Remember when Brangelina had their baby last year? Barely introduced to the world and Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt managed to create massive hype for the Pots & Pans Band t-shirt that she wore in the much anticipated People Magazine photos shoot. Now THAT’s star power.

Kingsley, the designer of the line with the same name, was in Vancouver for the first time this past weekend and sat down with me to chat about the evolution of children’s clothing and life after the whirlwind of publicity.

The brand was formed three years ago after the birth of Kingsley’s son, Zephir. Like any new parent-to-be, Kingsley and Amy were excited to start shopping for their little boy and very quickly realized that there was a very limited selection of clothing that defined their lifestyle. They didn’t settle however. When Zephir came out of the hospital, he was wearing the first ever hand-crafted Kingsley onesy. That got a huge response. All their friends were into it and that is how Kingsley Clothing was created. Their local community was very supportive but they never anticipated celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Johnny Depp, Chris Cornell (their favourite rock star), Seal & Heidi Klum, to turn to them for their children’s fashion needs.

Kingsley isn’t into the habit of sending celebrities clothes. That’s never been his philosophy. “We don’t like to shove it down people’s throats no matter who they are, celebrity or not. We just figured if they like it, they’ll buy it and that’s always been the case.” They send Brad & Angelina a package once in a while now as a thank you for all the exposure they’ve given him but that’s where it stops. Kingsley is confident that the quality of the product speaks for itself. A lot of copycat brands have emerged as a result of his great success but the motives are different. Kingsley saw a need and wanted to fill a void in children’s clothing.

Much of his inspiration comes from his son. The Pots & Pans Band t-shirt came about when Zephir started a band in their kitchen. He was the drummer, banging on all the pots and pans and that sparked an idea. With a background in fine art, graphics, and photography, Kingsley is now expanding the line to pants, wovens, a line of accessories, and larger sizes. Look for an adult line this Fall at Holt Renfrew and if you’d like to carry the brand in your store, click here for contact info.

In today’s ‘Gap’ed world, we all need “a little more style…a little more flavour.”