How A Mother and Daughter Team Is Creating the Ultimate Onesie
There's something about being a mother that inspires women to create solutions moreso than in any other period of their lives. When Fashion Mamas New York member Laura Genova left her comfortable career on Wall Street to have her son, Blake, her inner "mompreneur" and long-dormant creative side finally had a chance to shine. After she struggled to find sustainable baby onesies that also helped her save time, effort, and money, Genova decided to collaborate with her own mother to design a stylish solution.
Born out of a frustration with earth-unfriendly fast fashion and pricey kids clothing (much of which require hang drying), Genova founded Deklan Collection, a line of organic cotton and spandex clothing in sizes 0 to 2T. A playsuit and pajama rolled into one, the super-soft sleepers can be thrown in the dryer without the worry of shrinking. These two-in-one garments feature a two-way zipper, making it effortless to change squirming little ones. That's not all: The convertible PJs also feature built-in hand cuffs that can be folded out to protect babies' adorable faces from their tiny fingernails, while hidden foot cuffs (featuring anti-slip grips, of course) can be unfolded to keep wobbly walkers' feet warm.
"Building this collection has been a true labor of love after leaving my corporate career in finance," Genova tells us. "I was five months into my entrepreneurial journey when I found out I was pregnant with baby No. 2. It was an important crossroad for me because I had every excuse to put my brand on hold and succumb to the challenges of being pregnant with a toddler at home. Some mix of naivety and passion pushed me forward and I've been able to launch my crowdfunding campaign just before the baby's arrival. It's true what they say, raising children takes a village. I wouldn't have made it this far without the help of my husband, mother, and sitter."
When it came to creating the textile patterns for Deklan, Genova tapped her own mama, Chong-a Hwang, to lead the design. Born and raised in South Korea, Hwang earned her B.A. at Sook Myung University in Seoul, then moved to the States to start a family and eventually returned to the workforce to kickstart her design career in her early 30s. "She could have easily let her career drift away as the industry advanced, but instead she rose to the occasion and not only learned, but mastered the skills of a graphic designer," Genova explains.
There's more: Deklan's charming prints are created using a digital printer, a more eco-friendly alternative to screen printing. The clothing is also tagless, which means no more itchy, scratchy care labels bothering baby. The fabric itself isn't treated with flame retardant, so you know you're not swaddling your tots in harmful chemicals.
Love it? The brand is offering discounts on its first product as part of its crowdfunding campaign, which ends in less than two weeks. Available perks include an exclusive "MAMA" wine tumbler ($32) and sleeper and accessory sets at 20% off ($73 for one set to $146 for three sleepers and one accessory set), to name a few.
Contribute to Deklan's crowdfunding campaign at iFundWomen and sign up for the brand's newsletter to find out when it officially launches here.