When it comes to children’s clothes, it takes a lot for me to veer away from the high street as they are so reasonably priced for the quality and wear that you get out of them. However, I recently went to the launch of the SS17 collection for Outside the Lines childrenswear and instantly fell in love. The pastel colours, intricate details and luxurious fabrics were just gorgeous, making their whole collection a dream for children to wear.
Outside The Lines itself is a relatively new label – established in 2016 by Philippa Ploete and Kate Please. They realised there was a gap in the market for girls clothing that was mid range in terms of pricing, but still good quality. Having both spent many years in the fashion industry, they set about creating Outside The Lines. The label initially offered girls fashion for ages 3-10, but due to popular demand, they now go up to 13 years. Having seen their collection first hand, I can honestly say that I would buy it for me if they made adult sizes too (twinning is winning right?). You will see from some of the pictures in this post that the SS17 collection is a nod to the folk trend with lots of soft colours, and pom pom and tassel detailing. The pieces are classy, fashionable, and fun. Best of all, they doesn’t break the bank.
So what do the designers say when you ask them about their label…
How and why did you launch Outside the Lines?
We initially had the idea for Outside the Lines over 18 months ago sitting in a restaurant in Paris brainstorming ideas for a girlswear label which was good quality yet still a considered purchase. Both of us have worked in womenswear and the fashion industry for a number of years for some of the biggest names on the high street including Next, Topshop and Marks & Spencer and shared the same vision that there were plenty of girlswear brands at the designer and high street end of the market but very little in between. We really felt that there was a gap for a girlswear label that doesn’t compromise on quality but also doesn’t ‘break the bank’, thus Outside the Lines was born. We developed the name Outside the Lines which comes from the ethos that it’s ok for girls to colour ‘outside the lines’, essentially to be creative and create their own style that is unique to them.
What made you want to design for children?
As parents ourselves to two girls (Philippa) and two boys (Kate), we dreamt of working together to create our own childrenswear label. As soon as we had children, we became obsessed with kids’ fashion but struggled to find good quality, stylish clothing for our own children which was still accessible. We are big fans of soft muted colours and the little finishing details that really make clothes stand out.
What makes your label stand out in the industry?
We have spent a long time ensuring we offer great quality yarns and fabrics that are soft and luxurious in beautiful textures and cool patterns. Perfect for layering or making a statement on their own. The investment in rich and interesting fabrics and the unique designs really sets us apart from other brands.
What do you have coming up that you are really excited about?
We have just finished showing our AW17 collection at Playtime Paris, the childrenswear trade show and we were delighted to receive such a positive response from stockists all over the world so we look forward to Outside the Lines going global. We are also excited to have increased the age range we offer now up to 13 years.
What is/are your favourite item/s from the current collection?
Philippa: My favourite pieces from the SS17 collection are the pom pom tapestry jacket, the frilled sleeve trimmed stripe tee and chambray dress.
Kate: The navy embroidered all-in-one playsuit, the frill sleeve waistcoat and the sequin swing vest are some of my favourite pieces from this collection.
I’ve linked a few of my favourite pieces below, and if you buy anything this week (up until 14th), they are offering a 10% discount to all my readers. Type in cityrun10 when you get to the checkout.
Happy shopping
Lisa
xoxo
