Babesta blog

Retail in Detail: An Inside Look at Babesta

We’re right now scouring the markets and websites, getting word of mouth tips from clients, and getting called by designers daily. (If you have some fresh fashion intel, please share it!) We’re on our quest to find the latest and greatest out there for an Autumn/Winter 2012 “Babesta.” A Babesta, mind you, is a cool city kid who has no time to do the digging, but wants the dopest duds, raddest wheels and most coo-worthy crib on the block. When I look around the store, I am stoked to say that there is a reason why every garment, stroller and has floor space at Babesta – passes the dope, rad and coo-worthy test - and we’re just waiting to tell you why.

Two of Babesta’s fave brands below from two of our most beloved regions for cool clothes–Sweden and Australia. Mini Rodini and Munster Kids are always crowd pleasers for their cool graphics and comfy fit.

Shown Above: Mini Rodini: Alligator snap tee; Tuxedo bathing suit (amazing!) Munster Kids: Pow Bang Boom tee; Diamond print board shorts; batty cap

Five Questions for Anais & I Designer, Jane D'Haene

I'm crazy about Anais & I's super-fun balloon animal theme this season and wanted to get to the bottom of what inspired it! I was lucky to catch designer Jane D'Haene this morning to get the scoop. 

What's your favorite balloon animal & why?  

Hmmmmm.  This is difficult questions... My personal favorite will be

elephant.  I just really like the color choice and I really like elephant.

If you ask my Anais, she likes poodle, Lucas likes Dinosaur and Nicholas

likes Elephant too.:)

Why did you decide to do balloon animals// & do you know (this is a

tribeca question) Raggidy Supreme (the balloon animal maker who entertains

at Cirque Rouge? (just wondering!)

No. I didn't know about it.  Balloon Animal serious idea came from my dear

friend, our illustrator, Maia Larkin.  She gave me one sketch and I thought

it was brilliant and that weekend we went to Tribeca Film festival.  I saw

so many children lining up to get balloons and thought this is just perfect.

I ended up taking crazy amount of pictures of every children's balloons.  

Why did you decide to go into home goods/pillows, etc.?

As you know, I have an interior/architecture background.  Home goods are the

area I always wanted to get into.  I also would love to design furniture for

children's room.  I made one stuffed animal chair for my son and I would

love to continue developing this area.

 

What are you most looking forward to this season (in general - a trip,

event, etc.) 

Right now, I am looking forward to our family trip next week.  I've been

working so hard I feel I could use little break to get inspiration for my

next collection.  But most of I miss being silly with my children.  I just

want to stay in bed, cuddle, kiss my children as long as I can.  I want them

more than anything.  They are my inspirations.

 

What do you like best about springtime? What do you like best about

designing a spring collection.

I'm definitely a spring/summer person.  It makes me happier.  Being in New

York, I really enjoy four seasons but I like Spring and summer most.  Love

seeing more people on the street, love seeing trees, flowers and just more

energies everywhere.

Spring/summer collection is in some ways more challenging because I prefer

to design much simpler body.  And I pay much more attention to comfort.  My

children's wears my design.  I have to make sure they are comfortable and

looks great.  Spring/Summer is about lighter fabric, lighter colors, simpler

design.  

 

Check out the new Anais & I collection here and be sure to send us your feedback! We hope you love it as much as we do!!!

Gettin' ugly at ToyFair!

We've been loving the Uglies forEVER! Here they are at ToyFair. Our perfect Valentines!!

Valentine's Window Update

Here's the latest! It's growing!! Thanks for all of your contributions - keep telling us what you love and we'll add it to the window! The goal is to cover it completely by the "big day!"

From the inside . . ..

Even more . . . 

 

 

Playdate to remember: Vaux-Le-Vicomte Chateau, France

 I was reading the supplement on France in this month's Gotham magazine, and was taken by the Vaux-Le-Vicomte Chateau in France. Not only does it look extraordinary for adults to visit, they take great pains to make this an enjoyable and informative expereince for children. Kids can dress up in period costumes (available for rent) and tour the chateau, learning along the way how children of the period lived. They can also go on a treasure hunt, fence and go out on the lawn for some hoop rolling. There are riddle games along the garden paths, and even sword and mirror making classes. On Easter, they also have a grand Easter egg hunt. Amidst the grandeur of the chateau, you would be hard-pressed to find a more exceptional weekend activity for your little prince and princesses. 

The costumed tours run for 90 minutes, twice a day every Sunday, and run 8 Euros plus the cost of a flight to France. 

Day 2: Valentine's Day window

It's time to take a peek at our progress today on the Valentine's day window! We've got lots of new things to love, courtesy of our customers, followers, fans, friends & family! Very excited to see this taking shape. . . 

And some close ups .  . . .

My mom's smile, Sam, Nutella (who doesn't), books, snowflakes on my tongue . .  .

Tristian & Ty, Hello Kitty & Tacos, Justin Timberlake!

More progress to come!

Our Valentines Window, Real-Time, at Babesta

We were hard at work on a Valentine's window that we could get everyone's involvement in. We thought it would be fun to ask people what they love, both in-store and online and day by day, build our window with the help of any and all game participants - children and adults alike.

What we used:

Tools used to make the fringe curtain:

Blade (box cutter)

Scissors

5 packs of Metallic tissue (3 sheets per pack)

Painters' tape

Cut the metallic tissue, like so...

Of course you need hearts and markers as well!

Valentine's Window: Day 1

Stay tuned for a new pics added tomorrow & more things to love!

Tell us what you love and be part of our store window!

At Babesta, we're putting together a super dooper window for Valentine's day, and we are asking that you email us "what you love". We'll update you on the window (and your part in it) every couple days! It's gonna be a blast, so go for it, and let us know what you love! Write what you love (your kids? cheese? bubble gum? champagne? your dog? Justin Bieber? Skiing in Taos? Vintage tees? Fish tacos?) in the comments section below or email them to myvalentine@babesta.com.