Inspired by the Gilded Age and Victorian fashions, Katerina Azarova launchd Petite Maison Kids, an elegant children’s clothing brand that celebrates the art of dressing. Designed with function and comfort in mind, the romantic collections are created for the everyday Princes and Princesses.
Since the launch of the brand in 2018, Petite Maison Kids has attracted a loyal following of celebrity clientele. Mom owned and women operated, Azarova’s sophisticated and chic dresses, coats, Victorian capes, rompers, blouses, and headbands are crafted in small batches and distinguished by their fine attention to detail. From layered soft tulle to organza bows, beautiful rhinestones, and lace tassels on trims, the brand’s beautiful accents convey a look of timeless sophistication.
With the recent opening of her flagship store in Greenwich, Connecticut, Azarova spoke with Hamptons Social about her biggest moment of triumph when building the brand, how her daughter serves as a muse, and her passion for changing the history of children’s clothing.
How would you describe the essence of Petite Maison Kids clothing?
KATERINA AZAROVA: Traditional yet show-stopping, sweet and feminine, sophisticated and playful at the same time. A lot of attention to details. I love to work with soft textures like velvet, organza, and tulle as well as natural fibers like cotton, wool, and cashmere.
What inspired you to create the brand?
AZAROVA: My kids. I started the company when I was pregnant with my daughter. I was so excited to dress her up, but faced a hard time finding adorable clothing that was also high quality in the U.S. market. I felt that we needed better options. Although I didn’t have a fashion design background, I have always loved fashion and had a great eye for detail.
Congratulations on your recent opening of the Petite Maison Kids store in Greenwich, CT. How does it feel to open your first retail location after gaining such a strong following online?
AZAROVA: It’s quite surreal for me. It has always been my dream to open a store location because I think seeing the products in hand tells alot about the love and care that goes into creating every piece. And there is no other place that felt more appropriate for the first location than Greenwich, CT.
We have been blessed to grow a loyal following online and people have been asking about being able to see and try on the products in person for quite some time. We now have our customers traveling to the store from hours away, as far as Rhode Island, NJ, and Pennsylvania. I’m really humbled by the response we have had to the store opening!
Where do you draw your inspiration from for the designs?
AZAROVA: I love the Gilded Age and Victorian fashions. So much detail went into the art of dressing. It was such a romantic time! And of course, I love everything French- hence the name of the company.
I grew up in Ukraine and came to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. My upbringing definitely influenced my taste for traditional European clothing style for kids.
How does your daughter serve as a muse for your designs?
AZAROVA: She’s 5 years old now and she’s my biggest advisor and influencer. Her favorite color is pink, so ofcourse we need to have a pink style every collection. Every day I leave for the office, she tells me “Mom, make me a dress pink with flowers.” She also lets me know how everything feels on because comfort is just as important as style when it comes to kids.
As a female business owner, what is one lesson you can share about entrepreneurship?
Balance. It’s so easy to get caught up working 24/7. I consciously need to plan to divide my time between work and family. I’m still working on finding time for myself in this mix.
What is one moment of triumph you remember from your journey building the Petite Maison Kids brand?
AZAROVA: I really feel blessed every day that I get to do what I love and that customers relate to our style and appreciate our products. We are really so different than anything else out there. One of the big validation moments for me was seeing our brand sold in Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s. It was like a pinch me “OK we made it” moment!
What do we have to look forward to with Petite Maison Kids? Any future plans that you would like to share?
AZAROVA: I have so many creative ideas that I hope to bring to life! I think we are just at the beginning of our journey. We recently launched our shoe collection and mommy and me looks, which have been a huge success. In the near future, we plan to expand our boys line and baby layette.
I want to change the history of children’s clothing. I want to make them as important as adult clothing. Fashion is a form of personal expression for kids as much as it is for adults. Our goal is to promote inclusivity, sustainable practices, and comfort to redefine the narrative around children’s fashion.
Petit Maison Kids; petitemaisonkids.com
71 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich, CT
