowadays, i still stare (from a distance!) and i am constantly amazed by the freedom and the unrefined nature of childhood….  the freedom to say whatever goes through your mind, whenever you like, the involuntary disrespect for semantics. So many crazy words and ideas come out of their little mouths and heads. I absolutely love the freedom and spontaneity of their mannerism…they could be strolling down the street, and the next thing you know their walk has turned into a skippy hoppy kind of dance, often without thinking about it and always without having to justify it to anyone. On a good day (read not in the morning when rushing to get out of the door or after 5pm when everyone is tired), I love the lack of reserve in their emotions whether happy or sad ones. I LOVE watching childhood unfold before my eyes everyday.

The book on your bedside table La faim by Knut Hamsun; I started it over a year ago, and i still haven’t finished it…(too busy staring…)

Criteria you consider when you buy something for your children Clothing : comfort, quality, the story they tell about being a child and how illustrative of my children’s personality and their lifestyle they are. I’m not so much into trends. A garment will hold its own if it is comfortable and tells a lot about the person who wears it. Toys and stuff : I have learned to understand through the bags of toys that we have accumulated and which remained untouched that out of boredom and little stuff to play with, the kids will up their game when it comes to using their imagination. They also can be so fickle, so when considering toy purchases, we try and consider whether we are really buying for ourselves or the children, then think about longevity, suitability for two different age groups, and finally, where it applies, how much pink we can bear to live with. Books : illustrations are important.  Are they pretty and engaging? Can they tell the story without the text? And obviously, the quality of the story and/or the message.

The most precious item you bought for your child Her camera

Favorite piece in her wardrobe Her teal air dress by bb+++

An item that is hard to find French books for the kids without having to travel from one side of London to the other or filling up suitcases whenever we go back. Although, they’re easily available online, it’s nice to feel and flick through pages before buying.

What would you be wearing today if you were a 6 years old A pair of dark brown leather desert boots by Bisgaard or dark brown lace-ups by Startrite, black skinny shorts by Marie et Rose Alice, argyle socks by Burlington (black tones or orange tones), a cream peasant style top (gathered at the end of balloon sleeves and gathered collar) or the splash blouse by Ola and Olek, a sleeveless jersey or knitted cardi (depending on the chill factor)

Your favorite places to spend the  holidays in family Going home to France for skiing/snowboarding and eating during the winter season, black sand beaches of vulcano island in Sicily, Frinton-on-sea for day trip to the beach

Petit bateau, Bisgaard, Cos for kids, bb+++, Bensimon, Polarn o. Pyret, Hartford, Startrite, Pom d’api, H&m, La Redoute, Vert baudet, kicokids, popupshop, Marie-Rose Alice, Ola and Olek

Savannah

What do you want to do when you grow up I want to be an acrobat in a circus, a dancer or a singer

Your favorite famous person The girl who plays Tallulah in Bugsy Malone (Jodie Foster) and Johnny Depp

Your favorite book I love all the Petit Nicolas stories

Your favorite films Annie, Bugsy Malone, Kérity, la maison des contes and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Your favorite place for holidays Le Cabanon, a place we sometimes go to in the Lubéron and Ilkley in England. I like running on the moors

A city that you would dream to visit I haven’t been to London yet, I want to have a ride in a taxi.  I’d like to go to Sydney in Australia

Who chooses your clothes in the morning Mum usually chooses my clothes for school and I wear what I want on Wednesdays and at the weekends

Your favorite color Pink, purple and black

The piece you like the most from your wardrobe I really, really like my Liberty Bensimon pumps and my pink Converse

The next item you would like to get A long dress, I like wearing dresses. I also want a new black leather jacket, mine has got holes in it

Deborah

Your favorite children’s brands Savannah has always liked wearing dresses and that suits me fine. She has a lot of accessories and bits and pieces picked up at French flea markets. I swear by Adri for underwear and I buy quite a few organic cotton basics from Monoprix and occasionally DPAM. I love VDJ and La Princesse au petit pois and have recently fallen in love with the work of small independent designers like Mady Dooijes and Sardine a Rio. Chinny Chin Chin make a nice pair of bloomers and of course Wovenplay is a dream come true!

