Last week, the KidStyleFile team had the absolute pleasure of attending the Kids Instyle Sydney 2014 trade show – www.lifeinstyle.com.au. Kids Instyle is a trade-only event, not accessible to the general public, so catching the upcoming collections from some of our favourite brands and labels is extremely exciting and one our yearly highlights.
This year was one of the best yet with a plethora of Australian and offshore labels showcasing their stunning designs and innovative wares throughout the exhibition space. Truthfully, it was very difficult narrowing down the Best In Show candidates for this show as every stand was presented to the highest possible standard, with eye catching beauty everywhere we looked. Nevertheless the brands below shone out and they deserve lashings of praise for making it into our Kids Instyle Sydney 2014 : Top 12 Best In Show Report
Check out KidStyleFile on Instagram for more images from Kids Instyle Sydney 2014.
1. TMOD – www.tmod.com.au
TMOD never fails to impress. It has become my must see stall each and every year for its energy and style. This year was no exception with the TMOD team putting on quite the show with vibrant temporary tattoo clad skin and roller skaters attracting my attention. I was enthusiastically approached straight away, a dream catcher tattoo applied on me in no time (making me feel overwhemingly hip!). There are a plethora of stunningly cool items new to the TMOD stable. Their temporary tattoo card range is one perfect for kids and adults alike. Choose a set to match the occasion and forward it to your recipient. At $7.95 rrp, and locally designed, these are a great buy. The TMOD Adventure range is super fun. Created from stainless steel the drink bottles and mugs provide checklists and top tips to ensure a camping trip is perfect. Further additions to the TMOD range include chalkboard tape (how cool is this?!), lots of new cards (I love the Fortune scratchy cards), a Moon Phase bag (so you can predict what the moon will look like each night), masks and what I’m calling Projector cards (you hold them up to the light to reveal a secret image). TMOD items are available directly through their online boutique or click here for stockists.
2. Oobi Baby and Kids – www.oobi.com.au
Oobi Baby and Kids has been voted KidStyleFile Readers favourite brand for 6 years running now and their stand and new Oobi Autumn/Winter 2014 collection confirmed why: sweetness and light abounds! The Oobi accessory range thoroughly delights with tiny crochet brooches and hair pieces; scarves, hats and pom poms galore (bunny tails, headbands and so much more). Beautiful new prints have found their way into the Oobi range, too, including the Sunshine, Rain and Retro Pear. I predict that the Apple cotton knit dress and Marissa Dress will be top picks this winter for girls and the Matty Hoodie is certain to find its way into boys’ wardrobes.
3. Incy Interiors – www.incyinteriors.com.au
Incy Interiors is synonymous with stylish nursery decor and is a first stop for most interior decorators these days when styling a room. We were excited to have a hands on introduction to the new Spindle range, which has a certain vintage appeal whilst being completely modern at the same time. Each piece in the Incy Interiors Spindle range is handcrafted from New Zealand pine and can be customised with your choice of any of the many thousands of Dulux colours.
4. Rock Your Baby – www.rockyourbaby.com
Rock Your Baby positively shouts attitude and hipness and their stand was one of the busiest at the show with many visitors vying for an opportunity to lay their hands on the latest release pieces. Collaborating with a number of artists, sisters and RYB designers, Caroline and Joh have ensured that this iconic label, now 12 years young, has maintained its flair for fun with graphics and designs that will ensure your child stands out from the crowd. Knitwear makes an appearance this season with Rock n Roll and Equestrian cotton knit jumpers. Jeans are back too, as well as a few limited edition pieces such as the Souvenir Jacket and Wild One tee. The RYB range is available in sizes infant to 8 this season.
5. Seedling – www.seedling.co.nz
Seedling boasted one of the largest selection of toys at KIS this year with an enormous array of playthings that could have kept our team engaged for days. This New Zealand brand has expanded their collection to over 350 different innovative and creative items designed to inspire. I saw a few of my own childhood favourite toys that have been given the Seedling makeover. Seedling now also has an exclusive limited edition Seedling for Goop range (yes, *that* Goop – Gwyneth Paltrow’s blog!).
