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Wrap Up

With winter on its way, we're thinking about cold-weather clothing - and these A/W16 Bubble brands have got it all wrapped up! 

Room Seven

Renowned for its bedding and accessories, returning Bubble brand Room Seven also creates colourful children's clothing. 

Bold, original prints always figure heavily in the Dutch label's seasonal collections - and we love its sweet A/W15 florals. There are also plenty of vintage-inspired touches - from Peter Pan collars, to contrast pockets and bright jacquard knits. Discover its A/W16 range at Bubble London January 2016...

Småfolk

Well-established Danish brand Småfolk specialises in fun, bold prints with a retro feel - and its current range features some of our favourite yet. Think penguins, foxes, polar bears and even walruses! 

The label launches four collections a year, meaning that there are always new styles to choose from. Its T Shirts, body suits, leggings and accessories can even be mixed-and-matched with pieces from previous ranges. 

Little Green Radicals

Little Green Radicals launched in 2005, with a debut collection of six humorous slogan T Shirts. Today, it creates a whole range of fair trade children's clothing - not to mention organic skincare products. 

Inspired by Grimm's Fairy tales, its current collection features cosy knits, cotton-lined jackets and soft pyjamas. Stay tuned to discover what the brand has in store for A/W16!

The Bonnie Mob

Autumn/Winter clothing doesn't come much cooler than The Bonnie Mob's latest collection, which features bobble hats, pom-pom scarves and baby balaclavas. 

Modern, durable and practical, its childrenswear is designed to be 'played in and passed on'. Expect plenty of original fabrics, chunky knits and vintage-inspired details...

Looking to bring a little cold-weather chic into your store for A/W16? You can catch Room Seven, Småfolk, Little Green Radicals and The Bonnie Mob at Bubble London on 31 January and 1 February, 2016. Register for your free ticket here! 

Or, if you fancy showcasing your collection alongside them, apply for a stand at our A/W16 edition here. 

Look Who's Back

This season, Bubble London will play host to a raft of familiar faces. Visit our A/W16 show, and discover the latest collections from these industry heavyweights...

The Bonnie Mob

Earlier this year, Bubble favourite Bonnie Baby grew up, introducing a range of children's clothing to complement its popular babywear. Now called The Bonnie Mob, the brand is as fun, colourful and cool as ever - and returning to Bubble in January 2016! Expect bold colours, retro-inspired prints and durable fabrics aplenty.  

aden + anais

aden + anais will make a welcome return to Bubble's Nest area this season. 

Renowned for its breathable muslin swaddles, the New York brand also creates blankets, sleeping bags and burp cloths - and, most recently, launched its first range of muslin clothing. 

After taking a sneak peek at its latest collection - which features some exciting new prints - we can't wait to see what this Bubble favourite has in store for A/W16.  

Bóboli

Launched in 1984, Spanish brand Bóboli creates fun, durable clothing and accessories for children. 

The family-run label has become an industry stalwart, and is now available in 50 countries worldwide. Catch its A/W16 collection at Bubble in January! 

Kissy Kissy

Kissy Kissy's famously soft layette is made from high-quality Peruvian Pima Cotton. 

Launched in 1995, the label was one of the first to offer babywear collections in this versatile fabric, which is softer and more durable than normal cotton. 

Today, it creates classic layette with an innovative twist; think cute prints, traditional smocking and delicate embroidery. 

You can discover the latest from The Bonnie Mob, aden + anais, Boboli and Kissy Kissy at Bubble on 31 January and 1 February 2016. Apply for a free ticket here...

Baby Steps

After the birth of their first daughter, designers Karolina and Akira Nishii came up with a unique gifting idea - shoe-making kits, which allow the giver to create a pair of leather booties, sneakers, pumps or moccasins. First Baby Shoes was born soon after - and, as the innovative brand prepares to make its debut at Bubble, we've been catching up with founder Karolina...

Hi Karolina! When and where was First Baby Shoes founded?

First Baby Shoes is a family run business, and was started in May 2013. Our small factory and design office are located in southern Poland. 

How did you come-up with the idea of shoe-making kits?

We are parents to two little girls. When the older was born, we wanted to celebrate her birth by making something special for her. We love shoes, and in the past we've had the chance to make leather shoes for ourselves - so we decided to make a pair for our girl as well. While creating shoes for our little girl we realised how fun it is to make something with your hands, and how much satisfaction it brings. Watching her taking her first steps in cute baby shoes sewn by us was just unforgettable! We decided to share this feeling with others and started our little shoe making kit business. We did lots of research to find the best suppliers, and also studied footwear design and shoemaking. 

