Die Messe "Kid's Wear Berlin" ist abgesagt! Kid's Wear Berlin canceled!

Wieder einmal ist eine hoffnungsvolle deutsche Kindermodemesse abgesagt worden! Was ist los Deutschland? Paris, London, Amsterdam und vorneweg Florence schaffen es schon seit einigen Jahren, ja Jahrzehnten, eine internationale Kindermodemesse anzubieten. Karl-Heinz Müller hat es versucht, jetzt Achim Lippoth. Beide echte Kenner der Branchen, und dennoch (fast) keiner kommt ...

War das Konzept nicht attraktiv genug für die Marken? Ist Deutschland doch so anders? Was ist denn anders auf unserem Markt, dass wir es nicht schaffen nationale und vor allem internationale Marken für eine große Deutsche Messe zu gewinnen? Brauchen wir vielleicht doch keine überregionale Eventmesse? Ich hatte mich sehr auf die Messe Kid's Wear Berlin gefreut. Meine Erwartungen waren voller Inspirationen, Informationen, viele Trends für die Branche und auch endlich international vergleichbar zu sein.

Wir denkt Ihr/Sie darüber? Wir freuen uns auf Eure/Ihre Meinungen und Anregungen.

Herzlichst,

Ruth-Janesssa Funk

Once again, a hopeful German children's fashion fair has been canceled! What's going on, Germany? Paris, London, Amsterdam and Florence have been doing it for several years, even decades, and offer an international children's fashion fair. Karl-Heinz Mueller has tried it, now Achim Lippoth. Both true connoisseurs of the branches, and yet (almost) no one comes ...

Was the concept not attractive enough for the brands? Or is Germany so different? What is different in our market that we do not manage to win national and international brands for a  German children's trade fair? Don't we need such a trade event? I was very excited about the new Kid's Wear Fair in Berlin. My expectations were full of inspiration, information, seeking for lots of trends and finally having an international childrenswear fair event here in Germany.

What are your thoughts about a German fair in Berlin? We're looking forward to your opinions and suggestions.

Best,
Janessa

Handgeknüpfte Teppiche aus Indien - Hand Knotted Carpets from India

Die Teppichproduktion wurde vermutlich im 16. Jahrhundert vom Großmogul Akbar (1556-1605) in Indien eingeführt. In seinem Palast fertigten persische Teppichknüpfer die ersten indischen Teppiche mit persischen Mustern aus feinster Schafwolle und Seide. Einige Zeugnisse gibt es auch schon seit dem 11/ 12. Jahrhundert. Nach der Selbständigkeit Indiens im Jahre 1947 nahm die Teppichproduktion einen neuen Aufschwung. Die meisten Teppichknüpfer flüchteten zwar nach Pakistan, jedoch wurden in Indien schnell eigene Nachwuchskräfte ausgebildet. Indien ist heute ein großes Exportland handgeknüpfter Teppiche unterschiedlicher Qualität.

Akbar, a Mogul emperor, is accredited to introducing the art of carpet weaving to India in 16. century, during his reign.  Some The Mughal emperors patronized Persian carpets for their royal courts and palaces. During this period, he brought Persian craftsmen from their homeland and established them in India. Initially, the carpets woven showed the classic Persian style of fine knotting. Gradually it blended with Indian art. Thus the carpets produced became typical of the Indian origin and gradually the industry began to diversify and spread all over the subcontinent.

The handmade quality of a carpet truly engages our spirit ,our feelings and emotions. Carpets and rugs have always been an indispensable part of Indian culture.

Bei meinem Besuch von Channi Carpets in Jaipur, Rajasthan habe ich die vielen erforderlichen Schritte erklärt bekommen, die notwendig sind, um einen handgemachten Teppich von hoher Qualität zu produzieren.

The weaving of a rug (pile) is an extremely difficult and enduring process. Every single dot or element on the rug has to be knotted individually. 

The technique of the "knots", as we presently know it , is the fruit of a very long evolution. 600.000 Knoten/ per qm are necessary for a silk carpet. 280.000 single knots per qm for a wool carpet. 8.000- 10.000 knots a good worker gets done per day.

here the in house carpet washing area at Channi Carpets 

After the carpet is completed and removed from the loom, it is washed to remove dirt and to restore the original shine of the wool. Washing is also performed manually. Channi Carpets is one of the only manufacturer who has an environment friendly wastewater treatment at their Kakani Washing Plant.

taking out the little mistakes

The finishing touches to a carpet include a process of stretching of the carpet from all sides to maintain the shape of the rug. Lastly, the carpets are trimmed manually to achieve the right pile height with specially designed scissors.

Clipping the carpet to get the designs look nice.

After washing the pattern gets mixed up and has to be separated again.

Knotting the frills. After that all the frills are cut even. Also the sides of the carpet need a finish binding.

