shak-shuka

Spring/Summer Collections - oh MY!

It's that time of the year when all of us retailers are working hard to bring you the best that we can offer - and Shak-Shuka is now exception - we're working around the clock (literally) to update our site with our freshest, newest arrivals for our growing Spring/Summer collections. It has been a labor of love, and we are more excited than ever at our established and new brands, as they are constantly reinventing themselves and raising the bar higher and higher! Especially in regard to style, but also in regard to their eco-friendliness, with many more brands becoming organic, using recycled or eco-friendly materials, or being fair trade. We thought we'd give you a run-down of our Spring/Summer collections at a glance:

Ada Ada - if subdued patterns and colors are your thing, Ada Ada will fit the bill. Gorgeous colors of black, grey and olive across jumpsuits, bloomers, and unbelievably gorgeous dresses for girls (complete with wings!)

Bobo Choses - quirky prints, adorable styles, that's what Bobo Choses is famous for, and parents around the world have been knocking down our door for this collection. Gelato, bunnies, and hairy hats do NOT disappoint in this summer collection.

Itsus - a new collection for (lucky) babies up to 2 years, this collection of 100% organic cotton rompers and dresses with stunning prints of butterflies, sea horses and thistles is summertime dressing personafied.

Mini Rodini - humorous prints like hot dogs, kitty cats and more classic prints like butterflies adorn this collection for kids. One of the collections that both parents and kids love - kids love the awesome styles and prints, and parents love that too, plus the fact that it's all 100% organic cotton. Phew.

New Generals - for the "big" kids (2 years+), this set of black and white tops and undies are by far the coolest that we've ever seen. Mix and match the insects, butterflies and bugs - and might we add that these cool undies make a great incentive to potty train quicker?!

Popupshop - the collection that got us started and put on the "mode" map, Popupshop returns this season with vintage black, sunny yellow, and maritime stripes. Keeping it classic with a hint of understated cool is the way they do it, and do it right every time.

Shampoodle - childishly comfortable clothes is how they describe themselves, and we couldn't agree more. Each season their collection makes us smile with it's unusual styles, cool colors, and of course, organic and natural fabrics that make it unbelievably wearable. Check out the women's styles too!

 

 

 

Melissa Mini Fashionista Footwear

While I was in London the other week for "work" (I use that term loosely as too much fun was had for it to be considered work), I had a bit of time to do a wee bit of shopping (enter roaring laughter here). I was lucky to have one of my favorite partner's in crime, my bestie from NYC who knows how to whip in/out of stores in record time, but also pause for contemplation when faced with a very serious purchase.

Many shops were having tantalizing sales, and I was able to scoop up a final pair of Swedish Hasbeens that had been missing from my (growing) collection. But what was placed in the window for all to see? These adorable, beyond words, cute shoes for girls. As my jaw dropped looking at them, I realized that I had seen them before somewhere - ah, that's right - the Ecouterre website featured them a few weeks ago and I had said to myself "if I ever see those shoes, I'm SO getting them for Lil'Miss". Well, I didn't - not because I didn't love them, but because I was in fear of choosing the wrong style/size and hearing about it for weeks on end (Lil'Miss has become very Suri-Cruise-esque when it comes to dressing herself). There are 4 styles to choose from, and they are not your usual run-of-the-mill plastic shoes: these are made by Melissa Plastic Dreams who uses an alternative form of PVC that is recyclable, breathable and non-toxic. And oh, did we happen to mention that these mini beauties are the brainchild of Vivienne Westwood? Oh yes, that explains the price tag as well (in the UK I spotted them for 60GBP and in the US $100) which may make you pause for contemplation but once you clamp eyes, then your little girl sees them, I think you'll be hard pressed to pass on them.

Big Boy + Girl (Organic) Pjs

Any parent who is moving from the baby stage to the toddler stage will notice that there is a general shift in sleepwear for children. Before it was all cute little animals on one-pieces for our daughter, but now that she's wearing underwear and in "big girl" pyjamas, it's much more of a challenge to find non-cartoon-character pj's. Try as I might, the choices out there are beyond hideous, and of course the majority of the options are the furthest thing from eco-friendly or organic.

That's why we're grinning from ear to ear here at Shak-Shuka to have discovered a brand that not only steers clear of any Mouse or Builder-character, but is also incredibly eco-friendly. Adri is the maker of these revolutionary pyjamas for kids aged 3-6 years, and also not to be forgotten is the addition of soft organic cotton underwear with cheeky sayings on the back. The underwear makes a great gift for children who are not completely potty-trained, as they come in an adorable little box for the lucky boy or girl. For the nightwear, kids can choose from being superheros, party girls, or cowboys on their way to bed - best of all they come with a coordinating mask so they make sure they look the part when fighting off monsters or are on their way to a soiree. As if Adri read my mind, these are THE pyjamas not only of the season, but for good. If you've made the official switch from baby pj's to big kid pj's, these quality organic pieces are the only way to go.

