Zara and Sea’s New Collection Celebrates the Joy of Being a Kid
Tomorrow, Zara will launch an exciting childrenswear capsule designed in collaboration with New York–based label Sea. The covetable line of ready-to-wear and accessories for ages 6 to 14 will debut with a pop-up shop in Southampton, on Long Island, and launch online and in select Zara stores in the United States and Europe on July 18.
Founded by lifelong friends Monica Paolini and Sean Monahan in 2006, Sea has developed a cult following for its playful yet pragmatic designs that incorporate craft-inspired details like patchwork and crochet. Paolini and Monahan have always anchored their vision, whether for kids or adults, in the feeling of childlike wonder that they experienced as a pair growing up in Newburgh, New York. Their clothes, which include broderie anglaise dresses and balloon-sleeve bomber jackets, are meant to inspire but not feel esoteric, to enliven the spirit but not feel cumbersome.
The new collection for Zara is an extension of Sea’s tender ethos, with pieces like pastel, ditsy-print PJs, patchwork denim, and track pants and shorts embroidered with lace. “The playful and dream-like spirit of youth and friendship (as well as our kids) was part of our thought process as we designed,” Paolini explains.
The new collaboration is filled with joy and whimsy, but nothing about it is overtly kid-ish or cutesy, which was intentional, according to the designers. As Monahan notes, “For our own collection, we try to design pieces that aren’t precious but also feel special. Things you can wear daily that have a bit of soul and character in the details.” He adds, “We wanted this collection to have that special something as well, and of course, be functional and comfortable.”
That balance of stylish, practical, playful and sophisticated can be difficult to suss out in the behemoth world of kid's clothing, where there isn't much middle ground between disposable cartoon-bedecked tees and insanely high-priced specialty fashion. Only a handful of brands offer well-priced, well-made clothes for a range of baby and kids sizes that encourage self-expression and imagination but are as chic as they are wearable. As parents themselves, Paolini and Monahan recognized this early on in their careers. That’s why they’ve dabbled in childrenswear in the past, but this opportunity with Zara has opened them up to new possibilities and new audiences.
Despite the scale of the collaboration, Paolini and Monahan still began their process from an intimate, personal place. “When we started to envision the collection, we started to sketch on an image of Rei,” says Paolini, referring to Monahan’s 5-year-old daughter. Rei, she says, “is not shy about expressing her opinion and is always curious to see what we’re working on.” Curiosity was another key component for the designers. That essence of curiosity was captured beautifully in the campaign featuring a group of free-spirited city kids photographed by Quentin Be Briey and styled by Thistle Brown.
These are clothes meant to be worn and loved, but also to provide kids with a wardrobe they can experiment with. “We quickly learned, especially with Rei, that dressing up is a real daily joy and form of self-expression,” Monahan said. “Kids are full of life, curiosity, and dreams, and we felt inspired by that vibrant feeling.”
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