Kids Fashion Fair Pop-Up Vendor Spotlight: Rose & Rex

LA's first Fashion Mamas x Kids Fashion Fair pop-up shop officially opens at Platform Culver City on December 1st! To celebrate, over the next few days we're shining a light on the amazing brands that you'll be able to shop at our five-day concept space.

Rose & Rex is a stylish toy boutique that offers gorgeous playtime essentials that your little ones will love and you won't mind seeing sprinkled all over your house. From heirloom-quality blocks in a rainbow of hues to whimsical creatures straight out of a Wes Anderson film, this shop's eco-focused collections are thoughtful, educational, and Instagram-worthy all at once. (At our pop-up shop, you'll not only get to buy Rose & Rex's beautiful toys, but your littles will also get to enjoy them in our custom play area!) Here, Rose & Rex founder Allison Klein shares more on her adorable brand.

What inspired you to launch your brand and what were you doing before it?

The idea for Rose & Rex emerged while I was teaching in a play-based preschool in NYC and attending graduate school. Many people simply don’t know why play is so important for young children and that’s why we’re here. We aim to change the way that people perceive play. Play is not frivolous, rather it’s a valuable, essential tool that children have for developing key cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills that they will carry through school and into adulthood. Rose & Rex specializes in responsibly made, open-ended toys that spark engagement over entertainment. The toys we select have a timeless style and heirloom beauty, so parents actually take pleasure in seeing them scattered across their living room and enjoy play, too.

Capture the essence of your brand in one sentence:

Rose & Rex believes that through open-ended, imaginative play with carefully crafted toys we can create a positive shift in the development of children.

What is your favorite piece in your collection right now? 

Right now my favorite piece in the collection is our handmade rainbow build tray because it is the definition of an open-ended toy that can be transformed by a child’s imagination. In addition, it is beautifully handcrafted and sustainable.

Who is your dream client? 

Oh, this is a tough one because I have so many dream clients and hope Rose & Rex will appeal to a wide audience of parents who believe in the power of play! If I had to choose one person, Lauren Bush Lauren immediately comes to mind. FEED, which Lauren created, exemplifies a brand that prioritizes design, uses natural materials and supports a give back mission. I greatly admire the way that Lauren has created a company that betters the world every day. Like FEED, Rose & Rex is founded on a social mission and with every purchase we give back to Second Chance Toys, an organization that refurbishes and donates used toys to children in need.

If your brand was a song, what song would it be?

"Happy" by Pharrell Williams (who is another one of my dream clients!)

Shop Rose & Rex here, follow them on Instagram here, and catch them at our Kids Fashion Fair pop-up shop from December 1st through December 5th!