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This week is dedicated to the story of my little wow!. A surprising concept store located in Eppendorfer Weg 268, in my lovely city of Hamburg. For the interview, I was welcomed inside this curious store by the tender smiles of Henriette and Lara. I noticed a little blond head, hidden behind the two women and her grandma. This family hit immediately made me feel great in this place. The atmosphere of the store is recomforting and particularly pleasant to live…
After one week writing this article, I am happy to tell you a bit more about the story of my little wow!. Opened only last August by two superactive mothers who are displaying unique and original clothing, accessories, and toys for kids. Their ambition? Make your kid’s shopping the most fun thing of your weekend! (Even if he is rolling on the floor with his dirty shoes!)
Motherhood: a second opportunity!
The story of our two friends started fifteen years ago when Lara and Henriette met at the University of Hamburg. Though, they followed two different studies domains; Lara was studying Politics and History and Henriette Fashion Design, they both had a lot in common and complete each other in a way.
After their studies, the two women experienced different jobs. Henriette developed her Child Fashion knowledge by working at Belly Button for five years. And Lara worked in the Fashion industry for a long time. She worked in companies such as Kauf Dich Glücklich, a German Concept Store Brand which is very appreciated across the country.
Some years later, something in their life led them to new opportunities toward their lives: motherhood. Lara and Henriette became mothers, and since then, everything changed…
They just caught it…! It started with the magazines… And then fashion websites… And finally with social media, Pinterest and Instagram! Our two mothers just caught the fever! The fever of finding new, original, unique fashion clothes. But not for them! Every day, they spent hours on Instagram to spot funky, funny and unique gems for their own babies.
Quickly, this pastime became a project of life that they wanted to lead together.
Make it spicy!
“How can it be, that in the 2nd biggest city of Germany, there is no cool fashion store for our kids?” – It all began from this interrogation. After realizing that they obviously have a gift to find incredible fashion pieces for their own kids, they also noticed a big opportunity in their own city for a new way of doing Kid’s Fashion.
In fact, in Hamburg, the kids’ shops are kind of the same. The design of the stores is very clean and quiet, the colors are pale and cute… Plus, the majority of the stores is following the Scandinavian style that is so popular in Hamburg. To Henriette and Lara, it definitely missed a bit of savor!
They wanted something new, something with peps and energy, a bit crazy. In other words, something that reflects exactly the mood of a child: changing, electric, savage, and funny! And here it is, this really cool place popped-out in the street of Eppendorf, in the neighborhood I named “The Strollers District”.
Be proud of your Differences
“We wanted that when people step inside the shop, they feel different.” I am not yet a mother, but I would easily imagine myself shopping for my kids in this shop.
In my little wow! the brand selection is amazing and very different from what existing yet in Hamburg. Each brand expresses a story and values you can be proud of. And I would be so grateful to be able to offer to my kid something unique, far away from what the society wants us to buy. Indeed, I personally think it is important to teach to our children how to show their differences, not to stick to a trend, to be proud of their singularities. I am convinced that expressing one’s own style helps to flourish and grow up more confident. The brands selected by Lara and Henriette reflect the same spirit.
Talking about the brands, Lara and Henriette are displaying 25 brands already in their store! “We don’t have a favorite, because each one was selected with our heart, we love all of them”, but they still have some brands they are especially happy to propose. They have this incredible brand named Kalinka, which is art hand knitted with rich in detail floral embroidery. The best part is that the clothes are handmade by old grannies in Bulgaria! With 100% merino wool, of course.
In my little wow!, they also have this funny brand called Fresh Dinosaurs. Made by really cool people in Mallorca. The whole concept of this brand is freedom and respect. It is linspired by the sea, the sun and the lights and colors of nature.
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There is also an eco-responsible brand called Bobo Choses. They produce totally fair and only use 100% natural cotton. They are based in Barcelona and are developing their product in an old toy factory, two blocks away from the Mediterranean Sea. The collection is called “The Happy Sad”, and it’s reflecting the very-often-changing-mood of the children.
