Giglio Little Shoes, accessories for babies only

Mood [1 July 2006]

 The new shop how according to its patron.

The world of the junior accessory (specially footwear) in a brand new shop all kids orientated.

Giglio Piccolo Scarpe, the new shop for babies little feet completes what began with the kids wearing Giglio Piccolo store to please the youngest customers.

Sixty five square metres shop counting five window shops on Piazza Croci in Palermo, close to the other Giglio stores, all designed by the architect from Milan Maurizio Peregalli who chose specific colours and materials to guarantee a stunning effect. The pavement is of an intense blue, the shelves, in pink, yellow, light blue, are the background for shoes and accessories such as bags and belts from the best brands: Baby Dior, Prada, Hogan, Tod’s, Richmond JR, Paciotti 4us and Miss Blumarine.

“Child market is in evolution, is growing with the kids, and kids do grow faster and faster. There is a non stop selling activity and a continuous request of accessory which is becoming a must for the youngest, like it is for mum and daddy. Shoes today are objects of desire, you always need more: to play, for the day…” This is how the owner Michele Giglio explains the evolution of the market of accessory for kids. “It is not just me thinking like this: enterprises say the market works well. Let’s take Prada, it became an original collection for kids only, not an imitation of the adult model anymore. And the increase of the number shows that enterprises are betting on this new market.”

Is this the reason why you dedicated a whole shop to kids accessories?

“Yes, since the enterprises we work with felt the need to enlarge collections and the kids shops we realized we didn’t have enough space. So, we opened a boutique on its own: elegant, beautiful, full of colour and whose success is stepping high.”

Does the world of accessories for kids include other accessories apart from shoes, like it is for adults, or is it wider?

“I’ d say it is mainly shoes. Of course there are hats, belts and little bags. But the world of kids works differently from adults. A little girl with a Louis Vuitton bag uner her harm is tacky American style!! Shoes, in fact, are protagonists, specially because we spot how important they are: the new shoes for kids are modern, light, ideal to play and feel well.”

Is it more little boys or little girls buying shoes?

“Little boys, because they ruin them the most! They have to play, and it’s up to us adults to provide them with the best shoes to fulfil this purpose. We do use lots of cotton since it is a washable material, and mums should remember their kids are children first of all, not miniatures of adults, and they need to play first of all!”

Are young kids aware of the brands? Which criteria do they use when choosing their little shoes?

“Up to four, five, years its up to their mum the choice, clearly reflecting an adult taste. Then, when it comes to school, it’s children themselves asking for a certain shoe. But they are not aware of the brand. They imitate: their classmates and parents most of all. The young boy wants to look like his father. They are young, and we educate them in a certain way. It is not the little girl going for a Vuitton bag, but her mum. Kids simply ask things they see, and they crave them according to those who stand close to them.

How important you recon it is the price of young kids shoes?

Not too important: little shoes of our enterprises, which are the best, cost between 80 and 120 Euros. A reasonable price considering that some other shoes, not of a good brand and maybe less beautiful than ours, cost just a little bit less!

Which kind of shoe do you sell the better?

It depends, it is according to the season. During winter we sell lots of Hogan and Paciotti’s. during summer we offer a wide choice, beautiful shoes, specially for little girls, such as Dior, Prada and Hogan too.

What’s the maximum size for kids?

Up to 35, and we manage to sell to mums and young women too. We chose a particular exposition on purpose: we display on windows either the smallest number or the biggest, sizes 22 and 35, to make it clear we can satisfy a wide range of requests.