JOIN US'It was high time we paid attention to kids' taste'
The increasing demand and potential for growth in kids wear market made designer Archana Kochhar foray into the segment. In a conversation with Metrolife, she tells Shweta Sharma about her recently-launched label, ‘Noni’, and what goes into designing for children.
Why do you think is there a need for kids’ fashion segment?
Today, not just parents, but even the kids are so aware and in sync with the latest fashion trends. They know exactly what they want to wear to a birthday party or a wedding. So it was high time we paid attention to their taste.
What made you launch the label ?
There are not many designers catering to this section. School uniforms are the only segment which saw some designer involvement. But now, given the changing family scenario, increase in disposable income and most importantly, the increase in awareness due to Internet exposure; kids have become fashion conscious. All these factors have made the segment very attractive. Also I have been getting a lot of requests from my customers to start designing for kids. Seeing the growing demand and the potential of growth, we decided to start a new kid’s line of ours ‘Noni’, named after my daughter Simran, fondly called Noni.
What is your collection all about?
This is our first ever kids wear collection and revolves around three categories — flower girls, next-gen boys and elegant couture pieces. The collection is bright and colourful which will make the kids look cool and high on energy. The flower girls line is made of Ahimsa silk and has neutral shades of ivory, pink and green. The price range starts from Rs 6,000 onwards, depending on the attire.
What key points need to be considered while designing for kids?
Whether it is designing for kids or adults, the creation needs to fit the individual
well and he or she should be comfortable wearing it and like what they are wearing.
How challenging is it to design for children?
It’s very important that the child likes what you have created. It is easy to explain something to an adult, but children are very expressive and they either like something or they don’t. Hence it is a task to ensure a piece is created perfectly to suit their taste and style.