Auch heute werden häufig noch klassische persische und chinesische Muster verwendet.

The colors used in  a carpets and cotton rugs are more subtle. Vegetable dyes are used for coloring the yarn. All shades of red, green, yellow, blue are used predominantly. The yarns used in these carpets are either silk or wool or a combination of the two. Many of these carpets are also cotton carpets. Herbs are used to make the carpets look antique, such as henna, curcuma and tea water. 
More info you will find here: www.channicarpets.com

Business Talk: The Art of Block Printing in India - Das Indische Traditionshandwerk des "Block Printings"

Block printing is a form of dying and coloring a fabric using wooden blocks. India is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of block printed fabric in the world. Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs. Hand block printing is a craft that is handed down through generations. Just now it is in the forefront of the fashion scene today and the ancient craft has seen a major revival over the last two decades.

Das traditionelle, indische "Block-Printing" ist eine Drucktechnik, bei der verschiedenste Motive mit geschnitzte Holzplatten oder -blöcken auf Textilien gedruckt werden. Indien ist einer der größten Hersteller und Exporteure weltweit von solchen handbedruckten bedruckten Textilien. Mittels mehrere Holz- oder auch Metallblöcke werden die Designs, auch mehrfarbig in Handarbeit hergestellt. "Block-Printig" ist ein Handwerk, das von Generation zu Generation weitergegeben wird. Momentan genießt diese Drucktechnik weltweit wieder große Begeisterung und das alte Handwerk hat in den letzten Jahren einen großen Aufschwung erlebt.

Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs.

India has been renowned for its printed and dyed cotton cloth since the 12th century and the creative processes flourished as the fabric received royal patronage. Though the earliest records mention the printing centers in the south, the craft seems to have been prevalent all over India. From Gujarat, the art of block printing spread to Rajasthan. Here colorful prints of birds, animals, human figures, gods and goddesses are popular. 

My daughter attended a block printing workshop at Channi  Carpets &Textiles in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The fabric to be printed is first washed free of starch. If tie-dyeing is required, this is done before the printing process. Incase fabric is dyed, it is washed thereafter, to remove excess color. It is dried in the sun. Then the fabric is then stretched over the printing table and secured with pins. See very first picture above.

Color is mixed separately and kept ready. So are the blocks. The blocks are made of teak wood and hand-carved. They are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the timber.

The color are made of special natural pigments and each is kept in a tray which rests on another tray that contains a liquid made of glue and pigment binder. This gives the color a soft base and permits even spreading of color on the block.

When printing begins, the color is first evened out in the tray. Then the block is dipped in the outline color.

When the block is applied to the fabric, it is slammed hard with the fist on the back of the handle so that a good impression may register. 



A point on the block serves as a guide for the repeat impression, so that the whole effect is continuous and not disjoined. The outline printer is usually an expert because he is the one who leads the process.

Once the fabric is printed, it is dried in the sun. It is then rolled in newspaper to prevent the fabric layers from sticking to each other. The fabric is then steamed.
Thereafter, it is washed in water and dried in the sun. Ironing is the last stage.

It is only after the fabric is processed with an acid wash that the final color is established.

Block printing has become so popular again because the simple process can create such sensational prints in rich and vibrant colors.

blocks for a multiple color design

If it is a multiple color design the second printer dips his block in color again using the point or guide for a perfect registration to fill in the color. The third color if existent follows likewise. Skill is necessary for good printing since the colors need to dovetail into the design to make it a composite whole. A single color design can be executed faster, a double color takes more time and multiple color design would mean additional labor and more color consumption.

Thanks again  to Channi Carpets & Textiles for this wonderful workshop!

www.channicarpets.com

Tutu Du Monde giveaway winner - Lily!

Look how beautiful Lily looks in her new Tutu Du Monde dress that her mommy won in our first giveaway! Congratulations again, princess!

Stay tuned - more giveaways are coming very soon...

Frohe Ostern - Happy Easter!

Euch allen schöne Feiertags! 
Happy Easter to all of you with this lovely graphic from Carolyn Gavin ©2012. 
Carolyn Gavin is principal designer for ecojot. 

Mehr tolle Grafiken von Carolyn gibt auf Ihrem blog zu sehen: designerjots.squarespace.com

4th edition of Playtime New York!

Vom 10.-12. März fand in New York, im 82Mercer, zum 4. Mal die Kindermode Playtime New York statt. 75 Amerikanische wir internationale Aussteller präsentierten hier dem Amerikanischen Markt ihre neusten Kollektionen für Winter 2012/2013. Die Messe wurde an drei Tagen von insgesamt 1.326 Einkäufern besucht (15% waren ausländische Besucher). Das waren 5% mehr in Vergleich zur letzten Saison. 
Für die nächste Playtime New York haben sich schon fast 100 Aussteller bereits angemeldet.
www.playtimenewyork.com

Hier das Label noé & zoe aus Berlin!

