Parents spendbig to spoil their first born

www.AlexandAlexa.com FASHION | NEWS | LIFESTYLETHE POP-UP PARENTING BROADSHEET

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Join the debate:Gadget Generation: Too much too young?page 5

Reading Corner Books that willinspire thempage 4

Style ReportAlexandAlexa.comlaunches mini-seriespage 2

By Leanne Allos

With more money spent on newborn babies than ever before, parents are lavishing gifts to the tune of £4,000 to welcome the arrival of their first born into the family.According to a report by baby products company Philips Avent, one in three parents admit to getting ‘carried away’ and hugely overspending to mark the occasion of their newborn.Typically, clothing, accessories and footwear were the main areas where expectant parents spent most, with the majority going towards clothing to be worn in the first three months of their child’s life. However, around one in four admitted they had bought far more clothes than needed.Premium childrenswear e-tailer AlexandAlexa.com

Fabergé launches the world’s biggest egg hunt in London, UK: Over 200 egg sculptures planted throughout the city. Each egg offers an opportunity to be entered into the prize draw to win the jewel encrusted ‘Diamond Jubilee’ egg, valued at £100,000. See page 4.

Copycat: Kid couture at Pitti Bimbo fair, Italy

Children inherit expensive taste as mini-me fashion takes offThe craze for children’s designer clothing shows no signs of abating, with stores reporting a massive increase in sales of mini-me fashions. The phenomenon has taken off largely due to the rise in celebrity offspring sporting replica outfits to their famous parents - Victoria Beckham’s daughter Harper Seven has been hailed as a trail-blazer for tiny-tot fashion.

Designers have been quick to react to the trend, with many producing scaled down carbon copies of garments from their adult collections. Burberry’s mini-trench coat has proved particularly popular across the board.The childrenswear market as a whole is worth £5 billion in the UK, with an estimated £500 million of that accredited

to luxury designer clothing for kids. Figures like these have spurred on fashion houses such as Marni and Missoni to create their own children’s clothing lines.The Missoni girls collection is now available to buy online only at e-tailer AlexandAlexa.com.Fashion buyer, Vanessa Benedict, explains: “We’re really excited to welcome Missoni to AlexandAlexa

this season. I see a strong correlation between the children’s pieces and their womenswear creations – their signature zig-zag print is ever-present, albeit in pared down pastels, so it’s immediately more playful and child-friendly.”With the luxury childrenswear market growing at an estimated 25% every year, this is one fashion trend that isn’t a fad.

The rise of the house husbandThe number of stay-at-home fathers in the UK has tripled in the past fifteen years. A fixed sight now at most school gates, the upsurge in divorce settlements and job losses, coupled with an increase in dedicated career women who want less to do with child care and housework, has pushed the total figure to a staggering 1.2 million.

reported a huge spike in sales of luxury baby accessories, with their collectable Dior glass bottle (retailing at £50) proving to be one of their most popular items. Even more intriguing is the fact that these coveted items are not purchased by parents alone. Alexa of AlexandAlexa.com says: “Quite a few of our shoppers are buying for their friend’s children. We’ve had a huge interest in our Burberry changing bags – they make the perfect baby shower gift.”Surprisingly, the second child tends to receive a more frugal welcome into the world, as parents admitted to scaling back on their spending. On average 73% are more money-savvy the second time around. Sue Hayward, family finance expert at Phillip Avent advises: ‘The key is to look

for quality items which will last for a long time”. Meanwhile, the luxury baby industry continues to cater for big-spenders, with ever more extravagant items becoming widely available for those keen to spoil their own children or those of their friends and family members.

Here are three of the most popular rich-kid must-haves on the market:

Burberry changing bag, £595Leather changing bag with signature nova check print.Available from www.alexandalexa.com

Maclaren GB Type AU gold buggy, £2,000Carbon fibre buggy with embroidered coat of arms and a 9 carat gold pin that can be worn as a brooch.

Henry IV convertible highchair, £860A state of the art high chair made from birch wood.

