Dot to Dot London, the leading children’s boutique trade fair, enjoyed a highly successful 8th edition this season

Taking place from June 25 to 26 at the Vinyl Factory in London, the trade fair welcomed over 400 visitors, including key children’s wear buyers from Harrods, Farfetched, The Mini Edit and Luna & Curious, as well as other independent buyers who came to see the latest trends in children’s fashion.

Over 45 modern and contemporary children’s wear brands came together to present their Spring/Summer 2018 collections, coming from the UK, Scandinavia, the Netherlands. Switzerland and more, representing a significant change in Dot to Dot exhibitors. “We saw an increase in more established brands and were very pleased to have Bang Bang Copenhagen choosing Dot to Dot to show for the first time in the UK,” said co-founder and director for Dot to Dot London Nicole Frobusch in statement to FashionUnited.

This season saw the Dot to Dot Awards celebrate the stand out brands of the show, with awards presented to Ana-Moly for Best Newcomer, Amy & Ivor for Best Non-Fashion Brand and Bang Bang Copenhagen for Best Fashion. Visitors, buyers and exhibitors alike shared positive praise and reviews for Dot to Dot London 8th edition.

“I have been coming to Dot to Dot London since it launched and it is a fantastic kids trade show with a very good, curated edit of cool new brands,” said Jessica Kind, a buyer from The Mini Edit on Dot to Dot SS18. ''Here in London we simply need more sweet and unique trade shows like Dot to Dot for buyers and press to search interesting and lovely brands,” added Paulina Krzywosinska, the Managing Director at Organic Zoo. “We love the atmosphere Dot to Dot has created, we've certainly enjoyed everyone we met during the show.”

Some praised the trade fairs decision not to grow too quickly and feature a smaller edit of children’s wear brands, as it gave them more time and space to connect. “I like Dot to Dot London, as it is a smaller show,” said Donna, a buyer for Trapeze Kids in Sheffield. “As a buyer you have more time to really get to know the brands and network with other small independent businesses within the industry too. I think Dot to Dot offers a good platform for smaller brands to raise their profile in the industry and connect with a wider audience.”

“What the show lacks in size shouldn’t put anyone off,” stressed Betsy Eckbert, Director of Sales and Marketing at Longwave Apparel. “The level of engagement was way higher than any of the bigger shows, and the small and cosy size almost seemed to make buyers and press take their time and visit longer. I found the entire show organisation to be deeply customer-focused and quick to respond. Working with Dot to Dot could not have been a better experience in any way!”

Dot to Dot London is set to return to the Vinyl Factory with a new curated selection of the best contemporary children’s wear designs on January 21 to 22, 2018 for AW18.