What?: If I could afford to kit both my children out exclusively in Mini Rodini clothing I’d do it in a heartbeat. Everything about this cult Swedish kidswear brand is wonderful, from their quirky prints to their gender-neutral styles and ethical production methods, which include the use of organic cotton and recycled/sustainable materials, a rejection of toxic chemicals and a commitment to paying every one of their factory workers a full living wage by 2021. All of this is obviously awesome but it comes at a price, and that is um… the price, because predictably Mini Rodini is pretty bloody expensive and I have to admit that the vast majority of pieces I’ve collected have been in the sale – and I’ve still winced when entering my credit card details. That said, the cost per wear has been incredible. Babu is so in love with the cool conversationals and soft cotton she will pick out something from her MR collection on a pretty much daily basis.
When I heard that the brand was opening its first standalone store in London (the first one outside of Scandinavia) I was positively overjoyed – not because I was planning on rocking up and spending thousands of pounds but I just loved the idea of seeing all of those beautiful prints together, in the same way you’d look forward to an exhibition showcasing the work of a favourite artist. The store is slightly annoyingly placed on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, which while lovely is a pain in the bum to get to and not really near anything else. I should probably mention here that Mini Rodini is also stocked in Harrods, Little Liberty and Selfridges, all of which are easier to get to when you don’t live west, but I very much wanted the immersive experience.
The store is, predictably, dreamy, with all of the brand’s most recent collections beautifully laid out around the main space and a further ‘treasures room’ filled with upcycled, reworked and repaired pieces, as well as vintage MR prints. The walls are decorated with a giant version of the pre-S/S 19 cat mermaid print, which is just too cute but makes me want them to create a giant mural featuring a character from every single print they’ve ever released – in particular the mermen, the brown duck, the hanging bat, the cheer cats… I mean, I could just go on forever, but it would be great right? The space is light and airy and the guy in there is mega friendly and knowledgeable about the brand. They’re cool with little people manhandling the stock and on both occasions we’ve visited we’ve left with a little present for buying something, which is always lovely, and just about justifies the cost of the clothes… maybe.
Where?: Mini Rodini can be found at 237 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill W11 2SE, and is an eight-minute walk from Notting Hill Gate tube station.
Price Range: Expect to pay from around £25 for a vest up to £150 for a coat or snowsuit.
Best Bits: Nobody does prints like Mini Rodini.
Worst Bits: The price and the location are definitely drawbacks, though the former is justified and I like to combine a browse in here with a trip to Holland Park.
Did We Buy?: On our last visit we bought a mouse-print vest for the baby.
Would We Come Back?: We already did, and yes.
Babu poses in front of the mermaid cat wall at Mini Rodini, Notting Hill.
bablands.com 