Mini-Me Fashion

By Jean Chatzky

Once upon a time, if you wanted to dress your child as a miniature--yet fashionable--version of yourself, the world of Lilly Pulitzer was yours to choose from, and that was about it. No more. Last week Coach, a maker of luxury leather bags, shoes and accessories, joined Tod's, Moschino and Burberry in catering to upscale kids. Among Coach's mini-me offerings: a zip pack suitable for bringing a Game Boy surreptitiously to school ($98) and a C-print crusher hat ($68) that looks just like Mom's. Why cater to kids? David Lockwood, a manager at Mintel, a Chicago-based consumer-market researcher, says that while the overall clothing market has been weak, children's apparel is a $28 billion market in the U.S. that has experienced nearly continuous growth since 1998. --By Jean Chatzky