Prince George was well past his bedtime — clad in a robe, PJs and slippers — when he greeted President Barack Obama last year at Kensington Palace.
For the headline-making encounter, the 2-year-old prince was styled like a gentleman-in-training. The stylish pajama ensemble included his name crafted on a white robe and a pair of embroidered velvet slippers by London brand Trotters. Just like many of the items his mother Kate Middleton wears, the shoes quickly sold out.
Of course, interest in personalized children’s apparel and footwear spiked for the retailer behind the look, My 1st Years.
Thanks to the worldwide exposure, the company was able to attract around $6 million in investment funds to expand its influence among U.S. consumers who are eager for unique, personalized wares for kids, Techcrunch.com reports.
Founders Daniel Price and Jonny Sitton launched the company in 2010 after making a pair of personalized baby shoes inspired by NikeID’s customization platform.
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Booties, espadrilles and high-top sneakers for youngsters are among the other personalized styles sold through Northampton, U.K.-based My1styears.com.
Price told Tech Crunch that his business serves an untapped market by meeting consumer needs for high-quality products without a long wait.
“We’re both pretty big fans of NikeID, and given that personalization was a rapidly growing trend, it seemed surprising that nobody was doing it in the baby market,” he said.
“Customers are no longer prepared to wait for a personalized product, so we ship things the same day. They’re also not prepared to compromise, so everything we produce is top quality. We’re now in a position to continue to grow our technology in this area, and to be proactive about expanding our offering.”
