Million dollar babies -The children’s fashion industry just keeps getting bigger

These days it’s not enough to have yourself looking fantastic with the latest designer outfits and accessories, your kids have to as well. And with no shortage of luxury children’s wear brands out there in the market, young ones have never looked so good.

In 2003 the children’s clothing retail industry in Australia alone generated around $800 million[1] and according to fashion distributor Lime Soda Group it’s only going to keep increasing.

"A few decades ago it was very common for mothers to dress their children in hand-me-down play clothes or outfits they had made themselves, but now we are seeing a new generation of time poor / cash rich parents, who would rather spend a bit more on themselves and their children," says Natalie Benke, Director for Lime Soda Group.

"A lot of people are having less children nowadays at a later point in their life, with often both parents still working resulting in high disposable incomes. And parents like this only want the best for their little boy or girl."


Lime Soda Group currently distributes a range of premium children’s wear brands across Australia and New Zealand. They also own two retail stores for kids in Sydney’s exclusive Double Bay, Dutch brand Oilily and The Shop Next Door (formerly Milk & Honey) which opened last month and stocks European labels such as Catimini, Replay & Sons, IKKS and Monnalisa in addition to trendy accessories including nappy bags from New York designer Kate Spade and UK leather guru Bill Amberg’s ‘papoose’ baby carriers.

"We get a lot of mums coming into the stores who are looking for the best and latest fashions for their child," says Benke. "We also see parents shopping for those special occasion outfits for birthdays and special events."

But considering the rate that children grow out of clothes do they really need the latest fashions or is it more for the parents?

"In a lot of cases it’s actually the children who have the purchase power when it comes to clothes," laughs Benke. "Quite frequently this stems from them simply wanting to copy the styles they see on their parents, as we’ve found with the cult Brazilian thongs Havaianas. They’re now available in kids’ sizes and hey, they look just like mum and dad’s."

The Shop Next Door and Oilily are located at Shops 2 & 3, 4-10 Bay St Double Bay NSW 2028, Ph: 02 9328 1144.