Sunni Dai Kids Fashion Week showcases the best in kids wear at fashion week across the country. Most recently, it helped lines showcase their spring/summer and fall/winter fashions at New York Fashion Week.
It also hosts the Sunni Dai’s Kids Fashion Week Miami, a bi-annual runway showcase introducing kids fashion brands for toddlers to teens. Now in its fifth year, it was launched by Sunni Dai.
Sunni Dai (Daila), 7, is the daughter of NBA Star Michael Beasley of the Los Angeles Lakers. “The business started in 2014 when Daila was 2 years old and considered ‘too big’ for her age. She was the same height as a 4/5 year old at 2. She had no place in ‘kids fashion’ so we created a lane for kids like her,” explains Sunni Dai’s mother, LaTish Roach.
Once she got involved in fashion, the young entrepreneur loved it. “The first thing that attracted me to fashion is the ability to express culture and personality on the runway. Give kids of all sizes, ethnicities the opportunity to wear the latest fashion on the biggest stage,” explains Sunni Dai.
After getting into the field of fashion, Sunni Dai and Roach were surprised by some aspects. “The most surprising thing we learned about the industry is that direct contact with a customer is huge for designers. These are important customers to them as they are able to touch, feel and see product on a model before purchase live,” Roach says. “Most parents don’t understand the value in certain brands as far as pricing. Some believe they can not afford certain designers and only shop big retailers. We bring in designers that are affordable for the everyday family at our events. The average cost of the brands range between $15-$75.”
Sunni Dai Kids Fashion Week is unique in the industry. “Our fashion show is very creative, authentic and diverse. We showcase kids of all ethnicities and sizes. We build their self-esteem and confidence at each event. The kids meet so many new friends by attending the event and gain a ton of exposure,” Sunni Dai explains.
They knew there was a niche. “We wanted to do kids because we wanted an event exclusive to kids. We didn’t want to have a kids event at an adult show because the clientele is different. We wanted to cater to customers interested in everything that has to do with kids,” Roach says.
Looking forward, mother and daughter want to expand. They reveal: “Our goal for 2020 is to bring on workshops and add more cities to our event. As of right now we have showcased in Miami, NYC, BVI, Cayman Islands, and Los Angeles. We would like to add a conference and festival as well to the lineup.”
