The Story Behind our Collections: Little Duckling

When we were planning the Sisters Guild Boutique the girls clothing collections were very easy to choose but boys clothing was an area we weren't quite so sure about.  Even though I have a boy myself I was yet to find a collection that had boys clothing to get excited about.  That was until we arrived at Bubble London in January 2010.  We saw Rosa Wiland's fantastic stand with 70's wallpaper and vintage toys, with a wonderfully tailored and nostalgic collection of clothes in denim, blues, browns and dusty orange.  There it was - Little Duckling - a joyful discovery.

 

We were so enchanted by Rosa and her designs and we knew we had found a perfect collection for the Sisters Guild boutique - handsome and wholesome clothes for boys and feminine and innocent pieces for girls too.  I have a passion for print and pattern and know how hard it is to find gentle and subtle patterns for boys.  Rosa fulfils that need for prints for boys that are not so stereotypical by creating patterns that are unisex.  Each season Rosa designs new prints for the collection and previous seasons have included the heart-warming field and farm print and the delightful kite print:

It is clear that Rosa is in touch with the innocent and free-spirited side of childhood and that is always reflected in her designs.  The Little Duckling pieces are honest and playful, with detail such as oversized buttons, stripey retro elastic straps for dungarees, heart shaped cuts on the dresses, pinafores, pleats and gathered skirts. 
I think the key to her design is the balance of style and practicality. With each piece there is no fuss, just subtle detailing that adds style and individuality without taking away the comfort of the garment.

There is an English rural charm to the Little Duckling designs, with a clear folk influence that comes from Rosa's Scandinavian roots.  Rosa is from Denmark and is now living in London.  Having studied fashion in Denmark and achieved an MA along with a prestigious award she then spent years in the fashion industry in London. Rosa took the leap to create her own design label after she had her daughter Frida. The inspiration a child can give is a powerful thing and for Rosa it was teamed with a feeling that the market needed something new and unique and playful.  Rosa is so clearly passionate about what she does and each season she achieves a collection that is so charming and thoughtful and full of the wonder that childhood is all about.

With Rosa's collection you always know you are going to get the perfect mix of tailoring, fabrics and detail; pieces that are created with thought and imagination, with style and comfort too.  They are unique additions to your childs' wardrobe that will be the favourites to be worn time and time again.
For spring summer 2011 the Little Duckling collection has a fun 'Festival of Britain' summer vibe with reds, blues, greys, creams and checks in fine cotton and linen.

I'm sure others share my excitement to see what new designs she will create next. We are heading over to Bubble London this weekend and it is Rosa's collection that we look forward to with wide-eyed wonder!

View the current Little Duckling collection here

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This is part of our series of blog posts about the Story Behind our Collections - why we've chosen the designers that are in the boutique and how those designers came to be.

To see a bit more of what Sisters Guild is all about take a look at the A-Z of Sisters Guild here.

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