Retail therapy: A collection is born

Lovely fashion for little ones from Trelise Cooper.

Australian designer Collette Dinnigan had an inspiration after the birth of her daughter, Estella, two years ago. The result is Collette Dinnigan Enfant collection of embroidered cotton voile and lace dresses, silk and cashmere cardigans and cherry-print tops and pants.

"It felt natural as I have a young daughter and I wanted to create pretty, bohemian clothing for her," Dinnigan says.

Sizes are from newborn to age 4, dresses are around $135. Available from Child, Ponsonby Rd.

Kids are in clover

If some Collette Dinnigan isn't enough, swing by Nuffield Street for some pretty gear from the enchanting new store Trelise Cooper Kids to kit-out the little princess from 2-8.

"It's a magical time to be a little girl. When she can be freely feminine and it's not uncool to be pretty, love pink, flowers, fairies and all of those intrinsically girlie things," says Cooper.

The young ones never had it so good. In our day we had to make do with home sewing.

Trelise Cooper Kids dresses from $130.

Disney joins the act

Disney has launched its own high-end range of cotton and cashmere clothes and accessories for infants and toddlers. One dress has images of Bambi from the first movie.

We particularly like the rhinestone Mickey Mouse ears, encrusted with 4000 Austrian crystals, for NZ$24,000.

It's among the Disney Couture at www.disneyshopping.com.

It makes perfect sense

Fashion can make good business sense. Federation designer Jenny Clegg is one of the finalists in this year's Young Entrepreneur section of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

The winner is decided on September 4.

Happy CD day, Max

Max is having one of the longest birthday celebrations in history - even more than Paris Hilton's five 21st parties.

The fashion retailer is having a three-month celebration. Hollie Smith and Solaa have collaborated on a birthday CD single in a song called Seek. The music video, featuring gear from the spring/summer collection can be seen on music channels.

Beautiful offer

Seen the video, now buy the Max birthday T. A pohutukawa T-shirt with the words Kia ataahua Aotearoa (keeping New Zealand beautiful) is $39, with $10 going to Women's Refuge.

Or you could win one, because we have 20 to give away. To enter, write your name and address on the back of an envelope and send to: Max Birthday T-shirt Competition, Viva, New Zealand Herald, PO Box 3290, Auckland. Entries close September 6.