Baby couture

Imagine a nine-year-old girl giving a brief to a designer to customise her party dress. She's alarmingly confident about what she wants - details like off-shoulder or fringes are clearly etched in her mind. Growing up with I pads, you can't tell these little dudes and dudettes what to wear. They have a mind of their own. And the luxe brands are cashing on in the craze.

Demand for luxe wear accessories
Kalyani Saha, VP, Marketing Christian Dior couture says, "The one thing we parents never compromise on is anything to do with our children. There is a huge demand and little supply of luxe childrens wear accesories etc. We don't retail Baby Dior yet in India but I get requests regularly for clothes to accessories to doing up a newborn rooms by Dior. It is most certainly a niche market again but it's a large number still. I know some of the most successful entrepreneurs who are in the business of children's interiors to manufacturing garments.
There is so little in offer in retail which is hard to understand personally. Also, gifting for babies and children is veering away from silver coins and bowls to luxury items be it a cuddly toy from a brand or a pacifier!"

Catering to fashion-forward kids
Mandira Kapur Koirala, who runs kids' label called, Exclusively Little People says, "Our focus has been design, quality and price and we offer both ethnic and western pieces. I realised that kids outgrow very fast and for your one year old you need something of very good quality but not highly priced. Today's kids are very fashion forward and we have something for each bracket. From newly born to four year old, we offer sparkly stuff while 9 to 12 bracket is very demanding - from off-shoulder dresses to sheathed sequinned outfits. We interact with the kids and they give us the brief. Today you can't tell them what to wear. Everyone wants to be price conscious unless of course it's a special occasion. The market is huge and the gap is very big."

Fast growing segment of children's wear
Over the past few years, designer Monisha Jaising's signature line of Polo T-shirts, T-shirt dresses and kurtis has received a tremendous response. Hence, she came up with mini versions of the same with some minor alterations in terms of motif and colour selection, keeping the same silhouettes in mind. "We do have a whole bunch of fashion-forward moms who want to dress their child up exactly the way they dress themselves! They are a reflection of who you are, so if you are someone highly stylised, then you want to make sure your kids are the best-dressed kids out there! It's a "mini-me" phenomenon! It's a feel good factor; it's like one for me and one for you!"

Luxury children's wear is the fastest growing segment of the children's wear and clothing market in developed/developing nations. "Realising the immense growth potential it holds in times to come, rising income levels, trend towards nuclear families and parental desire to offer the best to their children, is likely to foster this market growth. From simple comfortable garments to luxury/designer clothing, kids clothing has come a long way internationally and in our country too," Monisha adds.

International brands' gifting options

Gucci
The Gucci Children's Collection for Fall/Winter 2014-15 depicts a modern bon-ton style. Inspired by the vibrant atmosphere of Swinging London and Carnaby Street, the junior offering employs clean lines, bright colours, and striking prints – perfectly balancing sartorial essence and relaxed glamour for this season's it girls and boys.

Tommy Hilfiger
The Tommy Hilfiger Fall/Winter 2014 Childrenswear collection, TheNew England, sets off on a coast-to-coast journey from the United States to the United Kingdom. This whirlwind adventure celebrates the best of heritage styles, mixing tweeds and tartans with stars and stripes.

Burberry
Boxed gift sets, trench coats, Cashmere colour blocked separates for girls, supersoft jumpsuits in bold stripes.

Ralph Lauren
Customised polo shirts, teddy bears, fun stockings,

Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana's new kidswear line has dresses, jackets and separates in the brand's signature floral prints and lace. There are many options for boys too like suits, bowties, sweatshirts and chunky knits.

Hollywood's most stylish kids

1. Blue Ivy Carter: Jay Z and Beyonce's little girl can pull off pretty much anything - from the white sundresses and to custom-made studded leather jackets.

2. Mason Disick: The five-year-old has combined his mom Kourtney Kardashian's edgy taste with his dad Scott Disick's preppy style, and he never disappoints with his fun looks!

3. North West: She made her Paris Fashion Week debut at the Balenciaga show. Her designer wardrobe complete with custom mini-designs from top Parisian designers and edgy fashion houses.

4. Harper Beckham: Victoria Beckham's mini-me daughter manages to keep herself on the cutting edge of London fashions, even at only three years old.

5. Flynn Bloom: Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr's two-year-old son never debuts a fashion look that doesn't deliver. Simple adorable!

6. Suri Cruise: Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's eight-year-old has all the chicest fashion names out there, but she adds her own spin to all of them! We've never seen anyone accessorize Chanel withHello Kitty accents so perfectly!

7. Kingston Rossdale: Kingston, 8, was inspired by his parents Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale's edgy rocker styles, but he has cultivated his own cool punk look!

8. Louis Bullock: Sandra Bullock's adorable three-year-old keeps the childlike fun in his colorful, patterned outfits, and he always looks top-notch!

9. Maxwell Johnson: Jessica Simpson's two-year-old daughter already has the makings of a top fashion model: with a perfect pout and animal-print wardrobe already perfected!

10. Honor Warren: Jessica Alba's six-year-old truly takes after her mom's effortless fashion sense!

11. Skyler Berman: It's no surprise that Rachel Zoe's three-year-old son is a mini fashion icon with her impeccable taste close by to help out, but we're pretty jealous of how easily he carries a fedora.

12. Bronx Wentz: Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson's six-year-old son rocks mini-rocker styles like no other!