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Original poster

Monsoon kids clothes

40 replies

Belo · 05/06/2007 10:46

Haven't posted on Mumsnet in ages. Only had time for lurking. But now I need some help for dh....

He's got a job interview at Monsoon tomorrow, working in childrenswear, and one of the questions the recruitment agency has said he will likely to be asked is how Monsoon Childrenswear is positioned in the market. I know we can't afford to buy clothes from there, but that's not much of an answer. Can anybody help us? This is quite a job change for him and apart from having 2 dds we know nothing about this market. We just tend to go for the cheapest stuff.

Any comments would be appreciated!

OP posts:
tasja · 05/06/2007 10:48

I think they can advertise it more. Not many people know they sell children's clothes. And in the shops it's as if it's hidden away from the rest of the clothes.

Just my opinion

boomie · 05/06/2007 10:50

I agree - in our local store the children's clothes are in a corner upstairs. I have 2 DDs and do buy a bit of stuff from Monsoon for them. However, the boys stuff seems really limited.

skirmish · 05/06/2007 10:51

hardly go in there as the clothes can be quite fussy for boys - very pretty for girls, though i tend to think of it as more of 'occasion' wear. Also, shops are bloody tiny and crammed to capacity so not very practical when shopping with a pram!

good luck for the i/v though

BishyBarneyBee · 05/06/2007 10:52

upper end of the market - high quality, individual and unique clothing, good for occassion wear and for a number of choice pieces but not suited to the basics.

Otter · 05/06/2007 10:53

i buy my baby boy clothes from there

barbamama · 05/06/2007 10:55

I would say the boys clothes come across as an afterthought and they seem to do much more for little girls - very pretty floaty things - I too would go in there for an occasion - definitely not every day wear in my opinion - whether or not this is their intention I don't know.

I'd say they are positioned at the middle/upper middle classes as well - though the rest of the shop not so much.

Another thing about the boys clothes - they come up REALLY small.

Godd luck for your dh

Pruuni · 05/06/2007 10:56

It's at the top end of the high st childrenswear - by quite a long way. I wonder if they sell most of their stock during sales, as prices are unreasonable imo. Sizing is very odd, my ds is 3 and could happily wear age 5-6 - and at their prices, I have to buy the biggest size I can get away with in order to get value for money/length or wear etc.
Their clothes wear very well, though the quality is not always as good as the price would suggest. The best hting is NO LOGOS. I will pay extra for clothes that dfo not have some nonsense plastered over them.
I am a big fan as their stuff is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of colour, theme etc - though not quality. I would be interested to know where their clothes are manufactured and what the mark up is - I'm sure they are trying to trade on the fact that their clothes are a bit 'special', whereas I know what drives me to buy them is good sales and a comparison with what else is around, which tends to be shit. Rather than the clothes having an intrinsic value of their own, iyswim.
Sorry that's a garbled mess

Pruuni · 05/06/2007 11:00

Yes agree that boys' range is limited (shame as I only have a boy)
Given what else is on the high st, I wonder why they haven't tried to capitalise on their niche.
We have got quite a few basics there, though - in sales, obv. Have had a few things - tops and trousers mainly - that have been worn over the course of 18months so a good investment.

scatterbrain · 05/06/2007 11:02

Definitely special occasion clothes - really because of the price. I don't think it's that high class really tbh - middle class/aspirational but no higher.

We buy a Monsoon dress each season - just the one - for best, and sometimes a top or a skirt as well - but couldn't afford whole wardrobe in it. Likewise Boden - which I feel is pretty much same niche, similar pricing etc. Few key pieces from Monsoon and Boden and lots of bits (T shirts/shorts etc) from Next and Tesco !

DontCallMeBaby · 05/06/2007 11:09

I buy in the sale only (got DD's flowergirl cardigan for £7.50, went a treat with the £11 Asda dress!) Was once sighing over their children's stuff in the shop while commenting on the prices, the woman next to me said yes, but she was buying a size up for her daughter who was about seven, and it would last for ages - think that gives some idea of market?

