The LAMBLILY design studio in Vandalur, Chennai is where every kidswear style begins, long before a single metre of fabric is cut. A design studio sounds like a single room, but at LAMBLILY it is really a sequence of decisions: what trend to follow, which certified fabric to specify, how a print should sit on a size 4 versus a size 10, and whether a sample is ready to show a buyer. This guide walks through a typical day in our design studio and explains how that process protects both creativity and consistency.
The LAMBLILY Design Studio: From Mood Board to Market
Every collection that reaches our shop or a wholesale buyer's warehouse passes through the same design studio sequence. Our team built this sequence deliberately, after years of learning which shortcuts create rework later and which steps genuinely save time. The design studio does not chase every trend. It filters trends through two constant questions: will this fit a child comfortably, and can it be produced consistently at scale.
That filtering is what separates a design studio built for private label export from a studio built purely for runway attention. Buyers sourcing from LAMBLILY are not just buying a printed sketch. They are buying a design studio process that has already tested fit, fabric, and colour before a purchase order is ever raised.
Morning in the Design Studio: Mood Boards and Trend Research
Each day in the design studio starts with a review of trend forecasts, fabric swatches, and direct feedback from wholesale buyers across the UAE, UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. Our designers pin these references to a shared board and discuss which directions suit the coming season's capsule collections, from lightweight summer separates to heavier winter fleece.
This is also when our design studio balances practicality against playful design. A print that looks striking on a mood board still has to survive a wash cycle, a Martindale pilling test, and a child pulling at the hem. Ideas that cannot meet those practical standards get reworked before a pattern maker ever touches them.
Midday in the Design Studio: Fabric Selection and Fit Sessions
Once a direction is set, the design studio moves into fabric sourcing. Our team selects from GOTS certified organic cotton, OEKO-TEX compliant knits, and bio washed finishes, matching GSM and construction to the product category the way our fabric knowledge base guide recommends for buyers doing the same evaluation themselves.
Pattern makers then convert the chosen fabric and sketch into a working pattern, using CAD grading to scale it mathematically from a base size across LAMBLILY's full range, roughly 02-03 years through XXXL. Sample tailors stitch a prototype, and a fit session checks comfort, mobility, and proportion on a size chart built specifically for children rather than adapted from adult sizing.
Afternoon in the Design Studio: Print and Colour Development
The afternoon session in the design studio is where prints and colourways take shape. Our team works with illustrators and print technicians to develop all-over prints, seasonal graphics, and gender neutral palettes, always checking a design against LAMBLILY's azo-free dye and print standards before it advances to sampling.
Colour mapping happens here too. LAMBLILY produces seven standard shades, Black, White, Green, Sky Blue, Red, Yellow, and Rusty Rose, alongside custom colour development for private label buyers. The design studio tests embroidery, patchwork, and trim placement in this window as well, confirming that decorative details support comfort rather than compromise it.
End of Day in the Design Studio: Reviews and Approvals
Before the day closes, the design studio team reviews everything completed since morning and finalises which designs move to formal sampling. Private label partners receive digital previews of pattern and colour options, while styles destined for LAMBLILY's own catalogue move directly into production planning.
Nothing leaves the design studio without a second set of eyes. A design that looked correct at 10am can reveal a fit or fabric issue by 5pm, and our team would rather catch that internally than after a buyer has already approved a sample.
Why the Design Studio Tests Fit Before Print
Why does the design studio insist on a fit session before a single print goes to development? Because a print approved on a garment that does not fit correctly has to be redone twice, once for the fit correction and once for the print placement on the corrected pattern. Testing fit first protects both the buyer's timeline and the sample budget.
A design studio that skips this order looks faster on paper. In practice, our team has seen the opposite play out on rushed projects elsewhere in the industry: a beautiful print on a poorly fitted sample gets sent back for correction, and the print has to be re-mapped onto a revised pattern anyway. LAMBLILY's design studio sequence, fit first and print second, exists specifically to avoid that wasted cycle.