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Printed at The Guardian Print Centre, Rick Roberts Way, London, E15 2GN

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By Anna Hughes

It’s a personal thing, taste, especially when it comes to parenthood. Everyone has different ideas of what route to take. The scope for parental

advice is an exhausted list of new methods to get the baby sleeping soundly, how to turn a junior into a genius, and now, what to dress them in. Not this time. The tables have turned at designer kids’ retailer,

AlexandAlexa.com, who brought three of their close friends and family together to talk through their stylish product picks for kids. There are three perspectives: The Stylist, Natalie Hartley, senior

fashion editor of renowned women’s magazine InStyle; The Mumpreneur, Courtney Adamo, founder of widely popular mum’s blog Babyccinokids; and The Businessman, Alex Theophanous, dad of two

boisterous boys under 10 and co-founder of AlexandAlexa.com. All three films comprise a mini-series due to air on4 March 2012. Watch the full series online at www.alexandalexa.com/tv

Lights, camera, action: Natalie Hartley faces her audience from behind the scenes (above). Courtney Adamo browses online (below left). Alex’s boys showcase their style (below right).

Parents cash in as organic baby food business booms

Babies develop faster with the sound of music

Shopping secrets of the stylishrevealed in exclusive mini-series

By Claire Clendon

It seems nothing spurs on entrepreneurial drive more than a frustrated parent. Many independent organic baby food companies were started by those looking for a healthy, organic alternative to bland processed meals for their little ones. Identifying a gap in the market, they now find themselves with

a lucrative commodity. Last year British company Plum Baby was sold by mother of three Susie Willis for £10m. And more recently, Ella’s Kitchen, brainchild of Paul Lindley, is preparing for an estimated £50m sale this year. Despite the recession, organic food is more profitable than ever, with consumer

anxieties about chemicals and preservatives at an all-time high. Research by TABS Group revealed that parents purchased more organic products than those without children. Last year saw a series of mergers and acquisitions with organic producers in the USA and Europe, as investors recognise the potential of

the mass market. Though Ella’s Kitchen stresses that they are looking for partners who match their clean ideals, there is always the risk of compromising these values when a small business chooses to scale up. Mass market and organic typically don’t go hand-in-hand, but it looks like the new generation is set for change.

Recent studies highlight that playing classical music to little ones aids cognitive growth. Known as the ‘Mozart Effect’, research undertaken by Professor Francis Rauscher indicates that complex musical structures have an encouraging effect on spatial awareness. Such findings now see state-

WORLD NEWS STYLE REPORT

funded day care centres in Florida required to play classical music by law. Whilst Rauscher now emphasises that the ‘Mozart Effect’ doesn’t increase general intelligence, at the very least the soothing tones of Bach and Schubert could provide children with an environment rich in culture and music.

Term time holidaysto be bannedParents taking children out of school for term-time breaks to save money on holidays, may face fines. Education Secretary Michael Grove, is to abolish the right for head teachers to ‘authorise absence’. 

Baby talkAustralian researchers have found that babies who are too young to talk are still able to interact and make friends. Cameras set at a baby’s eye view revealed that they are much more capable at a young age than first believed.

Surrogate surgeChina is experiencing an upsurge in demand for surrogate mothers. 2012 is the year of the dragon and is seen as an auspicious year to have a baby. With more hopeful parents scheduling babies, China is expecting to see a 10% increase in births this year.

Watch your languageChildren of the Sint-Pieterscollege primary school in Brussels are being disciplined for speaking French. The Flemish school believes that speaking Dutch is compulsory even in the playground.

BELGIUM

AUSTRALIA

CHINA

UNITED KINGDOM

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STRIPE WHILE IT’S HOTStripes leave room for bold, block colours - these ice lolly shades at Rykiel Enfant are good enough to eat

Outfits byRykiel Enfant

Shop online atwww.alexandalexa.com

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The Life ConsultantParenting problems? She tells it like it ispage 4

Take the helmYou say what sells fordesigner e-store page 6

Crossing the ChanelFashion house plans 20,000 sq foot flagship, in London page 7

New collection previews | facebook.com/alexandalexa

twitter.com/alexandalexa www.AlexandAlexa.comfacebook.com/alexandalexaTHE LEXEM

to encourage the audience to engage with the exhibit. Cheng reveals her childhood was the main inspiration behind her creation, with the idea of an egg itself symbolising “the tiny potential of another generation”. Inside is a music box which carries huge significance for Cheng. She cites it as “one of the objects that shines through from my childhood”. Turn the gold handle and delight in the sound of a classic French love song tinkling throughout the acoustics of The National Theatre. Grab a map and get hunting!

For more clues and prizes, visitfacebook.com/alexandalexa or follow @alexandalexa

of UKTV’s leading entertainment channel Watch says: “Bedtime stories are supposed to soothe children and send them off to sleep soundly. “As adults, we can see the innocence in fairytales, but a five year old with an overactive imagination could take things too literally.