Get a Piece of Piecemeal Clothing

Now that the spring/summer season is officially underway, I'm giddy with pride at our clothing selections. Organics, oeko-tex, fair trade - everything and everyone has been considered when we search out new brands, with careful attention to not hurt anyone's sense of style in the process! Leave it to a budding Swedish brand to hit the nail on the head with their beachy-urban color palette and comfortably chic threads. 

Piecemeal was introduced to me last season and I could not wait to get their gorgeous organic clothes in at Shak-Shuka. The colors are spot-on for me: chambray blue, creamy white, and a delicious beetroot red that looks better than real beetroot! I can imagine a beach-going child in Sydney wearing the organic duds as much as I can a mini urbanite in Tokyo. Both would look the epitome of chic even if they don't care in the slightest (most importantly: it's all super comfortable to wear!). Delighting parents, children, and shop owners alike (that's me!), Piecemeal is here to stay at Shak-Shuka!

It's a Playdress, It's a Fancy Dress

There are very few things that my daughter and I share the same affinity for. Usually she gravitates towards purses, bling-related footwear, and lots of pink. I've tried to influence her love of pink with a hint of purple, which thankfully she's warming up to. Yes, I am going to cause reverse damage that my pink-infested-childhood created. I've got to create my own set of issues, right?! Or was it memories....hmm....

Anyways, when my daughter wakes up in the morning, she eyes the clothing rack in her room and yells out "FANCY DRESS" which means one of her prized Hanna Andersson dresses. Anyone living in the US and with a post box recognizes the name from their kidswear catalogs with Scandinavian-infused prints and stripes galore. Hanna Andersson is a Swedish-family business, but runs out of the US, making it all the more strange that we can't get it easily here in Europe (although I have a steady supply from my Hanna Andersson mule, my mother). But if you're lucky enough to get your hands on Hanna Andersson duds, I highly recommend their "It's a Playdress, It's a Daydress" - although the mouth is a mouthful, I cannot believe how these dresses wear. I think I've probably washed it a million times and the color is EXACTLY the same and the thickness of the (organic) cotton is unparalleled. Usually companies claim that their clothing can be passed down from generation to generation, but Hanna Andersson's clothing is the real deal. I foresee my great-great-grandaughter rocking the same Playdress/Daydress as her grandmother once wore (my daughter!).

Fresh Spin on Organic Kids Clothing

I just can't help myself writing about our Spring/Summer collections. Normally I try to keep the boutique pimping to a minimum, but there are so many new and wonderful items to share that I just have to share since I'm bursting at the seams!

There is no better feeling to me then breaking the generalization of what eco-friendly, organic fashion is (think boring, brown potato sacks). Even better is when it's for the wee ones! Lucky lucky us that we get to scour the earth for the finest in organic fashion for kids, and we strive to bring our customers the coolest, chicest in organic duds. Here are some of our newest and brightest additions....

Jump, jump, jump for joy! It's been a long wait, but finally it's over as we now have the new Mini Rodini organic collection. For us this collection represents such a unique twist on organic kids fashion - I mean, whoever thought that panda prints and paint splatter would ever be on organic cotton?!! Such exciting stuff, and a ray of hope for us in love with eco-friendly materials, but not always the styles and (lack of) prints.

One of the very first clothing brands that we ever carried is still one of our favorites. Popupshop brings the minimalistic chic that they are famous for this season with more comfortable classics in their monochromatic scheme of grey, black and cream. We're so in love with these styles we're thinking of shrinking ourselves so that we can squeeze into some Popupshop ourselves!

For us, this brand feels like home, as it reflects the sandy beaches of Tel Aviv and the warmth of the sun. Ada Ada uses only natural fibers and eco-friendly dyes, and all the garments are made in a lovely factory which follows fair trade principles. Seeing this collection is a breath of fresh air in the world of children's clothing: from their comfortable and classic designs to their natural color palette.

Duds for the Little Speesees

When our daughter was born, we were given one of the loveliest gift boxes from our favorite set of Uncles. Inside, there were so many delicious items for a newborn baby, many of which are actually sold at Shak-Shuka now! Indeed it was one of the best gifts we were given, as it was food for thought when we opened the store as we were able to personally test each product to see if it got the seal of approval from us as parents, and more importantly - road-tested by a new baby.

