Interview with head designer and owner of Oobi Baby, Alex


When and how did Oobi Baby come to be?
Oobi Baby came about 4 years ago when I decided to use my background in textile design and graphic design to print some exclusive fabrics for a few fashion pieces that I wanted to create for friends' babies & my goddaughters. I had had my own business for about 5 years before then designing products and packaging sold by companies like Myer, David Jones, Top Shop in the UK and more and I thought if my new direction was popular, then I would change my business into something that I felt was more fun and exciting and that I was more passionate about.

What inspires you when designing?
Generally when I'm designing I'll go to the markets in the countryside near where my father lives. It's a great old-fashioned country market and there are a couple of women there who sell old 1940s, 1950s and 1960s children's clothing. In those stalls you get that great retro feel and a really lovely sense of how important it was that children wore pieces which were handmade and lovingly designed. The really charming thing about those patterns and old designs is that nothing's too styled or too perfect, everything has a soft, gentle edge and you really get the idea that it was important that children were well dressed. I love to look at that clothing and imagine who made them and who wore them and what a modern version of those clothes would be.

Complete this sentence "an Oobi Baby is...''
An Oobi Baby is retro, unique and stimulated by colour, shape and pattern.

Do you have an all time favourite product?
My all-time favourite product is really hard to pick because although we have a "signature", a lot of our products are quite different. Perhaps it's the 1950s Party Dress. It really sums us up as a company and the design of the rosette is incredibly intricate and time-consuming even though it looks quite simple. If I could also add the ruffled bloomers I would... We really feel that we were probably one of the first to bring back the current retro trend for bloomers but we're also very proud that we've managed to push the boundaries by using complimentary fabrics which are all printed and designed by us - but that are still very quirky and unique, aiming to expose babies to bright graphic colours while still appealing to adult aesthetics. We're always excited when Mums respond well to our colours, designs and mix of patterns. One of the nicest parts of the bloomers is that each fabric is printed by us and the ruffles are all hand-pleated in a very old-fashioned way. You can tell we have put a lot of effort into the design and construction, pleating and fabrication.

Whats been your biggest thrill to date in terms of Oobi's success?
A huge thrill that we get is selling our Aussie label overseas in places like Dubai, Iceland, Poland, the USA, Sweden - all over the world actually. It is a sign to us that no matter who or where you are, Oobi has a universal appeal. This speaks to our design, our keen pricing, our ethical manufacturing and all the other elements which are as important to a mum in Australia as it is to a mum in Portugal, Denmark or Beirut. We sell in places like Harvey Nichols, the Kings Road in Chelsea and Nordstroms in the USA to small boutiques in outback Australia and get emails daily from people who like our pieces. It's a total buzz.

Any challenges along the way?
Mostly the challenges we've faced have been the usual problems that most small businesses who are trying to grow will face - the setbacks that almost stop you from reaching or achieving your goals which can be small but devastating to a small business. Generally when we were starting out the hardest thing would be trying to get our foot in the door and the problem that we faced when we did get orders was that we sometimes didn't have enough money to make the products! There was a lot of juggling going on. It's certainly hard work but it's worth it. Now that we've grown we have different daily challenges, but we can also focus more externally and make sure that as we grow we still work with ethical manufacturers and craftspeople and women's organisations too. All of these things are a challenge now for us but also a wonderful opportunity to help out as we grow,

How would you describe your own personal style?
My own personal style can vary day-to-day but like the babies I dress I'm fond of a bit of colour and a fairly retro look. My favourite era for women's clothing would be the '60s and early '70s. People like Jane Birkin and Talitha Getty really appeal to me.

What's in store this winter from Oobi Baby?
This winter we're looking towards Scandinavia with lots of knitwear, luscious colours, gorgeous sweater dresses and jackets plus some very quirky hand-finished pieces like leggings, mittens and overalls. We've used a fine 100% cotton for all our knitwear to ensure that the pieces aren't itchy and are soft to the touch. Decorative features and Folk Designs have been used in the knitting and of course there's the signature "Oobi Style".

And any tantalising hints for future collections?
A recent buying trip to Croatia and Slovenia unearthed some amazing folk-style handmade laces and fabrics and we've been inspired by the European designs and style that we saw on our trip. We've sourced some gorgeous handmade buttons and will be featuring a lot of florals, ruffles and some very unique shapes too for Summer 2008/2009.

Q: I’m having my second baby this May (first born is now five years old) and I went shopping for a pram the other day. Since I had Lola it’s fair to say that A LOT has changed in the world of prams! I couldn’t believe how confusing it was. I left the store after two hours of demonstrations completely bewildered and I still have no idea what I want/need to buy. I’d like something stylish, with a bassinet for when baby is small and as long as it doesn’t cost as much as my car- I think I can stretch the budget a little for the right wheels.
Felicity M , Avalon, NSW

A: We hear you Felicity! There’s so much more to strollers these days than the old umbrella pram you’re probably remembering fondly from when you had Lola. Four wheels, one motion open and close, light as a feather and cost around $150 for the top of the line right?

Ah yes the good old days. When life was simple and buying a pram wasn’t as complicated or as expensive as buying a car. Perhaps even more complicated (at least with a car they consistently have 4 wheels!). So let’s see if we can’t guide you through the hottest buys out there right now.