“Despite the dark nature of classic f a i r y t a l e s , as we see in G R I M M ,

good will triumph over evil and there is always a moral to the story.”The study also revealed that despitetwo thirds of parents avoiding stories which might give their children nightmares, half believe that traditional stories have a stronger moral message than any modern equivalents such as The Gruffalo and books from theMr. Men series. Have your say: tweet @alexandalexa #scaryfairytales

London is getting set to break the world record for the biggest ever Easter egg hunt, with

thousands expected to take part.

Russian jewellers Fabergé, famed for their elaborate jewel

encrusted egg designs, are launching the event which sees a collaboration between some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, artists and stores. Over 200 enormous egg sculptures are to be planted throughout the city. Each egg has a unique design and its own hiding spot. Find an egg and text the code on the plaque to the entry line and you will automatically be entered into the prize draw to win the ‘Diamond Jubilee Egg’ valued at £100,000. Closing with an online auction, the hunt is for a good cause - any funds raised will be donated to charities Action for Children and The Elephant Family. AlexandAlexa.com are set to unveil their figure titled ‘Amplified’; a duck egg blue sculpture (pictured above) created by conceptual artist, Ting-Chung Jessica Cheng. Cheng is one of only two designers who created their egg with an interactive theme in mind,

The LifeConsultant

“What a beautiful baby boy” - not something we really want to hear when taking our baby daughter out for a stroll. Solution? Dress them head-to-toe in pink of course; or that’s what we’ve always been trained to think. Up until recently, high-street pink frills were our only options when it came to newborn clothing. Now there is so much choice and people are revelling in it. Look at little Harper

Seven – already a shopping expert by all accounts – her famously fashionable mum has dressed her in nothing but warm greys since day one. In response, Mumsnetters have resoundingly declared their little DDs pink free too. Is this true? Is it time to relegate those cute tutus and candy floss twin sets to the back of the closet? With so many colours to choose from, we’ll be following Harper’s lead.

Download a map from www.thebigegghunt.co.uk or pick upfrom Selfridges.

AlexandAlexa.com/Jessica Cheng’s ‘Amplified’ Egg is waiting to be discovered inside the National Theatre, South Bank, nearest tube Waterloo.

The Big Egg Hunt closes on 3 April 2012.

Fabergé to break record with the world’s biggest egg hunt for charity

Parents fear fairytales too Grimm for children at bedtime

Posh Baby: Harper bucks trend and says “No” to pink

Catriona Semple

As many as one in five parents refuse to read fairytales to their children, believing them too scary in comparison to modern stories.A survey of 2,000 adults was conducted in association with the launch of new US drama GRIMM, a series focusing on the dark side of traditional fairytales. The poll discovered that up to one third of those quizzed had children who had been terrified after hearing the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. And over half of the parents refused to read their offspring Cinderella, claiming the classic story of a young girl kept as a slave sends out the wrong message. Similarly, the unnerving tale of Rumplestiltskin was shunned for its sinister undercurrent themes of kidnapping and execution.Steve Hornsey, General Manager

Golden egg: Emilia Fox admires the bejewelled £100,000 Fabergé prize

“I don’t do clichés”: The Beckhams shun traditions for their first daughter

I Want My Hat BackJon Klassen • Walker Books £12.99 - Best for bedtime The simple but powerful illustrations of Jon Klassen make for an hilarious twist in the tale of a bear that has lost his hat. Great bedtime reading for children aged 3 years and above. An internet favourite, this book will delight parents and children alike.

The Scribble Book Herve Tullet • Tate Publishing £8.99 - Best for rainy days

Let imaginations run wild with a colouring book like no other. The Scribble Book breaks all the rules and lets kids complete the pages’ wonderful scenes the way they want to. Measuring 32cm x 27.5cm The Scribble Book includes puzzles, and features spaces for scribbling.

The Giant Play And Learn BookPascale Estellon • Chronicle Books £12.99 - Best for learning

A delightful book full of colourful illustrations and fun activities. Not only does it encourage creative minds, it also nurtures important early learning skills such as reading, writing and counting. Features 120 pages of early learning activities and over 250 stickers.