6. Tiger Tribe – www.tigertribe.com.au
Tiger Tribe is a fun and colourful brand that is proudly designed and illustrated right here in Australia. ’Cars & Trucks’ and ‘Fairytales’ are brand new additions to the sell out Piccolo Colouring Range and are coming to a store near you in late March 2014. A bundle of new brands are also now available through Tiger Tribe including Kid O, Petit Collage, Quut and Boxsets. (Those of you familiar with Boxsets will be excited to hear that the kit pax expansion packs are now available.)
7. Nordic House Living – www.nordichouse.com.au
Nordic House Living was a showstopper with an absolutely divine range of goodies on show. Top of our list was the Animal Felt heads which we spotted in Europe last June and were bursting with excitement to see here in Australia. From a unicorn to a poodle, elephant or fox, these felt heads will be a real statement piece in any nursery. They are all ethically made from hard wearing wool felt with stitching detail and beaded eyes and are easy to hang with a simple hook at the back supported by a bamboo cane. The Maileg and Twiggywinkle toys were also super cute.
8. Made 590 – www.made590.com.au
Made 590 is my go-to for quirky products and style so I just knew their stand was going to be colourful and fun. I was not disappointed. With a focus on design, Made 590 have brought an array of delightful labels to Australia including OMM from Sweden, PSikhouvanjou from the Netherlands, Jane Jenni and Ryan Berkley from the US, and Lapin and Me from the UK. They also have their own house brand Furry Friends and a range of ceramics. As huge fans of Lapin and Me (we covered them back in August) these are one of our top picks of the show.
9. Axis Toys – axistoys.com
The Axis Toys stand continues to be a KidStyleFile favourite. As Australian distributors of the Lundby dollhouse range, we always swing by the Axis Toys to see what is new. This time we found that the iconic Lundby Stockholm contemporary dollhouse has had a gorgeous renovation. We were also pleased discover that Wooden Story is now available in Australia. Wooden Story, operating since 1969, design and create a range of wooden block sets, stackers and teethers all from their base in the Beskidy Mountains of Poland. Finished with eco-certified natural oils and beeswax I’m adding these to my “must buy” list for gifts.
10. Britt – www.brittdesign.com.au
Britt dazzled with their eyecatching tutus. They are super soft to touch and come package in a spectacular box making them the perfect gift for a special occasion. There are a number of new soft toys joining iconic Britt bear including a gorgeous bunny and cuddles lamb. Each are handmade here in Australia from super soft Chenille fabric. If you have a chance, check out the Britt Rain coats. They are spectacular, featuring a polyurethane shell, and soft terry lining which can be easily machine washed. They even have matching gumboots.
11. Rose and Lily – www.roseandlily.com.au
Rose and Lily are the Australian distributor for iconic European and US brands HABA, Uncle Goose and PlayableART, Imaginabox and Terra Kids. We had a lot of fun playing with these toys (check out our videos on Instagram). Uncle Goose are a recent arrival to Australia and offer a collection of hand printed wooden blocks which includes foreign languages, decorative and classical. We were excited to see that the Uncle Goose Stack n Scare set which we discovered back in November has reached our shores!
12. Hide and SEEK – www.hideandseekonline.com.au
Hide and SEEK is designed by the incredibly talented and super lovely Sydney based Petah Handley. Showcasing Summer 14/15, we found the Hide and SEEK range spectacular, experimenting with some darker shades mixed with the bursts of bold colours that have become part of the Hide and SEEK signature style. Additions to the range this season are the new heart wraps created from a gorgeous soft cotton voile and measuring 120 x 120cm, matching nappy purses and the simply delicious cot sheeting range (which, I’ve heard due to popular demand before they are even released, may go to a single bed size next season. Watch this space!).
Please click through to websites quoted above to monitor the arrival of these products into retail stores and to make stockists inquiries.
