trade shows

raspberry plum

Paul & Paula attends many fairs during the year.

To meet people from the industry, discover new trends and brands and most of all to mingle with the industry. We like to share our finds and must haves!

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My favourites from Pitti Bimbo 97

Pitti Bimbo 97

It was an honour and big fun to be part of the 97th edition of Pitti Bimbo. Yes, only three more until the B I G 100. So exciting!

Trade shows are not an easy playing field these days (still not) however nobody can beat Pitti to their program, hospitality and flair. And they win in terms of discovery factor too.
That is why I would like to share 7 brands that stood out to me and may not be on your radar at the moment. However, I think they should be and deserve to be.

Let’s have a look at these stars from around the globe, found at Pitti Bimbo:

Appulu

Appulu

Each Appulu garment is created with kids in mind, with breath-ability and airiness for comfort. ‘Being from India we stay true to our indigenous roots and take pride in our skilled artisans and create for global consumers.’
Slow processes, small batch production, limited quantities and pre-orders to avoid any waste and excess production. Appulu decided to go as far as batch dying their own yarn in eco-friendly naturally derived colors, all hand processed from organic waste to cured yarn. My eyes were instantly drawn to their attention of detail in each piece and you can see the craftsmanship that has been put into each garment, it is simply beautiful.
Photo Credits: F. Guazzelli
 

flying ace kids

Flying Ace

Flying Ace was founded by four best friends, whose dream was to enhance children’s everyday lives with fun and adventure. By stepping away from the traditional costume industry, they wanted to create something special. Adorable capes, fun socks and the best summer hats, everything is made from using GOTS certified fabrics and dyes and manufacturing them in small facilities in their home country, Georgia, as well as in Spain and Portugal. Every piece is designed collaboratively with emerging Georgian artists with the primary goal of celebrating the wonder of childhood and complementing children’s limitless imaginations.

 

C'era una Volta

C’era una Volta

An Italian label dedicated to dress children beautifully, just as they are. In this collection the brand dedicated a capsule to FLOCUS. A new intelligent fabric that is both more ecological, softer and warmer than regular cotton. A fascinating fabric, that is just getting more recognition, and I love that a children’s brand picked up on it. The collection is beautiful and called ‘Postcards from my memories’, with a palette taking from Italy and Japan. Toned by a vintage flair; a delicate terracotta, a rich ochre, the cleanest sky, a dandelion white.

 

Boatilus

Boatilus

Family eco-friendly footwear for people who care about the product’s ecological impact and about the future of the planet.
The Franco-Italian founders are both parents, and 7th generation shoe manufacturers, who have been making footwear since 1810. Today, the brand creates and manufactures in Europe for their sandals and boots to be BIO-based & 100% RECYCLABLE !

 

 

oseree kids

Oséree

This stylish brand, already quite popular for women, makes each piece expertly handmade in Italy, just launched a collection for the youngsters.  The brand’s signature metallic thread glitters in the sunlight and while it is very on-trend, it is also stretchy and comfortable with no itch! Glam!

 

wooxy kids

Wooxy

Wooxy is a new brand for kids based and produced in Tbilisi, Georgia. (Georgia seems to be a place to watch.) ‘Our outfits brings to peace different styles that gives children a sense of freedom and creates a festive mood as well. The materials we use are made of 100% of organic cotton.’
I love their timeless silhouettes, colours, and soft fabrics. Easy pieces that always look fantastic!

 

flower mountain naturino

Flower Mountain for Naturino

What is not to like? Colourful, design-led, fun, chunky, cool, and comfortable. This vegan shoe line has been created together with Japanese designers who combine innovation with the nipponic design tradition.

 

Of course, I will need to mention the two activities I organised for this edition. In order to create a fun and light connection between press/influencers and the brands. The Pitti Olympics and Summer Look in 1 minute, a fun styling game.
By diving into the pieces in the S/S 24 collections of the brands on display, participants playfully connected with the brands at the fair. Let me know if you are planning to attend the fair in January and I will make sure to have you on board.

