Neck & Neck, the new kiddie fashion
I F there is one fashion style that will never go wrong, it’s children’s fashion. Whatever moms make their kids wear, they will always look cute. But dressing the young ones with Neck & Neck will surely make them look their best.
The entry of this leading Spanish fashion label in the Philippines, was made possible by an exclusive partnership with the Rustan’s, and was recently announced at a media roundtable. In attendance were two of Neck & Neck’s officials, siblings Eduardo Zamácola Ballestero, who serves as general manager, and Maria Zamácola Ballestero, the brand’s development director.
Describing the design aesthetic of the brand, Eduardo shares, “It has a touch of classic, and a touch of what is trendy.”
This special style of Neck & Neck for kids is clearly evident in its latest collections— a mix of spring/ summer and fall/ winter— brought in for its Rustan’s outlet. Signature classical details like embroidery, trimmings and twills accentuate trendy floral ( original creations), checks, stripes and tie prints. The winning combination is romantic but laid- back clothing that will surely catch the attentions of Filipino mothers.
What Neck & Neck is also most proud of is its diverse and vibrant color palette. For the sunny season, vivid colors such as apple green, or red are blended with mauves, blues and pinks, while earth colors run into orange tones. Then for the colder climate, turquoise, strawberry pink and mustard are the main tones along with warm colors like rust, pewter and Bordeaux.
Another notable thing about these designs is that they come in different types of sizes so that siblings can actually match clothes. There is a one-piece cover-up for the baby, a hip trouser for a 5-year-old boy, and a ladylike-dress for 12-year-old tween sister, all with the same color and prints. Neck & Neck is for kids ages 0 to 14.
The reason behind this, Eduardo explains, “We want to revive the old way in Spain in which we dress the young members of the family the same way.”
And because of the brand’s meticulous detailing, original prints, and fresh color combinations, Neck & Neck garments look very polished and quite lavish. “We are being recognized as a Sunday dress,” states Eduardo.
However, the general manager notes that the company does not want to be confined with that distinction. This is why the company came out with a separate line called Neck & Neck Sport with basic clothes that still keep true with Neck & Neck’s identity.
This line includes washed cotton t-shirts with crochet detailing, cargo shorts in large checks with signature embroidery and polo shirts combined with different fabrics and patterns. In addition, there are also sweatshirts and lightweight sports jackets.
To complete all kiddie outfits, Neck & Neck also has complimentary shoes, hats and accessories.
First in Asia
Neck & Neck is a growing brand already present in 12 countries namely Spain, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Andorra, Portugal, Morroco, Lebanon, Italy, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates and finally the Philippines.
And it is very interesting to know that the Philippines is Neck & Neck’s first venture into Asia.
The story behind this, shares Maria, is that Neck & Neck for quite some time has been eyeing partners and markets to open in Asian countries. Talks between China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are currently going on.
However, it was their meetings with Rustan Commercial Corp. that immediately clicked. “We wanted a partner that knows what its local market wants, and Rustan’s is precisely that,” Maria explains. “We are also very happy to see that more and more Spanish brands are coming in here in the Philippines because of their good relationship with Rustan’s.
Neck & Neck was originally founded as early as 1993, but it wasn’t until 1998 that the Neck Child S.A. was created, which is the company that holds the rights to the brand worldwide.
As to how the name Neck & Neck came to be, Eduardo recalls, “Neck & Neck was thought of our friend who founded the company. This friend liked the name ‘Holland & Holland’ [an English gunmaker company] and wanted to name the company with ‘Something & Some- thing.’ Then he had twins who were always growing up neck to neck—and that’s where Neck & Neck came from.”