ENK Children's Club: My Top Picks

It was an awful rainy day in New York yesterday, but I'm so glad I trekked down to the Javits Center for the ENK Children's Club show. Although I only had about two hours there, I saw many splendid things, not the least of which was the Vogue Bambini fashion show which I will post about later this week (I had a front row seat which was a totally unexpected honor!). In the meantime, here are my top picks from the booths that I had a chance to visit (I only wish I had had time to see more):

I was so proud and happy to visit Soft Clothing, a brand that I knew from its earliest days. This was its first ENK Show. Soft Clothing is a thoughtfully-designed line of kids' clothing that has garnered a cult following among moms of kids with sensory issues or other special needs. It features flat seaming, tagless necks, encased elastic waistbands, and no zippers, buttons, or itchy trims. And, the designs (by talented Jessica Ralli) just keep getting better and better. Check out the faux Peter-Pan collar dress and snap-front houndstooth coat. Now this is comfy, cotton "high fashion" that my sensitive 7-year-old can actually wear.







It was also a treat to meet the people behind Olive Juice Kids for the first time. I got a sneak peek of the company's beautifully-made, classic Fall 2011 and holiday clothing. Check out that divine navy velvet ribboned jacket, and flowered buttoned blouse.





Dwell Studio was at the show and exhibited a small selection of layette items, plus some adorable pictures frames based on its most popular patterns (I've always had a fondness for the transportation designs):


I made sure to stop by Cupcakes and Pastries, a designer I discovered recently via (where else?) my beloved site Zulily. The detail work this girls' clothing is extraordinary (and unfortunately doesn't show up in these photos). The clothing isn't cheap; a dress will cost you about $80, but of course you can wait to spot a sale at Zulily!





Longtime readers of this blog know that one of my favorite clothing lines for boys is Wonderboy. I was so excited to meet the designer yesterday. She showed me next Fall's highlights including graphic long-sleeve tees (love that rotary phone and the pretzel) and the funky modern take on a plaid shirt. Also, I like that Wonderboy's sister line "Stun" will have a coordinating color palette this Fall, too (bottom photo).





Over at Tea Collection I found out that next Fall's international "destination" is Mexico. I expect this will be a very popular collection! I personally plan to buy S. that "Super Tacos" truck cart tee when it's available.





Next up...my coverage of the Vogue Bambini fashion show, plus my introduction of brand new 1st-time designers from Playtime New York. Don't miss these!