All books available from www.alexandalexa.comTh

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LEARNING

Ms. Hase solves your parenting problems

“A FIVE YEAR OLD WITH AN OVER-ACTIVE IMAGINATION COULD TAKE THINGS TOO LITERALLY”

NIL BY MOUTHQ: My three year old has taken a vehement dislike to all food that isn’t orange. I’ve tried all sorts of tricks short of starving her, but nothing works.

A: Didn’t you know that orange is the colour du jour? March this mini-fashionista down to Oliver Sweeney’s for a pair of fab frames that make everything look orange. She’ll be eating like a champ in no time.

I WANT CANDYQ: As a health-conscious parent I was horrified when my son returned from a trip to his grand- parents with a packet of M&Ms and a half-eaten Fondant Fancy. How do I tell my in-laws that their kindness is actually cruel?

A: What was wrong with the other half? Try reverse psychology next time and thank them. Your little darling will be on the receiving end of more sweets than he can muster and I guarantee that after a couple of visits he will have learnt a very valuable lesson.

SCHOOL RUN WARFAREQ: I’ve always thought myself something of a poster-girl for the school-run gen, but September’s intake has seen a whole army of leather-trousered Yummies for whom dressing up for the playground is a competitive sport. It’s added 40 minutes onto the morning routine and £200 to my botox bill. Help!

A: One word: wigs. Nobody can keep up with a woman with 30+ disguises, so swap pleather for polyester and keep them guessing as to just who will be collecting your kid at the school gates. The more outré your outfit, the better! An entourage of au pairs trumps a pair of leather trousers every time.

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@BabyccinokidsWe really do our best to limit the time our kids are behind a screen

JOIN THE

DEBATEFollow us on:

facebook.com/alexandalexatwitter.com/alexandalexa

THE GREAT DEBATE

Georgina StewartMarketing consultant, mother of three, lives London, U K

I belong to the generation of baby boomers who grew up with a black and white television, long playing records and summer holidays spent lying on my bed reading historical romances. So when it came to my own children, my priority was to get them all reading and writing as soon as possible. They did not have Walkmans or Game Boy and, now that they are teenagers, they seem perfectly able tofunction in the modern digital world and (a huge

plus in my view) they still read books for pleasure. Of course, I can see how using an iPad from an early age might stimulate hand/eye co-ordination and manual dexterity and be more interactive than just sitting in front of a TV screen. But if they were my children, I would still say no to an iPad until they could read and write fluently. I did not get my first iPad until I was 46 but, luckily, I had 3 children to set it up for me and teach me how to use it!

Chris Whites Creator of BigLittleBang.com, lives Aukland, New Zealand

In the so-called ‘post-PC’ era, technology is increasingly meeting us on our own terms. For pre-schoolers it is inevitable that these devices will

play an increasingly important role in

their lives and future education, so the question is not so much if kids should be exposed to technology, but

rather a questionof how this should

be managed.Key things for

parents to consider are

setting limits on screen time, deciding what content is appropriate, and eventually educating your child on how to be responsible in a digital environment. Curating content can be a real challenge and we love independent review sites like CommonSense.org that rate the quality and age appropriateness of apps. There are some terrific apps out there so let’s help our kids be savvy media interpreters, creators and communicators!Chris White, Creator of BigLittleBang.com (collaborative music-making game for children aged 7-14yrs).

How young is too young when it comes to technology?

Generation gadget

“SAY NO TO AN IPAD UNTIL THEY CAN READ AND

WRITE FLUENTLY”

“LET’S HELP OUR KIDS BE SAVVY MEDIA

INTERPRETERS”

KIDS & TECHNOLOGY

7%

23%

24%

We apply age limits to gadgets

I restrict TV and game time

We use technology for education

Nobody touches Mummy’s gadgets! 46%

THE POLLWHAT ARE

YOUR RULES?

@jason_koebler Helping kids become innovators, not just consumers, of digital media and tech. problem solving, hands- on learning

@VanessaAlvarez1Any good summer tech programs for kids in RI? Have a 7 yr old niece, want to get her started early:-)

Diane LuongoNo electronics including computer during the school week.On weekends 2 hr limit

Adrian Torres Though my kids are not quite ready for the computer, they have already mastered my iPhone

Lula BesanaHe’s allowed computer games at the weekend and only if he’s behaved nicely during the week

HAVE YOUR SAY

Tweet @alexandalexa #kidsandtech

Have your say | facebook.com/alexandalexa

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LEARNING CURVES

Customers vote for new brands at kids’ retailerWith more opportunities for fashion enthusiasts to share and critique trends as they happen,

