When I was a child, my mother was my sole arbiter of style. In the ’70s, there weren’t too many fashion options for kids. There was Malu Veloso and Mary Mike, and that was about it.
Little girls in those days weren’t supposed to look trendy. Our dresses weren’t fashionable, seasonal, or comfortable. They were designed to be timeless, last many wears and washings, and make us look like proper little girls — prim and ready for Sunday Mass. Puffed sleeves and that popcorn stitch that made the fabric cling to our midsections were the details du jour, as I recall.
Clotheswise, my childhood was a miserable one.
I don’t remember a single comfortable moment in my going-out clothes. The puffed sleeves were always tight enough to cut off my circulation. I remember stretching their garters to the max, hoping they would snap so they wouldn’t torture my arms anymore. My dresses were all made from scratchy synthetic fabric that made me itch; I’d want to tear them off from the moment I put them on.
Of course in hindsight I know that my mom wasn’t part of some grand conspiracy to dress me in all-polyester, but whenever she forced me to wear the dresses she bought, my irrational child mind couldn’t help but fantasize about making a break for it — running free in ratty shorts and one of my pambahay tank tops, or maybe a soft animal skin like cavemen wore.
Now that I’m a mom, I can tell my tween daughter from my vast reservoir of experience: “You kids today have it so good.”
Nowadays, kids’ clothes aren’t just pieces of fabric stitched together to make a child presentable. They are thoughtfully designed. They come in seasonal collections. They are trendy and fashionable. Most important of all, they are comfortable, and won’t make your kid feel like going full-Neanderthal, but walk among us properly attired like little adults.
Thanks to its seamless merging of quality, style and price, one of my favorite brands is Uniqlo. The Japanese brand made its name in modern basics, fleece and Heattech, a lightweight fabric that retains warmth, making their cold-weather wear the best on the market, but has since ventured into designer collaborations so hip and happening they’re as desirable as any global fast-fashion brand’s.
That fashionable aesthetic extends to Uniqlo’s Kids and Babies collection, which was recently expanded to include a greater variety of items and a new material developed just for kids.
“There is a big market for children’s clothing in the Philippines, where you see so many kids running around,”notes Katsumi Kubota, Fast Retailing Philippines’ chief operating officer. “Uniqlo believes that kids should be free to be kids, that’s why we’ve carefully designed our lineup of kids’ clothing down to the last detail.”
Launched in 1997 with the babies’ line following in 2002, Uniqlo’s popular kids line is aiming to double its sales by expanding the lineup by 50 percent and making the collection available at 60 percent more stores.
“This will allow the kids’ and babies’ line to rival the scope of the men’s and women’s collections,” Kubota says. “The new lineup is ergonomically designed to meet the active lifestyle of children, and includes a revolutionary new material jointly developed with Toray Industries.”
Kubota cited five ways in which Uniqlo has distinguished its childrenswear from that of other brands, and I added three that explain why Uniqlo has become one of my go-tos — both for my daughter and myself:
1. Clothes are designed to let kids move freely. Elastics are a must for active kids, but instead of having them on dreaded puffed sleeves, Uniqlo elasticizes pant and skirt waists for maximum freedom of movement. They also rely on stretchy fabrics designed to retain their form, even with repeated washings.
2. Materials are designed especially for comfort. Unlike back in the day, when children wore what they were told to, today uncomfortable clothes will go unworn, especially by children. Uniqlo is all about “comfort clothes,” taking into account how comfortable they feel against the skin, even for high-tech fabrics like Heattech.
A new, highly functional material is being introduced in the 2014 fall/winter collection’s Warm Padded Outerwear series, which includes coats, jackets, parkas, and vests. Jointly developed with Toray Industries, the new material is an insulating polyester fiber specially processed into a uniform cube shape, similar to a down ball. The increased air space within the garment provides for exceptional warmth. Designed to recreate the luxury of down, this synthetic material is more durable, allowing for repeated washing while effectively retaining warmth.
Polyester has definitely come a long way, baby.
3. Clothes are made for easier removal. Part of Uniqlo’s meticulous design is ensuring their clothes are easy to put on and take off, especially when being wrangled by impatient little hands. Kubota says they’ve added zippers that are easy for kids to pull and wider elastic waistbands on the baby clothes, making changing easier for both moms and kids.
4. Fashions feature fun designs young ’uns like. Kids nowadays are more style- and character-conscious at a younger age, so Uniqlo has collaborated with Disney and Moomins to ensure their apparel has instant appeal with the kinder set. A wide selection of colors and patterns (like stripes and plaids) make it easy and fun for moms to coordinate ensembles as well.
5. Certified safe, the clothes also boast special safety features for kids. Uniqlo’s baby clothes meet global Oeko-Tex criteria. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is a worldwide certification label placed only on products that clear strict testing of over 100 criteria such as whether the product is gentle on skin or includes substances harmful to the human body. The testing examines all production processes, from raw materials to the final product, and the inspection criteria are stricter than legal requirements! Uniqlo’s baby clothing clears the criteria for “Class I,” the strictest Oeko-Tex Standard 100 level.
Baby garments are also made with the care label on the outside to avoid coming into contact with sensitive baby skin, while the kids’ apparel offers numerous features that protect them, like a tag for your child’s name and address, safety reflectors for nighttime, and zipper guards to avoid scratching your little one’s face when pulling his clothes up over his head.
6. Value for money. Considering the level of quality and safety that accompanies the Uniqlo label, their Kids and Babies collection, priced from P290 to P1,490, is indisputably worth every peso. After all, what parent wants to spend more than they have to on clothes that kids outgrow so quickly?
7. A more convenient way to shop. While in Japan, 60 percent of stores now carry the children’s line, here in the Philippines the sales floors have been transformed, with dedicated sections for kids and babies to make the new lineup even easier to browse through. Uniqlo now also offers a new website for kids and babies for easier shopping at home or on the go.
8. A wider selection of choices for the young fashionista. The kids and babies’ line has grown by 50 percent, featuring a full range of colors, patterns, designs, and materials suitable for any occasion. Kubota says special focus has been placed on the girls’ line, with options for young ladies in a broad range of colors and patterns, including dresses, skirts, and cardigans.
How I wish Uniqlo had been around when I was growing up.
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For more information on Uniqlo Kids line, visit www.Uniqlo.com/ph.
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