Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette A display table at Upstreet Kids in Squirrel Hill with hooded towels by Mullin Square Kids.

By LaMont Jones
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A generation of kids who are more fashion-conscious than their parents were when they were young is helping to fuel a surge in the number of Pittsburgh stores specializing in chic children's clothing.

Influenced by cultural phenomena such as MySpace, the Disney Channel and celebrity fashion, the 12-and-under set are demanding trendier duds.

	A dress by Michael Simon Girl available at Bella Bambino Baby Boutique in Cranberry, $49. Click photo for larger image.

Sales figures indicate that retailers are riding a growing wave. Children's footwear and apparel sales in the United States rose steadily over the past three years, from about $24.3 billion in 2004 to almost $28.3 billion last year, according to The NPD Group Inc,. a 40-year-old market research firm in Port Washington, N.Y.

Chain retailers such as GAP and The Children's Place have long histories of catering to kids. And although the national scene doesn't reflect the same trend Pittsburgh is experiencing, said Daniel Butler, vice president of retail for the National Retail Federation, the increase in children's specialty stores here is noteworthy because those retailers are offering edgier, more distinctive designs for the 3- to 12-year-old set.

Feeding that customer appetite are an increasing number of designer brands popular among adults -- Juicy Couture, Dolce & Gabbana and True Religion, to name a few -- that have begun making children's clothes.

Several children's specialty stores in the area are well established, including Tots & Tweeds in Shadyside, Frog 'N Princess in Peters, and Lambs & Ivy in Tarentum.

A Books To Bed set, with book and matching pajamas, available at Upstreet Kids in Squirrel Hill, $40. Click photo for larger image.

In the past 15 months, they have been joined by Mooi, an organic clothier in East Liberty; Bella Bambino in Cranberry; and Upstreet Kids in Squirrel Hill.

Demand has been so big, in fact, that some local stores have expanded to two locations. Once Upon A Child is in Monroeville and Franklin, and The Picket Fence, established in Oakmont three years ago, got a sister store in Shadyside last November.

And the higher costs of many these specialty clothes don't seem to be deterring customers.

While the price spread between discount, department store, and specialty store brands is not as wide in children's clothing as it is in teen and adult categories, it still is noticeable. Denim jeans for boys in the 6-8 size range, for example, cost $9.99 to $16.99 at Kmart, $19.50 to $35 at GAP and $54 to $74 at Upstreet Kids.

Parents who grew up in the '70s and '80s were dressed beyond department stores as children, and now they are choosing trendier looks for their own children.

	A display table at Bella Bambino Baby Boutique in Cranberry with a chenille teddy bear, Bobux baby shoes, Luv My Bag diaper bags and outfits by Luxe Baby. Click photo for larger image.

"They want different things, not the plain, run-of-the-mill, everyone-has-it," said Maureen Staley, co-owner of The Picket Fence. "There's more and more of a push for different, hip, contemporary looks."

Traditional isn't out; it's just gotten a sartorial tweak and is being combined with more modern, European-influenced looks -- just like the latest fashions for teens and adults.

"There's incredible growth in the children's [market] because this advanced contemporary feeling is really trickling down," said Lezley Goldbaum, fashion editor for The Tobe Report, a New York-based group of fashion and retail analysts and trend forecasters.

"Children know what they want to wear and are much more aware of brands than ever before. They really have their own opinion. Kids, who were once outfit-driven, are now piece-driven and more mix-and-match. That makes a big difference because there's a lot more wardrobing options, which means more register sales, which equals a growth spurt."

Efforts by fashion labels to create brand loyalty at younger ages particularly influences tweens and younger girls, Ms. Goldbaum added.

When Upstreet Kids opened its doors in Squirrel Hill in March, owners chose the 5971 Forbes Ave. site because it was close to kid magnets Color Me Mine and Littles Shoes.

They also were intentional about stocking more exclusive labels and children's attire by trendy designers of adult clothing such as Joe's Jeans and Da Nang.

"Business has been awesome," said co-owner Terry Porges, who described the colorful boutique's niche as "trendy, fashionable, fashion-forward clothing" for girls and boys.

To keep the merchandise mix eclectic, she and co-owner Allison Gerber are planning buying trips to Mexico and South America.

The demand for chic children's clothes is so high that it's become a big part of what's sold at Bella Bambino Baby Boutique, which opened in March 2006 to provide clothing for premature babies.

Michael Zanto said he and sister Mary Ann Clayton chose that niche because of her love for children, especially preemies. Ms. Clayton, a registered nurse in neonatal intensive care at Allegheny General Hospital, observed a dearth of stores with stylish clothes for the tiniest and most fragile babies.

As those infants grow into children, their wardrobe needs change. So, Bella Bambino, in The Village Shoppes on Route 19, also carries clothing for boys and girls through size 7 by labels such as Isabel Garreton, Sarah Louise, Michael Simon and Malley and Co., who once designed for child actress Dakota Fanning.

"I personally search the market for fresh and new collections by attending the semi-annual shows in New York, as well as attending the shows in Atlanta and in the Pittsburgh area," Ms. Clayton said.

While the current trend provides ample options on the customer end, said Ms. Goldbaum at The Tobe Report, it is just as significant for the "huge opportunity" for designers and manufacturers to cash in.

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Correction/Clarification: (Published June 27, 2007) Children's footwear and apparel sales in the United States rose steadily over the past three years, from about $24.3 billion in 2004 to almost $28.3 billion last year, according to The NPD Group Inc. This story as originally published June 25, 2007 incorrectly gave the figures as millions.