This is also where the benefits of an in-house design studio become clear to buyers who have previously sourced through agents or trading companies. Here is how to think about the difference: an in-house design studio can adjust a pattern and re-test fit the same week, while a design routed through multiple intermediaries often loses a week just passing comments back and forth. Buyers who work directly with LAMBLILY's design studio keep that time.
How the Design Studio Handles Buyer Feedback
When a buyer requests a change after reviewing a sample, the design studio logs the specific measurement or detail affected, updates the CAD pattern, and routes the revised pattern back to sample tailors for a correction sample. This structured feedback loop is what keeps a design studio scalable: buyer comments do not get lost between email threads and factory floor instructions, because the same design studio team owns both ends of that conversation.
How Sampling Works Inside the Design Studio
A design studio is only as useful as the sample it eventually produces. LAMBLILY's sample development process runs through several defined stages, and buyers benefit from understanding each one before they request a first sample.
| Stage | What Happens | Typical Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Design brief | Buyer shares a sketch, image, or tech pack | Day 1 |
| Pattern development | CAD graded pattern created in-house | 2-3 days |
| Sample production | Sample tailors cut and stitch the prototype | Minimum 14 business days |
| Buyer review | Sample shipped for approval and measurement comments | Courier at buyer's cost |
| Correction round | Adjustments made if needed | Additional 10-14 days |
| Pre-production sample | Final check before bulk cutting begins | Before production start |
This structure exists because a design studio that skips steps to save a week almost always costs more time later, once a sizing or fabric issue surfaces in bulk production instead of in a sample. Buyers who want the fuller technical picture can read our guide on how 3D design is reducing sample waste in Chennai factories, which explains how CAD grading and digital colourway testing cut physical sample rounds without cutting corners on approval quality.
Who Leads the LAMBLILY Design Studio
The LAMBLILY design studio is led by co-founder Juliet Preena, a trained Montessori educator whose background shapes how the team approaches every garment. Her early childhood education experience means the design studio treats comfort, movement, and sensory feel as design requirements rather than finishing touches added at the end. You can read more about her approach, and co-founder Leo Daniel Raja's operations background, on our LAMBLILY founders page.
Alongside Juliet, the design studio includes pattern makers, sample tailors, and print technicians who have worked together across hundreds of styles. Their shared experience is what lets the design studio move a concept from sketch to approved sample without losing the original intent along the way. For a closer look at the people behind this process, see our garment team introduction.
Design Studio Standards Buyers Can Rely On
Wholesale buyers evaluating LAMBLILY's design studio for a private label programme should expect a consistent set of standards on every project, regardless of order size.
- Certified fabric sourcing, GOTS organic cotton, OEKO-TEX compliant knits, and bio washed finishing as the default.
- CAD pattern grading across LAMBLILY's full size range, reducing sizing errors before a sample is cut.
- Azo-free dye and print systems used across all colour and print development.
- A minimum order quantity of 100 pieces per colour, letting new buyers test a design studio concept before committing to volume.
- Direct communication with the design and sampling team, not a layer of account managers between buyer and factory floor.
- Quality checks that begin at raw material inspection and continue through our five-stage quality process.
Buyers who want to see this in practice, rather than read about it, are welcome to request a virtual tour or visit our manufacturing facility in Vandalur, Chennai directly.
What A Design Studio Brief Should Include
A design studio can only move as fast as the brief it receives. Buyers who submit a clear brief typically see their first sample completed closer to the 14 business day minimum, while a vague brief usually adds a clarification round before pattern development even starts. A complete brief for the design studio should cover the following.
- A sketch, reference image, or existing tech pack showing the intended silhouette.
- The target age range or size range within LAMBLILY's 02-03 years to XXXL span.
- Preferred fabric type and GSM, or a request for the design studio's recommendation.
- Colour and print direction, including any brand-specific colourway.
- Any trim, label, or packaging requirements for private label orders.
