Think handmade children’s clothes and you’re probably picturing smocked dresses and matching hair bows, but that’s not the vibe for this bijoux Oxon kidswear brand we’ve recently discovered.

Little Ensemble’s handmade clothes are soft, stretchy, practical and – cleverly – they’re unisex. Designed for kids aged newborn to six (though the generous sizing means they may well go beyond that), it’s all about mix-and-match outfits that can be worn every day and don’t cost the earth.

Founded by South African-born Toni Delli-Compagni, she’s brought her home country’s heritage of bright, joyful prints and paired it with a love of all things creative. It all started making outfits for friends’ babies, but demand soon grew and now Toni has her website, Etsy shop and is a regular at craft markets. Go seek her out in the artisan markets in Thame and Bicester. 

There’s no reason why girls have to wear pink and boys wear blue, says Toni, so you’ll find her range of harem leggings in hues of soft mustard yellow, sky blue and dusty pink. They match with T-shirts and sweatshirts in gorgeous prints featuring animals, landmarks, nature and seasonal fun like icecreams or Christmas trees. The tops all match the harem leggings, so you’ve basically got a capsule wardrobe that’s forgiving on the washing cycle.

We’ve all been there with clearing out barely worn kids clothes, but that’s not going to happen with Little Ensemble’s harem pants because of the clever design. Start off your little one wearing them with the cuff rolled up, then gradually unroll it as they grow.  Toni’s own daughter is still in her age 1-2 harem pants as she approaches her third birthday.

Alongside the gender-neutral clothes, there are also cute cotton lycra dresses in the range, and Toni takes custom orders if there’s something special you’d like that isn’t available in her shop. Speaking of one-offs, Toni’s ultimate plan is to design her own fabrics and use these exclusively – the kids’ll be wearing bespoke, sweetie!

What else is in the pipeline? Toni’s hoping to get out more with her range, following her pop-up in John Lewis in Oxford Westgate, plus appearances at markets and pop-ups in Oxon and Bucks. Want to check out these gorgeous togs for yourself? Keep an eye on Little Ensemble’s social for upcoming events and new lines.