Preferably by appointment?
An interview with Birgit.
Birgit is a young mom who triggered us via Instagram because of her beautiful photography and refined taste in fashion. This begged incredibly hard for an interview about fashion & young children...
What does fashion evoke in you?
Let's kick off !!
Creativity, individuality, converting trends into your personal style; the possibility to show your inner self to the outside. For me, fashion is a “language”, a medium with which you can say so much, without speaking effectively, you can follow the fashion trends and confirm them, just ignore them or just rebelliously provoke.
How does this translate to your children?
Well, honestly, it's the same way. In the beginning, you're mainly going to use your own style, which translates almost 100% to the children. Achilles is almost 2 years old now and I already notice that he looks much better in certain things than in others. It's a challenge to find the right balance and combination between what you as a mother like and the personality of your own child. A combination between trendy trends, their own personality and your own style and taste.
I also try to choose sustainable brands and always shop locally, because that gives a little more satisfaction :-). And honestly: it's also just nice to style the minis from head to toe ;-) .
Did you quickly find what you were looking for locally?
Locally fast, short and sweet: no. It took some searching and it still is and will continue to be a bit of a search. I think there is definitely still potential in that market.
You found us, super happy. What from our offer has already triggered you and why?
A diverse range for both the very minis and the bigger kids. Especially for the shoes I am a big fan of the unique pieces in combination with super nice advice ;-). I like to look for the local shops that have that little bit extra. A shop with a certain character, that also radiates that in the collection.
There has been a trend for a while now that fabric mainstream sneakers are taking over leather shoes. What makes you choose unique leather shoes?
The answer is already in the question for me; mainstream vs. unique. Our son also wears sneakers occasionally, although I am more in favor of a nice walking shoe for the beginning. On the one hand for the support and quality of the feet, on the other hand for the unique look.
Did you know when the time was right to buy that first walking shoe and do you know the characteristics of an ideal first walking shoe?
Absolutely 2x yes, we started with a prestapper. By the way, this search led me to Anna pops, there are few beautiful and unique prestappers on the market. As a mother, I try to pay sufficient attention to the health of the children, so also to the ergonomics (a reason why I am initially less pro for sneakers for a little one who is just discovering the first steps :-)). I have often advised friends and acquaintances to really choose a quality piece and still make that investment in shoes. After the prestapper we switched to the first real walking shoe. Today our toddler still walks around enthusiastically in his hip and handsome Anna Pops creations.
Thank you very much Birgit for this pleasant and educational conversation.
Do you also have a walker at home and are you not sure which type of shoe is ideal in the different phases of learning to walk? We would like to summarize it again:
Stage 1: My little rascal pulls himself up but is not yet walking independently:
Prestappers are ideal for this. They are slippers with an anti-slip sole so that he or she does not slip when standing up or taking the first steps with the help of mom or dad. These slippers are flexible, just like a sock, and ensure maximum contact between the foot and the surface. In this way, the foot muscles can develop well. In addition to the technical qualities, we pour an Anna Pops sauce over it, which makes it pre-steppers become real gems.
Phase 2: The time has come… my little one is walking independently or on one of his mother’s fingers (in short, just let go of his mother and we’re off):
Time for a first stepper . This one has some special features;
- A firm heel. This provides the necessary support for the foot.
- The shoe is dimensionally stable. You should not be able to wring it out like a mop :-). This way the stability for the foot is guaranteed.
- It is made of leather. Children perspire more than adults along their feet. The leather naturally absorbs moisture during wear. Alternating shoes allows the shoe to release moisture back into its environment.
- Laces ensure that it is perfectly enclosed around the foot. After all, every foot is unique.
So much for the technical points of interest. We are going one step further. Many of our first step shoes are personalized by us. We determine the look of the shoe ourselves, making it completely unique. Instant success!
