Wanting to dress their kids in wild, expensive, pattern-on-pattern clothing ensembles but unable to pronounce Oilily correctly (Hey, neither can I.) Japanese parents have many brand alternatives to turn to. Some of them are so over the top, they make the Dutch company's designs look like dour school marm uniforms.
You shouldn't need to speak Japanese to get a sense of the options: just click through the brands like Back Alley, Unica, Convex, Muchacha, and the empire of Boo (BooHomes, Super Boo, Boo Foo Woo, etc. etc.) to get a sense for what you're missing.
I have some personal favorites. Like rompers from Super Boo, which Vacation sells online in 2-packs: stars& stripes [above]; camo & '74 peace signs; this Muchacha dress, which looks suspiciously like Louis Vuitton fabric with a Takashi Murakami mushroom embroidered on it; and enough Marijuana-printed gear from Back Alley to make you nervous coming back through Customs.
These two online stores, The Peach Pit and Vacation, don't say anything about international shipping, but you can always ask. And Space Kiddets has some Back Alley and Super Boo products mixed in somewhere in their jam-packed mix of cool kid clothes. Otherwise, if you're desperate, drop me a line; we're going to Japan next month, and I'll definitely be tracking some of this stuff down.
The Peach Pit, "assist shop for slowly lifestyle" [rakuten.co.jp/freestyle]
Vacation, "a BooFooWoo-centered children's clothing shop" [vacation-co.net]
Space Kiddets, 46 East 21st St, Between Park Ave South & Broadway, 212-420-9878
Those marijuana-printed ones would sell big here in Vancouver...
Personally, my favourite Japanese kids stuff is all the organic cotton clothes they have. I'm assuming American parents can probably get organic cotton stuff fairly cheaply, but up here it costs and arm and a leg. (Odd that Japan, which is even further from the US, would be cheaper, but I blame their floundering economy...)
I feel so cheated. Where has the sweet Japanese children's wear been all my life? I want all of the BooHomes line and absolutely must have the BooNatural "Even monkeys fall out of trees" jumper. Did you see those awesome BooShoes? I could make a killing selling this stuff out here in CA.
Link to Space Kiddets.
I may have to take you up on that offer - or at least find out if they do mailorder. Fascinating that there is no local distributor...
If anyone is interested in Back Alley BooFooWoo clothing, is available in abundance at Space Kiddets in N.Y. 212-420-9878. Retail and wholesale distribution. It has been selling there for 3 years and advertised in the N.Y.Times and Time Out also some styles can be seen on our website and will update as the goods come in. Just call or stop in it goes fast.
Space Kiddets 46 e.21st St. N.Y.C.