Peekaboo Sleepwear – Cradle to a Child’s Comfort

Sleep is an extremely important function for humans, even more so for children. This is a time of relaxation, healing, and growth. It is hence extremely important to ensure that kids get the rest they deserve. This is where the outfits also come into the picture as only if the child is comfortable in the fabric they’re wearing, will they be able to sleep better. One such brand that is ensuring the children sleep soundly is Peekaboo. A homegrown brand, it took around 3-4 years for the idea to develop and a year more to finally establish its presence online. The prime reason for the company to be founded was the Founder, Poonam’s son whose skin was sensitive which is why she found it difficult to find the right kind of clothing for him. She wanted to ensure that any material used had to be the right blend of quality and design when it primarily came to sleepwear.
With prior experience with global brands dealing with kids’ apparel, Poonam was well aware of the quality standards that she had been looking for in factors such as design, aesthetics, workmanship, and comfort. The online store was also a result of the lack of easy availability of kid’s sleepwear.
Making a Difference as a “Mompreneur”
With over a decade of experience in design, merchandising, production planning, quality control, and logistics, Poonam Naik Desai created an identity for herself as the founder and creative director of Peekaboo. The work she handled in her life was the core reason for her confidence which led to her taking the plunge as a “mompreneur”. Being a hands-on mother to her son Agastya, it was a challenge in the initial few days to build up the work-life balance. But, eventually, it was fulfilling and rewarding and gave Poonam a sense of accomplishment. The concepts and ideas that were on paper were slowly seeing the light of day and earning praise and appreciation alike.
It wasn’t an instantaneous process, but she learned gradually that the business required passion as well as patience in equal or more measure. It was a learning process just like any new venture. Another main factor that immensely helped was the support Poonam received from her husband, parents, and brother. Due to this, she could give enough time to build Peekboo and nurture it. This also played to Poonam’s advantage as she was able to spend plenty of time with her son and more importantly in his formative years. This has also provided her with a learning experience of managing time while setting priorities for the day.
Elaborating on the Concept and Designs
As a mother, Poonam has first-hand experience in the design concepts that are apt for the little ones. They need to be fun and bring a smile onto the face of the child while knowing that mothers can trust the quality of the outfit. Her inspirations come from everyday life and things around her which her son may seem attracted to. Speaking more about the concepts behind her design, she says, “My little one is attracted to his toys, a story, a character, a song, basically his current obsession. Sometimes it’s while traveling one is struck with an idea or a concept, it could be some random artwork which seems relatable. It could be nature while playing in the park, or walking on the beach. One can never say!”
She also states that India has no dearth of indigenous designs that are enough to be an inspiration in themselves. The plethora of festivals and rituals, bring out various colors and patterns that act like an outfit idea. Every one of these is then shortlisted followed by being turned into concepts. The designing team then works on its future to create a mood board, follows it up with the artwork and CAD. The designs are then further shortlisted to be researched upon for the ideal color pattern and trends that have been forecasted for that particular season. The ones that do not make the cut are struck off and the rest are turned into samples. These help in visualization of what the final product may look like and is ranked by the team of designers along with Poonam. Upon coming to a unanimous decision, the most favored designs or the ones with a higher rating go-ahead to the final processing stage. This has ensured that the brand stays relevant and ensures a high level of quality.
Challenges Faced and Unique Factors
Every brand that comes up in the industry goes through a lot of challenges that act as a catalyst to boost their value in the market. Peekaboo also faced challenges where they had to ensure the right quality and feel of fabric, develop prints and colors which are lead-free. Additionally, they also had to help in minimizing the carbon footprint along with providing greater value at a competitive price range with a short production run. The brand has a strong belief in all its products while keeping its positive attitude close by. This helped them maneuver their initial hurdles better and initiated the development of their online store where it stands today. Speaking of the company, Poonam says, “It is still the beginning and we are aware we have a long way to go, especially as responsible global citizens. We are working on making our products essentially more sustainable by adding organic quality of cotton to the product mix along with eco-friendly natural fibers and blends like bamboo and soy.” The acceptance of the various challenges that may come their way has been helping them take one step at a time towards growth.
Future Plans for Designs
Peekaboo plans to work on collaborations with artists which will help in bringing a mixture of art into their designs even though these plans are still in the nascent stage. As they primarily work on children’s sleepwear, they have to make sure and be careful that the ethos of the segment isn’t disturbed.
Details for Design
Name: Peekaboo
Featured Personality: Poonam Naik Desai