Top Image Credits: Eeva Suutari

My ‘Coup de Cœurs’ from Pitti Bimbo 95

 Pitti Bimbo 95
Yay! I was back! Back in Florence and back at Pitti Bimbo. If you are hesitating or wondering if you should go in January, do it. It is great to catch up, to see the new collections in real, to enjoy a bit of Italian flair, because that really is the little secret ingredient.

So, Pitti Bimbo number 95 it was, with the theme of ‘Pitti Island’ – a physical and spiritual point. A lab that experiments, multiplies, and diversifies. An island of discoveries, explorations, and visions. My kind of island!
A place for meeting and being together before everyone sets out on their own journey. And that is exactly how I felt during my time in Florence. I am ready again to take away inspiration, colours, fabrics, designs, and ideas… for my own journey.

Yes, it was small. Smaller than usual. But selected and very fine. And it allowed time to meet and talk; to walk around and not run; to have a longer lunch and catch up with colleagues. It was lovely!

Top Buyers and key press attended, 211 brands in total, ranging from ceremonial (a section that is booming again), active wear, leisure, luxury, and contemporary. A total of 3 thousand visitors, with over 2,100 buyers, of which 40% came from more than 50 different countries.

It is also worth noting the great attention that Pitti Bimbo has received in the press and on social media, with almost 200 registered journalists, influencers, and media operators, and around 15,000 interactions achieved by the trade show social media channels.
Every little thing adds up to something big!

 Pitti Bimbo 95

Now, what were my favourites? I will tell you:

The Apartment section is still my favourite of the fair, and it was a lovely presentation once again. And full of inspiration!

Stand out collections and new finds are:

Raspberry Plum – Aleksandra never disappoints, but this must be my favourite collection so far. Amazing prints, cool accessories, vibrant colour combinations, and a bit of glam. I will show you more of S/S 2023 here very soon.

Artemis & Apollon – NEW brand from Greece with a quality, cotton clothing range sharing Greek mythology. Margarita, founder, started the brand during covid inspired by her childhood loves, Greek mythology and sketching.

Tiny Beans – NEW brand from Berlin, Germany. Designing supersoft organic bedlinen for babies and children with a mix and match system. You can select covers, pillow cases, and sheets in any design you love and any size you need. No more sets!

Paade Mode – Linda, another superwoman that always delivers. Beautiful dresses, superb prints, and just such a cool mix and match of fabrics, colours, and designs.

Looks by Luks – new discovery. They are famous for their turbans, but they also presented some very beautiful and cool pyjamas. I will write more about them here very soon!

“In the Fortezza, among the stands, there was great and widespread satisfaction. And many exhibitors were positively surprised by the international turnout and attendance. They saw some of the best buyers in the kids wear world, motivated and willing to bring customers back to their stores and department stores. And who greatly appreciated the selection of collections, launches and special projects in the Fortezza. More and more oriented to tell the world of kids wear in a wide dimension, from design objects and accessories, to books and vintage.”

 Pitti Bimbo 95  Pitti Bimbo 95  Pitti Bimbo 95

This time I want to share a few more ‘Coup de Cœurs’ with you. The ones I discovered outside the Fortezza da Basso. All with a vegan menu/offering, of course:

Shake Cafe – yummy shakes, smoothies, bowls, and more treats. They are all vegan and great ‘pick me ups’ after a day at the fair and high temperatures outside. They serve great breakfasts too, if you would like more than a croissant and a cappuccino. 4 locations around the city!

Santo Falafel – all-vegan, fast food restaurant specialising in falafel.  It also serves various flavours of hummus, fattoush salad, soups and other traditional Middle Eastern dishes. I had a huge salad with falafel and various dips on arrival day, and it made me very happy. If you love falafel like me or just want to change a bit from Italian food…

Gelateria Edoardo il gelato biologico – another fantastic location. Piazza del Duomo. Dark chocolate and fruit sorbet flavours are common vegan options. Edoardo, however, has creamy options for vegans and they are sooooo good. Wednesday was so hot, even the Italians were moaning, I had to treat myself to a cool break. The almond is killer, and the salted pistachio is absolutely fab. Everything is organic too!