Bugaboo: You may not necessarily want to join the Bugaboo brigade of mums. They are starting to breed and multiply in our shopping malls at an alarming rate. But we have to give the Bugaboo (Gecko, Cameleon or new Bee) its kudos. It’s a stylish looking piece of equipment. Overall very well designed, with all the features you can wave a stick at and in a range of fun customizable colours (so that’s one way at least you can attempt to look a bit unique). The price (around $1599 for the Cameleon, $1299 for the Gecko and $899 for the Bee) is a bit of a sticky point as is the fact that you practically need an engineering degree to get the Cameleon (the most popular of the three) up and down. But as far as prams go - it’s a consistently popular choice and we figure it has to be for good reason.
www.bugaboo.com


Quinny Buzz: Sleek and colourful as the Bugaboo (and with a bassinet attachment you can buy separately), the Buzz does something the Cameleon cannot. It springs open in one movement… ta-da! Retailing at around $899 (without the bassinet attachment) it’s still a pricey option and you can’t customize the colours. Also it has a teenee tiny under carriage storage - just a little bag at the back for you to pop a few (and we stress very few) bits and pieces in. But it’s easy to use, great looking and in a range of four fun colours. So you may just have to get a generous diaper bag to hang from its handles to use as storage!
www.quinny.com


Steelcraft strider: This is a Bugaboo looking pram…without the price tag. Bassinet attachment - check! Reversible seat - check! Large shopping basket in undercarriage - check! Funky colour options (red, slate, blue)- check! Folds down and comes back up in one motion - check! Wallet friendly (at around $399.95 +$ 139.95 for the bassinet) - check! A truly great option for the budget conscious.
www.britax.com.au


Mountain Buggy Urban Elite: Those who own one are obsessed with them - they are very quick to extol their virtues. Which is a good sign right? You can buy a bassinet separately to fit on this 3-wheeler. By all accounts it’s the SUV 4x4 of prams- a real take on anything, go anywhere vehicle. And for something a bit different they have a designer range of fabrics you can choose from. Otherwise it’s available in blue (shown), red, black and navy. It has a large storage basket, easy one step fold and rear wheel suspension for a smooth ride. Definitely the sportiest looking of them all - will it make you feel guilty for not jogging with it at all times? Very possibly. Around $850 and an extra $250 for the bassinet.
www.mountainbuggy.com


Uppababy Vista: Ok so technically this one isn’t actually available in Australia yet. But you could do what Baby’s Got Style owner Daniela did and beg them to send you one from the US. What we love about the Uppa Baby… it has a bassinet, it comes in 6 gorgeous colours, it has a reversible seat, a huge undercarriage basket, negotiates corners really easily, folds down and sets up in one motion (except when in bassinet mode as that needs to be detached first…but its super easy) and best of all - you can be sure no one else will have one (unless they too begged the friendly folk at Uppa Baby to send them one down under!). Violet Affleck has this one in Violet… too cute.
US$599.99 (but beware the shipping costs will sting).
www.uppababy.com


The Orbit: Sorry, this is another one that’s not yet available in Australia as yet. But it’s definitely hot- this is the pram the celebs have cast aside the Bugaboo for. Talk about versatile. The car seat clicks into the pram, as does a bassinet or a toddler seat. It’s a multifunctional all purpose pram. We haven’t seen one in the flesh and by all accounts they won’t ship down under. But it’s definitely the one the style set is waiting for…we suspect the wait may be for quite some time though as due to the car seat part of the Orbit it’s most likely going to have to go through our really strict Australian car safety standards testing to get approved for sale. Don’t think your bub can wait for this one sorry Felicity! Around US$ 899.95 (but that doesn’t include any of the extra bits like Bassinet… so yeah it’s also way pricey!)
www.orbitbaby.com


In conclusion.
As you know from your initial pram shopping trip Felicity, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re sorry we can’t review every pram out there for you and make the decision easy. But the best advice we can give you is:

1. Consider your needs. Are you sure you really need a bassinet? Maybe if you take that off your list of requirements you will find the field of choice opens up a little for you. After all you only use the bassinet for such a short time (before baby wants to see the world around him/her and won’t put up with being cocooned in a bassinet).

2. Do your research online before going in store. That way you’re armed with a shortlist of ones to see in the flesh and you’ll be able to zone in on those without getting confused by a shop floor full of prams. Check out www.strollersandprams.com for a huge range to browse. And trawl the forums (like www.bubhub.com.au; www.bellybelly.com.au and www.birth.com.au) for first hand reviews. There’s an amusing group of girls on birth.com.au who call themselves the pram crazies - they seem to know all there is to know about what’s out there in the world of prams. They also seem to own at least 3 prams each! Also check out www.choice.com.au for their reviews on safety, ease of use and value for money.

3. You obviously coped pretty well with a more basic pram for your first born. It’s a universal truth of parenthood that everyone ends up buying a simpler, lighter, easy to fold stroller eventually. Even the celebs end up pushing a classic Maclaren umbrella pram (check out the Quest, roughly $300 - see below) about eventually! So try to keep that in mind before you take out a second mortgage to buy the ultimate pram. And in terms of style if the Maclaren is good enough for Sarah Jessica Parker… well enough said really!









Our new feature allows you to ask Style Baby any question you have about stylish stuff for kids! Just drop us a line at askstylebaby@babysgotstyle.com.au and we’ll do our best to publish an answer to your question here (sorry no personal replies).