After being friends for years, Fanfan Peng and Leeta Shao both started their families and had their first child almost at the same time; Peng now has a 2.5-year-old daughter and Shao a 1.5-year-old son.
After many shopping excursions soon after the birth of their kids, they soon realized their disappointment in the availability of quality children’s clothing in Shanghai. “The style is either too commercial and cheap or too luxurious. We couldn't find a brand that represents children’s nature well,” Peng explains.
Combining her experience as a fashion buyer and Shao’s finance consulting expertise, the two decided to band together and create Roco Baby, a kid’s multi-brand shop in Shanghai. The shop in Xintiandi opened about a couple of months ago, but the preparation and planning has been over a year in the making.
“We love kids and we also love fashion. [Moms] care about the quality, look and brand of the clothes they buy for their kids"
The brick and mortar store combined with their WeChat shop has shown excellent promise thus far. “Many moms around us have also started to look for stylish and independent fashion brands for kids. This demand is growing quickly and the response has been surprisingly good so far. We haven’t advertised yet; most of our business depends on word-of-mouth.”
Setting themselves apart from chains such as Gap Kids and Zara Kids, Roco Baby mainly stock products by independent European designers. While they don’t manufacture or create their own clothes, they research trends and import clothing they feel suits the needs of mom’s here in Shanghai, filling a gap in the market.
This new business has allowed Peng and Shao to go from friends to entrepreneurs and to combine their two loves – family and fashion – into their business. “We love kids and we also love fashion. [Moms] care about the quality, look and brand of the clothes they buy for their kids. We hope to offer them a broad range of choices that satisfies their needs.”
The two of them are certainly having fun creating and growing their newfound passion.
WeChat ID: rocobaby2016
