Rich toddlers draw fashion designers' eyes

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Rich toddlers draw fashion designers' eyes

By Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press

NEW YORK – Juliet Sandler dresses in the latest $650 dresses and $400 shoes from Parisian fashion house Lanvin. Juliet is 3.

Her mother, Dara Sandler, says she dresses her daughter in the latest fashions because Juliet is a reflection of her — even though her daughter can't spell the names of the designers, let alone pay for their clothes.

"I dress my daughter exactly the way I dress myself," says the 33-year-old Manhattan mother, who spent $10,000 for her daughter's summer wardrobe. She plans to spend a few thousand dollars more for fall.

Top fashion designers are pushing more expensive duds for the increasingly lucrative affluent toddler demographic. This fall, Oscar de la Renta, Dolce & Gabbana, and Marni launched collections for the pint-sized. Luxury stores Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman are expanding their children's areas to make room for the newcomers, many of them with higher price tags. Late last year, Gucci, which launched a children's collection two years ago, opened its first children's store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.

Look at the bright side: maybe they'll be too busy shopping on the day of the election to vote.

[aquart]

1. On the bright side, you can get a baby Armani sweater for three dollars at the Salvation Army.

After all, the kid grows and fashion changes. So they dump the damn near new stuff.

[enlightenment]

2. The child as a mirror of the mother.

That is so sad. Using your child to reflect what you think your public image should be - and then trying to justify it by claiming the kids want to dress that way.

[cyberswede]

3. Way to pass on your priorities to the next generation!

[Odin2005]

4. This is child abuse.

Shallow idiots with too much money teaching their children to be shallow idiots.

[parearau]

5. Those who have more money than sense...