Le Luna – the last evening was spent under the stars, together with colleagues, vino, and plates of delicious food, including a vegan menu for me that was out of this world. Surrounded by nature, a view of Florence, and a perfect ending to my journey.
Thank you and see you in January!

Images: AKAstudio-collective

Collaborate with Paul & Paula

work with paul & Paula

Hi everyone!

Today I want to talk about my own business, digital marketing, for a bit instead of promoting and sharing what other amazing people are making and doing.

Paul & Paul will soon turn 12, and over all these years I have worked with various companies, created and managed content, oversaw websites and editorial teams, helped set up new businesses, designed interiors and products, seen the world of children and family lifestyle from all angles, and consulted on digital marketing.

By working for various online shops, trade shows, magazines, designers, and agencies, I accumulated a lot of experience and skills that I would like to make use of and help even more companies grow and thrive.

Let me share my specific digital marketing skills and experience with you. And I would love to collaborate with you and your dream next:

Social Media Marketing & Management

Content Creation & Marketing

Digital Marketing Analysis

Newsletter Marketing

SEO

User Experience

Consult on starting a business for women and mothers

Event Organisation

 

digital marketing paul paula

Social Media Marketing & Management

Social Media Marketing (SMM) allows you to get your brand in front of as many people as possible in a short period of time. Create tailored content for each social media platform to achieve your goals.

This involves publishing great content on your social media profiles, listening to and engaging with your followers, running social media advertisements, and analysing your results.

1. Before anything, we will discuss, as a team, your social media strategy.

2. Once we know our strategy, we will plan your Social Media content ahead of time. Because we want to publish great content that your audience likes at the right timing and frequency.

3. We will manage the community that we have built, in a proactive two-way communication, because content alone just won’t cut it.

4. We will dig into the numbers for insights and to help us create something for the future. Because we want to achieve business results through Social Media Marketing.

 

Content Creation & Marketing

The goal is to drive potential customers or readers to your website or blog. This can be done by creating content that inspires or educates the target audience.

A content strategy will help to grow the audience and reach out to potential new customers or readers who may not know about the products or services you provide.

I have written articles and managed content for various well known magazines and websites. And I love to write. Storytelling, engaging the reader by also promoting your brand, highlighting news in a fun way, editing and updating old content, and delivering articles that are searchable as well as reader friendly are my special skills. Your brand needs to publish relevant, authoritative content to be seen by search engines.

Furthermore, I have basic technical knowledge of HTML and web publishing, knowledge of SEO (see below), and web traffic metrics.

Great articles are so important for your organic reach!

 

Digital Marketing Analysis

This assessment is a comprehensive and systematic examination of the state of your business, its environment, and current marketing efforts.

Your business, inside out. We will go through all your channels, analyse, dig, and pick. What is going well and what needs improvement? How many visitors actually turn into customers or not, and why? Is your website generating leads and are your newsletter subscribers excited to get mail from you? Nothing will be left untouched. And a full report packed with improvement ideas and strategies will be presented to you.

You will have a better understanding of your business, be able to make insightful decisions, take your Digital Marketing to the next level, and thereby grow your business!

Based on the information from the assessment, a marketing strategy with actionable steps customised to your business will be created.

 

Newsletter Marketing

Email newsletters are one of the most powerful digital marketing tools available to market your business. They allow you to communicate in a personal way with your customers. And deliver the right message at the right time.

The goal is to retain existing customers or readers and to keep your subscribers engaged with your brand. Next, convert subscribers into customers, and then deepen brand loyalty.

Newsletters are no longer general, blanket statements of information – at least, the good ones aren’t. They can be a dialogue between you and your readers, providing them with niche content relevant to their interests and encouraging conversation. Effective newsletters focus on personalisation (segments), because customers are looking to be treated like people, not just another contact.

Don’t have a newsletter yet? I can also help you set up a newsletter and promote subscriptions with exciting incentives.

Altogether, newsletters have evolved to be a crucial tactic in a successful marketing strategy. And when executed well, they can boost your sales and continue to grow your digital audience.

