What the best-dressed babies are wearing

A DERBY mum, who is originally from Japan, has launched a new business making and selling kimonos for babies.

Tomono Davies believes the Japanese-style clothes will be a big hit with British parents because they are more functional than western baby clothes.

wrap around: Tomono Davies has set up a business selling Japanese kimonos for babies. Her son, 19-month-old Oscar, is wearing one of his mum's six new designs, which sell for £29.99 each.

Tomono, who met her husband, Lewis, when he was working in Japan, hit upon the idea when she had her son, Oscar, now 19 months old.

She said: "Japanese baby clothes are very different to western ones. The clothes in my country wrap around the child – this makes them easy to take on and off. They also give flexibility as the child grows.

"But with western baby clothes, you have to get them over the child's head, which is difficult and can upset them.

"The kimono-style clothes for babies are very common in Japan and, although they are more functional, the designs on them tend to be a bit cheesy and unfashionable.

"But a lot of the Western baby clothes have very trendy and sophisticated designs. So what I've tried to do is take the best of both creating baby kimonos that are trendy."

Tomono, who lives in Wild Street, knew the business had potential when other parents in Derby saw her son wearing one of the kimonos.

She said: "They kept saying, 'Wow, can you get me one of those?' I ordered some from Japan but I thought that I could come up with ones that were more suited to the Western market.

"Since I became a mother, it has been such a pleasure to live in Derby and I have been astonished by how child-friendly the city is.

"I've been attending many play groups and met fabulous friends from all over the world. I think knowing both parenting cultures inspired me to make something which I think is unique."

With her own funding Tomono came up with some designs, which received safety certification and found a firm in Nottingham to manufacture the garments. She launched the business, called Cocoro Style, at the 2009 Japan Matsuri – a festival in London celebrating Japanese culture – last month.

And last week her new website, www.cocorostyle.com, went live, selling six different kimonos, at £29.99 each.

As well as her website, Tomono, who came to Derby three years ago, plans to approach small, independent shops in the region to sell her creations.

Tomono, who runs the business from home, is now working on new products.

She said: "Kimonos are particularly good in the summer months, so I am now working on one which will be good for winter."