Your favorite adult’s brands We moved out into the French countryside two years ago and our lifestyle has changed dramatically. We walk to school (there and back four times a day, Savannah’s allergic to dairy food and comes home for lunch) so I live in jeans/linen trousers, a black (my favourite colour) T-shirt and espadrilles most of the week. I love dressing up though, and like many a Brit, I mix-n’-match vintage jackets, tops and accessories (which I’m good at finding!) with basics from shops like the ever-reliable Monoprix. I love linen and like clothes to move and hang well. VDC, Pip-Squeak Chapeau, Makie and Armand Ventilo are my favourite adult brands.

Your favorite children’s stores Serendipity in Paris and Hamleys toy store when I’m in London because I used to love going there as a child. I’d also like to mention the Emmaus charity shop in Montpellier because my kids always, always find wonderful things there and have a great time looking!

Your favorite online destinations As we live out in the country I buy the vast majority of my childrens’ toys and books online. I love Bianca and Family, LFG, Lillibulle, Madame La Marchande and Mes Habits Cheris. I spend a lot of time on the internet working for my blog and find new things for children everyday. I like to buy unusual, original toys and artwork from places like etsy and notonthehighstreet and shop a lot at Tata Online. Nature et Decouvertes is a good place to look too

The criteria you consider when you buy something for child Quality & comfort. We live in the country now. I want my children to feel free and at ease in their clothes, they run around, climb trees and spend a lot of time in the garden. Good quality clothes withstand the test of time and my kids’ dam and hut-building activities!

Most expensive item you bought for your child I used to dress Savannah in outfits from La Princesse au petit pois in Montpellier when she was little. She always looked adorable! Alexandra makes beautiful hats and clothes for children and her shop is a must-see if you’re ever in Montpellier

An item that is hard to find Shoes! Savannah has my narrow feet and it’s a nightmare finding really nice slim-fitting shoes for both of us

Favorite piece in her/his wardrobe Savannah has spent much of the Summer in vintage French petticoats, bloomers and camisole tops found at local flea markets. It’s her style, so I think those are my favourite pieces in her wardrobe at the moment

Where did you go for the summer holidays We’re very lucky living in the South of France, there’s so much to do and see here. We don’t really need or want to go anywhere else in the Summer. We do try to go to England at least once a year to see my family, however. We went to stay with my sister in West Yorkshire in August. Our kids love it there

DPAM, Monoprix, VDJ, La Princesse au petit pois, Adri, Mady Dooijes, Sardine à Rio, Chinny Chin Chin, Wovenplay, VDC, Pip-Squeak Chapeau, Makié , Armand Ventilo , Serendipity, Hamleys, Bianca and Family, LFG style="font-family: Arial; color: black;">, Lillibulle, Madame La Marchande, Mes Habits Chéris, Tate Online, Natures et Découvertes

Thanks to Khalym Shell for this interview on StyleSight. About trade shows, beloved brands, retail, photography and more. Read the interview here.

Blair is a lucky Canadian boy who just spent 2 years in London with his parents, his sister Emma (7) and his brother William (2). Blair’s 3 greatest loves are Lego, bedtime stories, and most of all, a girl in his school named Caroline. Claire his mother comments : “It’s wonderful to see your child connect so well with another but as a mum now for 7 years, I can honestly say this friendship is special. Really sweet“.

What do you want to be when you grow up A skateboarder (he has never even been on a skateboard!)

Your favorite famous person Vincent Van Gogh (thanks to his school Great Beginnings in London)

What makes you laugh Being tickled –laugh, having an ice cream-smile

What makes you angry When my baby brother takes stuff from me

Your favorite book Make Way for Ducklings

Your favorite films Right now – The Incredibles

Your favorite animal A cat

The best holidays you ever had Paris-jumping on the inground trampoline in Les Jardins des Tuileries, and playing on the beach in Jupiter, Florida

A city that you would dream to visit Dusseldorf to visit a friend there

Who chooses your clothes in the morning I do (Blair does but he has a limited wardrobe so less room for error!)

Your favorite color Blue and red

Your favorite outfit My Buzz Lightyear costume

What is the piece you like the most from your wardrobe A pink T shirt from H&M

The next item you would like to get A Bakugan watch

Claire

Your favorite children’s brands Crew Cuts by J Crew, H&M, Zara

Your online destination for your children Ebay and Amazon are my go to’s

A website that inspires you Lomoi stationery- great for card ideas

What are the criteria you consider when you buy something for your children I like longer, lean fits. I honestly can’t stand it when companies make everything so boxy and wide

Last item you added to your child’s wardrobe Start Rite shoes for school

Most precious item you bought for your child A Victorian doll’s house and the collectible furniture for my daughter

Best gift you gave for a child’s B-day A baby pre-owned by us to a friend who loved it so much

Items that are hard to find The Victoria couture Hello Kitty collection on ebay!

