PUFF and PLOOM

Written for Taylor +  Max by Tanu Srinivasan

Puff and Ploom.  It is more than just a catchy hashtag or a highly sought after collaboration between two powerhouse children’s brands.  For so many mothers who internalize the sustainable fashion mantra, building a child’s wardrobe season after season out of styles picked from Misha & Puff and Soor Ploom has become a lifestyle choice.  A mixing and matching made in slow fashion heaven.

The natural synergy between Misha & Puff and Soor Ploom is what attracted Lisa Washington, founder and owner of the popular children’s boutique, Taylor + Max, to both brands several years ago.  Known in social media circles for her keen eye and slick stylings, Lisa has built out her community teaching parents how to wisely spend on a growing child’s wardrobe.  Never one to bow to trends, she shops for her store the way she would shop for her own children’s wardrobes - searching for durable, timeless pieces that can be loved by children season after season.

This intentionality has helped Taylor + Max weather the storm brought by COVID and has allowed the business to grow from a regionally focused brick and mortar to an internationally recognized online destination.  Mirroring the ethos embodied by the brands that she heralds, she is laser focused in her purchasing for the store to avoid stock overage at the end of the season.  She encourages interested customers to sign up for in-stock notifications to guide future purchasing decisions.  Never one to cater to empty promises or marketing gimmicks, she is careful in building partnerships with brands that organically align with her values.  She is currently the exclusive stockist for both Misha & Puff and Soor Ploom in the Midwest.

With the hype surrounding each seasonal drop, it would be easy to dismiss the humble beginnings of Soor Ploom  and Misha & Puff.  Like so many successful entrepreneurs, Misha & Puff was built out of a glaring hole in the children’s market.  Anna Wallack, the founder of Misha & Puff, created knitted garments for her young child that were designed to keep New England winters at bay without sacrificing comfort.   Just a couple years later, Soor Ploom, a play on the Scottish pronunciation of a “sour plum,” was founded in Brooklyn by Marissa Buick.  Her mission was simple - teach children to care about the clothing they wear and encourage families to cherish pieces so that they can be passed down as heirlooms for generations to come. The rest is proverbial history.  

For Fall/Winter 21, Soor Ploom pays homage to the iconic 1965 film, The Sound of Music.  Utilizing a palette of lush evergreens and rich hennas, the collection threads a careful needle between evoking imagery of a mountain getaway without ever advancing into costumery.  Pieces, like the reimagined Hetty culottes, can be easily integrated into a child’s existing wardrobe and dressed up or down depending on its pairing.  This versatility is what excites Lisa about both fall collections.  The two brands have created designs that are distinct yet symbiotic with endless styling possibilities.  However, as a true proponent of a slower lifestyle, she encourages parents to step back and focus on a capsule wardrobe that best fits their child’s personality.  Nevertheless, with the rich jewel-tone rainbow of hues debuted in the latest Misha & Puff collection coupled with the Soor Ploom’s alpine inspired holiday styles, it is hard not to experience butterflies with every glimpse.

Click here to shop our Misha & Puff curation. 

Soor Ploom Drop 2 is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 25th at 9am CST.

Shop Drop 1 Soor Ploom here

For more information on upcoming launches, visit TaylorandMax.com or follow @TaylorandMax on Instagram.

About the author:

Tanu Srinivasan is an attorney by day and a full time mother to her three stars (Bianca, Leo, and Kai) by day *and* night.  Her interests include sustainable fashion, travel, fine dining, and trying to make her husband laugh at her jokes.