Would you mind telling us a bit about how you started your tot-shop, Tough Cookies?
I had always wanted to open my own boutique, but never knew what I wanted it to be.  Soon after I had my daughter (Mia, now 22 months old), I needed to buy a baby gift.  Driving around town, I couldn’t find anything I liked.  It was then I realized the only children’s boutiques I liked were in L.A. -- a good 20 miles away. If I had to drive to the city to shop; other moms must be doing the same thing!  We were all driving [into the city] for cool kids’ clothes because there was nothing near us. We needed a store that catered to the [taste in] clothes we wanted our kids to wear.  And Tough Cookies was born!

Who are your favorite designers of children’s clothing right now and why?
Even though we want our kids to look cool, it is really important that kids still look like kids, and can move and play like kids.

Knuckleheads and their sister company Hula Mula are two of my favorites. The looks are retro rockabilly and really wearable for kids.

Lola and James makes the most out of vintage concert tee shirts -- turning them into one of a kind dresses for girls and shirts for boys. They are truly amazing and being a one-of-a-kind item makes them a great gift too!

Do any of the Fall ’08 lines stand out so far? What are the key items that make them special?
Again, I have to say Knuckleheads -- they have taken the men’s fedora hat and shrunk it down to infant and toddler sizes in a black and white houndstooth print.  So cool!

Kids Inc. is doing great things with fresh prints and graphics on basic silhouettes that make a plain tee shirt really stand out in a crowd.

Monster Republic always has great looks with an edgy feel, and they are always really wearable.  This season they have a great pair of black cords that are super cool.  I can’t wait to get those in!