Archive for apparel

PerryWinkles Kids dresses now available at Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital

November 3, 2008 at 9:57 pm · Filed under Children, Toronto, Toronto shopping, Infants, Children Fashion, apparel, kids

sickkidslogo.gifWe are pleased to announce that you can now shop for PerryWinkles Kids’ collection of smocked girls’ dresses and cardigans at The 5 Fifty 5 Shop at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. The gift shop is operated by the Hospital’s Women’s Auxiliary volunteers and proceeds are directed toward patient-related projects.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada’s most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching.

With a staff that includes professionals from all disciplines of health care and research, SickKids provides the best in complex and specialized care by creating scientific and clinical advancements, sharing knowledge and expertise and championing the development of an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system.

PerryWinkles Kids specializes in little girls’ comfortable, trendy and practical girls’ hand-smocked dresses, in sizes from newborn to size 6. PerryWinkles Kids works only with machine-washable high-quality natural fabrics, like soft pima cotton, that are easy to care for.

Maria

PerryWinkles Kids - fine girls’ clothing

Comments

Viyella

September 14, 2008 at 9:16 pm · Filed under Children, Infants, Children Fashion, fashion industry, apparel, kids

Pink.JPGOne of our favourite fabrics to work with for our Fall and Winter collections of little girls’ hand-smocked dresses is viyella (vī yel′ə, vi-). This gorgeous fabric is made of natural fibres and is soft and cozy, making it perfect for dresses for every little girl during the colder months. For the 2008 Fall and 2009 Winter we used viyella in our stunning and unique new Jane hand-smocked dress.

What is viyella? This soft, light, flannel-like fabric is made of a blend of lamb’s wool (merino wool) and fine cotton. It was first woven in 1893 in England and originally made made of 55 per cent merino wool and 45 per cent cotton in a twill weave. The name Viyella is based on the unusually-named valley road, Via Gellia, near Matlock in England, where in 1890 Hollins & Co., the first makers of viyella, acquired a mill used for the early production of viyella. Viyella was a soft dress-weight fabric which was more resistant to shrinkage than any comparable pure wool alternative. It rapidly became the most famous and coveted cloth in the world, renowned for its durability and softness. Viyella was the first fabric to be branded.

The viyella we use at PerryWinkles Kids is made in Peru, with local merino wool and 100% pima cotton - absolutely gorgeous, soft, elegant and cozy.

After today’s gorgeous and warm day in the East coast, it’s hard to imagine our little princesses will be needing warmer outfits.

Maria

PerryWinkles Kids - fine girls’ smocked dresses

Comments

PerryWinkles Kids - Announcing our new Fall/Winter Collection of little girl’s dresses

August 14, 2008 at 9:36 pm · Filed under Children, Toronto, Moms, Toronto shopping, Infants, Children Fashion, fashion industry, apparel

Jumper_red3.JPGWe are thrilled to announce our Fall & Winter Dress Collection for little girls and baby girls, just in time for back to school and all their special occasion during the colder months. We have found gorgeous viyellas, heavy cotton, veloure and baby corduroy and have decorated them with stunning and unique smocking patterns, to keep your little princess cozy, comfortable and stylish during the Fall and Winter seasons. As always, practicality is was a key consideration and all our new designs are machine-washable, to keep up with today’s mom’s busy schedules.

Our new collection of little girls’ dresses include beautiful hand-smocked designs, like the Jane style in pink viyella. As well, your little princess will dazzle in her first day of school in one of our new blue or red corduroy jumpers and viyella shirts. We have other new additions to our collection, like brand new styles of cotton cardigans and nylon tights.

PerryWinkles Kids - fine smocked girls’ dresses

Comments (1)

Vote Now for PerryWinkles Kids to be Canada’s top Mom Entrepreneur!

August 4, 2008 at 8:44 pm · Filed under Children, Toronto, Moms, Toronto shopping, Infants, Children Fashion, apparel

FlowerPerryWinkles Kids has been nominated to be Canada’s top Mom Entrepreneur and we need your votes to help us win.

SavvyMom Media has put PerryWinkles Kids’ name into the ring to win The SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award, a reader’s choice contest designed to find Canada’s top Mom Entrepreneur. The winner will be announced in the fall, and will be rewarded with a $17,000 prize that was designed to help take that business into the next level.

PerryWinkles Kids, a Canadian-based children’s wear company, designs and manufactures fine children’s clothing, specializing in stylish, practical and comfortable girls’ smocked dresses from newborn to size 6T. Our daughters and grand-daughters are the inspiration for all of our hand-smocked dresses’ designs. Practicality to fit today’s moms’ busy schedules is a priority - all of our little girls’ dresses are made of 100% pima cotton and are machine-washable.

Go to the following link and make sure to cast your vote for us!
http://www.momentrepreneuraward.ca/MomBio.aspx?momID=286
Thanks!

Maria

PerryWinkles Kids

Comments

Great resource for apparel start-ups

July 30, 2008 at 8:42 am · Filed under Toronto, Children Fashion, fashion industry, apparel

If you are a start-up company in the apparel industry, I highly recommend a site called Fashion Incubator. Fashion Incubator offers great advice for apparel manufacturing and the fashion business in general, particularly for small businesses. It has been an invaluable source of information for my business of girls’ stylish smocked dresses. I have found very useful resources on how to build a line sheet for my Spring/Summer line of little girl dresses, advice on the role of sales reps in the clothing industry, and comments on the pros and cons of having a website when you are also trying to sell to retailers. Kathleen Fasanella, who has nearly 27 years of experience in the apparel industry, writes nearly all the material on the site. Subscribing to receive their emails is free. Along the same line, I recommend Toronto Fashion Incubator. This site, with a focus on Toronto, ‘nurtures and supports fashion entrepreneurs’. The content is nevertheless not free; you can become a member for $130…..which I still haven’t done. I’m tempted to join to gain access to interesting seminars and information, such as a list of retailers in Canada and the U.S. and Sales Reps. As a small business in the children’s clothing business, with limited funds for professional advice, these sites have become extremely useful as a source of information to guide me through the intricacies of having a small business designing and manufacturing little girls’ dresses.

Maria

PerryWinkles Kids

Fine Children’s Clothing

Comments (1)