buyer's forum

Runway Kids

Amy Spiezio

blame it on television or the Internet or on the restructured family. However you slice it, today's kids are hip. They know what's cool and they want the latest in their backpacks, on their desks, and in their wardrobes.

The fashion industry is already taking note of the junior style set. For the first time, New York's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week hosted a children's fashion show. The hit event, sponsored by Child Magazine, attracted more than 500 people and showed off big fashions for little people.

Trends for back-to-school 2007 include:

- Natural hues with animal prints and tans

- Bright colors such as blues, greens, and reds

- Embellished denim and leather

- Metallics in gold and silver

Is your inventory addressing the need for every end of the spectrum for kids? While durable and conservative frames are necessary staples, style should not have to go and stand in the corner.

Just as you change things up for the seasons with adult styles, so too should your frames for the younger generation reflect the trends of the day from colors and patterns to shapes and materials.