Disko Kids Meets | Burp! Boutique

Burp! Boutique is your one-stop online shop for clothes, toys and books especially for your under-5s. Founded by mum-of-two Kate in 2011, Burp! has gone from strength to strength and now stocks a gorgeous range of brands from Tobias and the Bear, to indikidual, to us! Kate makes sure that the products she stocks are all about individualism, actively supporting British Made products and up-and-coming designers and artists. The site is full of things you wouldn't normally see on the high street, lots of gender neutral designs and offers something totally different.

We caught up with Kate for a quick chat about how Burp! came about, what's fashionable to kids and what might be on the horizon for the shop.

Tell us a bit about Burp! Boutique - what inspired you to start up?

I started Burp! Boutique after I had Evie as I was shocked at the lack of inspiration on the high street, and that every baby was to be pegged in pink, blue or cream. Being a creative I knew there would be other amazing folk out there making cool shit and I wanted to be a platform for it.

Do you have any kids? How do you fit your work around them?

I do! I have Evie who is 7, and Lukas who will be 3 in May. Starting your own business is always as easy as pie when they're babies, it's as soon as they start wandering it becomes an issue. With both kids I would go to the local gym and put them in a creche for 2 hours while I worked in the cafe, and then I'd work when they were asleep too. Just any possible spare moment, really.

What did you do before Burp! Boutique?

Before Burp! I was Head of Design for a music download company in East London. I have been working as a designer (web and print) and illustrator for 17 years now.

How do you choose the best products for the site?

I just go with my gut and what I think looks nice, and is in keeping with the general look of my shop.

Any independent brands you'd like to spread the word about?

Why you, of course!

What are your kid's favourite outits? What's fashionable to them?

My boy is easy to dress and I love dressing him in clothes from my shop. Evie however is the polar opposite to what I like and my whole ethos of why I started the shop! She loves pink, floral, twee stuff which makes my toes curl!!

What kind of music do you listen to?

Wow, I have an eclectic music taste. Anything from Led Zep, Bowie, Run DMC, Prince, Soul Wax, Tribe Called Quest, Ella Fitzgerald, LCD Soundsystem, Prodigy, Massive Attack, Jungle...eep I LOVE loads of music!

Party out or party at home - Dicuss!

Ooooh, that's a toughie. I love discovering new places and having fun out, but nothing quite beats being at home with friends with the drinks flowing and the tunes pumping. Plus it's so much closer to just fall into bed!

What's next for Burp! Boutique?

Do you know what? I'm not really sure! I would love to turn it into more of a collaborative venture, maybe make some of my own designs once Lukas goes to school. I did want to turn it into a physical shop, with a cafe and workshop area where you could do art projects with your kiddos, but this is all BIG dream stuff and I would need a team for it. Maybe if I meet the right folk this could all still be a possibility. For the moment, I'm just happy with it trickling along and enjoying Lukas before he starts school properly.