Favorite pieces in Blair’s wardrobe Heavy cotton long cargo shorts, a red checked shirt, all his Crewcuts tee’s

Where are you going for the summer holidays St Cezaire in the south of France and then Crete. Can’t wait!

Top picture courtesy of sptphotography.com

Violette Sears is a New Yorker, and a sister of two brothers. She speaks French, English, Spanish and she is in Chinese immersion school since last year. Nathalie her mother is a consultant in strategy and global expansion for luxury fashion brands (after running networks for Armani, Christian Dior…).

Violette
What do you want to be when you grow up I want to be a “fashion girl”
Your favorite famous person Curious George.  He is so funny !
What makes you laugh When my father tickles me and my brother makes funny faces
What makes you sad I am really sad when I can’t find my “cancake”, (her “Doudou” softly named Pancake as he is really flat)
Your favorite book “We are going on a bear hunt”.   She recites the rhymes “We are not afraid of anything….  Life is beautiful”
Your favorite film I love ” le Voyage de Chihiro”
Your favorite animal My puppy dog “Luna” ( this is the neighborhood dog LOL)
Your most memorable holiday When we went to Nicaragua and we stayed on the beach with my friends and my brothers
A country that you would love to visit China because they have lots of toys in the factories !!!!
Who chooses your clothes in the morning I pick my princess dresses in the morning and sometimes my mom changes it…
Your favorite outfit I love my “mermaid” dress (a beautifully simple Mor mor rita long BOBO looking dress. We have it in beige and black)
The next item you would love to get I want gold shoes with a bow

Nathalie
Your favorite children’s brands I love Mor mor rita, so simple yet so beautiful, Crewcuts (easy but also poetic), Bonton for the simple cuts and easy mixes, Talc for the cute little dresses, Akiko and Atsuyo for the accessories and the tee shirts
Your favorite Children’s stores I love Pomme in Dumbo for the perfect French touch, Serendipity in Paris for the unexpected and Bonton in Paris for the staples
What you buy online for your children I buy lots of books, videos and other things on Amazon. We are avid readers. I also love Little Fashion Gallery, Smallable, J Crew What you see is what you get
What criteria do you consider when you buy clothes for your children I like to buy things that make a statement but that are also easy to wear.  We travel extensively and it needs to be easy
The most precious item that you bought for Violette A small Tibetan goat vest from Bonpoint. I had a similar one when I was a child.  I saw it and I had to have it…a complete “coup de folie”
Things that are hard to find Little accessories are hard to find…. I wish I could find more necklaces, brooches.  Ms V. loves to wear black. It would be fun to find nice fun brooches for her
Your favorite piece from Violette’s wardrobe It is hard to decide on a favorite piece.  We travel a lot and I buy everywhere. Looking at every piece is like an invitation to travel and going back ….
Where are you going for the summer holidays Summer is busy. I am opening a few stores for a fashion brand in Europe and the Middle East. After spending time with my family in the South of France, Italy and Spain, the children will join me for a trip to Istanbul, Israel and Jordan.  The highlight of the trip is however: Lebanon with Beyrouth.  We are travelling down “Memory Lane”.  My great grand mother was ” kidnapped” as a young girl by my great grand father who brought her to France where they married and I guess … live happily ever after.  The children are fascinated by the story

Mor mor rita, Bonton, Talc, Crewcuts by J.Crew, Atsuyo et Akiko, Bonpoint, Little Fashion Gallery, Pomme, Smallable, Serendipity

Djek Max and Elvis Finn de Bruin are two fun brothers, the kind of children who make you laugh from morning till evening, and who you want to film or take in picture all the time. Their mother Mother Kellie Smits is the designer and founder of the beautiful children’s line Buisjes En Beugels +++.

The Boys say….

