Milk Magazine issue number 29 is out, hurray!  Good news for those living far away who can’t bear waiting a month till it reaches their news stand : they now can get a subscription on Zinio.com (that’s if you have an Ipad…)

Lots of fashion, decor, family styles, as well as great travel info : A Marrakech city guide by Julie Klear from Zid zid kids, and a wonderful reportage on Norway (below). Perfect to forget we are back, and to start dreaming about the next holiday&travel…

While some children are already in school, others will stay another week or two at the beach. Pirouette is ready to open the tap of daily posts but before doing so, some images of the summer. Enjoy!

Thanks to Ryan Roche and Edie Ure for sharing their beautiful holiday memories.

The suitcases are loaded with Wovenplay swimsuits, Pepe sandals, Simple Kids dresses, Maan skirts, Bellerose Tees, Anorak magazine and more. Off to Sicily, the Swiss Alps, and the Atlantique coast of France. I’ll come back early September with new articles and interviews. Email me if you want your brand/product to be featured on Pirouette. I am always happy to receive suggestions, comments and ideas. Happy holidays to all of you.

Florence

In a little more than 3 years, Tolix has conquered every stylish house all around the word. In addition to the reeditions of the iconic metallic chairs and stools, the French brand has developed a great range for children, including coat hangers called Tatou, a chalkboard called Girafe and a bench named Crocodile. Well done.

Available at Bobo Kids, Conran Shop, Few and Far in the UK and Design within Reach in the US

Five water – soluble chalk crayons enable children to draw their imaginary world on the maple wood cubes, which are varnished with high quality blackboard paint. In no time, colourful cats or fabulous magical fishes are created. A quick wipe with a wet sponge and the cubes are clean and ready for something else. It’s new, it’s great and no surprise, it’s Naef.

Guest of 2009 at Villa Medici in Rome (the first one in the new category : fashion), Pascal Gautrand reflects on the standardization of fashion. For this exhibit at Musee Galliera in Paris, he worked with fashion students, asking them to decorate dolls from standardized clothes. From uniformity to high level of emotion, everything is possible. Photos Courtesy of www.fashion-eye.net.

New windows at Selfridges, entitled “Neutral”. A nod to Bourgeois/Boltanski/Beuys in some places. Minimalism, repetition, collection, rough materials, neutral tones. Far from the bling, it is an interesting thing!

The Witchcraft chair is made with sorghum cushions. The inspiration comes from the will to bring to life a material lately abandoned and connected to our tradition, through its use in an unusual field. Giorgio Biscaro met one of the last producer of sorghum broom and was surprised by the flexibility and richness of this material. The chair has a metal frame painted in pastel colours, giving it a warm and reassuring feeling. Thanks to the fiber flexibility, the backrest adapt itself to the back of the user, providing great ergonomic. I wonder if that pink version has a name; I would call it Cinderella.

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

Fanny Sundgren founded Franka in 2006.  With a solid experience in fashion (H&M, Filipa K, J Lindberg), this mother of 3 (they are all on the tree…) delivers beautiful and well made collections. Special mention to her very clean and playful website www.frankastockholm.com.

Fara Kids, freshly opened, is located in one of the most desirable shopping streets of London next to prestigious children’s brands. The shop is as large and as beautiful as its neighbors,  but it is not  competition for Caramel Baby & child, Burberry, I love Gorgeous, Petit Aime, Marie-Chantal, Petit Bateau and the other boutiques along the street. Fara Kids sells tee shirts and skirts at £5 to people with medium and low incomes. The product selection is wide : clothing, shoes, accessories for age 0-16, books, toys, little furniture, strollers and pregnancy clothes, all gently used, all at low prices. Fara Kids is a charity store of the new generation, with high standards of visual presentation, a young and creative sales team and bright ideas. Because it is in such a great location, the store offers a small range of beautiful, sometimes rare vintage treasures coming from the trunks of the chic Notting Hill area. At a higher price range, but still very affordable. That makes Fara Kids a destination for vintage lovers and designers in search of inspiration. All the benefits of Fara Kids go to children and young people with disabilities.

FARA Kids & Baby 39/41 Ledbury Road, W11 2AA Notting Hill London Tel: 020 7229 3634