Europe’s largest baby brand has opened its first concept store for SEA in Singapore
Photos: Chicco
Mr Stefano Colombo, Head of Asia & Emerging Markets for Baby Care at Artsana Group (Chicco).
Parents now have a new retail haven for all of their children’s needs.
Chicco, which is the largest baby brand in Europe, has opened its first Southeast Asia concept store at Tanglin Mall.
The sprawling store features products that cater to the varied needs of children during every stage of their growth, from newborns all the way to children up to eight years of age.
Shoppers will find everything from adorable, comfortable kids’ apparel to nursing products.
We chatted with Mr Stefano Colombo, Head of Asia & Emerging Markets for Baby Care at Artsana Group (Chicco) to find out all about the brand.
Chicco has been around for more than 50 years. Tell us, how did the brand evolve into what it is today?
You’re right, the brand has been around for about 58 years. It was originally founded by Mr Pietro Catelli, on the occasion of the birth of his eldest son Enrico, affectionately named Chicco.
At that time in Italy, there weren’t a lot of solutions for newborn parents, hence he saw the potential in this market. We gradually evolved into the quintessential Italian baby goods brand, then decided to go international.
Why choose Singapore as your first stop in SEA?
Let’s just say, it’s not really the first stop as we’ve been distributing our products here over the course of the last 20 years. Now, we’re in the process of relaunching the brand, exactly as we want it to be — a full cross-category brand.
Eventually, the Singapore concept store will display the complete Chicco range, comprising juvenile, nursing items, toys, apparel and shoes. We want this to be a one-stop-shop for parents, parents-to-be and babies.
How will this store differ from the ones in Europe; and are there any products specially catered to the Asian market?
Over the years, we tried to move closer to Asian needs. As such, we do have some items that follow specification trends, such as very lightweight strollers.
But of course, our way of coming up with these strollers, is to incorporate as many functions as possible. We want to make value-added and multi-functional products, especially when parents invest in such an important item for their kids.
Shoppers will find everything from adorable, comfortable kids’ apparel to nursing products.
What are some upcoming consumer trends for the baby market?
In Asia, they like stylish strollers that are very lightweight. Moms around the world tend to like strollers that are comfortable for the baby, but also practical, functional yet beautiful.
Tell us more about the Happiness Lab?
In our Happiness Laboratory, or the Osservatorio Chicco in Italy, top researchers and scientists dedicated to the development of children from birth to three years, observe, analyze, and gather data.
It is part of our founder’s vision, in the sense that, he really loves children. Several years ago, we opened a Chicco Kindergarten.
It is a place where we can observe the behaviour of children throughout various stages of their growth. That’s how we come up with our products, by observing their needs.
We became conscious of the various ways in which their senses develop. We study the way they reacted differently to colours, shapes and sounds. That’s why, our toys incorporate features that are catered to recommended ages.
Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Road, #02-17/18
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