When Cool Kids Have Children of Their Own
Jennifer Cattaui talks with us about her mission to rid the baby world of pastels and lace.
Not so long ago Jennifer Cattaui, Editor in Chief and President of What's Next for Tekstil Magazine, had a baby. Of course her life changed, but in many ways it stayed the same. Her shop-a-holic nature, for example, simply had a diversion in direction. The result? Babesta.com the web site for bad-ass babies and trendsetting tots.
Why'd you start Babesta?
"As a new mom, I basically looked around and saw few choices. So I'd scour every boutique both in the US and abroad - wherever I would go - to find clothes that I thought my baby (and by "my baby" I mean "my cool baby") would wear."
"I felt the compelling need to rid the baby-world of pastels and lace, and little by little my nefarious plan has been working. Ramones concert Ts, Whatchootalkin' About Willis onesies, Brotha and Sista tanks and Kabbalah-wear (approved by the LA Kabbalah Center) are fast replacing the frilly uniforms that kids used to be stuck with."
Where do you find all this stuff?
"What started as just the latest manifestation of my shopping addiction turned into a mission to help moms like me everywhere. I find small run, artist designed onesies and t-shirts that are funky, unique and well made and bring them into my edited boutique on Babesta.com ("cool threads for badass babies and trendsetting tots"). I design some of the lines myself as well. I especially dig the retro thing - what better way to relive your childhood than through your child. They're only clothes after all - no harm done!"
But there's more to Babesta than just t-shirts and onesies, right?
"There's a blog too, tagged: "the blog for cool babies" that gives the skinny on the latest Bugaboo (Limited Edition -- artist Bas Kosters designed, to be released soon) and pint-sized events and accessories."