California Apparel News

Monique Lhuillier, who studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, started out designing wedding dresses and then expanded to other bridal dresses and ready-to-wear. Now she has signed on to design a collection of children's furniture for Pottery Barn Kids that will be in stores this March.

The LA designer, who launched her label in 1996, said the collaboration felt like a natural fit because she has a son and a daughter. "As a mother, I enjoyed decorating my children’s rooms. The collection fuses designs from my bridal, ready-to-wear and accessories collections with details from my home. I incorporated prints from past seasons and played with different color palettes and structure to create the collection," she wrote in an email.

Lhuillier said she has always been inspired by the fantasy of special occasions. So the Pottery Barn Kids collection will be whimsical, ethereal and modern without compromising functionality. "For me, I wanted to create a collection that marries the functionality needed for baby and kids’ spaces with contemporary and whimsical design elements," she noted.

There will be 70 pieces in the collection that will include items for the nursery, bedroom and playroom.

Lhuillier has worked on other collaborations. Since 2008, she has been designing high-end dinnerware, flatware and stemware for Waterford.