- Target quantity per colour, so the design studio can flag if it falls below the 100 piece MOQ.
Buyers who are not yet sure of every detail can still start the conversation. Our design studio regularly works with buyers to firm up a brief during the first consultation call, rather than requiring a finished specification sheet on day one.
How This Process Supports Export Compliance
A concept only becomes an export-ready product once it can satisfy the documentation a destination market expects. Our team factors this in from the earliest sketch stage, not as a separate compliance step bolted on afterward. Fabric choices are checked against OEKO-TEX restricted substance limits before a sample is even cut, and print and dye selections are confirmed as azo-free ahead of colour development.
This matters most for buyers shipping to markets with stricter chemical safety expectations. UK and EU buyers typically request a current OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certificate and written azo-free confirmation. UAE buyers often weigh colour vibrancy alongside compliance, since bright, saturated shades sell well in that region's retail environment. US and Canadian retailers vary by company policy, and our export team reviews each new buyer's specific requirements individually rather than assuming one certification package covers every market.
Building compliance in early also protects lead time. A colour or fabric choice that fails a restricted substance check after bulk production has already started is one of the most expensive mistakes a manufacturer can make, both in wasted material and in a shipment delay. Catching that possibility during fabric and colour selection, well before cutting begins, is one of the quieter but most valuable parts of this whole process.
Certification Documentation Buyers Can Request
Buyers working with our team can request the following documentation alongside any sample or bulk order.
- Written azo-free dye confirmation for the specific colourway ordered.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 test reports, arranged through an accredited lab at buyer's cost.
- GOTS supply chain documentation for organic cotton claims.
- Bio-wash process records confirming enzymatic rather than chemical softening.
Requesting this documentation alongside the first sample, rather than after a bulk order ships, gives buyers time to review it against their own retail partner's requirements and raise questions early.
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical day moves through four phases: morning mood board and trend review, midday fabric selection and fit sessions, afternoon print and colour development, and an end of day review before designs move to sampling or production planning. Every phase is handled in-house at our Vandalur, Chennai facility. Contact wa.me/+919600656964 to discuss a private label design brief.
Key Takeaways
- The LAMBLILY design studio runs a consistent daily sequence: mood boards, fabric selection, print and colour development, and end of day review.
- Sampling follows a defined process, from design brief through pre-production sample, with a minimum 14 business day sample production time.
- Co-founder Juliet Preena, a Montessori educator, leads creative direction; co-founder Leo Daniel Raja leads operations and sourcing.
- CAD pattern grading and certified fabric sourcing are standard across LAMBLILY's full size range, not upgrades reserved for large orders.
- A 100 piece per colour MOQ lets new buyers test the design studio process before committing to a larger private label programme.
Sources and References
This guide references general pattern grading and organic textile certification terminology used across the Indian export garment industry.
- Wikipedia: Pattern grading for background on CAD-based size grading.
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for organic fibre certification and supply chain tracing.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for restricted substance testing referenced in fabric selection.
- Wikipedia: Montessori education for background on the educational approach behind our design studio's child-first philosophy.
- Better Cotton's video library on responsible cotton sourcing practices that inform our design studio's fabric selection.
Conclusion
The LAMBLILY design studio exists to turn a mood board into a garment a child can actually wear through a full school year, not just a season. Every stage, from morning trend research to end of day approval, is built around that goal. Buyers who want to see the design studio process applied to their own private label concept can explore our shop or contact our team to start a design brief.
Source Quality Kidswear From LAMBLILY, Vandalur, Chennai
LAMBLILY manufactures 100% bio-washed cotton children's wear from Vandalur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, shipping FOB to UAE, UK, USA, Canada, and Australia worldwide. MOQ 100 pcs per colour.
📱 WhatsApp: wa.me/+919600656964 📧 lamblilyprivatelimited@gmail.com 🏭 16 Vallalar Street, Saraswathy Nagar, Vandalur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600048, India 🌐 lamblily.com
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