Big plans in small sizes - Infants & Toddlers - Brief Article

DSN Retailing Today,  June 10, 2002  

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Kids are demanding, but they're worth it. At least that's what parents have been proving at the registers, making infant/toddler apparel one of retail's hottest growth areas this year and into 2003.

Why the increased attention to the preschool set? Check your neighborhood and you may. see more pink and blue balloons and stork statuettes than usual. This June marks nine months after 9/11, and signs are pointing to a little baby boom. "I see a definite trend toward an increased birth rate in July, August and September that will break some records," says Samuel Bender M.D., an ob/gyn at New York University in New York City. Nationwide business already is picking up, especially in the smallest sizes.

"Year-to-date, we're already up more than 7 percent. Newborn/layette will generate the biggest increases," according to Sandy Sansavera, senior vice president and general merchandise manager at Ames. "We expect to increase over 15 percent this fall."

Retailers and vendors also are giving birth to a whole new host of style options.

"We continue to see our kids business increase each year," says Chris Alfred. infant/toddler merchant at Lands' End, which was recently acquired by Sears.

In branded, generic or licensed apparel, it's the scope of fashion that counts.

"We do our best to hit every trend hour assortment of about 60 percent private label and 40 percent branded apparel," says Allyson Grossman, director of fashion at ids "R" Us and Babies "R" Us. "It does vary and we like to be in the position that if we see something that's new and hot we have the flexibility to place it."

Kids, as usual, seem to be growing up faster than ever; grown-up influences are having an especially strong effect on design into 2003. The key to sales is giving parents as many style choices for their youngsters as they have for themselves.

"Our Hanes toddler offerings are definitely influenced by children's and even adult styles," says Julie Watts, marketing manager for Hanes infant/toddler underwear. For an example, Hanes is now offering A-shirts and boxer briefs in toddler sizes, styles already "hugely" popular in boys and men's sizes.

"The trend toward juniors and young men's fashion influencing infant and toddler apparel is definitely stronger," adds Grossman. "In part, it's because some of the trends translate down so well to layette, like ruffles and Liberty of London florals for girls and active and safari for boys."

Of course, what one vendor calls the "cutability" factor is important--the safari look includes colorful animals along with neutrals. Though adult styling translates down, subdued palettes do not.

"The tonal color palette does not work in these size ranges, but we're moving toward a much brighter color palette," says John Martin, director of marketing for Healthtex. Red will be hot at Ames and Lands' End.

What does work is layering neutral and bright patterns and prints. "It's a complex look, we're looking to these European looks as one of our favorites for spring, especially in girls 0-2, it's a wonderful way to update prints, with screens," adds Grossman.

Lines across the market reflect the latest fashions: brightly colored striped active tops and bottoms for boys, juniors-influenced flares and glitter and applique for girls.

Not only are grown-up designs playing a part, but adult brands are increasingly being translated for the sub-zero set. A slew of names not traditionally used in the business are newly being applied to infant/toddler offspring lines, from Betsey Johnson with Happy Kids to Starter at mass.

"There's still a lot of opportunity in producing under private label, but, the truth is, especially in layette, it's a brand business because they are such an important factor with mothers," says Cameron Zinman, director of marketing at Happy Kids, which also is producing Kmart's Sesame Street and Disney apparel.

Under the newly licensed OTB brand for toddlers, Catton Apparel Group is doing a number of two- and three-piece sets focusing on gift items and prams, with boys novelty flat back ribs and active twills and microfibers and a hooded French terry fleece top, "really very much like the adult line translated down;' says Brad Levine, sales manager for the brand. Juniors-influenced toddler girl OTB hits this spring.

Character licensing is still key: One of the Boys is coming to market with product based on Cinar's Caillou property, in its upcoming Target exclusive--just one of many new programs. Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues relaunch is hotly anticipated. The original host, Steve, wore a striped Rugby shirt that sold 1 million units in 1999 and a new host's shirt will hit retail shortly. "With the new host Joe, [Blue's Clues] sales quadrupled in the first days after the show," says Hal Snik, Nickelodeon's director of consumer products and apparel.

"We're definitely seeing demand for brands, as well as seeing character and team licensed business up, with licensed driving tops and brands driving bottoms;' says Sam Haddad, principle of Haddad Apparel, which is producing Bob the Builder. The character, off a Sears exclusive, has helped push Ames' licensed sales in the infant/toddler category up roughly 8 percent in first quarter and should still drive incremental sales--though private-label "Cuddletown" sets will dominate sales.