The luxury British childrenswear brand Ira & Isla Baby and Kids was founded by Jasleen Kaur in London in 2013. Following the birth of her second daughter, Isla, the mother of five noticed a gap in the market for luxury childrenswear handmade in Britain. She said: “The market appeared saturated for childrenswear, yet I could not find high quality classic traditional dresses for the girls.”
Named after her two firstborns, Ira, and Isla, the brand offers simple, well-crafted and timeless clothes for girls and boys from 3 months to 6 years. Jasleen explained:
“I launched Ira & Isla with my husband in London in 2013, shortly after having our second baby, Isla. A womenswear designer myself and interning at Mathew Williamson during my degree at London college of fashion, yet due to economic realities, chose to become a secondary textiles and food teacher. After the birth of Isla, I planned for the launch of Ira & Isla Baby and Kids, which took over 7 years to get off to the ground.”
Using her expertise in sewing and pattern cutting, Jasleen creates garments that have the potential to become family heirlooms. Ira & Isla’s clothes are designed to last long after a child outgrows them, to be passed on to siblings, children and grandchildren. “The only reason an Ira & Isla dress will stop being worn is that they have outgrown after taking the hem down and haven’t been passed on to another child yet,” said Jasleen.
The brand puts an emphasis on sustainability, by introducing responsible practices beyond the fabrics and manufacturing process:
“We sew dresses that are made to last and pass on. Sustainability for us isn’t just about the fabrics and manufacturing process, it’s also about extending the product life cycle through design including generous sizing, deeper hems which can be taken down to help ensure garments fit for 2 years or even 3 years: as children grow fast after all.”
Extending the lifespan of a product and minimising waste is at the core of Ira & Isla’s philosophy:
“We work with manufacturers that offer low minimum order quantities which allow us to produce new designs and reduce waste. It was fundamental to us to manufacture our products in the UK to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum. Sustainability is at the core of our business. We design to minimise waste; our packaging is recyclable. We don’t design collections for throw away trends or one day wear.”
