Welcome to another 10 Minutes With interview from the land of online fashion! This time around we take a little journey to France and the online shop called Dino Deluxe. Run by mother of two, Katrin Bento Connault, Dino Deluxe is a little Scandinavian haven based in the fashion capital of flair. Originally hailing from Sweden, Katrin felt the need for some Scandinavian inspired clothes for the little ones, so after having her first son, she opened up her doors for her first online customers. I had a little chat to Katrin and asked her to introduce her shop and take us behind the scenes of what it takes to run Dino Deluxe.
Can you tell us a little about how Dino Deluxe started? What is your inspiration, and how did you come up with the name?
I decided to start Dino Deluxe when I had my first son, Nils. I wanted an activity that was adopted to combine the work and the presence at home with kids. Also, I felt that the French market at that time was quite homogenous when it comes to baby- and kids clothing and I wanted to introduce the Scandinavian brands I appreciated for their quality and design. The last years a lot has happened and these brands as well as other original brands are more often seen in others shops and online stores on the French market.
The name Dino Deluxe comes from the name of one of my favorite toys when I was a child, a dinosaur called Dino-Dino.
Dino Deluxe's core values are quality, functionality and design. When looking at your selection of labels at Dino Deluxe I can see you have really followed these values closely. What are some other things you think about before taking in a label to your store?
At first I look at the design of the collection. I also strive to take in eco-conscious brands that make certified clothes and that use organic cotton. I feel that it is very important with organic clothing, both for the child’s skin and for the environment.
There seem to be trends in children's fashion depending on what country you live in. Scandinavia still has a strong colourful retro vibe, what does the French children's fashion scene look like? And how is it running an online shop carrying Scandinavian labels in France?
You are absolutely right in this; the trends vary in different countries. The retro trend is still going strong in the Scandinavian countries, even though it seems that the parents now tend to look for other styles as well. I believe that retro clothing for kids has been very popular in Scandinavia as they often are unisex and with comfortable and practical cuts. The brands that are making this kind of clothes are often also very environment conscious, which is of course also important for many parents. This trend came to France later, but has got a lot of attention in press and in magazines like Milk Magazine and Doolittle.
The kids fashion industry in France is more classical and “well-dressed” with a color palette in more neutral tones such as beige, grey, navy blue or white. The kids clothing in France are also clearly separated for boys and girls. Even though there are some differences, I am happy to see that the Scandinavian brands have been so well received and gets more and more popular here in France.
If you could pick a favorite set for a boy and a girl from Dino Deluxe what would that be?
For boys, I would pick a set that I often dress my sons in: Jeans from Rockefella or Cheap Monday with a city t-shirt and parka from The Brand and Molo Kids canvas high top shoes to complete the look. For girls, I would pick a white and turquoise striped dress and a knitted red/white cardigan from Rockefella with the adorable white organic leather slippers from Bellio for the baby girl.
Is your shop open for International customers as well?
Yes, we ship all over the world. The freight costs are of course a bit higher to other countries than France, but we ship on weekly basis to other parts of the world like Japan, Australia, Canada, USA and of course to other countries in the European Union.
Europe is now stocking up for some nice spring/summer threads and lots of SS12 collections are coming into the shops. What are some of your own favorite collections coming into Dino Deluxe, and are there any new labels on the horizon?
Most part of the spring/summer collections are already in the shop, but we are receiving within a week or so some news from the Finnish label Aarrekids and the Danish label IdaT as well as a second delivery from Molo Kids. I love the collection from Rockefella, because of the great fit, design and quality of the clothes. The hand illustrated designs of the collection from Aarrekid are also fabulous.We will receive some new labels in August. You will then find collections from Soft Gallery, Mini Rodini and the upcoming label New Generals. We have also looked at the collections from the new Swedish brand Livly, so maybe you will also find their beautiful creations in the shop.
A big thank you to owner and founder Katrin Bento Connault for taking the time to give me a peek behind the scenes at Dino Deluxe!
Right now you can receive a 10% off everything in the webshop at Dino Deluxe if you enter the code "minor" at check out.
VISIT: Dino Deluxe
Another great interview with a shop I haven't heard of before. Since I live in Belgium it is isn't too far away for ordering either. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Taryn...thank you! You won't be disappointed, they have some lovely brands in their shop. Have a great weekend.
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