 

SEO

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. Therefore, SEO is the process of taking steps to help your website or piece of content rank higher on Google. You want to get traffic from free, organic, editorial, or natural search results in search engines. With SEO we can improve your website’s position in search results pages.
I will create an SEO strategy to improve your website’s search engine rankings in order to capture more organic traffic. It will include technical SEO (site speed & structure, mobile experience, page definitions, keywords), content strategy (see above), and on & off page SEO.

 

User Experience

What does your site look like from a design and user experience (UX) perspective? Is it intuitive to interact with and does it reflect your brand’s guidelines?

I will also evaluate your website against your primary conversion objectives like newsletter sign-ups, completed orders, new customer leads, and so on. Do you have clear call to actions? What does the customer journey look like? Are users inspired to browse and discover?

We want to focus on improving the quality of the user experience to keep them on your website for longer and make them come back again.

 

Consult on starting a business for women and mothers

I started my own business in 2010. From scratch. With my experience and knowledge as a founder and entrepreneur, I will help you develop yourself and your business or professional career. As a founder and mother, I can empathise with your situation because I have experienced it myself. Women start up differently. And mothers are different in their approach and thinking too. Together, we work on your individual challenges and find a way to better reconcile your private life, your family, and your independence.

 

Event Organisation

Whether you want to organise a Press Day, launch a new collection, arrange a gathering during a trade show, or have a lunch with selected guests, I can organise that for you, including a range of ideas on how to make your event stand out! I absolutely love to organise and events come with the great combination of creativity, coordination, personalisation, and marketing.

 

Deep understanding and knowledge of:
Google Suite
Microsoft Package
Wordpress
Shopify
Affiliate Marketing

 

Your schedule is packed, and I am here to help. Get in touch and we can start working on that strategy, grow your visibility, strengthen your branding and/or connect you with your existing as well as new customers.
I work in a very forward-thinking, organised, and detail-oriented way. I love to get to know people, listen to and understand their background, and fully support their wishes and goals.

 

Get in touch: peggy@pauletpaula.com
Clients include: Family Circle – Etsy – Loja Dada – Smallable – Yaya Lala – Lunamag.com – Pitti Bimbo – CIFF – Naturino and many more…

How I grew in 2020 with Darshana Salvisberg

Darshana Salvisberg
In the second part of this mew series I am talking to Darshana Salvisberg. Darshana is the founder of Atelier ParsMei. An eco-friendly, boutique feeling children’s brand that dresses mums as well.

A brand that offers convertible, classic contemporary design. The label is very conscious when it comes to their sustainable footprint and ensures that every aspect of production is transparent – respecting both the planet and its inhabitants.

I had the pleasure to meet Darshana in Florence during Pitti Bimbo twice and I am so happy to catch up with her here today. And hopefully in person very soon again too. She is a truly inspiring person that brings a lot of passion with her.

Let’s hear how she did over the last months:

Paul & Paula: How did 2020 start for you? And what were your original business plans for this year?
Darshana: The beginning of 2020 was already hectic for us as a family as we moved back to Switzerland from Dubai. The exciting part was the launch of Atelier Parsmei’s first ever Spring Summer 2020 collection online. The not so exciting part was the decision for my husband and I to separate. Followed by news of a pandemic taking over the world, and the ensuing lockdown as a shock for everybody.

And then it was March! How has your business been affected by the coronavirus?
We saw closure of small boutiques, cancellation of orders, cancellations of the 2 largest children’s wear trade expositions. Due to the lockdown and Covid-19 cases, we experienced huge delays with our factories. Both with respect to the development of our Spring Summer 2021 collection as well as the production of Autumn Winter 2020 collection and the delays continuing to date.

And is your business model resilient enough to recover from the impact of a crisis and manage potential crises in the future? Meaning, have you been able to lay the groundwork for recovery or are you still ‘just’ reacting?
The good thing about us being a sustainable brand is that we do not produce big quantities. We do not like to hold stock, which meant that with a small production, we were on the safe side as we did not take a big financial risk. We also had the flexibility to manage production volume which helped us deal with changes in wholesale orders.
As a new brand, we were, however, not able to attend the kids wear fairs Playtime Paris and Pitti Bimbo. And for us, they are great platforms to make our brand aware to the global buyers.
That said, we do not see the fairs happening anytime this Winter, therefore our challenge remains the ability for us to present our products to our buyers virtually.

