Current Obsession: Little Trendstar

Thanks to our super-amazing friend {and FABulous celebrity baby trend expert!} Rachel Florio we have found our {latest obsession} for our Littles – Little Trendstar!

 

Little Trendstar’s stellar quality is like no other; just incredible. Not just a standard onesie – that’s for sure! And believe us when we say – we have seen a lot of onesies in our years! The best part? Little Trendstar is eco-chic! Their tees and onesies are printed with non-toxic, water based inks. We love the modern lines & superstar graphics creating the perfect little trendsetter – boys & girls! Oh yes, we told you – obsessed with Little Trendstar!

Allow us to introduce you to the marvelous designer behind this fabulous line, Nicole! Not only is she one super genius momma but we love her concept & enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes look at Little Trendstar.

{1} Tell us a little bit about yourself and your biz, Little Trendstar?

I love graphic design and fashion and for as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to start my own business.  I graduated with a degree in graphic communication from the College of Creative Studies in Detroit. After working in the graphic design business for a few years, my husband and I decided to start our own graphic/web design business in which we named Formcode Design Group (http://www.formcode.com). We have co-owned Formcode for 11 years and in that time I have been able to do what I love everyday.  Although Formcode, and that type of design work, has been wonderful the artist in me couldn’t help but branch off into different aspects of creativity.

This new form of creativity became Little Trendstar®. I started Little Trendstar® shortly after the birth of my second son. I was tired of the selection of clothes out there for boys. I am personally drawn to bold, modern lines and clean, graphic shapes and I was having a hard time finding this kind of look in boys t-shirts. So I decided to start Little Trendstar® as an outlet to create these types of t-shirt designs. Looks that I think make bold statements and are worthy of getting noticed.  And designs that not only look great on my boys, look great on any kid wearing them.

I’m lucky to have a balance with both businesses and have the capability for them to thrive and grow together. Thankfully my abilities as a graphic/web designer have also really aided me in bringing the Little Trendstar® brand to life. I’ve been able to design the website, and marketing materials as well as art direct the photoshoots and that has been such a great experience.  I have fun every day with Little Trendstar® and it keeps me always wanting to create more.

2.) What inspired the name? 

The name was a bit of a play on words. I knew I wanted the brand and the design to be considered trendsetting and I knew that I wanted to play off the stage-worthy “star quality” aspect of it. So I was toying around with a bunch of different options, and when all was said and done “trendsetter” and “style star” came together to create the name. And the “little” word in front of it all was a must.

3.) When did your realize you wanted to design a children’s line?

Of course my two boys helped push me into this direction, but I really do love designing for the children’s market.  Kids are the best demographic.  They look great in everything and their spirit and personalities are so free. I can create a t-shirt that I may have never thought to do because I know the person who is going to wear it can pull it off.  Also, every time I put a Little Trendstar® t-shirt on my two boys, I know I have chosen the right niche.

4.) What has been the biggest challenge? 

I think the biggest challenge is making the brand stand out as something different.  There is a tremendous amount of children’s t-shirts out there and a lot of great brands to compete with. I am always very aware of this and it pushes me to try to step out of the box when it comes to my designs and quality of shirts.  One thing I do to try to set me apart a bit from the majority is I print on American Apparel t-shirts. They have a certain feel and cut that I like and it’s different than the usual standard in t-shirts.  I also print with water-based inks.  These inks are phthalate free and eco-friendly.  I’m very conscious of toxins and chemicals with my kids and I try to limit them as much as possible, so I wanted to do the same with my t-shirts. I want my brand to evoke a certain persona and I feel paying attention to the details really help to set you apart from the rest.

5.) Do you have a current bestseller? 

I’ve been lucky that most of the designs do well, but there are few that I need to reorder faster than the others. The Benatar, Old School , Rockabilly and Clash and are always at the top of the list. I was fortunate enough to spot a photo recently of Gwen Stefani’s son, Zuma, wearing the Rockabilly tee.  That design was my nod to the rockabilly sub culture and the great style that derives from that scene.  It was great to see a “rockstar’s” son wearing it.

6.) What is up next for you and the brand? 

I’m currently working on some new designs for the spring and I want to grow the Little Trendstar® brand in the future.  My first goal is to continue to develop eye-catching new designs for the line and give the buyer even more options.  For the future, I may look into branching out to hoodies, hats and accessories down the line. And due to some interest, I have also considered offering some of my t-shirt designs in adult sizes.  We will see, but for now I am just enjoying the ride!

We are absolutely smitten over the Benatar Onesie – currently on sale for only $22! Plus, shipping is only $1! It doesn’t get much better. And boy, does the Benatar onesie go perfect with the hot pink pouf Banner Boutique headband. Can we say perfect match? Your Little will be rockin’ out in no time!

{BIG HUGE THANKS} Aren’t these photos perfection? We can’t thank the amazing photographer enough! Kim Flores of Whimsy Baby Photography did such a FABulous job. We loved spending the day with Kim! Thanks for taking such beautiful images of the Little Trendstar Benatar Onesie too!

{All Things Little Trendstar}

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