Special Announcements:
-Join us at the New York Baby Show! The family-friendly event for new and expectant parents with infants and toddlers from the Tri-State area and beyond will take place on the weekend of May 18-19, 2013.
-In honor of the New York Baby Show, you can enter our Ultimate Nursery Giveaway, compliments of Bellini, a brand new Stella collection designed by Newport Cottages.
-Plus, check back regularly at www.newyorkfamily.com for our weekly stroller giveaways leading up to the New York Baby Show!
A splash of graffiti to the left, jars of jelly beans to the right, bolts of bright orange and emerald green fabrics all around. Stepping inside the new Rosie Pope Maternity Lab on Warren Street is like entering a candy-colored closet where the only requirement for playing dress-up is a belly full of baby. The alluring and intimate boutique sits on a stretch of sidewalk that also houses Tribeca Pediatrics and Babesta Cribz—creating a cozy and convenient trifecta of knowledge, support, and goods for expecting and new parents.
If you stumble into the back room of the RPM Lab, which opened in January, you might catch Rosie Pope herself dishing out advice on anything from breastfeeding to prenatal fashion. “Don’t be afraid of stripes!” Rosie calls out to her assistant on a recent Friday afternoon in response to fan queries on Twitter. “And short, sassy dresses!” During a visit, you might also learn some surprising stuff about pregnancy, like how women should aim to gain an average of 25 to 35 pounds, but only eight pounds of that is actual fat. “Your baby wants you to gain weight,” Rosie assures the women in the room. The store has a polished yet laidback vibe. The experience here feels more like a girls’ night out than a day at a crowded mall—swapping tips and stories while trying on clothes and experimenting with looks.
And here’s how the innovative store works: Each customer has the option to either shop as she normally would or “shop the Lab,” which means she essentially takes part in a one-woman focus group. Rosie and her team ask the willing patron to challenge the maternity status quo by trying on new styles (like leather pants), participating in a retail survey (are you willing to view yourself in maternity wear using iPad video instead of a mirror?), or answering questions about parenting education interests and needs. As a “thank you” for participating, Lab customers are given a discount on all purchases. Not surprisingly, most customers are open to the Lab experience.
Working directly with shoppers, floating ideas by them, and soliciting their opinions is classic Rosie and a core part of her friendly manner and hands-on approach to her business. A dedicated mom of three to JR, 4 years old, Wellington (who goes by “Wells”), 2, and Vivienne, 11 months, Rosie—working with her husband, Daron Pope—runs an enterprise that addresses the needs of expectant and new moms on a number of fronts, from maternity clothes to concierge services to new parent education and support (see MomPrep in “To Birth & Beyond”). Most famous for her starring role in Bravo’s “Pregnant In Heels,” Rosie also published her first book, Mommy IQ, this year and regularly connects with thousands of moms across the country through her blog at rosiepope.com and via social media.
Although she originally had few reservations about entering a field that’s as deeply personal as pregnancy and family planning, the designer encountered a steep learning curve. “When you go into an industry like maternity, you think you know what people might want,” she remembers. When Rosie herself was expecting her first child, she was in love with dresses and coats and more elaborate eveningwear. But her sartorial dreams weren’t very practical, even by Manhattan standards. So when she began to design, she had to step outside of herself and learn what other expectant women wanted. For Pope, a former ballet dancer, it was like finding her second calling. “The passion overwhelmed the daunting aspect of it,” she maintains.
What’s more, when Rosie opened her first maternity store in Soho on February 3, 2008—the day she gave birth to JR—she found that clients liked chatting about their pregnancies and seemed to appreciate her perspective, which is how her MomPrep classes and the concierge business offering more personalized attention were born. The Lab, which doubles as the corporate headquarters, is the perfect synthesis of Rosie’s key interests, where maternity fashion meets new parent education.
Just like its founder, the Lab is bursting with energy and ideas. With Rihanna on the stereo and a young, lively staff shouting requests at each other from across the room, it’s apparent that Rosie aims to tone down the corporate aspect and pump up the fun when it comes to her brand. Throughout the year ahead, she’ll be introducing a collection of cool pop-up stores at parenting expos in cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and Knoxville. And next month, she’ll be a keynote speaker at the New York Baby Show on May 18 and 19 at Pier 92 in Manhattan. The Baby Show, sponsored by New York Family, is a weekend packed with hundreds of the latest products, leading experts, wonderful entertainment for infants and toddlers, and essential information for local parents.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for any pregnant person or a new mom. You get all of the information you need in one place: products and where to get the best educational services—everything,” she says about the annual event that welcomes thousands of families from across the metropolitan area each spring.
The New York Baby Show will not only house a Rosie Pope Maternity pop-up store, but Rosie will also be leading the keynote discussion on both days with a team of her favorite experts on issues relevant to expectant and new parents. The panel will include: Dr. Amos Grünebaum, who specializes in high-risk pregnancies; Dr. Whitney Roban, a pediatric sleep specialist with a psychology background; and Rosie’s husband, Daron, a former Wall Street executive and college football star, offering the everyman’s perspective. Rosie will moderate the Q&A, during which attendees can have their most pressing parenting questions addressed.
Beyond industry experts available to discuss new parent concerns, the Baby Show will also feature a cavalcade of brands and services, a stroller test drive track, play areas for children of all ages, lots of kiddie entertainment, and Moms and Dads Lounges where parents can steal some necessary rest amidst the irresistible pull of resources and information. It’s an event that connects new parents with the kind of experts and advice they seek outside of the doctor’s office or maternity ward—with a big dose of kid-friendly fun—and it’s exactly the kind of place where Rosie thrives.
Known for a generous smile, quick wit, and her sincere and open approach to discussing pregnancy and parenting without being overindulgent or preachy, Rosie loves lending a hand to other parents, especially given how deeply she can relate. The working mother, who considers Martha Stewart a professional inspiration, values plainspoken honesty. “It’s hard to hide things that you don’t like about yourself in front of your children. Try to face your insecurities,” she asserts before flaunting a sizeable grin. “Your child should understand that you’re not perfect, but you’re working on things. Your issues are not their fault.”
