Kids can now be as stylish as parents
Butter Pudding offers alternative in kids’ wear
Petite-a-porter is the new cool in fashion. The term was coined thanks to the growth of designer and luxury children’s wear in the fashion world.
Yes, your kids are the new “cotton eaters”. Gone are the days of kids’ clothing looking adorable, pretty and colourful. Now there is a demand for chic, sophisticated and trendy sartorial picks for kids. Mommies and daddies all over the globe want to create mini-mes. It’s also that time of the year, festive season is upon us and your kids want to look the coolest on the block with their Christmas clothes.
Internationally upscale fashion brands such as Dior Baby, Burberry Children, Fendi Kids and Moncler Enfant are thriving with their kidswear lines.
Here in Mzansi, fashion designer Papama Mtwisha is ushering in the style movement with her three-year-old kids lifestyle brand Butter Pudding.
With a prolific celebrity clientele that includes Basetsana Kumalo, S’thandiwe Kgoroge, Terry Pheto and Pearl Thusi, the label has become synonymous with vibrant Afrofuturistic prints for kids.
“The label was inspired by my experience in the fashion world, that I have kids and not being able to find what I was looking for,” she explains.
“There was a big gap for clothing that was showing kids to be proud of their heritage. It wasn’t about following suit on the international market and trends.
“It was about following an aesthetic that I felt was relevant for my kids. I thought why not dress kids the way I want and the way I dress. There is nothing wrong with the cute stuff, I was just offering an alternative,” she says.
Mtwisha sources her eclectic tribal prints all over the African continent, starting from Joburg to Durban and even Kenya.
Butter Pudding caters for kids from age two to nine. Most of the items on average costs R350.
“Our clothing is so versatile that the parents really feel like they are getting value for their money,” she points out.
“It’s not expensive. I always say we fall under affordable designer category. It’s designer in the sense that it’s exclusive.
“It’s rare that you are going to go to a party and bump into a million kids wearing the same look. We produce a limited amount per style.
“You don’t want to be splurging thousands of rands on kids’ clothes because they are going to tear them or outgrow them really quickly.”
Mtwisha advices that the golden rule when shopping for children’s wear this festive season is comfort. Thus, she uses cotton fabric to ensure that her designs are practical for the kids.
“I know as a parent and designer of clothing for kids that if your child does not feel comfortable in a garment they will not wear it,” she says.
“Just because you love the item as a parent doesn’t mean they will love it. Always involve them and realise it’s not just about you.
“Kids don’t lie, when they love an item, it’s all in the eye. The fact that we use cotton means that the quality is good and they can always hand it down to their cousins or siblings.
“It’s not like after five washes you throw the item into the bin because it’s faded. We want our kids to look like kids, so the styles are child-friendly. The kids must be able to move in a free and accommodating way.”
The issue of gender neutral clothing pays a huge part when designing most of her items. The hottest item this festive season for kids in her store is the reversible coat.
“We take into consideration that kids are kids and they need to be kids. So if you are out-andabout and the kid happens to get dirty, guess what? You have another side to work with.”
Although she supplies many stores across the globe with her luxury items including here at home, New York, Paris and Australia, she insists that for now the best way to shop for her clothing is to head to the official online store on https://butterpudding.myshopify.com