Shop Talk Kids Clothes: What's Not to Like?

Lisa Gold never planned on starting her own business. As a former stockbroker who had segued into advertising, she put her career plans on hold when she became a stay-at-home mother.

Then she started tinkering with her kids’ clothes and started designing more of them when her mother-in-law taught her how to sew. She began giving her clothes as gifts. Soon people around town were asking for them so much that she was selling her creations at house parties. 

Fast-forward five years, and Lisa, along with husband Ken, are the proud owners of LikeWear which makes casual, fun kids’ clothes and accessories featuring original collections of officially licensed candy graphics and novel designs. 

Ken, whose background is in marketing, advertising, and licensing, explained that LikeWear had amassed more than 100 hundred representatives who were selling Lisa’s designs in more than 13 different states when the company began to get noticed by specialty shops, hotel chains, and destination retailers. 

The sellers, many of whom were other moms, reported that customers found LikeWear “tapped right into the heart and soul of what kids really like and want.”  The Golds expanded their clothing line to include zip-top book bags, backpacks, and lunch sacks in addition to t-shirts, flannel pants, and even underwear.

LikeWear prides itself on being a family business. The Golds’ three children are involved in the day-to-day operations with daughter Lily contributing her own designs to the line. And, since the merchandise is targeted primarily for kids ages 5 to 14, the Gold children, who are ages 7, 11, and 13, serve as an internal focus group, rendering opinions on what they especially like.  

“One of the exciting things we do is put images that work on clothes in various sizes so kids can customize their own clothes. All of the images are unique, exclusive designs,” says Ken. “We have the official licensed images for many candies and we get creative with the artwork, making peace signs out of different images, for example.”

The Golds recently relocated their company from their Livingston home to a storefront on South Livingston Avenue that acts as their design studio, storefront, “manufacturing” facility, and distribution center.  They hope to eventually see more of Lisa’s, and Lily’s, designs in moderate to higher-end stores. 

“This is really just the beginning,” says Ken. 

Learn more about the grand opening here. You can visit LikeWear at 142 South Livingston Ave.  Check them out on the web at www.likewear.com and www.likewearwholesale.com.