I spotted Tootsa MacGinty over at MumsRock recently and was all over them like a rash asking questions and begging for pictures. Luckily they were exhibiting at Bubble and so Lucy and I were able to drool over the whole collection in person.
Like you and I, clothing designer Kate Pietrasik was dismayed by the majority of clothing for children in the UK. After spending years abroad working in fashion she was disappointed by the obvious gendering and mini teen clothing on sale. This familiar tale led to the birth of Kate’s very own children’s brand – Tootsa MacGinty, the very antithesis of mainstream children’s fashion.
With the exception of a couple of dresses the whole range is unisex and looks hot no matter who is wearing it. The designs are firmly rooted in simple children’s clothing. You won’t find any sickly pinks or dismal browns here, every single item is spectacularly colourful. Each item has an animal either appliqued or embroidered which I find a really endearing piece of detailing. They are native British animals such as foxes, frogs, badgers, hedgehogs and puffins (many of you spotted the puffin in our Bubble teaser pictures). Their denims are classically cut and the coloured trousers are spot on. I think Lucy and I were in agreement that the cotton wool mix jumpers featuring either a fox, hedgehog or mallard duck were our favourite.
Another feature that sets Tootsa MacGinty apart is that the clothes are intended to last through many children. As a Mama of (nearly) three I am always looking for clothes which can be handed down from sister to brother and saved for a third child before being passed on again. All too often you find some brands don’t last, they either shrink, need repairing or simply fall to bits. I love that Tootsa MacGinty are thinking ahead and creating clothing which is designed to withstand the rigours of young life.
I don’t often say this but I’m not sure there is a part of the collection I don’t love and I would gladly have one of everything hanging in my kids’ wardrobe. This is one brand to watch and I can already see it becoming a British classic of our time if their debut collection is anything to go by.
Prices are from £13 to £32 and sizes are 3 months to 5 years (I am hopeful they will extend this in coming years). Their first collection is Autumn Winter 2011 and will be available from their website this Summer.
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