KOCHI: It is the era of minimalism. The concept has now seamlessly crept into housing, beauty, food, and even technology. And the idea of ‘less is more’ is now visible more prominently in fashion, with people walking around in clean, sleek designs.
There’s an increasingly discerning customer base that has changed the way clothes are viewed once and for all — children and teenagers. Minimalism has caught their eyes as well.
Rise from oblivion
Once, the segment of children’s fashion remained relatively unknown, especially among Keralites. As comfort became a priority for mothers, they started looking for breathable and soft fabric for their kids.
And it all began when adults started craving simple and elegant designs. Slowly, these choices began reflecting on children’s clothing as well.
“If you look back 20 years, the majority of choices in kids’ collections were pink and blue. Now there are various options — pastel shades like beige, cream, off-white, caramel, brown, lavender, etc, that too in fabrics like cotton, velvet and corduroy,” says Fina Ashraf, founder of Le’ Moon baby and children’s clothing shop.
Children tend to wear both Western and bohemian-themed outfits. “This means oversized clothes have a niche market. For babies, both girls and boys, there’s also a rise in demand for rompers, jumpsuits, suspender stockings, and bodysuits,” adds Fina.
Children’s fashion is now incomplete without accessories. Even for babies up to three years, accessories are a must. “The new trend is big size. Bows in nylon fabric matching the dress are a hit. Also, floral tiaras, beanies, and pacifiers are in trend,” says Fina.
When it comes to newborns, along with style, parents look for ease and comfort. “Cotton and dobby cotton fabric offers comfort, whereas bamboo mixed material is all about the fluffy texture,” says Liz Joy, co-founder of My Bud-Babies and Kids.
Parents also prefer outfits that are easily manageable. “Many prefer tie-up dresses, which are easy to put on,” adds Liz. She says, a particular style is in vogue — smock style, where the yoke portions are pleated and embroidered.
Mini adults
So, one might wonder, are today’s kids more fashionable than the youth?
“Yes, they are,” says Dipesh K D, sales head of the kids’ fashion store Zach and Kiki. “In 80 per cent of cases, kids choose for themselves,” he adds. Both children and parents prefer minimalistic fashion above flashy colours and designs, he adds.
“Now, children are more aware of the changes in their surroundings. They are watching closely and imitating the trends they see on social media. Maybe that’s why, they prefer casuals a lot,” says Nishad N, store manager of Allen Solly Kids.
Does this mean all kids are fashionable? Jeevanand K, store manager of UCB Kids, objects to this. “Certainly, their fashion sense has evolved. But we cannot say that all kids are fashionable. They are trying to be a miniature version of adults,” he says.
Elisa of Tove Studio seconds this. Kids are choosing mini-versions of outfits chosen by adults. “At a growing stage, many children want to dress up like their parents. Also, there’s this trend of twinning — parents and children want to dress alike. And this mini-adult-like trend is easy to replicate,” says Elisa.
“And children older than eight years no longer want to shop from the kiddie section.” Instead, they are looking for trends that resemble their adults. “At the same time, they are conscious shoppers. When we put up exhibitions, kids select their clothing. They voice their opinion, even touch and feel the fabric, and want their clothes to be easy and free,” she says.
Where’s the kid’s energy?
With the rise of gender-fluid styles, minimal patterns, and grandpa collars, all in beige, burnt orange, and whites, many worry that children’s fashion is losing its ‘kiddish’ energy. The bright hues and prints that resonate with their age are missing.
However, Elisa offers the reason. “With these dresses, they can move around freely. Also, pockets for dresses are in demand, as kids can keep their toys in them.”
However, she adds, boys lean toward colourful options. “These days quirky animal and vehicle prints are popular among boys,” says Elisaa.
Minimal everywhere
Even for festive wear, kids’ fashion follows a dash of minimalism.
“There’s always a crowd for both bright and muted shades. Colourful outfits woven out of Kancheepuram are always a popular choice, you know the saying ‘old is gold’. The classic gold and silver tones are also still popular. The difference is that these threads are used sparingly to create simple lines,” says Rathu Krishna, founder of Mirali Clothing. The brand sources handloom from Balaramapuram.
Among boys, Rathu says, apart from mundu, there has been a spike in demand for dhoti pants. “When children are introduced to such choices right from a young age, their taste will last longer. And it will help support weavers and those who strive to uphold the handloom industry,” she says.
Teenagers in the race
These days pre-teens and teenagers don’t wish to confine themselves to limited options and don’t want to get caught up in the kids’ section either.
Merlin Jebin, founder of Essika clothing, says teens have become decisive. “The fashion sense of teenage girls is now similar to youngsters,” she says.
“And they go for minimal and simple designs. They prefer wearing unisex oversized clothing, sometimes with baggy pants. It has a touch of European and Japanese aesthetics.”
Interestingly, boys are going for more colourful and flashy outfits. “All this while, the boy’s collection has always been minimal and they have hopped on to all things bright,” says Merlin.
But teenagers try to stand out by playing up with funky accessories. “Fashion is cyclical and the craze for minimalism is just another phase. Both kids and teenagers look the same now, and this will also get saturated,” she adds.
Anif Ashraf, founder of Yu Clothing, says teenagers are bringing more hip-hop styles to their wardrobes. “First of all, it’s all oversized. They opt for loud prints and flashy coloured t-shirts,” he says.
“They are laso a fan of relaxed fit, which is neither oversized nor slim fit,” he says. Teenagers are having a hard time finding their identity. By experimenting with fashion, they are bringing in various identities to themselves, he belives.