Earlier this year, we featured the tale of Brooklyn-based Alessandra Olanow on The Grace Tales, and we all went a little collectively crazy over her adorable, thought-provoking illustrations.
So when she got in touch to let us know about her latest venture – Dodo Banana – we went straight to the website to ‘add to cart’.
A creative collaboration between Alessandra and retailer/designer Fiona Montgomery, Dodo Banana was founded by these two friends who met over a decade ago and immediately connected over a mutual aesthetic admiration for Alex’s thoughtful, conversational illustrations and Fiona’s beloved NoLIta design shop Thomas Sires. Life’s unexpected twists and turns – marriages, divorce, children, and a cross-country move – brought the two friends back together, now as mothers. Their shared dedication to the process of creating something meaningful and sustainable is at the heart of what makes Dodo Banana unique. Together they have merged their talents to create a line of sophisticated yet whimsical pyjamas that both children and parents will love (we can confirm that much), and that inspire sound sleeps and big dreams.
Read Alessandra’s tale here | Shop Dodo Banana
Dodo Banana combines the highest standard of quality—G.O.T.S. certified 100% organic pima cotton that feels like clouds on your child’s skin, with an emphasis on ethical sourcing and manufacturing, all designed with original hand illustrated artwork.
The cotton is sourced and hand picked from the premiere producer of organic pima cotton in Peru, with longer fibres assuring higher quality and durability for the PJs to be washed time and time again without losing their shape or natural elasticity. Produced in soil free of chemical fertilisers and other harsh pesticides, the cotton is perfect for children with any skin sensitivities.
With kids often spending more than half their early life in pyjamas, it makes sense that they are comfortable in fabric that is natural, soft, and durable, while also being fun to wear.
Drawing inspiration from their own lives, Dodo Banana’s prints mix Alex and Fiona’s sensibility of a soft, sophisticated color palette, with the playful imagination of their children- sleepy bananas, dancing fries with smiling shakes, and animals in space.
The colours and prints are not gender specific, and the brand collaborates with other like-minded artists who focus on quality, detail, and a refined aesthetic.
As wearable art for children, these gorgeous pieces are going straight to the top of our Christmas lists.
