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Little fashionistas

Chic and fashionable Young models walk the ramp with Katrina Kaif

Fine feathers make fine birds. There is an addendum to this oft-repeated proverb. Fine feathers also make fine fledglings. Taking a jaunty stroll around Nagarjuna Circle and further on to Road No. 1 in Banjara Hills, one sees the streetscape peppered with exclusive kidswear shops. Take an adventurous hop to Hyderabad Central. The fourth floor showcases a slew of kiddiewear brands. The scenario replicates itself at all malls and down Hyderabad’s poshest as well as middle class neighbourhoods.

The inviting atmosphere at these exclusive stores and multi-brand kids’ sections in malls is high on colour. Just browsing through can be loads of fun. An interesting assortment of accessories, toys, cartoon cutouts and bright inflatables would extract a smile from the most dour-faced adult.

Vishakha Mehra, towing two pesky boys who are Cartoon Network addicts, sighs, “These kids are so fashion-conscious they know exactly what they want, how many pockets the jeans should have, where they should be, the length of the trousers besides the cartoon character embossings. ” Grandma Meera Ranganathan, happily picking up clothes by the armful, says, “I had to find a seamstress to stitch and embroider dresses for my girls after scouring for patterns in the UK magazines available in the market. Now, I am zapped by the sheer volume of intricate designs, styles and patterns available. ”

Earlier, there were a handful of brands like Weekender Kids, Planet Kids, Lilliput, Li’l Tomatoes, Gini and Jony and United Colours of Benetton. Now, discovering the huge potential of this market, sportswear brands and numerous international players, after a tie-up with Indian companies, have unveiled their kidswear collections. Pantaloon has the Chalk and Bare brands, Numero Uno has NU JNS, there’s Levis Junior, Rbk Juniors, Disney, Barbie, Lee Youth, Zapp by Raymond and several other brands like Drop, Kanz, Peppermint.

Sainath, taking care of the kids’ section at a mall, discloses how eager parents are to splurge on the little tykes’ clothes and accessories. “These clothes are highly priced compared to what sells at the local markets. But you can’t beat this stuff in the vibrancy, trendiness and comfort.”

With many brands choosing Hyderabad as the first destination for obvious reasons, it’s truly a buyers’ heaven.

With kids taking their styling cues from movies and TV channels, it’s no wonder companies have taken the Bollywood route in partnering for merchandise. And parents, however much they crib and carp, are revelling in having little dudes and fashionistas to spend on.

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