Little
Ruler Is Setting a New Trend for Tots: Skater
Chic
(Santa Cruz, CA; November 14,
2008) The
problem with young kids isn't what you might think. It's
not that they can't communicate well, pull their own
weight, or control their bodily functions. No, the real
problem is they're just not cool. Shy of getting a nose
ring or trendy fauxhawk, however, there's help for tykes
everywhere thanks to a two-year-old clothing company
that, according to "Access Hollywood," is "setting a new
trend for tots - skater chic."
Little
Ruler,
founded in September 2004 by '80s skateboard legend Jeff
Kendall and his wife Maureen, was inspired in part by
Jeff's former profession and in part by the birth of
their two sons: Cole (now 5) and Parker (3). "Until we
had Cole, I had no idea just how hard it would be to find
cool clothes for kids," admits Jeff, who says nothing
about how uncool it is to spit up on dad when he's
feeding you strained carrots.
Luckily, with
Jeff's senior marketing position with NHS, a Northern
California skateboard, snowboard and surfboard
manufacturer, he was able to custom-print some one-pieces
and junior T-shirts with cool brand logos. Maureen
recalls, "When our kids wore this stuff, the reactions
from people made us realize that skaters and skate fans
of our generation may have become parents, but they
haven't lost their passion. So we founded Little Ruler to
share that passion with the little ones in their
lives."
Not that Little
Ruler appeals solely to skaters and skate enthusiasts.
The San Jose Mercury News crowned the brand its "Find of
the Week," its punk styles have graced the pages of
parenting and entertainment magazines, and "Access
Hollywood" spotlighted its rising popularity among the
celebrity mom set. For dressing her kids Maddox and
Zahara, Little Ruler is Angelina Jolie's "favorite
fashion line," and new moms Britney Spears, Jennifer
Garner and Gwen Stefani, as well as new dad Jason Lee,
have also embraced the brand for its "edgy style with
attitude."
Since its launch,
the San Jose, California-based company has more than
tripled its business, while expanding its product line to
include fifteen licensed brands (such as Independent
Trucks, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Skateboarding Is Not A
Crime, Nor Cal and Thrasher Magazine) and nearly as many
punk bands (including The Ramones, Green Day, Vandals and
Social Distortion). "Most of the brands and product we
carry are exclusively licensed and have never been
available to infants and toddlers before," says Jeff
Kendall.
Utilizing soft
premium cotton, and 50/50 blends for its outerwear,
Little Ruler offers a range of tees, onesies, jackets,
shoes and headwear. True to its skater-punk roots, the
colors tend toward black, grey, navy and red; for girls,
the company is venturing into a more sporty palette
including olive, lavender and pink. The price point
certainly hues to a punk sensibility: $14 for one-piece
items up to $28 for hooded sweatshirts. Sold primarily
online at www.LittleRuler.com,
Little Ruler is also available through select skate/surf
shops in Northern California, Virginia Beach, Virginia,
and its first international outpost in
Belgium.
Jeff Kendall grew
up in Indianapolis, where he discovered and embraced
skateboarding in 1978. Seeing more opportunity for growth
and travel among the Northern California skate community,
he made the decision to ride for Santa Cruz (NHS) in 1985
and turned pro soon thereafter, competing on the circuit
until 1992. Among numerous awards, he earned second place
in his first pro contest in Southern California and was
ranked third in the world in 1989. Seen in the classic
skate films Wheels of Fire (1987) and Streets on Fire
(1989), Kendall has remained in the skate world as team
manager for Santa Cruz Skateboards and senior marketing
director at NHS.In July 2007, he was promoted to Vice
President of NHS,Inc.
Maureen Kendall, a
native of the San Francisco area, grew up in nearby
Almaden (San Jose). She graduated from San Jose State
University, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Industrial
Organizational Psychology and going on to bring her
corporate skills to Netscape and a variety of startups as
a human resources consultant. Maureen met Jeff Kendall in
1996 and soon after entered a new career, motherhood,
before co-founding Little Ruler in 2004.
For more
information, visit www.littleruler.com.
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