Voices
Brand Success Stories: Gingersnaps 
Sabrina and Jerry started Gingersnaps 30 years ago. At the time, they felt there was a gap in the Asian market for fashionable, high-quality children’s clothing. When Sabrina was conceptualizing the brand, she was always drawn to her own childhood memories of trips to see the dressmaker with her mother. As a child, Sabrina was intrigued by what she saw there: piles of beautiful fabrics like organdy, piques, and laces. Set in a beautiful heritage house that served as the dressmaker’s atelier, beauty was all around. Sabrina’s mother would always involve her in the design process. Together they would choose colors, fabrics, and details for her new dress.
Back then, there was so much attention put into even the smallest details, most of which were done by hand. From little florets made with thread to the openwork lace trims, all the way down to the dress’s hem, every detail was carefully considered and created. Inspired by this sensibility, Sabrina knew that she wanted to create a line of clothing that was relevant to the modern market but had a nod to nostalgia. Thus, the idea of Gingersnaps was born at this intersection of modern and vintage.
Gingersnaps SS24 collection “Vintage Marina”From its inception, Gingersnaps has brought its own style of fun, whimsical fashion to the children’s market. With a special appreciation for crafts, their collections celebrate embroidery, smocking, patchwork, and other traditional techniques. It is their hope to share Filipino artistry and craftsmanship with the world through their clothes.
When creating a new collection, the Gingersnaps Team starts by establishing a theme. The colors, prints, feel of the fabrics, and even the silhouettes must all speak the same language. Comfort is a big factor when they select fabrics. They believe kids need to be able to have fun and look great at the same time! As much as possible, Gingersnaps uses prints that are exclusively theirs to offer products that are unique.
For their SS24 collection, Gingersnaps drew inspiration from the world of classic yachting. They wanted to evoke scenes of the vibrant hues of sunsets on open water. This collection brings to life classic, timeless fashion while adding a touch of elegance to any wardrobe with uniquely designed knits laden with texture and warmth.
Some of the collection’s standout features are contrasting piping and bold stripes that mimic the spectacle of twilight skies peeking from beyond the seas. They blended idyllic shades of blue, sunset gold, and iconic neutrals to capture the tranquility of cheerful summer evenings. Whether a full day at play or a casual soirée, this collection offers a touch of elegance for every occasion.
Rather than releasing their complete collection at the start of the buying season for Spring/Summer or Autumn/Winter, Gingersnaps instead releases a new collection once every two months. When Jerry and Sabrina started Gingersnaps, malls were evolving as a huge part of Filipino culture.
More than a place for shopping, malls were a leisure destination for families and friends. In them, they could spend time together not just on weekends, but during weekdays as well. To provide variety and excitement, it was necessary to provide fresh drops every 45 to 60 days. As Gingersnaps expanded and built more mono-brand franchised stores across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia, they found the same “malling” culture existed throughout these countries as well. This further validated that their model of regular fresh drops is necessary.
Gingersnaps SS24 collection “Vintage Marina”A typical day at Gingersnaps is always quite busy! With around 500 employees, there’s a lot to do. Gingersnaps has a fully set-up organization, with Sabrina as the head of the pre-production team. This team consists of designers, graphic artists, merchandisers, purchasers, and sample makers. They also have a production team with quality control inspectors, warehouse and logistics personnel. Aside from this, they have an inhouse team of photographers, copywriters, graphic artists, visuals, marketing, merchandising planners, e-commerce and store operations which is headed by Jerry.
Gingersnaps is a brand that was built around physical stores. In today’s digital age, they had to learn how to market themselves through e-commerce, marketplaces, and social media to a new and evolving generation of consumers. Along with that – as they’ve expanded into Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world – they have had to continue adapting their designs to a more global market and establish processes that support this.
Since their first experience at Playtime Paris, Gingersnaps has enjoyed meeting press and independent store owners at The Big Small Show. Interacting with them has allowed Gingersnaps to gain valuable feedback on what styles resonate with them. Playtime has been an experience filled with growth and learning for Jerry and Sabrina. Having also exhibited at Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York, they love the energy at both shows. They’ve found that between the two shows, the main difference is the selection that buyers curate. The offers that buyers put together reflect the preferences of the end consumers across different parts of the world.
Gingersnaps at Playtime Paris, Summer 2023Gingersnaps continues to exhibit at The Big Small Show, and you’ll be able to discover and order their new SS25 collection at Playtime Paris this summer! Each season, Sabrina and Jerry love seeing familiar faces and meeting new people. Between the buyers, press, fellow exhibitors, and the Playtime Team itself, it’s like one big family. Sabrina and Jerry really look forward to catching up and reconnecting. As a kid’s brand, it’s also important for them to be present so Gingersnaps can be seen by press and buyers at one of the most prestigious trade shows in the world.
Gingersnaps is also on OrderWizz, the B2B ordering platform from the same experts that bring the kid’s industry Playtime Paris and Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York. OrderWizz allows Gingersnaps to show their items all year round to potential buyers. They like the exposure it gives them, as well as the ability to tap into new markets that they would not otherwise be able to reach.
As we reach the middle of 2024, we can look forward to more access to Gingersnaps products for the rest of the year! They are currently building their network of dedicated agents and distributors across Europe, the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Thank you to Jerry and Sabrina for sharing these insights into the story of Gingersnaps! We can’t wait to discover their new Spring-Summer 2025 collection at Playtime Paris June 29-July 1. Make sure to get your pass to discover it, too!
We’re sure you can’t wait to add their products to your store! Sign up for a free buyer account on OrderWizz to restock your store now with Gingersnap’s SS24 collection.