What does each kit include? And what does the shoe-making process entail?

Each kit includes everything you need to create a pair of baby shoes - from leather pieces, soles and insoles, to needles and special thread. There are also easy, step-by-step sewing instructions, and we provide video tutorials and sewing tips on our website. Even novice sewers can bring our shoes to life! 

The shoe-making process is very simple; the sewer just needs to pull the thread through the holes already punched in the leather pieces. We have models with different difficulty levels - from easy ones where you only need to sew together two parts, to more complicated designs. Nevertheless, all of them are designed in a way that makes the sewing as easy as possible. One shoe takes 50 - 70 minutes to make. 

Could you tell us a bit about the look and design of the shoes?

The shoes that can be made from our kits have a very traditional look. We tried to make little shoes that we as parents would like to wear! We have lace-up booties and sneakers, little ballerina-style booties and baby boots. They are all very classic, but still unique. 

We know that baby feet are delicate, so we did a lot to make sure that our shoes are comfortable as well as cute. Soft upper leathers and thin but durable soles allow natural barefoot like movement. Our soles also provide traction in case a little walker is contemplating his first steps. The materials we use are breathable and very light.

For customers who don't feel confident in their crafting skills - or simply don't have time to sew - we have launched collections of readymade, soft-soled baby shoes. We offer shoes made of custom printed cotton and leather, and 100% leather baby moccasins as well.

Why have you decided to show at Bubble London's A/W16 edition?

So far we have taken part in a number of local kid's fairs in Poland, but we felt that it was high time for us to show our brand abroad, too. As we had heard and read so many good things about Bubble London, we thought it would be a great place for us to show our brand. We also feel that Bubble attracts the kind of audience that would be interested in our product.

Could you tell us a bit about how you are preparing for the show?

Right now we are brainstorming how to design our stand in a way that will communicate the idea behind our brand. We're hoping to find new trade opportunities and possibilities to grow at the show. For us, it will also be a great chance to share our ideas and meet people visiting and showing there.

What advice would you give to other brands thinking of showing at Bubble this season?

As we are showing at Bubble for the first time this season, it's hard to advise! However, we think that the most important thing is to plan everything carefully - and, during the show, to just enjoy it and take the most from the whole Bubble experience!

Great advice, Karolina! We're looking forward to meeting you.  

Fancy seeing First Baby Shoes for yourself? Register for your free ticket here. Or, if you'd like to show alongside Karolina and Akira, you can apply for a stand at our A/W16 show.

Creature Comforts...

It's World Animal Day - and, to mark the occasion, we're bringing you an edit of critter-inspired clothing from Bubble brands...

Sture and Lisa

There's something unmistakably Scandi about Sture and Lisa's cute animal prints. 

The Swedish brand specialises in organic cotton bodies, tops, jumpsuits and dresses, featuring everything from foxes and cats, to polar bears, lions and whales.

We love the bold primary colours, and the retro-inspired repeat patterns. 

From Babies With Love

First-time exhibitor From Babies With Love is on a remarkable mission, donating 100% of its profits to SOS Children's Villages. 

And, as if that wasn't reason enough to love the newly-launched brand, its organic baby-products (including babygrows, bodies, hats, blankets and muslins) feature a host of adorable animal characters. 

The label's Frog, Monkey, Rabbit and Duck designs are made from vintage postal ephemera, in a nod to its postmark logo. 

Its gift-boxes can even be turned into this colourful duck mobile!

Mezoome Designs

Family-run brand Mezoome specialises in innovative nursery accessories - from multi-purpose baby blankets, to 'bed snakes' (cot-bumpers that double as toddler toys) and activity-mats-come-toy-stores. 

Its products feature a host of animal characters, including Wabbit, Owl-e, Bizzi Bee, Sheep-ra, Lio, Tiger and Henry the Hedgehog. 

 

Colourful and stylised, they've been designed to appeal to parents and children alike. 

You can catch Sture and Lisa, From Babies With Love and Mezoome Designs at the A/W16 edition of Bubble London! Fancy showing alongside them? Apply for a stand here...

And we're off...

Registration for the A/W16 edition of Bubble London is now open! Apply for a ticket here, and discover our diverse new season line-up - including these first-time signings...

Nueces Kids

Nueces Kids' clothing is designed and manufactured exclusively in Spain, using time-honoured techniques and high-quality fabrics. 

The brand creates classic childrenswear with a contemporary twist - think frill-collars, traditional embroidery and crochet, paired with modern cuts and on-trend prints. We love that chevron dress! 