From the 10th to 12th of March, 2012, the 4th edition of Playtime New York took place at the 82MERCER in New York. With 75 American and international collections, the latest Playtime New York remained faithful to the original concept of this trade show dedicated to the children’s universe that has developed around the globe. With 1,326 mainly American visitors (15.26% of visitors were from outside the USA) - a 5% increase over the March 2011 show.The exceptional setting of 82Mercer, along with a very inspired decor, strongly contribute to displaying the collections which demand a setting that is different from that of traditional trade fairs in their best light.

For the next edition, Playtime New York will expand yet again to welcome some 100 brands and their Spring/Summer 2013 collections, reflecting the fair’s commitment to meeting a growing demand for an offer that combines quality and personality. www.playtimenewyork.com

Here also the dates for the fair for next season in Paris and Tokyo:

www.playtimeparis.com

www.platimetokyo.com

The colorful and phantasmagorical universe of American illustrator Patrick
Hruby has been chosen for the illustrations of the Summer 2012 and Winter
2012 Playtime fairs in Paris, New York and Tokyo.

© all pictures from Playtime Paris

Hello, Hello again - mit Reisetipps für Indien!

Wir bei Circus haben eine kleine Pause gemacht! Jetzt sind wir wieder zurück mit vielen neuen Ideen. Wir arbeiten gerade an dem neuen Online-Magazine und wollen in Juli vielleicht schon unser ersten Printmagazine herausbringen. Auf jeden Fall sind wir voller Freude über die Dinge, die noch kommen ...

Am Samstag fliege ich nach Indien! Yeah! Nach einiger Zeit endlich wieder mal. Ich hole meine Tochter ab. Sie hat in Indien für 3 Monate ein Internat besucht und will jetzt nicht mehr weg. Jetzt hole ich sie persönlich zurück. Eine Woche werden wir dann noch durch Rajasthan reisen und über Delhi geht's dann zurück nach Berlin. Ein kleiner Reisebericht mit vielen Fotos - hoffentlich - folgt dann nach unserer Rückkehr!

Hier für alle, die auch in nächster Zeit nach Indien reisen, mein Tipp: die wunderschönen LOVE Travel-Guide von Fiona Caulfield* "A Handbook for Luxury Vagabonds". Alle Bücher sind handgemacht in Indien, der bedruckte Seidenumschlag wurde mit dem bekannten indischen Designer Sonam Dubal von Sanskar entwickelt und handgewebt in Andhra Pradesh, das Papier in Jaipur handgeschöpft, und alles liebevoll verpackt in einer passenden Seidentasche. Ich habe mir "Love Delhi" mit knallpinker Seiden-Verpackung gekauft!

Love Travel Guide Delhi © 2012 www.lovetravelguides.com

Love Travel Guide Jaipur © 2012 www.lovetravelguides.com

Zu kaufen gibt es die Reiseführen in Deutschland, in Berlin bei Mini Kapur, in ihrer Galerie Under the Mango Tree. Mini Kapur und ihr Mann entwickeln und organisieren auch individuelle Reisepläne für Indien nach persönlichen Wünschen und Vorstellungen, wie z.B. mit spezielle Shoppingrouten oder Inspirationsreisen für Designer. Kontakt: mini.kapur@utmt.net
Mehr Informationen unter: www.utmt.net und auf facebook www.facebook.com/utmt.design.studio

Mehr Informationen zu den Guide gibt es hier: www.Lovetravelguides.com

Those “must have” LOVE travel guides contain all the savvy inside knowledge that a stylish traveller craves. The passionately curated guides are designed for the discerning luxury vagabond who wants authenticity in style. The around 200-page books, comprise eight sections including an overview of the state with 'must knows and must dos’ and presents the best places to eat, drink, shop, stay, be pampered, get fit and explore.

The range comprises Love Delhi, Love Bengaluru, Love Mumbai, and Love Jaipur, Rajasthan. Future Indian titles will include both cities and regions including Love Kolkata, Love Tamil Nadu and Love Kerala. www.lovetravelguides.com

*Fiona Caulfield is the creator of the Love Travel brand of guidebooks, designed for luxury vagabonds. She is a true citizen of the world. Born in Australia, she has lived in the UK, the USA and Canada and is now resident in India. Fiona has a high profile global career as a futurist and branding consultant and is an avid traveller and explorer. A self-confessed luxury vagabond, she has a discerning eye for the singular experiences that set a destination apart.

She is also a contributing writer for many international magazines including Conde Nast Traveller, Departures, DestinAsia and in-flight magazines for Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Gulf Air. Additionally, she contributes to leading travel websites including Indagare.com and Qantas.com/ travelinsider.