What do you want to be when you grow up Elvis : I don’t know – Djek : artist

What is your favorite famous person Both : Fantastic mister Fox from the Roald Dahl book

What makes you laugh Elvis:  a naked belly  - Djek :  jokes

What makes you angry Djek : when someone hits me

Your favorite book Elvis : the big friendly Giant of Roald Dahl – Djek : Fantastic Mr Fox

Your favorite films Elvis : Dora the Explorer –  Djek : Narnia

Your favorite animal A hedgehog

A city that you would dream to visit Elvis : London – Djek : Amsterdam

Who chooses your clothes in the morning Mum

Your favorite outfit Elvis : a kicokids singlet with a  brown BB+++ cardigan and bla…  bla (he really said)

The piece your like the most from your wardrobe Djek : a BangBang sweater with triangles on BB+++ trousers

The next item you would like to get Nothing!

Kellie says…

Your favorite children’s brands BB+++, Bang Bang, MarMar, Wovenplay, Kicokids

Your favorite children’s stores Little Fashion Gallery (Paris), Smallable (Paris)

Do you buy a lot online for your children Books at bol.com, but no clothes. The boys only wear our own label and guest labels…

What are the criteria you consider when you buy something for your children Creativity, beauty, challenge…

Items that are hard to find Nice swimwear, rain coats and shoes

Favorite pieces in your children’s wardrobe The BB+++ overall Clouds & BB+++ jackets

Where are you going for the summer holidays We have a shelter tent on wheels and will travel South Europe. We don’t know yet to where. The weather will tell us! Perhaps South of France and North of Spain

BB+++, Kicokids, Little Fashion Gallery, Bang Bang, MarMar, Wovenplay, Smallable

Axelle Coubard-Bellaloum loves painting. She puts her large scale canvas on the floor and she lets her paint rolls go. The she adds all kinds of little founds on her painting (elastics, pictures, tape, aluminum paper…). It’s abstract because she says she can’t really draw. One of the best things that happened to her in life was to have a little sister Leelou when she was 11. The girl’s mom Stephanie Coubard works in communication, currently launching Sparkle & Fidelity, her own wedding & event planning business. When it comes to clothing, Axelle and Stephanie share a passion for jeans and tees that they share, while Leelou is still totally relying on her mom’s taste and decisions.

What do you want to be when you grow up I am not sure yet, but I am attracted by fashion, music and graphic design

What makes you happy Seeing my friends, window shopping with my mom, take time to play with my little sister or going for some adventure with the whole family

What makes you sad When I have a disagreement and some tensions with my friends and my mom, and also the poverty in the world

Your favorite book Surveillant from David von Grafenberg

Your favorite films Twilight,  Titanic, Gone with the Wind and Grease

The music in your ipod Smeiling Tomatoes, The Parisians, Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Ke$h , Taylor Lautner, Keane

Your favorite animal I love horses. I used to ride a lot until I had a serious accident. I don’t ride anymore.

The best holidays you ever had India, Bali, Sri Lanka and Morocco were absolutely great…India because it’s extraordinary, quite a shock, so many different cultures. Bali where I saw sea turtles and exotic fishes for the first time. Sri Lanka where I travelled only one month after the tsunami, it was so impressive. I saved puppies from the ruins and I washed elephants. I also had so much fun skiing in jeans and tank top on the Atlas mountains.

A city that you would dream to visit Los Angeles and New York (with a slight preference for the latter)

Who chooses your clothes in the morning I do of course, and some days I can try 10 different outfits before finding the one I am fully satisfied with

Your favorite color I love all colors

Your favorite outfit A grey boy-friend jeans with a laced white spaghetti strap top and low rise blue Converse sneakers.

What is the piece your like the most from your wardrobe My black dress from Acne with ruffles. Very dressy, very chic.

What is the next item you would like to get A denim jacket form Closed, very fitted with pleats on the front and a pale vintage denim color

Stephanie

Le Marchand d’etoiles, Little Marc Jacobs, American Apparel, Acne, Sonia Rykiel, Converse, Closed, 66 Champs Elysees, Pepe Children’s Shoes

Marcelo was born in New York and moved to London at the age of 1. He speaks English with his school friends, baby language with his 15 months old sister, Turkish with his father, and French with his mother. Marcelo has  already travelled a big chunk of the world, but he never went to Africa and he really wants to go. With a mum  specialised in family travel (Vanessa Boz), Marcelo shouldn’t wait too long before going there!  Just visit www.bozaround.com to follow this little boy’s travels.