Founded in 2007, it caters for children aged 0 - 16  - meaning that the whole family can achieve the same elegant, understated look. Bring a little classic Spanish chic into your store this season...

Tuc Tuc

Award-winning label Tuc Tuc specialises in children's fashion and innovative baby products - including pram-accessories, bedding and even toys. 

Inspired by fantasy-worlds, its colourful collections are safely and ethically manufactured. Expect bright hues, bold prints and fun, quirky characters, guaranteed to refresh your offer...


Lilou Makena

Dubbed 'Welcome to Our Tribe', Lilou Makena's debut collection brings together traditional African prints and cool, contemporary fabrics.

The new luxury lifestyle brand creates fashion-forward clothing for 8 - 14 year olds, taking inspiration from its founder's 'Afropean' heritage. 

Its first range also features leather bags and animal character jewellery, which has been designed to compliment its colourful dresses and jackets. If you're looking to tap into the 'global citizen' trend, it's certainly one to watch... 

So there you have it - three very different brands, all set to make their debut at the A/W16 edition of Bubble London! Apply for a ticket, and see their collections for yourself...

Oh my goodness!

High-end girlswear brand Oh...My! has gone from strength-to-strength since winning our A/W15 Rising Star award. Ahead of its return to Bubble, we've been talking challenges, sneak-peeks and sold-out collections with designer Anna Davies...

Hi Anna! Firstly, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

After graduating with a degree in textile design, I started out as a junior womenswear designer - until the opportunity arose to design within the childrenswear department. I have always enjoyed designing childrenswear - I love the way you can be a little more adventurous and playful. 

So, of course, when I was approached with the opportunity to head-up the design for Oh...My!, I jumped at the chance!

 How have things changed for Oh...My! since your debut appearance at Bubble in February 2015?

It's been a very busy and exciting year! We've been working on boosting our presence in the market, and as a result have gained interest from many international and UK stockists. 

Congratulations! What was the best thing about winning our Rising Star award?

It's given us status, and the confidence to boldly launch ourselves into the high-end kidswear market. It's also given us much-needed exposure and publicity, enabling us to be on the radar of more stockists and buyers. Bubble has always been at the forefront of launching new, up-and-coming brands, and we will always be thankful to it for setting us off on the right foot. 

Your debut range recently sold out in Harvey Nichols. Could you tell us a bit more about this?

Yes! This was such an exciting start to our first season. Not only to stock in Harvey Nichols but to sell out was a huge success for us. We are thrilled!

What does the design process entail?

Designing for Oh...My! keeps me on my toes! There is never a dull moment. There is a constant trial and error process throughout, until we eventually come up with a final product that we're happy with. 

When designing a collection, I always focus directly on researching trend forecasts for the following season. Moodboards are the next step - they are great for presenting potential ideas and displaying new fabrics, colours and styles. 

Following this, I will put fabric and garment shapes together. I tend to design four design stories, with ten items in each story. When designing collections, I purposely design items that can be mixed-and-matched across the range. 

To finish off the process, I work with my lovely pattern cutter and machinist, who create the patterns and make the beautiful first samples. A long, but oh-so rewarding process! 

What's the single biggest challenge you've faced as a new-to-market brand?

Being one among a sea of great kidswear brands, our challenge, as with any new brand, is to get our name noticed in the marketplace. Focussing not only on creating a quality product but also communicating our brand identity is important in terms of our place in the massive world of childrenswear! The possibility of collaborating with some of our favourite British brands in the near future is something we hope will make us more identifiable among our target customer. Watch this space!

What are you working on at the moment? Could you tell us a bit more about your next range?

At the moment we are working on our A/W16 collection. I don't want to give too much away, but think luxurious fabrics, cute, playful details, and fresh bespoke prints - and, of course, that air of English charm that runs through every Oh...My! collection. We are currently preparing for our A/W16 photoshoot, and a sneak-peek will be revealed in November. 

Why have you decided to return to Bubble in January 2016?

This is our third time exhibiting at Bubble, and we are hoping for yet another successful show. It's such a creative and lively event, and gives us the chance to really showcase our new collection and talk to potential new customers. It's also a a great time to talk to more established brands, to gain a better market insight. We are looking forward to seeing what Bubble London A/W16 has in store for us!

And we're looking forward to finding out what Oh...My! has is store for us! See you at the show, Anna. 

Fancy exhibiting alongside Oh...My!? Or even entering our Rising Star award? Apply for a stand at the A/W16 edition here...