Kid Style
Tea Collection’s New India-inspired Lookbook, Plus Family Travel Tips
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photos courtesy of Tea Collection
May 20, 2015
With the weather heating up, a feeling of wanderlust is definitely in the air. Which makes the latest lookbook from San Francisco children’s brand Tea Collection even more intoxicating. Dedicated to bringing globally inspired, modern design to children’s fashion, Tea designers pack their bags twice each year and set out to discover and explore authentic trends and styles in a new destination. It’s these experiences that effortlessly inspire and bring an adventurous spirit to Tea’s vibrant designs each season.
This season, Tea made the foreign familiar in a whole new way. Tea co-founder Emily Meyer and her beautiful family (including kids Clement, 6, and Georgia, 4) traveled to Jaipur, India, to revisit the country and shoot Tea Collection‘s awe-inspiring May catalog with famed photographer Hideaki Hamada. Here, we’re sharing some of our favorite images from her family’s adventure, as well as getting the globetrotter’s tips and tricks on traveling abroad with little ones.
Take a look at our slideshow below, and while you’re at it, enter Tea’s giveaway for a 5-night Journey to Jaipur, where you and your family can win a trip of a lifetime to The Farm, one of Meyer’s favorite Indian destinations. Other partners in the prize include AFAR, Artifact Uprising, and Flight001. Good luck!
This post is brought to you by Mother + Tea Collection
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- "Our mission at Tea is to inspire global connection and curiosity. My grandmother taught me that travel is the best education. Growing up, my mother was a foreign language teacher and shared her own passion for travel. As soon as I began to see the world on my own, I discovered that no matter where we come from, we are all alike. We have much more in common than we think. My hope is that by knowing and experiencing other cultures in the world, children can realize how people are all the same, no matter where we are from, and that we can all be friends."
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- "You must try to let go of any apprehension. Allow kids to have iPads, iPhones, or in our case, old iPods, loaded with their favorite games, apps, or videos. Pack culturally-connected content. We loved reading Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth and The Little Book of Hindu Dieties. These books helped us all connect to the rich religious stories and beliefs of Indian culture. And of course, don’t forget their lovies! Bring items that will help them relax and sleep, like blankets and soft toys. Clement’s stuffed turtle traveled everywhere with us in India. The comfort of something familiar in such a foreign place helped him navigate through each new adventure."
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- "Kids have the most fun when you’re not on a schedule. Take the time to be slow. When the travel gets tough or mundane, it’s up to you to create joy and learning in any ordinary experience, even a taxi ride. It’s easiest to plan on only one big excursion a day and know that down time is crucial. When you absorb the new place slowly and gradually, something magical happens—you see the world through their eyes more clearly."
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- "We spent a few days in New Delhi before we headed to Jaipur. There, we visited sites like the Lodi Gardens, a night market and the craft museum. Through mutual friends, we arranged a global playdate with another young American family living in the New Delhi. Our families met and enjoyed the children’s playground in India Gate Park. It was just like our weekends at home in California hanging out at the park with friends! After New Delhi, we traveled to Jaipur where we stayed at The Farm, a boutique hotel just west of the city. I absolutely loved meeting and making a connection with the Singh family that owns and operates The Farm—Ritu, Surya, and their 8-year-old son, Vihaan. The open space was so relaxed and comfortable. It was easy for the kids to have their freedom and independence to run around freely, play games, swing on the hammock, as well as time to build a lasting friendship."
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- Emily, Tea Collection's co-founder and CCO, with her husband Hilton, their son Clement, and daughter Georgia, having fun at The Farm in Jaipur, India.
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- "While our designers were in Jaipur during their inspiration trip in 2013, they visited the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. Because so many of our prints this season were inspired by the textiles they saw there—I knew we had to take the kids! We were able to watch the carving of a woodblock stamp and then try our own hand at stamping the fabric. During that moment, Clement and Georgia truly connected with this traditional, ancient artistic technique!"
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- "You must visit the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. While adults will love the renovated building and learning about these famous cultural textiles, the children will be enthralled with creating their own wood blocked designs. And don’t miss the Chand Baori Stepwell located nearby, but be safe when climbing around the steps! For the whole family to learn about the rituals of decorating elephants, visit Dera Amer. It's is a wilderness camp run by a family who has adopted several types of animals that were raised in human captivity. While they would love for these animals to be in their own wild environment, the animals now rely on human support and protection. Dera Amer is able to provide a safe and loving humane environment with plenty of space, food, and exercise for their animal adoptees. Though they were timid at first, Clement and Georgia were overjoyed to be interacting with these gentle giants!"
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- "India is a very spiritual place. Temples are everywhere you turn in Jaipur; it’s a beautiful sight. We were lucky to experience the daily ritual at the temple on the edge of The Farm’s property. Each day at dawn and dusk, a holy man named Kishore sounds the gong inviting families, staff, and guests to come for a blessing ceremony. He chants Sanskrit mantras and lights incense—which was completely new to my children. They were timid at first, but by the end of our weeklong stay it became a part of their own daily ritual!"
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- "It truly was! The Farm is a boutique hotel about 30 minutes outside of Jaipur. Avid travelers and artists, owners Surya and Ritu, know that the best part of any journey is staying with friends. The Farm is their actual home. Meals are eaten together, guests and family, in a comfortable outdoor space that Ritu refers to as 'our living room.' When their 8-year-old son, Vihaan, leaves for school after breakfast, he says goodbye to not just his parents, but to all of us as well. The Farm, like the Singh’s themselves, was so full of warmth—relaxed with a bit of an eclectic edge and truly one of a kind. It felt like home away from home."
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- "Life’s journey. There are moments every day at home, while traveling, or when we are apart from each other when I realize the significance of experience. It is so important to take the time to stop and see how it all fits in the cycle of life."
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- "Being too aware of time."
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- "Nurturing. Affectionate. Ready with creative solutions."
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- "Dedicated. Compassionate. Treasures individuality."
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- For more information on the brand, to view the entire lookbook, and to scoop up pieces from this India-inspired collection, visit Tea Collection.
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