Situated in the historic town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, just northwest of Paris, the Kidiwi studio is a place where craft, care and the joy of childhood come to life. Light streams in through tall French windows, framed by ornate iron balconies, illuminating rails of beautiful girls’ dresses in velvet and soft cotton and smart outfit sets for boys. “Paris is a constant source of inspiration,” Lanto tells us fondly when asked if she enjoys creating so close to the city. “As a beaux-arts student, I’ve always loved walking through old neighbourhoods, observing the architecture, colours, and light. The city has this timeless elegance that resonates deeply with our brand.”

Inside the studio, the space is filled with creative moodboards, overflowing with pinned fabric swatches, sketches and coloured threads, which Lanto describes as “a creative mess, in the best way possible!” It is here that Kidiwi’s beautiful children’s clothes are imagined. Surrounded by her team of technical designers, there’s one particular spot in the studio where creativity flows in abundance for Lanto: “My favourite place is the central wooden table, where we draw, paint, and build our ideas — there’s a sorting-out process before pinning something more definitive on the moodboard.” It is also here where Lanto’s creative background in fine arts comes into play. “I draw everything by hand, the old-fashioned way. And what I love most is the moment when a drawing turns into a real garment, when I can feel the connection between the idea and the artisan’s hand."

Whilst Lanto calls France her home, the Kidiwi story actually began some 30 years ago in the family workshop of her mother, Bodo, in Madagascar, where all the garments are manufactured to this day. “I grew up surrounded by fabrics, threads, and the gentle rhythm of the sewing machine,” Lanto tells us, reminiscing. “That place was my playground. Hand embroidery was already at the heart of my mother’s business, and she worked alongside skilful embroiderers I called aunties who would teach me their craft. Some of them are still working in our workshop today! My mother always told me that the Malagasy craftsmanship is a true treasure of the country.” And it was that relationship with heritage, family roots, and upholding traditional crafts that was among the reasons we, Childrensalon, were so drawn to Kidiwi as a brand all those years ago. 

“As a child, my mother called me her little stylist," Lanto continues. “I really enjoyed spending moments with her in the workshop — I drew next to her, or made clothes for my dolls with scraps of fabric.” Fast forward to 2009, and the mother-daughter duo took a leap together and decided to build a brand; Bodo overseeing every technical detail in Madagascar while Lanto designed the collections in Paris. So, where did the name Kidiwi come from? “Well, we chose the name like a child’s game,” she tells us with a smile, “a made-up word, soft and joyful. The whole thing is very French, like the sentence 'qui dit oui', which means 'who says yes'.” And the 'Handmade' part of the name? “Handmade is truly at the heart of who we are. It means taking the time to think, to create, to make. Each of our smocks and embroideries is entirely made by hand by our artisans in Madagascar; a single dress can take over eight hours to embroider.”

As we look through the Kidiwi pieces on offer this season, the art of fabric smocking can be seen across many of the designs in the collection, a craft that is woven into our own brand story. So, naturally we were drawn to the topic when talking of the little details. “Smocking is like handwriting, unique, expressive, emotional. It connects generations because it’s full of human touch,” shares Lanto. “At Kidiwi, we take time to create these pieces. In a world that moves so fast, this feels almost like an act of resistance, a way to honour craftsmanship.” 

We also notice another beautiful detail that stands out on the rails of the neatly hung garments, a signature for Kidiwi that changes form with each collection: collars! “Collars are a detail we adore,” Lanto tells us. “We have so many versions and it is one of the technical challenges I offer my mother every season to create. This winter, many of them are delicately hand-embroidered, some with small roses, leaves, or scalloped edges. Collars frame a child’s face beautifully and add that subtle touch of refinement and tradition we love here at Kidiwi.” So, where does that passion for heritage come from, we ask her. “It comes from my upbringing,” she says. “My mother always valued timeless elegance — simple, well-made pieces that never go out of style. However, at Kidiwi, our designs may look classic at first glance, but there’s a real creative effort behind each piece to make it feel right for today’s child. It’s about finding balance. Details inspired by the past, but designed for the present, with thoughtful cuts and carefully chosen materials."

This season at Kidiwi offers a treasure trove of exquisite handmade pieces that are sure to take centre stage in your little ones’ wardrobes, and we were curious about where the inspiration came from for the designs. “Our AW '25 collection is called Réminiscences, A Winter Poetry", explains Lanto, “and it is filled with rococo details, velvets, tartans, and delicate embroideries that feel both nostalgic and refined. Among my favorites is our Joséphine velvet dress with hand-embroidered roses on the collar, styled with our Bonnie bow hairclip and the Mimosa crossbag. And the matching tartan set for boys, elegant yet playful.”

With the festive season approaching, the conversation moves on to talk of Christmas and the special outfits that Lanto and her mum so carefully create for the occasion. “Christmas is always a warm and busy time in the studio. It is our favourite moment of the year! We love creating clothes that become part of family celebrations, pieces that children will wear for years and remember, captured in beautiful family pictures or just in the family memory, as a tradition.” We also notice that there are lots of coordinating pieces for boys and girls in the collection, at which point Lanto shares her vision for styles that siblings can wear together. “It’s about harmony. I love the visual connection between siblings. There’s something timeless and heartwarming in seeing brothers and sisters dressed in a shared story, each keeping their own character.” And we couldn’t agree more! And with that we round off our interview with a little sneak peek at what’s in store for Lanto, Bodo and the Kidiwi brand in 2026. “We’ll keep doing what we love most, creating timeless pieces with soul. We are also developing our women’s line, so we could extend further the matching concept. We get lots of requests on this subject. And we’ll surely explore new collar shapes too! But the heart of Kidiwi will always remain the same: craftsmanship, family, poetry and elegance."