One of the products that we were so eager to use was an organic clothing set from Speesees. It was orange, with brown birds flying over the chest of the onesie. It was one of those things that you see (in tiny form) and you literally finding yourself counting down the days, hours, minutes until you can put your child in it. And when we did, ah, it was like wrapping our baby in butter! Since those days we have had countless items from Speesees, each one wearing like iron, maintaining it's color and design without fading, and standing up to the rigors of rollling, crawling and falling (child-tested, remember?!). We are so delighted at Shak-Shuka to count ourselves as Speesees ambassadors, as we just received our new stock from them and cannot wait to share these lovely duds with our families! Patterns that you won't find in most organic clothing, ingenious designs (like cross-over kimono onesies) and fuss-free dressing in the form of dresses or jumpers make getting dressed a breeze. So go ahead, treat yourself or someone else to a little Speesees lovin' - you will NOT be disappointed!

Warm+Toasty Green Kids Jacket

Since this has been a particularly chilly winter for us (compared to what we're used to) in Europe, a warm jacket is essential - especially for the little ones. Unfortunately for me, this year I had invested in a cute but cheaply made puffer style jacket, which can be machine washed, but when you do, the filling clumps together in places that makes my daughter look like the Michelin Man. Cute and funny - yes. Warm - not so much - or I guess she is in places where the filling is.

I knew better when I bought that seductively cute but cheaply made jacket (how many times have I repeated my mantra: "Buy Less, Buy Better" to myself and others?!) that it wouldn't last a season. But I had no idea it wouldn't hold up to the cold weather! Now that I know better, I'm investing in a mini version of my toasty warm Patagonia jacket that has just as much cute-factor, but with plenty of eco street cred to boot. Wind and water reistant, made from 100% recycled polyester, and down-filled from humanely raised geese - major green high-fives all'round. Since Patagonia is the leader in keeping things green, they even give a product footprint for the jacket, which travelled 32,678km, generated .5kg of waste, and consumed 3.3kWh. Wow. And I was just worried about whether or not my daughter would be toasty warm. Thanks Patagonia for always keeping us warm and fuzzy all over, without warming the planet while you do so!

Organic Mini-Me Wear

Very rarely do I get so excited that I am virtually jumping up and down at the arrival of a new product to Shak-Shuka. But we have been waiting since we opened for the kids clothing from Popupshop, and we could not be happier to FINALLY have our grubby little paws on them. Popupshop is an organic clothing maker that creates kids clothing in adult colors, and in styles that will make you want to put yourself in the dryer and shrink yourself so that you can fit into them. 

When a friend of mine saw the collection, she said "it's for hip little New York urbanites". So true. Lap-neck sweatshirts, baggy leggings, knee-length t-shirt dresses that coordinate perfectly with the leopard print or black and white tights.....ok, I'm gushing here. To see for yourself, check out the 2-6 year old "wear" section (we think it's for the more "mature" audience of Shak-Shuka, not for the 3 month olds!) and let us know what you think! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to see a collection of non-pinky-blue-logo-bonanza-ness. In the world of children's clothing, and organic clothing especially, Popupshop is in a league all their own. 

Available at: www.shak-shuka.com

T-(Shirt) Time for Change

For anyone who knows me, I am not into displaying brands or slogans on my chest when I wear clothing. It doesn't matter what label, or what it says, I just don't like being a walking billboard. This goes also for my daughter. Why is it that companies decide to ruin a perfectly cute tee shirt by putting "I love ponies" on it???! I thought that we had moved above and beyond those days, but apparently not. 

Imagine my surprise and delight to find t-shirts that do have written text, but in my words (ok, theirs), that speak from the heart (ok, once again, my heart). How great is it to see a child wearing a t-shirt that says "I'll change the world someday". It almost feels as though your child is destined for greatness when s/he wears it! Tiny Revolutionary is an amazing mom-preneur run company, by two sassy mamas who are out to change the world, one tee at a time. Capturing simple and beautiful globally-known quotes (like Ghandi's "Be the change you wish to see in the world"), combined with stunning graphics, make these eco tees hard to beat. That's right - to push them over the eco-green scale, the shirts are made with organic cotton, printed with non-toxic, water-based inks, and some of them are made using recycled polyester and rayon for a tee-shirt so soft you'll never want to take it off (your child)!!!

So maybe I am hard to sell on shirts that scream "GAP" or "Teletubbies" on the front, but with Tiny Revolutionary tees, I'm lining up to be part of their t(iny) revolution!!

Available at: www.shak-shuka.com