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Blue Monday? Cheer it up!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #bobochoses ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #bobochosesthehappysads
And finally, some small designers are also highlighted in my little wow!, such as Baby Degen, made by a designer from New-York. Lara and Henriette just found her on Instagram and spontaneously contacted her.
For the future, Lara and Henriette easily imagine themselves offering cosmetics, women’s fashion, and homewares. But most of all, they have the desire to work more with local designers and friends, maybe thinking about a collaboration… Or their own collection! For the moment, in the store, the designers Sanda Schollmeyer, Skyren and Schaffenlust are exposed in the store.
Love at first sight
“We are just looking for this “wahou” reaction, also called Love at First Sight”, the two mothers are just following their heart. But there is still some criteria that need to be respected when they contact a brand. First, they are looking at the materials; if the composition is healthy and if the production is fair and responsible.
Next, they give a lot of importance to the fitting because they know by heart that the comfort of the clothes is so important for the kids. In fact, if it doesn’t fit, the kid will just abandon it.
And finally, last but not least, they love to have a deeper look at the story behind the brand by visiting the brand and their workshop. Whenever it is possible, they organize a talk with the founders and the designers. They aim to discover the passions and the philosophy that led the designer to create the product. “We don’t think about the revenue that a product will generate. We think about how it matches with our concept and our values.” It is all about feelings.
An Unusual Kid Store
“Yes, in my little wow!, the walls are dark. Unusual for a kid shop, isn’t?” Actually, it is the clothes that are doing all the job. Their colors pop-up in the boutique and are well-highlighted thanks to these dark walls.
Regarding the furniture, they are all hand and tailor made in Hamburg, by local designers. Lara and Henriette wanted an industrial style in their store. So, they worked with an industrial designer from Hamburg, Till Richter. Tille Richter is usually working with wood, metals and raw materials to create unique pieces. He has already designed some places in Hamburg, such as Bistro Carmagnole. He created especially for my little wow! every hanging system of the store. Made from roasted metal, it brings a lot of charm and a strong identity to the concept store.
However, he is not the only local designer who brought his talent to the store. The girls also worked with Sandra Schollmeyer, who designed the big colorful lamp hanging above the checkout. In the same spirit, she designed the chair, placed next to the checkout as well. “Even though we worked with two different designers, the style of the shop is coherent, everything makes sense. We were lucky that our designers know each other, it was a creative teamwork!”
Give me a Playroom!
my little wow! has an extraordinary feature for all the parents who are doing the shopping for their little monsters: a Playroom. It is playing a big role in the store because it gives the parents the opportunity to shop in tranquillity and to the children to have fun with their friends! Lara and Henriette definitely created a living area. You come here with your family to relax and drink tea, to shop and play games, or to read and meet the owners. Some mothers are even breastfeeding and some fathers changing the baby nappies…!
“You don’t need to feel guilty if the kids are throwing the clothes down, it is a place dedicated to kids, their mood and their rhythm of life.” It works, because the store is wide, it looks like a flat; you have space, you can breathe and stay as long as you want. This is exactly what parents are looking for when it comes to buying goods for their kids: they need time. time to check the quality of the products, time to ask and get more information, time to take care of their child by being aware of what they are purchasing.
And, this is also what the kids are looking for: a spacious place where they can express themselves. No matter if they come with dirty boots or a melting ice cream which drop on the floor, they are welcome as they are: enjoying life.
“We still have to improve a lot of things. But it’s totally fine for us if something is not 100% perfect. We are a mother, we have a family, we are friends, and we do the best we can do. We are already so proud of what we’ve achieved.” Stimulating, isn’t it?
Information
my little wow!
Eppendorfer Weg 268, 20251 Hamburg
Mo.-Fr.: 9:30 – 19:00
Sa.: 10:30 – 18:00
+49 176 72335080
www.littlewow.co
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