Oilily Numero Uno!

You got to love Oilily! As a new mama it is very hard to find beautiful pretty happy feel good clothes for your kids. I fell in love with Oilily which uses absolutely stunning extravagant feel good colors. You've got to hand it to the Dutch, they sure know how to party! And what is even more amazing is that they also have an incredible line for mommies!

The Dutch fashion house Oilily designs and produces clothing for babies, children and women. With the extravagant use of colour as its trademark it is slowly but surely conquering the world. Its clothes are sold in 70 flagship stores in America, Europe and Japan and partner stores in countries including Australia, China and the United Arab Emirates.

It is not only in fashion stores that you will find Oilily’s clothing. Several of its exceptional designs are part of the permanent collection of the Central Museum in Utrecht. Its new collection in 1998 was put on display in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Is Oilily really so special? The history of the company’s beginnings tells you that it really is. In 1963 Olli Olsthoorn and his wife Marieke decided that the children’s clothing market was in a sorry state. The jumpers, skirts and trousers being sold at that time totally failed to reflect the essence of children: fantasy, lively colours and the spirit of simple pleasure. The couple began by making clothes for their own children. A year later the first Oilily products were on sale in a few small stores. Olli and Marieke’s idea grew into a collection and the collection expanded into a business. Before the end of the decade, the label had established its name. But real success began in the 1980s, when Oilily opened its first flagship store. In response to pleas from the mothers of children who wore the colourful clothing, Oilily expanded the collection to women’s fashion wear. In 1987 and 1988 the company opened its first stores in the US and the UK. After that, the milestones followed in rapid succession. There were various awards, a new head office, expansion to a workforce of 150 and the opening of no fewer than 70 flagship stores around the world.

Browsing through the Oilily catalogue what strikes one is how colourful, flowery and playful the designs are. It is clear that the design team still adheres to Olli and Marieke Olsthoorn’s principle that children’s clothing should express the joy of childhood. The emphasis in the women’s fashion is also on colour and playful patterns, but with a distinctly more mature 'look'. In an interview with the magazine European Lifestyle, Nikki Hillier, Oilily’s Creative Director, explained the idea behind this. 'Many women are having children later in life. That brings an abrupt end to the independent life they are used to. Their own needs and identity are often overshadowed by those of their children. We believe these women should have the opportunity to express their own creativity and reclaim part of their own id.' The style of the women’s collection is therefore intended to be distinctive and to eflect the self-confidence of the mothers. Some years ago Oilily introduced a line of accessories to accompany the clothing, ranging from bags for the ladies to rucksacks, watches, perfumes and table settings for the children.

Oilily can be found at http://www.oilily-world.com/