These Kids’ Holiday Looks Can Be Reworn Even After The Parties

For families, the holiday season means it's time for parties, family photos, and school performances. Buying your child's Christmas outfit may entail a bit of push and pull, especially if your child is not afraid to speak his or her mind. But questions, although tiring, is not something we frown upon because that's exactly how we're raising our kids: to be independent, self-assured, and confident.

That is the child whom Isabella Fernandez, fashion designer for Rustan's Kids, designed the holiday collection for. Rustan's Kids has been a go-to for holiday dressing for decades and Isabella recognizes the tradition and new direction she is balancing. In a one-on-one interview with Smart Parenting, she talks about the Rustan's Kids holiday collection and how it's not just pieces to be worn once—each item can be worn again and again even after the merry-making has passed.

"These are pieces that as long as they can fit into it, the kids should be able to wear it. In their everyday lives and a couple times a month. You can still pass it on and it doesn't go out of style. It doesn't feel dated when it goes to the next person," she said. The collection includes dresses, polos and pants for boys, separates like halters and bloomer shorts for girls.

The boys' polos are lightweight but the fabric is thick enough to skip wearing a undershirt—which means the clothes are not just for the 'gram. They're beautiful, functional, and can handle the running around and horseplaying kids do when they're reunited with cousins and friends. These parties and reunions were also what Isabella had in mind while designing, a nod to her own memories of growing up—a childhood filled with fashion and family ties, as the granddaughter of the late Criselda Lontok.

Read on for more about Rustan's Kids holiday collection and Isabella's take on kids' fashion:

What was your vision for this collection?

Isabella Fernandez (IF): We wanted an in between. My idea of the Rustanette kid is still comfortable, clean, goes to Sunday family lunch. So Lola loves the outfit. Mom loves the outfit. You can take pictures in it any time. And that's that's how this collection came about.

There's really a mix of the basics. And then we went a little more dressy with things that you can still mix and match. We have options for the girly girls and the moms of girly girls. We've been playing around with it and so far, people have been enjoying the collection.

What’s special about this Holiday collection?

IF: It came out just in time for the holidays. That's why we have red and green, and navy blue for the boys. Some really strong holiday pieces, but I didn't want to do over the top dressing. Because my idea for holidays is, I'll do a garden party with my family, and then, I'll have the special once in a while dress.

'We want that whole experience, that we're not not trying to take away their autonomy or their independence. By playing, they're also exploring their creativity and their self-expression.' —Isabella Fernandez, fashion designer

But these are pieces that as long as they can fit into it, the kids should be able to wear it. In their everyday lives and a couple times a month. You can still pass it on and it doesn't go out of style. It doesn't feel dated when it goes to the next person.

We wanted to provide good building blocks. Something the kids would be able to wear and rewear. And then dress it up, dress it down however you need to. And knowing that we provide that quality, it's going to last you guys a long time.

Dressing kids today is different from how we were dressed by our parents. What are the differences you see in kids’ fashion today?

IF: I wanted this nice in between where kids can still dress themselves and still look like kids and still feel comfortable. But they're not stuffy. They don't feel like we're treating them like babies. They have that independence. We kept the color palette really cohesive because we wanted them to be able to dress it up or down. These are good quality, elevated basics, which Rustanette and your Rustan Junior will provide.

Kids' fashion has evolved. Sometimes clothes look like it’s just a smaller version of a young woman or young man’s clothes. Was there a conscious effort to be more conventional for this collection?

IF: That’s the in between that I had to discover. My idea of a kid was smocking, dresses that flare out, big colors and bows.

There's that element, and that's how we as adults remember kids. But it's also the kid that wants to feel more grown up, not necessarily in the way that they look, but that they can make those choices for themselves. So that's why we did the basics.

I knew this is what kids would pick for themselves. And that's important because we want that whole experience, that we're not not trying to take away their autonomy or their independence.

By playing, they're also exploring their creativity and their self-expression. [In this collection] they'll always have something that speaks to their 6 year old style side than it does to their 9 year old side if they're in between.

Who are you catering to when you design? The parent or the child? Or maybe even the grandparents?

IF: My first customer is really the kid. Kids now, I know they're so, so vocal. So they are top of mind customer. And we're giving them good and hopefully, unique, eye-catching options that they'll want to wear, they'll want to pass down to their sisters, to their cousins.

The Rustanette and Rustan Jr Holiday Collection is available at all Rustan’s Makati, Alabang, Shangri-la, Cebu and online at rustans.com. For more information, follow @rustanskids on Facebook and Instagram.