Mothercare launches a gender-neutral clothing range
Mothercare is launching a gender-neutral clothing range for babies and young children.
Items in the chain’s My K unisex collection, featuring pandas, slogan T-shirts and romper suits, are designed to be worn by boys or girls.
The unisex range features mainly black, white, grey and yellow shades – avoiding the more typical colours of blue for boys and pink for girls.
PC pandas: These animal print designs, as well as slogan T-shirts and leggings, are designed to be worn by either boys or girls
It includes £15 panda dungarees, a £6 romper suit, and an £8 racoon sweatshirt.
There is also a pinafore dress and bodysuit set for £16 and £7 black and white leopard-print leggings.
But unlike John Lewis – which last month announced it was removing gender labels from its children’s clothing and doing away with boys’ and girls’ sections in stores – Mothercare will still have boys and girls sections.
The range has been designed by model and presenter Myleene Klass.
Last night a store source added: ‘Much of My Baby K is already flying off the shelves – Mothercare has most definitely lost its old-fashioned, stuffy image of days gone by.’
Designer: Model and presenter Myleene Klass
Miss Klass, 39, who shot to fame in 2001 in pop band Hear’Say, has worked with the chain for 11 years.
Last night, Francesca Mallen, founder of Let Clothes Be Clothes which campaigns for retailers to end gender stereotypes, praised the move.
She said: ‘We’re delighted to hear My K is pitching gender-neutral childrenswear at Mothercare, but we’d like to see more of that commitment in store and online.
‘If in 2017 we associate skirts and dresses with anything feminine, why is the idea of boys having that choice so difficult?’
Celebrities have been quick to embrace the ethos, with Russell Brand saying he wanted to raise daughter Mabel ‘gender-neutrally’ while Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt revealed their daughter Shiloh, 11, wanted to be known as ‘John’.