Tender Loving Care

Just a couple of decades ago, babies as a group were considered cute but unhip in a world where the “market” was responsible for the livelihoods of billions. Today, babies and their slightly older friends, toddlers, make up one of the biggest international markets for fashion for little ones. From GAP Baby to JCPenney, and Bugaboo Bee to the UK’s MacLaren — babies are on board the fashion bandwagon. Maggie Tiojakin reports.

spa baby

When Katie Holmes – former Dawson’s Creek star and current wife of Tom Cruise – began parading around the world in matching outfits with her then 2-year-old daughter Suri, almost everyone keeping track of their fashion journey went gaga over the choice of colors, designs and, sometimes, boots. More than once, Ms. Holmes has appeared on the cover of US Magazine, propping Suri in her lap in matching haircuts and sunglasses, either looking away from the camera or straight into the lens.

We all know babies make cute and often irresistible fashion models; but isn’t it enough that they have their own specialized couture without haute-ing their fashion sense?

“As parents, we want what’s best for our children,” says Nova Eliza, a local actress who gave birth to a baby girl, Naima, last year. “And sometimes that means making them look stylish.”

The mother of one, better known for her roles on TV soaps, is more than happy to play dress-up with her daughter. Summer dresses are Nova’s top choice for the toddler, although she also likes to mix and match.

“Naima already has an instinct for fashionable items,” adds Nova. “She doesn’t always agree with me on what to wear, preferring to go with her own choices – which I think is a good thing.”

It seems like a tall order for a 1-year-old, but the always-stylish Nova begs to differ. She says today’s children are different from those raised a decade ago, who usually didn’t have that much of a choice of what to wear or how to accessorize. So if there are more fashionable children out there, Nova believes the phenomenon is due to the new parenting style that combines aesthetic pursuits with education and compassion.

In September 2009, Nova opened her own children’s boutique called Kiddielicious in South Jakarta’s swank Kemang area. From conception to realization, it took her two months to get everything in place. More than just another baby shop, Kiddielicious offers products selected for their unique quality and practical use, most of them imported.

“I had the idea to open my own children’s boutique not long after my daughter was born,” says Nova. “I love to dress her up in cute outfits, and some of the things I wanted for her were difficult to find in Jakarta – so I tended to collect these items throughout my travels. Then it struck me that it would probably be a really good thing to start a business selling these items.”

Between new motherhood, running a household and doing TV commercials, Nova’s ability to juggle time and attention proved to be excellent. Her first step was creating a fan page on Facebook, where friends and customers can get updates for new Kiddielicious products and learn how to order them by mail and phone (in the product description line, Nova writes: “Yummy clothes for yummy kids!”); while her second step was to find an outlet for her clicks-and-mortar enterprise.

With the perfect location in Kemang, Nova opened both a children’s boutique and a yoga-slash-Pilates studio for modern mommies looking to exercise and shop at the same time. The studio is aptly called Bodylicious, where “women get to care for their children and themselves”.

To date, the Kiddielicious fan page on Facebook has already attracted more than 1,600 members, most of who communicate on a regular basis with Nova through a message board. At first the fan page was all she needed to start up her business, says Nova, with her client-base made up of out-of-towners who had heard of her products through friends and the media. Asked about Kiddielicious’s most popular product, Nova replies, “Definitely our baby soccer shirts, which are basically one-pieces with the soccer team’s logo printed on them, such as Manchester United or AC Milan.”

Other products include baby boots, diaper bags, baby slings and other accessories for children between the ages of one month to 10 years – each with its own unique traits. Nova says even though the competition is quite tight, she believes her one-of-a-kind product choices help make her brand stand out from the rest.

“The things people buy from me, they won’t get anywhere else,” she says. “I think that counts for a good and lasting business.”

Still on the subject of unique, another South Jakarta outfit that offers one-of-a-kind products and services has also become the talk of the town lately, what with its cutesy, teeny-weeny concept that caters to high-end toddlers wishing to get a massage, a haircut, a facial, a manicure and a pedicure – the works. Confused?

Welcome to SpaBaby, where “all baby boys and girls are invited for some serious pampering”.

Located at Dharmawangsa Square, SpaBaby is an interactive facility run by professionals who will pamper your children no end. The idea is to have a place where toddlers can express their individuality by way of spa care. Here, children learn about colors, smells, shapes and flavors whenever they get a haircut, a facial, a manicure and pedicure, or a play date.

Founded by two modern moms, Mitzy Christina and Dini Sembiring, SpaBaby focuses heavily on fun style and treatments, with a number of winning services, such as aquaswim, organic oil massage, baby’s first haircut, cream bath, etc.

“This is probably the most complete and advanced baby salon in Indonesia,” says store manager Cindy Christina. “We use imported tools and products shipped straight from the United States to ensure quality.”

There are two working areas in the shop: the Sandbox (for children more than a year old) and Aqua (for younger babies). The Sandbox is far more interactive than Aqua, if only because it is intended for older children who are offered such interesting services as manicure and pedicure. Aqua, meanwhile, is geared toward newborns who need more delicate care such as massage and calming exercises.

All three women – Mitzy, Dini and Cindy – have toddlers of their own to take care of, which is partly why they decided to go into business together. “It’s really hard to find a place for young children to get a good haircut or a fun swimming session,” says Dini.

Six months ago, after much planning, the three finally opened their joint venture to the surprise of some, and the applause of many. Noted for offering a rare service and excellent concept, SpaBaby has been hailed as a fresh addition to Jakarta’s hubbub of modern facilities. On weekends, Cindy says the salon caters to anything between two and three dozen children. The staff are also experts in the field of child care, and all have a minimum of two to three years’ experience.

“We’re doing more than just pampering the kids,” says Cindy. “We’re integrating fun with simple yet useful exercises to stimulate their minds.”

Now that’s fashionable!

For more information:

Kiddielicious

Jl. Kemang Timur Raya No. 71

nova_elz@yahoo.com

SpaBaby

Dharmawangsa Square City Walk

Ground Floor #54

(021) 7278 8288

www.thespababy.com

Back to The top page