The AEFFE group, the owner of the renowned Italian fashion house, has recently announced the sale of the baby, children, and adolescent fashion license to Moschino Kids, a new company owned by the Moschino brand and its partner Altana. As a result, Moschino Kids now has control over the children’s fashion department of the house. Despite AEFFE acquiring full ownership of Moschino last year, the subsidiary has continued to focus on developing its children’s department. This initiative began with the establishment of Moschino Kids as a separate entity. The capital is divided between the luxury house, which owns 70% of the company, and its partner Altana, which holds 30% and specializes in the design, production, and distribution of fashion lines dedicated to youth.
Previously, Altana held the license for the baby, children, and adolescent business of Moschino, which is led by Jeremy Scott. However, with the transfer of the management of this segment to Moschino Kids starting from the autumn-winter 2023 season, the brand will no longer rely on licensing and can directly intervene in the development and commercialization of its children’s collections. Through this strategic move, Moschino aims to leverage the expertise of Altana while asserting its control over the brand’s image and activity. Massimo Ferretti, the Executive Chairman of Moschino, expressed confidence that this partnership would greatly contribute to the growth of the group.
This development comes as luxury fashion houses increasingly recognize the potential of children’s lines in a market that has seen significant growth in the past two years. According to a report by e-retailer Farfetch, which includes Moschino Kids in its portfolio, 66% of customers have increased their spending on children’s clothing during the health crisis. Luxury brands are capitalizing on this enthusiasm through various initiatives. For instance, Sonia Rykiel recently launched its children’s collections online, Elie Saab introduced a junior range, Jacquemus created a capsule collection for children aged three to ten, and Marine Serre unveiled an exclusive “Miniature” line. This trend is fueled by the popularity of children’s fashion content on social media and the emotional connection that parents have to clothing purchased for their children.
Nadège Serre, a senior creative at Nelly Rodi, explained that children’s fashion underwent its first revolution around fifteen years ago, and since then, buying clothes for children has often been more pleasurable than buying for oneself. Luxury brands see this strategy as an opportunity to target Generation Alpha and build long-term loyalty with this customer base from an early age.
Useful links:
1. Business of Fashion: Kidswear in Fashion Moves Beyond Cutesy Stereotypes
2. Farfetch Editorial: Kids Discovered – Tiny Treasures