On the 'hidden away' thing, our local Monsoon has two branches, one is a specialist childrenswear branch. It's in a more prominent position than the adult one - it's not been there long, prior to that it was the adult one, very small, the new adult one is a completely new site for them. I wonder if this is part of their current strategy?

boomie · 05/06/2007 11:10

Forgot to add, the clothes that I have bought for DD's have been excellent quality. A few of them have had sequins and beads sewn in and not one has ever fallen off.

barbamama · 05/06/2007 11:12

yes I found that about the boys sizes too - my ds got a long sleeved top age 2-3 for his second birthday 6 months ago and it is almost too small - and almost from the beginning I haven't been able to roll the sleeves up when he is eating as they are too tight. it looks lovely on and doesn't look too small but is definitely less roomy than it should be - he is on the small size for a 2 year old too!

My friend has the same on for her 21/2 year old and has already had to stop wearing it and one for her one year old in size below with same problem.

I too have always wondered why they don't market them a bit better - eg a kids catalogue etc as they are always shoved at the back of the shop.

Pruuni · 05/06/2007 11:14

I am always perplexed by the sizing. Gap too.
It's like someone has left out the decimal point somewhere

barbamama · 05/06/2007 11:15

And Zara - I wonder if they use European sizing models - their kids are generally a bit lankier maybe?

Conversley, in Tesco and H&M I am still buying 18-24 months as their stuff is massive!

Original poster
Belo · 05/06/2007 11:18

All of your comments are brilliant! These will be a real help for dh. Thank you.

Dontcallmebaby, where is the specialist childrens shop?

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/06/2007 11:20

agree with pruuni, top end of high street with a designer look, classic styles and prints but with a fashionable edge and detail. Main competition would be Laura Ashley (if much limited girls' range these days), Tigerlily and other designer brands available at Debenhams , House of Fraser and John Lewis, M and S are starting to create a niche brand with a similar look and bridal shops.

I'd view it as an add on to the womenswear (mummy is browsing for herself so wants something similar for dd or perhaps ds) or a special occasion purchase (bridal, Commuinion, Christening an so on). Girls' clothing collection stronger and for a wider age group than boys' which seems a bit of an afterthought. Accessories are big (remember Accessorise is related) - traditional hats, hair accesories and special occasion shoes.

hth What type of job is it - in store or Head Office ?

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 05/06/2007 11:25

Clothes are lovely - well made quality. If we had a wedding or christenign to go to then it would be somewhere I would go to get dd a dress. Its not everyday stuff though.

boomie · 05/06/2007 11:26

And another thing (!), they do produce a brochure. I was given one when I had bought something for the DDs but thought the marketing was a bit naff. They should be targeting people to shop in there - not giving brochures to people who had just bought.

NKF · 05/06/2007 11:29

Girls clothes mainly and they're lovely. Desirable, unbranded, slightly hippy I'd say. Lovely party dresses and jeans with a bit of sparkle to them but never trashy. Not sure of the prices but I would imagine expensive but not so expensive that a mid income mother might indulge every so often. Same as Gap perhaps?

Original poster
Belo · 05/06/2007 11:32

LIZS, it's a head office position.

OP posts:
francagoestohollywood · 05/06/2007 11:35

seems to be the choice de rigueur for middle class children here in Exeter. It's probably the most expensive chain shop, but hardly top end of the market if you compare it to bonpoint, simonetta, and other posh brands I don't remember the names. I don't like it that much, I think it's not good value for money.

Pruuni · 05/06/2007 11:36

LIZS - except the brands you mention tend to produce boys' clothes in a very limited palette and/or they absolutely plaster the designer's name over them. THere is no way I would buy anything with 'John Rocha' in huge letters on it. (As an example)
I love that I can buy clothes with no words on them in Monsoon and they will be bright and bold.
I also think with careful shopping and a lot of thinking ahead they are worth it.

LIZS · 05/06/2007 11:36

oo, sounds like it may be similar to what I did a long time ago, not for them though !! Where are they based ?

francagoestohollywood · 05/06/2007 11:37

forgot to wish good luck to your husband

goingfor3 · 05/06/2007 11:38

There are brouchures at the tills which you can pick up. They put alot of effort into making the brouchures, making sure they have the right look for the season and type of clothes. Even though the clothes don't have logos you can spot Monsoon clothing as it has a distinctive style with all the the beading and embroidary and the quality is generally really good too.