Finkid:classic designs matched with robust materials

It all began with the birth of their first child. In 1999, during her maternity leave, Annika Rendel began to make clothes for her little boy. “In effect, those were the prototypes for today’s bestsellers,” recalls her husband, Tobias Voigt. Three years later, the Berlin-based couple founded the Finkid label. “Born to Explore” was the marketing slogan, and their aim was to produce clothing for active young adventurers. The idea was an immediate success: parents and retailers went crazy over Finnish-born Rendel’s designs, and her trademark pointy cap with its blue-and-white tag became instantly recognizable. Annual sales of initially €20,000 grew over the next six years to more than €5 million, and Finkid became a limited company.

Annika Rendel is joint managing director of Finkid

Yet this rapid growth came at a price. “Things developed too quickly,” Voigt now admits. The volume of goods soon grew so large that they could no longer afford the upfront payments to the manufacturers. In 2009, Finkid filed for insolvency. Yet that wasn’t the end of a success story like this. With new partners on board, liquidity was soon restored. In 2011, the Hamburg-based company Elkline acquired a stake, joining a string of other backers.

This new arrangement has not altered the classic design philosophy in any way. The company still produces everyday clothes for kids that are stylish without being kitsch and always ultra-practical. Today, the collections are more popular than ever, stocked by over 150 suppliers throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with a clear bias towards offline retail. As for Internet sales, the focus is very much on the major online players. The company also has a handful of its very own concept stores. And, as of spring of this year, Finkid products are available from an online retailer in the USA. At the same time, the brand is looking to strengthen its presence in further European markets.

Tobias Voigt takes care of marketing

“We’re careful to keep our collection small,” says Voigt. There are around 50 items a season, each in a wide range of colours. Alongside her unmistakeable fleece, sweatshirt and outdoor waterproof hoodies, Annika Rendel also designs trousers, shirts and accessories. Retail prices range from around €9 for a scarf to €150 for a snowsuit.