Last year, a kids only fashion show was started and it is called CPH Kids www.cphkids.dk. Not having gone yet, it seems it was created out of a desire to strip down the children’s fashion industry to less glitz and glam, and maintain a more mindful approach to what the point is. The manufacturers who choose to show at CPH rather than the other “big one” www.ciffkids.dk are probably smaller and closer to their roots inspirationally. I am most excited to meet these manufacturers since it’s my expectation that they are going to be closer to the iconoclasts Twinkle Star strives to represent.

Regardless of which show, my expectation will be to see lots of organics and Oeko Tek certified clothes. The European parent’s expectation of what goes on their children is quite a few years ahead of the typical US parent. I think it’s fair to say we all think of “fair trade” and cotton manufactured without harmful substances as a nice add-on, but hardly expect it. I’m eager to see to what extent the European lines have actually started to make it the standard. At CPH in particular I hope to see more playground wear with fun vibrant Scandinavian patterns, and less polyesters and ruffles.

Over at the other show, the really big show which has a section for children’s vendors, www.ciff.dk, my expectation is to see a more traditional, big corporate manufacturing show. However, it is at CIFFkids that I am most excited about finding some of the great winter outerwear such as those incredible Balaclava hats which all the kids in Scandinavia wear. You know, the ones that are like a hood over the head and neck and rest on the shoulders, just below the jacket line. For purely personal reason, I’m also excited to see the CIFF show since it’s mostly adult fashion. It will be clothes, shoes, accessories etc etc. A really nice change from what we usually get to see at the shows Kerri and I have gone to in New York and Las Vegas which are entirely baby and child.

So after breakfast, we are off to Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, then CPH tomorrow. Maybe even an update in between?

Kids Love Art

Well Ella is 5 months older now and she is ready to party.  So we will oblige her with a Grand Opening fit for our princess plus your princes and princesses.  We’ve got the following festivities planned:

1) Art Activities!  We’ll provide the supplies and lead the activities in our “Twice As Nice” space downstairs.  All you need to bring is your imagination.

Fuzzy on Stroller Features? Our Demo Will Clear Things Up

2) A Stroller Demo from the ever opinionated stroller fiend and co-owner, Lucas Friedlaender.  Lucas will be showing off the latest designs from Micralite, EasyWalker and iCandy.   The EasyWalker QTRO will be in the midst of its 1 month only, $399 sale, so it is perfect time to get a walk through and buy one.

Learn to Sling "Right"

3) A baby carrier demo.  Wondering how to properly keep baby in his/her sling?  Trying to decide the best carrying approach for you?  We’ll have a baby carrier expert demonstrating each carrier Twinkle Star carries on hand and ready to answer your questions.

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4) A Beaba Babycooker will be on display, cooking and demonstrating its efficiencies all day.  The prepared food will go to visiting  babies as free samples, so bring their appetites!

Make Your Own Baby Food -- Cheaply and Easily

5) Last, but certainly not least, we’ll have a Go GaGa bag raffle in which we’ll giveaway a bag to one lucky attendee.  Boston’s own “Fortune”-featured entrepreneur Jill Cartwright will be in the house to give you the low-down on the Go GaGa bags.

There's a Pouch or Pocket for Everyone

What: Our Grand Opening Celebration!

Why: Because it is Spring, we never got to party before, and we want to celebrate our move to Porter Square!

When: Saturday, May 8th, from 10 – 6 pm

Stay tuned to our calender for additional scheduling details.

Here’s hoping we’ll see you there!

Why Twinklestar?  My wife originally told me about this place.  Warm, inviting, and absolutely “fabulous” clothes and shoes for babies.  I’m not much of a fashionista, so I have to admit I put off visiting for a little while.  And though I still couldn’t tell you much about the fashions, when I finally did stop in (Twinkle Star is right around the corner from our house in Porter Square)  I’ll admit I did get a good vibe.  The feeling is bright but somehow mellow.  I think that feeling is reflected in the owners – both Lucas and Kerri are intense, focused, and passionate about their store.  Yet they are at the same time relaxed – somehow they get it.  For all of the prep work that goes into getting a store up and running, and all of the time that it takes to keep it running smoothly, they seem to still never forget that customers come first.  Each and every customer that comes in is greeted personally.  Not in a coldly efficient, “Hello and welcome to Twinklestar!” way, but rather in a way that genuinely suits each visitor.

