Darbalou

In college, I studied art, costume design and fashion design while Lou studied graphic design. We were both drawn to each other by our creative natures (and also our affinity for puns). I love to sew and craft, Lou is an amazing artist and a whiz in Adobe. Our company came about when I started making costumes for our nieces, Avery and Alyssa, as well as some of our friends' children. We were both struck by the fact that there is very little out there in the way of washable, wearable dress-up costumes. Playing dress-up was really important to me as a kid -- being a princess or a mermaid or a prairie girl were just a few of my favorite games. Lou had the same fantastic memories of pretending to be Indiana Jones, a Jedi knight or a ninja. When I left my job in the fashion industry, we decided to make our memories a reality for a new generation -- and thus Darbalou was born!

We live in Astoria, New York, in an old row house that has been in the family for three generations. Darbalou’s office and studio are on the second story in a small room facing the back yard. It gets great afternoon light -- but because it is also our guest room, it can be a little cramped. I sew on a Bernina 1008, and I have a Juki serger that Lou got me as a wedding present “to celebrate our merger.” They feel a little like my children. We also have a dog, Pepper, and a cat, Ink. Pepper is the one who keeps me company while I sew, but Ink occasionally peeks his head in… when he deems me worthy. In the evenings Lou and I work together to design new concepts, take photos and cook wonderful meals. Darbalou is just that, Darby and Lou, each contributing to one dream.

Darbalou is a special kind of costume company. Because our own childhoods were so filled with imaginings and wonderings, we want to gift that to the children around us. We create beautiful, handmade play clothes that are meant to be used and worn for years.

Special care is taken on each piece we create. We think about what children want, but also what parents need. When ever possible we use washable materials in natural fibers. Because we use elastic waistbands and magnetic closures, everything is easy to wear and play in.

The Princess Dress sets are truly fantastic. Each set comes with 7 items (two skirts, a bodice, a bustle, an apron, a blouse and a cloak), meaning there are endless opportunities to mix and match -- making these fun forever! These dresses fit size 3 to 7, but special sizing is available. Please convo with questions.

All capes are customizable with letters or non-copyrighted symbols. We can create any color combination with contrasting collar. There are 2 styles to choose from: the single-sided full circle cape and reversible half circle cape. The necks in both have magnetic closures for ease of wear and safety.

Our tutus are made with a minimum of 6 yards of tulle, with sewn elastic waistbands and ties at the back. We can create any color combination, and customize to any length! These can easily be made in grownup sizes.

We are always adding more products. Please visit our website, www.darbalou.com, to see what we are working on.

We also love to get special orders and help find the perfect gift that has its own special magic. If you are interested in a special order, please convo us with details and we can design your dream together. See shop policies for more information.

Gift-wrap is available for $5 upon request. Please let us know if you want gift wrap in your buyer's comments before you check out.

Please see our shop policies for shipping, returns and payment information.