Web 2.0 has turned the fashion industry on its head. Online childrenswear retailer AlexandAlexa.comis leading the

pack by asking parents to help them select the next brand to join their permanent collections.Registered shoppers are invited to an exclusive shopping event

where they have a chance to test drive some of the world’s most coveted independent kids’ brands at an introductory price. Hundreds of parents have taken part and have already voted in several new brands to join the big names at AlexandAlexa. Their customers fell in love with the New York inspired street-styles of Australian brand Fred&Frank. Founder and father Deryll Naido is thrilled to collaborate with AlexandAlexa: “The A&A brand is recognised globally, so to be part of the family

and benchmarked with other premium designer brands is key for our business success”. Participating shoppers have had the opportunity to discover some truly special brands. American brand Tom&Drew is a favourite of the Jolie-Pitt family and AlexandAlexa shoppers. When asked about her SS12 collection, mother and designer Alexia Panza tells us she is inspired by memories of her childhood spent in South Florida, “Expect lots of coloured seersucker suits, vintage inspired t-shirts, braces and bowties”.

Danish parents go Dutch on sharing child care

Early tests help babies excel

Denmark’s very modern combination of flexible hours, relaxed work culture and generous parental leave set a shining example to the rest of Europe, with both parents equally involved in their babies’ lives. With Danish workplaces embracing flexi-time as the norm, new mothers

are able to continue with their careers as soon as they wish to. These alternative hours ensure that work commitments can be scheduled around home demands, and demonstrate the forward thinking attitudes of the Danes, and the importance they place on achieving a work/ life balance. Nordic

countries understand the importance of adequate paternity leave, with most fathers taking around three months off. There is also a strong focus on providing services for families, rather than paying cash benefits, thus making child care affordable so both parents can return to work if and when they want to.

age, however, language therapy can identify late talkers early on to ensure they get the help they need to reach their full potential. Specialists also recommend that babies interact with others, rather than watching TV, as it is the best way to acquire language fluently.

Studies suggest that testing a child’s vocabulary skills early on in life can lead to greater success for them as adults.On average, a two-year-old’s vocabulary contains between 70 and 225 words, whereas late talkers average 50 words or fewer. Most speech competency levels out by five years of

How can you be part of selecting AlexandAlexa’s next new brand?To register for our next secret shopping event, send your details to vote@alexandalexa.com.Shoppers will receive access to the event in a secret email linkfrom AlexandAlexa. NEXT EVENT: 16 MARCH 2012

Top of the togs: Customers voted in Fred&Frank for SS12

Terms & Conditions: The prize is for a family of four (two adults and two children aged three to 11) travelling. Holiday must be taken by no later than March 2013, and all date requests are subject to availability. Accommodation is for two nights in a standard room at a Disney Hotel (excluding The Disneyland Hotel) including continental breakfast. Two Park hopper adult tickets to both Disney Parks for the duration of your stay (subject to capacity). Winners will need to confirm their holiday a minimum of 1 month before travel date and 1 month before the holiday expiry date. Travel insurance is not included. Winners are responsible for their own passport and visa requirements. The winner will receive hotel vouchers and park tickets in advance of confirming their accommodation. If these hotel vouchers or park tickets are lost then they cannot be replaced. The prize is for a family of four (including at least one adult). Any costs incurred in addition to the prize package elements listed above (e.g. telephone charges, room service etc) are at the guests own expense. The prize winner if under 18 must be accompanied by an adult on the holiday. There is no cash or prize alternative. Closing date – Sunday 8th April 2012. No purchase necessary. Competition is open to (e.g. All residents of the UK, Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland) excluding employees of The Walt Disney Company Ltd and AlexandAlexa and other persons professionally connected to the promotion. By entering the competition, competitors agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out in the promotional material. Promoters reserve the right to disqualify incomplete, altered or illegible entries. No responsibility will be accepted for entries lost, delayed, damaged after posting. The first properly completed entry drawn at random will be the winning entry.The closing date for the receipt of entries is Sunday 8th April 2012, all entries must be received by this date. Draw Date Monday 9th April 2012. The winner will be notified by telephone within 5 working days. The winner may be required to take part in any publicity accompanying or resulting from this competition. The decision of the judges will be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into. If the name drawn declines to take part a further draw will take place until a properly completed entry is drawn and the prize is accepted. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant resulting from entering this prize draw or by the entrant’s acceptance of the prize, or any damage to any entrant’s or other person’s computer or mobile phone equipment as a consequence of downloading any material relating to this promotion. Nothing shall exclude the Promoter’s liability for death or personal injury resulting from its negligence. The promoter is A.T.Shop Limited T/A AlexandAlexa.com. Fo full terms and conditions please visit: www.alexandalexa.com/disneycompetition

