The New iCandy Raspberry 2014

At the end of last month I was invited along to the London ExCel Baby Show with iCandy, a British pushchair brand that has 80 year’s experience within the nursery sector. iCandy kindly offered to demonstrate the new 2014 collection and let me have a sneaky first look at the upcoming releases.

iCandy have big plans for 2014 and of course this can only mean beautiful new designs set against the practicalities that we as parents always look for when in the market for a new pushchair or stroller. iCandy always take the smallest details into consideration and this for me really shone through when they first showed me the brand new Raspberry. I first saw the Raspberry back in September when I went along to the 80th birthday bash, and although I didn't get to have a play up close and personal on that occasion, I still marveled at just how easy on the eyes it was. The Raspberry is completely different to anything else that iCandy have ever done before, it doesn't look like any of the other models currently on the market and I think this is why it is going to be welcomed with very wide open arms.

The Raspberry is a light weight stroller perfectly adapted for urban use, it can be used from birth thanks to its generous recline and although looking completely unique among the other iCandy models, you can certainly tell it is part of the family.

The iCandy team demonstrated the Raspberry to our eager group, and looking around I could see that we were all very taken with the latest design. The well padded seat, the generous size of the hood and the different colour’s available (particularly Sunflower) make this a very attractive model. 

In total there are 7 vibrant colours to choose from, and a choice of natural brushed aluminum or matt black frames.

- Arctic Night

- Atlantic

- Lush

- Beetle

- Sunflower

- Wisteria

- Fushia

The coveted logo is being lasered onto the frame to ensure that it doesn't get chipped away over time, you know the everyday wear and tear that ultimately cannot be avoided. The stroller can fold with the seat unit in place, a feature that for me is essential, and it even folds in such a way that the seat until will be protected from muddy wheels! It is no secret how precious I can be about my pushchairs... and It was only the other day I was there with the baby wipes wiping down the muddy wheels before stowing it back into the car!

The wheels on the Raspberry are perfect for city strolls and are different to anything I have come across before. I can only describe them as like a hard gel, they are state of the art wheels to compliment the rest of the innovative Raspberry. They each promote indpendent suspension to ensure smooth strolling!

What I really like about the new Raspberry is that it is a pushchair choice that will see your baby through from the newborn days, right through to an age where pushchairs are no longer a necessity. In my experience you have the big full size pushchair for the first few months and then you decide to down size pretty quickly. You realise that you don't want the hassle of carting a big pushchair around and opt for a smaller easy to transport model. The Raspberry is such a great size and weight that it is exactly what we were looking for after we decided to downsize when Leo was around 5 months old. I think this will be a great contender for families looking to join the iCandy family but don't want to break the bank with their pushchair choice, and still get the consistent quality that iCandy are famous for.

The Raspberry is ultimately a pushchair that has been designed off of feedback collected from parents just like you and I. A sure sign that iCandy are listening to what real parents want, and they have taken everything we have said... and given us the Raspberry. 

iCandy are a coveted brand, and this is reflected in the quality and price of the pushchairs. The Raspberry offers a complete package that makes the iCandy brand more accessible to parents and expectant parents. It offers a complete package for parent’s to use the Raspberry from birth as a complete travel system 

The Raspberry will be launching in the summer of 2014, so there is not much longer to wait. It won't be long before the 7 vibrant colourways take to the streets. The iCandy Raspberry will be retailing at £460.00, and a whole range of accessories will be available to purchase separately. 

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for writing this post. All views and opinions are completely honest and my own.

iCandy Turns 80 Years Old

I was recently invited along to a very prestigious party. A party to celebrate iCandy’s 80 years within the design and nursery sectors. 80 years is such a big achievement and I am sure you will agree that it is definitely something to be proud of, and proud iCandy are. Their pride shines out from each and every product they release into the market place, and their new 2014 models definitely schmooze pride along with the un-deniable quality that we all expect.

I have always loved the iCandy range, so being invited along to see the brand new designs was a very exciting moment!

I was amongst the likes of VIP guests Emilia Fox, Jodie Kidd, Jasmine Guinness and Imogen Thomas. The evening gave me chance to leave my Mummy clothes at home, along with the nappy bag. Swap in my everyday attire for a glitzy dress and some fancy shoes and go and mingle with lot’s of exciting people. iCandy pulled out all the stops for this historic celebration and a red carpet lined the way into One Marylebone where the atmosphere was electric in anticipation of the night ahead.

I soon found myself with a glass of champagne in hand and a canapé in the other, as I stood eyeing up the selection of new pushchairs on display. iCandy is famous for it’s single footprint double pushchair, and having now seen one up close and personal I can certainly see why it is so desirable. Doubles are renowned for being big and bulky, and iCandy have provided a travel solution that completely re-writes your expectations of a double pushchair.

Over 300 guests descended upon One Marylebone to witness the un-veiling of the new collection and celebrate iCandy’s Birthday. It was also a party to mark the beginning of a very special relationship between iCandy and The Lullaby Trust. A cheque of £5,000 was presented to the Lullaby Trust who provide specialist support for bereaved families and anyone affected by the sudden death of an infant. The Lullaby Trust perform research and educate parents on how best to keep their babies safe during sleep.

I personally think that this new relationship is a perfect match, and I am so pleased to see such an active input into such a crucial cause. As parent’s the work that Lullaby Trust does is close to everyone’s hearts.

iCandy presented guests with a very visual cat walk show, complete with grass runway, trees and nature inspired displays. The show kicked off with a set by Whinnie Williams before the iCandy’s Managing Director Martin Boyle stepped on stage to announce the official partnership between iCandy and the Lullaby Trust, and even taught me a thing or two about the prestigious nursery company. Did you know that iCandy was named after Candy…the family pet dog!?

As the evening progressed, the moment everyone had been waiting for descended upon us. An entourage of models strutted down the cat walk one after the other with next seasons up and coming pushchair designs. Vibrant colours shone out against the vibrant white of the models attire, and the audience’s attention was captivated.

We were given a sneak peak into the new debut luxury bags collection, that have been designed by ex-Mulberry designer Janet Collin.

The finale of the show had been reserved for the up and coming design ‘The Raspberry’. It is already tipped to be the new iconic pushchair with it’s release in 2014. I have to say that it looks beautiful, and is a completely new design to iCandy in comparison to anything else they have ever released into the market.

 As if the evening had not been splendid enough, guests were treated to tasty cupcakes from no one other than Fiona Cairns, the baker who baked the wedding cake for the Royal Wedding back in 2011.

I managed to sneak a Royal cupcake back home for Leo, who very much enjoyed it. I was hoping that it would be enough to get me back in his good books for leaving him over night, but I needn’t have worried. I was immediately accepted back into his coveted trusted circle.

iCandy are all geared up to continue to wow parents for 2014, and I am so pleased that I got to witness such a special evening with the team.

Happy 80^th Birthday to the iCandy team and I continue to look forward to seeing what else is tucked up their sleeves. 

Disclaimer: I was invited along to the birthday bash and was very excited to share their birthday news with you all. This post includes a featured link.