Created in 2015 Coco Au Lait (pronounced Coco o-lay) offers customers a unique, high quality apparel that is a mixture of cultures. Inspired by fine Mexican embroidery and the impeccable European tailoring, designers Maribel and Erica developed a brand that is playful and chic.

Name: Maribel López and Erica Elias

Hometown or where you currently live: 

Maribel: I’ve lived in Madrid, Spain for 14 years now, but am originally from México. Erica is from Chihuahua, México but has been living  in León, Mexico for 10 years now. 

Type of design, accessories, t shirts, denim, clothing etc: We design high quality children´s clothing for girls and boys ranging from 3 months to 12 years. Our collection comprises shirts, blouses, sweaters, blazers, capes, coats, vests, pants, skirts, dresses, swimwear, shorts and tshirts. 

Why did you choose to design for children?

We both met and lived together during our college years in Mexico City. Erica is an architect and I am a lawyer. We both worked in our respective areas for several years but somebow Erica ended opening a children´s boutique in León and I started my own denim label in Madrid, called Denimfactoria.

On a girl´s trip to San Miguel de Allende we got to talking about children´s fashion and decided to start a new project together.

Our goal was to make a brand that offered high quality, European style clothing but with a modern twist. We found there was a niche in the kids market for form fitting, tailored clothing that wasn´t so serious or that didn´t use sombre colors.

We started out selling our brand in Mexico but have since expanded to the US and Spain.

Silver Fighter T-Shirt

Bird T-Shirt

How is your label different from the other children’s brands already on the market?

I think Coco Au Lait is different from what you usually find in European type clothing in that we use those very tailored and polished cuts but with brighter colored fabrics and prints. We also love incorporating embroidery and details reminiscent of our Latin heritage. Usually the type of children´s clothing similar to ours has muted colors and very classic prints. Our SS18 collection for example had prints (we do our own designs and have them printed out) of, quetzales (very important birds in prehispanic culture) pommegranates, watermelons and limes, typical fruits of Latin culture.  

Where do you get your ideas from and what or who inspires you as a designer?

We mostly think of a theme each season. That theme is the result of something that is important to us and we think it might incite a conversation between parents and children. Last winter we did Red Riding Hood but in our version, the girl from the story now knows better than to talk to strangers. We based the collection on strong and informed children. With that in mind we set out to draw patterns for the collection.

Where can Fresh Kid Nation readers find your brand?

We sell our clothes on our website www.cocoaulait.com and in concept or department stores internationally like Saks Fifth Ave, Ikal and Cañamiel.

Follow us on Instagram @Coco_Au_Lait

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cocoaulaitofficial