Meet Laura Vidrequin, Founder of Kids O’clock
In this month’s Mimi’s Bowl I meet Laura, CEO and founder of Kids O’Clock, a dynamic concept for parents looking to reduce their families footprint.
Introduced over an invitation to a Thanksgiving dinner Laura and I instantly connected with our shared history as ex-fashion buyers. Soon we were chatting about everything from parenting, to fashion, to the future of fashion. She is passionate about making sustainable shopping for parents a reality. Calculating that kids will wear approximately 10 sizes in their first year, Laura wants to fight the idea that parents “need” to buy new clothes for each new stage. As Laura explains becoming a parent doesn't have to mean a spiralling fashion footprint.
It’s a space well-developed for parent’s themselves, through market leaders such as Vestaire Collective, Vinted and Depop however Laura senses there is still so much opportunity in the market for parents, shopping on behalf of their children. Parents who are conscious of their footprint and are seeking a children’s brand which encapsulates their aspirations and values. Meet Kids O’Clock which rapidly expanded in lockdown, won angel investment and is now operating with buyers and sellers in 14 countries. What started out as a side project selling pieces on behalf of close family and friends is snowballing into a parent-fashion-movement.
French-born Laura grew up in New York, where she spent many years working as a fashion buyer. Her career spanned the holy-grail of fashion brands from Moda Operandi, Net-a-Porter, to Harvey Nichols. Raising her son in London and in the midst of global pandemic Laura felt overwhelmed by an accumulation of “stuff”. Something I think we can as parents all relate to.
Finding a solution to the problem, Laura amassed a heap of clothes in her own home to giveaway and asked around 20 fellow parents (amongst them friends and new parents she met in NCT classes) to join her donating pre-loved children’s clothes, that they would want to be given themselves. Soon she had a business and one that felt aligned with her desire to create a meaningful childrenswear brand with a difference. A website and platform launched shortly after, aimed at changing the way we see and buy fashion for our kids.
A Kids O’Clock drop off location at Harvey Nichols, London
The site is a pier-to-pier community built on trust, on it you will find a compilation of the best pre-loved, for your kids from birth to their teens, encompassing all styles. But, also important to the business are new burgeoning brand relationships, where parents can drop off clothes to local designer children swear retailers and receive coupons and discounts in return for their donations. What comes across strongly is that Laura loves retailers and their industry and she wants her concept to work in harmony with them. Improving the industry and making sure that clothes purchased have a circular economy to inhabit.
some background…
what inspires you?
I have always loved vintage clothing, it has always been a huge part of my own wardrobe. I still get a thrill every time I step into a second hand shop. I want to pass that thrill onto other parents, in an accessible online format that fits into everyday life.
a typical day?
6am we wake up very early and make sure we have a lengthy creative/ fun/ breakfast. We are very early birds, and it is not a problem for us to spend our entire morning in the kitchen/ dining room. We often end up doing some arts and crafts and creating a whole mess.
8am getting ready for school and drop-off
9am arriving at the office where I am meeting my team
Every day is different being an entrepreneur, there is something I love about not having any expectations about how the day is going to go. The team works from home few days a week, so when we are together in the office, we make it count with blue sky meetings and quality building time.
7/ 8pm i am usually back home with Albert and my husband, where we enjoy some time before a strict bed time at 7.30/ 8pm
reading, Watching, Listening to?
Reading the much recommended How Toddlers Thrive, by Tovah Klein
Listening to meditation podcasts
Watching Dexter on Netflix
favourite family meal, or signature dish?
“I am not the best cook but if I am in the kitchen then guacamole is a firm favourite with a ceviche. If we are eating as a family and my little boy Albie is at the table then we all eat the same food. Last night it was curry, which we all love. But Albie’s favourite is a classic Lasagna.”
Plans for 2022?
I feel excited for 2022, we have new products coming to the market, thanks to various collaborations and partnerships. So watch this space for more…
But just in time for the Holidays we are launching a new Kids O’Clock toy campaign, you heard it here first! It is something our customers have been asking for and it’s now ready to go.