KiddiModa: I always risk to make much headway

There are many exhibitors working with us for years, and there are truly unique ones working with us for generations, such as KiddiModa. Please see below an interview with Elena Rassadovich, Kiddimoda’s co-founder.

The story of KiddiModa started when Elena was a student. Her parents opened a children’s store, and she supported them during their first years in business by helping with making orders and collecting information. As a result, she gained useful knowledge and understanding of business processes. Back then KiddiModa participated in BABY EXPO trade fair for the first time. Today KiddiModa, a wholesale distributor of kid and teen clothing by Turkish trademarks, is still among the exhibitors at Baby Expo.

– Which trademark was the first? Why was it chosen?

– We started with denim clothing by A-Yugi trademark. We had retail stores at the time, and I knew that A-Yugi would be in demand in Ukraine.

– How many trademarks are you distributing now?

– It is not so much the number but the quality that matters. We offer a complete A-Yugi range, 98% of Marions teen collection. We also offer Cichlid, Mackays and Escabel Kids TMs for children aged 0 to 10. That’s enough for today.

– Yes, indeed! Even more, I always visualize my daughter dressed in clothing we order. If the clothing doesn’t fit well, we can’t work with the trademark.

– Don’t you think that Marions TM is so successful in Ukraine due to the lack of teen clothing?

– Yes, most Ukrainian manufacturers don’t offer teen clothing, but it’s more than that. Marions team does remarkable job to predict fashion trends. Today they offer oversize clothing, checked shirts, and mom jeans from the ninetieth that are coming back into fashion.

– What would you like to change today?

– I would like to add one more non-Turkish trademark to our portfolio, show it at the trade fair, and get customer feedback.

– Did you have any breakthroughs?

– The tipping point came when we did a comprehensive rebranding, including our logo, website, and stand construction. We have shown ourselves completely updated, and our popularity has increased.

– Why did you choose a non-standard stand construction?

– I came back from a Turkish trade fair where I was impressed with a stand 4.5 meters high, and wanted the similar one. I really like it to be open and modern.

– What clothing do Ukrainians prefer today? Have their preferences changed?

– Yes, they try to follow European fashion trends today. But the preferences still depend on the region. Kyiv goes ahead; buyers like oversize and very simple designs. Provinces go behind; buyers like anatomic and decorated designs.

– Do you offer next season’s collections?

– Yes, we have to get ahead of competitors.

– How do you track trends?

– I watch fashion shows, read fashion reviews, and meet designers. I understand that children’s fashion trends merely follow women’s fashion trends at one-year-interval.

– What is the main principle in your work with manufacturers?

– The main principle is trust. We establish very close communication with manufacturers. We can come to the factory, speak with designers, do other things not permitted to anyone (because new designs are often copied).

– Have you ever stopped working with manufacturers?

– Once we stopped working with a company that manufactured school wear. We were uncomfortable with the lack of complete collections and pre-orders. Otherwise, we have always found a compromise.

– Tell us about your customers. Who are qualified for partnering with you?

– Almost anyone. We have no qualifications; we just ask store name and location. I commonly give some useful tips and recommend best-selling items. The more we do for our customers, the more they are growing.

– Are most of your customers large chains or small stores?

– They are mostly stores at shopping malls and online stores.

– Are there any customers who have been with you since you started?

– We have many such customers. There are those who have already opened more stores or increased the area. And there are those who have stopped their activities, being unable to compete or adapt to changing conditions.

– What is a secret of a successful relationship between distributor and its customers?

– The most important things are trust and support. We work on pre-order basis, ensuring exact shipment dates and precise order batching. We also offer discounts and other special terms of cooperation.

– Where’s the most sales, online or offline?

– Offline. Our wholesale customers are not so easy to go online. But with rental rates constantly rising and online segment becoming difficult to compete, they start to create e-catalogues and social media pages.

– Have you thought about manufacture of clothing by themselves?

– We’ve been thinking about it for a year. We’re now deciding whether to add a new foreign trademark to our portfolio or start manufacture of clothing under own trademark.

– Are there any problems with your business?

– We have not many problems, but every day. We’d like children in our country to have not one pair of jeans for a season, but three or four. Marions jeans are commonly 20-30% more expensive than competitors. We agreed on a special price for Ukraine, and they reduced the price by 30%.

Unlike Europeans, who have order and stability, we are under constant stress. We don’t know what lies ahead. We’d like to see business-related bills introduced by proficient people.

– What inspires you most about your work?

– I’m inspired by the very process: ordering collections, preparing photo shoot sessions and runway shows. That’s my life. I am well-versed in numbers, orders, and leftovers, but I get the pleasure of children’s fashion and customer feedback.

– What is the effect of your exhibiting at Baby Expo?

– At each edition, we draw about 300 new customers and substantially increase sales to about 10 existing wholesale customers. We show new collections to customers, and they easily make seasonal purchase plans.

It is important both to draw new customers and retain the existing ones. At the trade fair we show what we seek, where we are going, and what products we have in our portfolio.

Prepared by BABY EXPO team