I am sure the pandemic is a big learning curve for all of us. What was the biggest take away for you as a business owner so far?
I think that as a new start up, we have to adapt very fast to changes and also accept that things can happen in a different order than the one we have in our mind.

How do you do to stay optimistic?
Absolutely. Sometimes when we are in a dark phase, we think that we have been buried. But actually we have just been planted.

And what is the hardest part of this pandemic for you?
Restrictions with respect to how we live our lives. It has been hard to accept a reduced level of freedom in many aspects. And especially the inability to see people we love due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. Powerlessness vis a vis the viral ravage.

What kind of business opportunities happened over the last months?
We were so happy that Playtime offered their online showroom service. Despite the cancellation of the fairs, we had a number of buyers from around the world showing interest in Atelier Parsmei and contacting us. We have also started working with a sales agent in China and we are very optimistic about Atelier Parsmei’s future.

Has your relation with your local community changed since March?
Not really.

What is the feedback from your clients/ customers?
Our clients like our niche products, the quality we offer and the stories behind each of our collections. They are excited to see how we evolve as a brand.

Last question: What is the first thing that comes into your mind when I say ‘2021’?
New beginnings!

Thank you Darshana, wishing you all the best of luck in 2021.

 

Read the interview with Chloe Bowers

Photo: Darshana Salvisberg private

How I grew in 2020 with Chloe Bowers

chloe bowers

Every now and then I am missing the blog series that I used to do. Interviews with inspiring people, breakfasts from around the world or sharing favourite children’s books from people in the kids industry.

And then I generally miss the sharing and supporting part of what blogging used to be in the very beginning. Therefore I decided to invite some lovely women to share their 2020 story.

Since it has been a very different year to what everyone had in mind, it changed and challenged us. And especially when running our own company. What were the main pain points and what did we learn over the last months…

My first guest is the delightful Chloe who runs her own PR agency and lives very close to me here in West London. Her clients include the gorgeous Little Cotton Clothes amongst others.

Lets see how 2020 went for Chloe so far, her learnings and wishes for the next year:

P&P:How did 2020 start for you? And what were your original business plans for this year?
Chloe: 2020 started with alot of excitement, I was looking forward to focusing more on my business and being able to take on some new clients. With my youngest daughter due to start full time at school in March, I was excited to have more time and freedom. Then lockdown happened, no school, no nursery – hello homeschooling!

And is your business model resilient enough to recover from the impact of a crisis and manage potential crises in the future? Meaning, have you been able to lay the groundwork for recovery or are you still ‘just’ reacting?
Being a consultant I can be flexible with the business. So thankfully I was able to continue as normal work wise but having to think a bit more outside of the box.

I am sure the pandemic is a big learning curve for all of us. What was the biggest take away for you as a business owner so far?
The brands that I represent have a really strong online presence so it was even more important for me to really shout about it during this year. They have great collections and incredibly strong imagery which was key during this time. With editors and stylists not being able to shoot any of their own stories during the long lockdown so many press were relying on brand imagery. This is something I would now always recommend to brands – that you can never have enough strong images.

What do you do to stay optimistic?
Plan things to look forward to within a short time-frame so it’s never far out of reach. Try to see things through the eyes of my children.

And what is the hardest part of this pandemic for you?
Losing the ‘normal’ of everyday life.

What kind of business opportunities happened over the last months?
I have continued to secure some really great coverage for the brands that I represent.
It’s been trickier to build new business relationships this year. Because I am not able to go out and meet people, but it’s been a good time to look forward, research and make plans for the future.

Has your relation with your local community changed since March?
I value all the independent stores, cafes and restaurants more than ever.

What is the feedback from your clients/ customers?
This year has been so different for everyone but the common thread is businesses and brands have had to react quickly. And work in new ways which perhaps they didn’t think were possible before.

Last question: What is the first thing that comes into your mind when I say ‘2021’?
Hope and excitement.
I want to celebrate so many missed birthdays and special occasions with family and friends, hug each other and have a good dance.

Thank you very much Chloe. Wishing you a dashing 2021!

 

Image: Chloe Bowers private

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