CHILD’S PLAY: Far from alone in its affinity for onesies, Kim Kardashian West’s Skims has competition from Walmart, Forever Lazy and other brands. But adults are borrowing a trend that millions first sported as infants.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of its trademarked onesies bodysuit, Gerber Childrenswear has unveiled two collections dedicated to the silhouette. The design was created by a merchandising manager at the company in 1982 as an easy way to keep babies’ stomachs covered. Executives at the company declined to comment on annual sales volume and the percentage of sales that apparel accounts for.
As for consumers’ interest in adult onesies, Gerber Childrenswear creative director Christopher Rawls said: “It speaks more to the overall comfort of that type of garment whether it’s for newborns, toddlers or adults. Everybody’s got so much going on in their lives right now, it’s one less thing to worry about.”
While onesies obviously have been a staple in the children’s wear arena for generations of babies and young children, Rawls said he “doesn’t really know how long that lasting trend is for. You can use it as a layering piece, as a base layer. If you look at what Skims is doing, you can wear it as a main part of your outfit. It has a lot of versatility to it.”
As an added incentive to parents and gift givers, Gerber Childrenswear is offering a limited quantity of 40-cent onesies imprinted with “True Original” or “One of a Kind.” The company sells its apparel through its online site, and through retailers like Amazon Inc., Walmart Inc. and Target Corp., among others. As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, the company is donating an assortment of its onesies to the nonprofit Delivering Good that provides families affected by poverty and tragedy with new merchandise.
Gerber Childrenswear president and chief executive officer Maria Montano noted how the snap-closured design hasn’t changed in the past 40 years. There is also a second special edition of styles that highlights some of the fads and trends of the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. To drum up interest in the commemorative designs, Gerber Childrenswear partnered with Danielle Fishel, who played “Topanga Lawrence” in “Boy Meets World.” The brand is offering a style inspired by her character. Having turned 40 this year and recently had her second baby, she can relate.
Source: WWD