Speaking of prep work, the single most amazing thing I’ve learned since I began working with Lucas and Kerri was that they opened this store the same week that their daughter Ella (3^rd of 3) was born.   I can relate, and yet somehow can’t believe that they pulled this off.  My own 2^nd child was born the same month, and my wife and I struggled to run a household with an 8 year old and a new born.  Yet here are Kerri and Lucas, not only running a house with 3 kids, but also OPENING A STORE, and working, themselves, 12 hour days 7 days a week to keep it running.  How do they do it?  I have no idea. But somehow they do.  Everytime I walk in, there they are.  Lucas downstairs printing up invoices.  Kerri behind the counter.  Or Lucas behind the counter, and Kerri by the rack of outerwear helping a  customer.  And Ella either in Kerri’s arms, Lucas’s arms, in the exersaucer, or asleep in her omnipresent micralite stroller.  They are sometimes a little frazzled to be sure, but never overwhelmed.  They keep talking about some hired help who will be starting soon, but I’ve yet to see anyone but them in there.

So they’ve clearly got the passion to succeed.  And their Facebook fans (350 and counting) and twitter followers (100 and counting) seem to be pulling for their success.  But is managing an online presence, running a weekly sing along, opening a store, staffing it 12 hours a day 7 days a week enough?  No.  Kerri’s new project is a Grand Opening / Spring Fling (she sheepishly admit that they didn’t have one the week that Ella was born – as if we could blame her).   We’ll be planning over the next few weeks for that, with hope of having something for Twinklestar customer^{s in April}.  Stay tuned, we’ve got some “celebrity” visits and giveaways planned for our Spring Fling, and we’ll be Tweeting, Facebooking and blogging the news soon.

The Children’s Club features kid’s fashion wholesalers – hundreds of them – in one place at one time.  It’s a shopper’s dream, but to retailers it’s next season’s blueprint.  We spent 7 hours on Sunday with Ella (in her Micralite Stroller) cruising the booths.

Tons of great stuff was on display:  unique clothes from the American companies, and – as always – the very best in outerwear fashion from the Europeans.  We’re still sorting through all of our pictures and orders, but here’s a sneak peak at 5 of vendors (in no particular order) that we found to be most exciting:

First off were the shoes at Livie and Luca.  The booth was beautiful, and the owners/designers were exceptionally sweet, approachable, and excited about their shoe brand.  The shoes themselves might just be the cutest we’ve seen:

The Vendors' Personalities Matched the Look of the Shoes: Warm, inviting, and approachable

Vincent Shoes, out of Sweden, was another brand we fell in love with.  Can’t wait to see our kids in these.  Vincent is already huge throughout Europe, and will become a household name within 5 years in the USA.

Vincent: Cute *and* Practical

And though we’re not sure we understand the double entendre in the name, the “Old Soles” sold us at our first look:

Old Soles for Pre-Walkeing Kids

As for the outerwear, we’re excited to be bringing in this gem from Mack and Co:

Look out Dicky Barrett, here comes Mack and Co

Finally a peak at new styles from both Reset and Lemon Loves Lime, two of our our perennial favorites:

Classic Wool Reset

Reset Down Jacket

Assorted Goodies from Lemon Loves Lime

We’ll be tweeting when each of these orders come in.  Til then, looking forward to seeing you in the store!

PS: Big thanks to Lucas’ father Stephen Friedlaender “Papa” and Nancy for watching both Maya and Ethan all day in Manhattan.

Micralite (TORO) is a well established brand from the U.K. and it has begun to receive more and more attention here in the USA due to it’s winning of the Consumer Reports #1 Luxury Stroller award. We use it for our newborn because we are in and out of our car so often. At 19 lbs and folding as small as one of those cheapo umbrella strollers this stroller will satisfy many appetites.

The Micralite Toro

iCandy (Apple, Pear and Cherry) is another well established brand from the U.K. They landed their USA expansion into New York last Fall and are gaining popularity amongst the fashion forward set. Sleek lines and great adaptability for both short and tall parents are just some of the features. The Apple is their single stroller, but an adapter is available to host 2 seats or 1 seat and and a carry cot / bassinet in case you family grows by adding a second child.

Easywalker ( QTRO and DUO) is based out of Holland and has been distributed in the USA for several years. This is the stroller for you if you are looking for the Hummer of strollers. No no no, it doesn’t guzzle gas, but it can go just about anywhere. Beaches, rough city sidewalks, apparently it’s even got a ski attachment for those cruising around the snowier climes. While we were using a double stroller for our 2 + 3 year old it was the Easywalker Duo that fit the bill. In all honesty, it is our sincere belief that there is NO BETTER double stroller out there. It is also the only double stroller which can take two car seats for those with or expecting twins.

Easywalker Duo in Silver with 2 Carrycots

The New Concept in Bathing Babies, The Tummy Tub was designed in the Netherlands by caregivers to ease the transition from the comfort of the mother’s womb into the world. It is amazing to see how babies naturally adopt the fetal position and get calm very quickly.

We are excited to be introducing it to New England!

Watch the video here, and come see it in person at our new location in Cambridge.

[Video - WATCH] Tummy Tub on Eyewitness News »

Lucas