Clothes that say “Toy”

 
 
There is a really cute article in the September 10, 2011 New York Times entitled “Crayon to Cotton.”  The author, Heather MacCrimmon, a costume designer, asked three little girls to imagine a dress and draw it using crayons.  MacCrimmon then turned them into real dresses and had the girls wear them.   As you can see, they turned out wonderfully fun, whimsical and kind of cool looking to boot (I really like that red one). All three possess a kind of toy / storybook sense of style.

It reminds me of North American Bear’s “My Own Monster” line of plush animals which turns a child’s drawing of a monster into an actual stuffed animal.  The hang tag shows the original drawing and the child’s first name.  In addition, North American Bear also offers a “Make My Own Monster” kit so you can create your own monster in the comfort of your own home.

In both cases, children get to see their designs come to life which has to be empowering for the child and rewarding for the initiator (in this case Ms. MacCrimmon and North American Bear).  This kind of personalization is definitely a way for companies that market to children to engage them on a whole new level and in doing so come up with designs that are groundbreaking and fun.

If you are turning to children for design ideas, let us know.