Time is running out for the middle market heavyweightsBy Alex Theophanous

With $5,000 being spent every second on luxury, why have beef, when you can have steak? Or indeed, in fashion parlance, why have gold when you can have platinum? The anti-crisis in these times of crises seems to be those that shun mediocrity in favour of either value or prestige. The vanishing middle ground isn’t something to be feared, it’s a good thing. Perhaps this is the end of mainstream and the end of those that don’t try harder. Fashion today is split into the Prada/ Primark phenomena: those seeking a special luxury treat or those seeking value (or indeed, those seeking to mix and match both!). Upmarket brands like Burberry, Fendi and Dior are

now the emerging winners in the kids’ fashion space, with premium value brands such as Petit Bateau and Mayoral proving that great value pricing can steal the show too. It’s not a good time to be squeezed in the middle, and it’s not just happening in fashion.

Three star hotels are declining at the expense of five and budget, low-risk blockbusters steal the Hollywood show (with the help of 3D effects), global mega-stars in music (U2, Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones) seem recession proof, and even the

food we eat hails increasingly from premium players (such as Waitrose) or value retailers like (Aldi). I for one will not miss the squeezed middle, maybe it is just the culmination of a move that has been shifting since the mid sixties. It’s the start of the luxury-value revolution.

Work to life balanceis key to success for mumpreneursIn 2011, the word “mumpreneur” made it into the Collins English Dictionary, the definition being: “A woman who combines running a business with looking after her children.”And it seems more mothers than ever before are going it alone to fulfil their desire of a better balance between work and family life.Research undertaken by Australian bank Bankwest revealed that women are launching businesses at twice the rate of their male counterparts, many of them while raising children at the same time. A poll commissioned by the UK government suggested that flexibility played a key part. The biggest motivation for 70% of those quizzed was the ability

to work more flexibly and arrange their work commitments around their family demands.According to the YouGov s u r v e y ,

three out of four people believed that their family situation had improved since they had set up their own business.

For Rob Law, a rejection by Theo Paphitis on Dragons Den in 2006 was the best thing that ever happened to him. Specialising in innovative travel products specifically designed for children, his company Magmatic Ltd went on to enjoy massive success globally, the most popular product by far being the instantly recognisable Trunki suitcase. The Trunki ride-on suitcase targets little globetrotters with an ergonomic design and quirky cartoon detailing. Light enough for children to manoeuvre, yet sturdy enough for them to ride whilst being towed by Mum or Dad, the Trunki makes the perfect travel companion. Children’s e-tailer AlexandAlexa.com credits the Trunki as one of their best-selling toys of all time, and with more than 1,000,000 units sold across 62 countries, Magmatic has diversified its product ranges and expanded its empire to include a whole host of travel accessories for tiny tots. Team GB Trunki suitcases available at www.alexandalexa.com

Dragons’ Den reject rides high on success

THE KIDS’ FASHION FTSE INDEX - WHAT TO BUY WHEN

FASHION TODAY IS SPLIT INTO THE PRADA/ PRIMARK PHENOMENA: THOSE SEEKING A SPECIAL LUXURY TREAT OR THOSE SEEKING VALUE

Don’t know how she does it: Mums ditch the work/life juggling act to have it all.

60 SECONDS with James Bromley sales ranger at Magmatic

What’s Magmatic’s philosophy?To facilitate the perfect journey for both parents and kids,with products that are fun and practical.

Any more products in the Magmatic pipeline?We’re launching our Shark and Whale Puddlepaks - waterproof bags ideal for throwing a wet towel in at the beach.

Is Magmatic joining forces with anyone else this year?To launch our animal travel pillows SnooziHedz, we’re teaming up with Bristol Zoo in the UK and donating proceeds to support the animals. We’re also unveiling our Team GB Trunki collection in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Trunki takes gold: The team GB collection available at alexandalexa.com

London reaches new luxury heights: Chanel has been given the go-ahead to open a three-storey flagship store on New Bond Street this summer, opposite Parisian fashion rival, Louis Vuitton.

Views, news & prizes | facebook.com/alexandalexa

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