WELCOME TO KIDS À LA MODE #13!

Dear Readers,

The very best ideas are those that transcend time and locale. Truly great art, music and design can resonate with anyone, anywhere and anytime. In this edition, we present some ideas that we believe fall into this category.

For many decades, the name Oilily has evoked images of color and patterns appealing to creative, free-spirited people around the world. We chatted with Brecht Olsthoorn, current owner of Oilily, who is also the daughter of the company’s founders. Brecht’s insights, along with photos of their current Fall/Winter collection, show how this long-lived brand is so right and relevant for today.

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s recent exhibit “Women Dressing Women,” a striking appliquéd dress stood out for its modernity and beauty. The dress was designed in 1927 by Mariska Karasz, a multi-talented designer and artist who also had a successful collection of children’s wear. We’re honored to present photos and sketches of Mariska’s designs that are sure to delight and inspire.

At Maison & Objet, we fell in love with the plush toy collection of Adada. Stylishly sophisticated, these animal characters show charming personalities that designer Véronique Lacaze hopes will make them “the ultimate childhood confidant.” Although the line is quite new, we think Adada toys have the wide-ranging appeal to make them classics.

With the huge success of singer Beyonce’s album “Country Carter,” it’s obvious that everything “Country-Western” has become an international trend, both in music and in fashion. To discover more, Kids à la Mode went straight to an authentic source: the ranching community of Lewistown, Montana. We present an informative retail report from a successful local store, along with paintings and photography from the area.

So… saddle up and enjoy the issue. Happy trails!

Janet A. Jacobs Editor-in-Chief