Another one?

Do you remember Bambalinas, the ultra cute children's line that was on the verge in the spring of 2008? Right now in the fall of 2009 they're on the verge of making you very happy, with super styles at mini prices.

They're having their fall Flea Market and you're invited. Woohoo!

Bambalinas:
From Monday October 19th to Wednesday October 21st from 10am to 8pm
Caspe 75 (at Roger de Flor)

We say mignon

What's chicer than a little French style for your petites? A little French style for your petites (from one year to twelve) that you couldn't buy in stores even if you wanted to!

Go see Sissi Papillon this Monday, October 19th for little mao collar shirts, lacey tops and, bien sûr, sweet dresses with adorable prices all between 20 to 40 euros. They only do private sales so don't miss out on this season!

Sissi Papillon:
Monday, October 19th from 9h to 16h
Casanovas 262 entresuelo 1ª

Cotton Kids

Here in Spain people say that a baby comes with a loaf of bread under its arm. According to her parents, Rita came with a shop under her arm. More or less. Mommy and Daddy worked in fashion, photography, fun stuff, but when Rita came along they started thinking about a project that would be a reflection of who they are and could grow with their family – and that’s when Cotton Kids was born.

An afternoon, after school stroll led them to the beautiful, light filled store on Jaume Piquet that was for rent and they put up the wallpaper and got started. The store is full of both basic and kooky t-shirts, lots of stripes on t-shirts and leggings, great jeans from Imps&Elfs (sorry H&M, but you’ve got to copy from someone), sophisticated sweatshirts that Mommy and baby can agree on (we know from personal experience) and Snook’s new version of plimsoles. The whole place couldn’t be more fun for everyone.

Cristina and Ramón search the globe (mostly by going to the trade shows in Copenhagen and Amsterdam) for special brands to stock – new for spring are Munsterkids and Babycase and you’ll see more Tuss and Popupshop than before. Make sure to stop by the shop on a seemingly sleepy Sarrià street – inside is all sunshine and light.

Cotton Kids

Jaume Piquet 12

Tel. 93 205 9854

Nobodinoz it better

High powered lawyer to mommy? Paris to Provence? Hmmm. Nobodinoz how hard it can be to shift gears better than Murielle Bressan but once she had the idea to set up shop as a kiddie cool hunter there was no stopping her. She visited trade shows, came up with a name, a logo, and a concept that could be reproduced anywhere. So when opportunity came knocking on Séneca street she and her husband were ready to pick up their three children and move to Barcelona to fill the space with oh so sophisticated clothes for tots, design and vintage children’s furniture, princess costumes with wimples, rag dolls with hand knit sweaters, and other wonders the likes of which hadn’t been seen here before. And there they’ve been since July 2006. Wait, you don’t know where it is? Yes you do – turn left at Lydia Delgado, pass the space where Urbana was until just a few days ago, then the Roig Rubí, those branding people and you’ll see it. Murielle says Barcelona is a great place because her customers are a little like children, in awe of all the new things they’re discovering. But look for Nobodinozes in other parts when the time and the space are right.

Nobodinoz
c/Séneca 9
tel 93 368 6335
http://www.nobodinoz.com/

Why oh why

How many times a day does your little one ask why? Somewhere between five and one thousand according to yporque (and why) the t-shirt company whose products are designed to keep little fingers and minds busy (and maybe, just maybe, keep them from asking why that thousandth time?)

Here’s the inside story. Elisabeth and Andrea were chewing the fat one summer afternoon, talking again about what so many of us sit around and talk about on lazy summer afternoons – how great it would be to have a professional project to call their own. As baby Matías (Andrea’s son and Elisabeth’s godson) cooed in his crib – he wasn’t even at the why phase yet because he didn’t speak, but they could see what was coming – they started focusing on what would tickle his fancy and came up with their t-shirts with textures, sounds, activities and now stories for the new readers in the family.

Then they called Elisenda, mother of three with a background in psychology and a desire to get back into the swing of the work world and between the three of them they’ve gotten the project so far off the ground that in just three seasons they sell to shops all over Spain and on yo ur trips to Paris, Rome and Geneva. Elisenda takes care of the day to day needs while Andrea and Elisabeth are at their day gigs and they still have their meetings on Andrea’s patio.

So why don’t you go see their stuff and see what you think?

In Barcelona:

248
Rosselló 248
tel 93 301 5807

Petit Armari
Pedró de la Creu 18
tel 93 280 1094

Limobebe
Rambla del Prat 9
tel 93 218 2108

CaixaForum
Marqués de Comillas 6-8
tel 93 476 8600

Bambalinas revisited

You know how there are some people who’ve always got something cooking and something on the back burner (business wise that is.) Well Carmen Grandes is one of those people, so after years in advertising she started her own firm, then left and started another one and once that was up and running started a children’s clothing company (because in the meantime she’d had a little boy then a little girl and couldn’t find the things she wanted for them – you know how it is.)

Bambalinas (sound familiar – this time it’s not the shoe store near the Galvany,) is just three seasons old but Carmen’s already brought in a partner, added clothes for boys to the original girls groups, started going to international trade shows and is on the prowl for international distributors (here in Barcelona they’re in all of the right shops.)

Enough about the business though, what about the clothes, right? Too cute for words but we’ll try. The colors are just like ones Mommy would wear, and some of the styles too but they never forget that this is a line for children (and the bloomers for the out-of-diaper set prove it.)

And if you remember the shoe store near the Galvany Market that's also called Entre Bambalinas you might be wondering what’s up with the waiting in the wings metaphor. There’s just something about the phrase that captivates with the promise of being just on the verge of the big moment. And it looks like that’s where Bambalinas is.

In Barcelona you’ll find Bambalinas in:

248
Rosselló 248
tel 93 487 1248

Bámbola
Fontcuberta 12
tel 93 252 4180

Dijous
Rector Ubach 9
tel 93 414 5798

DBB
Pedralbes Center

Tatanet
Valencia 355
tel 93 459 2572

Naturally

Lienzo moreno is the name of the undyed cotton that was once used to make sheets (a long time ago,) but it doesn’t sound so nice for baby clothes.

Guess what? It is. Dora Garriga and Jordi Cugat of Som Naturals have been using it for just that purpose for 15 years. Dora bought some fabric and found a way to wash it to give it a beautiful hand, prevent shrinking and make ironing unnecessary (hooray!) and she started making baby bonnets. Then someone asked if she could make a dress. And then another. Pretty soon her husband gave up his antiques business to start making the patterns and sewing the wares. And they’re not just any wares. Couldn’t be farther from the shapeless sacks you’re imagining. The line includes adorable and practical dresses with lace insets, jumpers for baby boys and girls, little hats, and even furry lined jackets, all from the softest of undyed cotton, all made right up the coast in Calella.

Since it’s a truly artisan operation their production isn’t big enough to sell to too many other stores and to find them in Barcelona you have to keep track of the textile stands that get set up in the city periodically, especially on Portal de L’Angel.

To keep informed about where and when to find them:
Tels. 93 766 0669
61 991 0433
somnaturals@hotmail.com