STORY AND PHOTOS BY KELLY CAVANAUGH

 You might hear the name Baby & Co. and think it’s a store specializing in baby wear.

But this store in Ketchum’s Galleria is anything but that.

Baby is a nickname for the original owner and founder Babette Burstyn who was a fashion powerhouse in the 1970s-1990s Seattle.

Baby also refers to the idea of the customer getting indulged and pampered by Baby & Co.’s new owner Jill Donnelly who elevates fashion by hand-picking each piece to make a powerful non-verbal communication of who we are. 

 Donnelly, a former Sun Valley ski bum of the late ‘70s-turned boutique owner, has always loved fashion, molded by her glamorous parents and lifestyle of travel,

She followed her dreams from the ground up.  She started as a stock girl in a men’s store in Seattle and then moved to Nordstrom’s where she was planning on staying and building a serious corporate resume.

Until she met Babette Burstyn’s Baby & Co. in the Terminal Sales building in Seattle. The store quickly became her favorite and blew her mind with its avant-garde and vintage opulence. 

 After college, Donnelly left her prestigious job with Nordstrom and took over managing and buying for Babette, who was busy with her child and a second pregnancy.  By 2009, Donnelly consulted her mentor in Paris who fueled the idea for her to buy Baby & Co. And she reenergized it to her liking by updating the lines and bringing the boutique online for shopping all over the world.

 While relatively new to the Galleria, Baby & Co. is no stranger to the valley. Donelly has been showcasing pop-up shops on July 5 every year for the past decade.  Her first location was 4th and Walnut and the next was in the knitting space under the Magic Lantern. She sublet the eyeglass space in the Galleria, and even had winter events at Hotel Ketchum. 

 Donnelly respectfully presents her picks in a manner that evokes power within ourselves and respect for those around us. By incorporating slow-fashion into your wardrobe, she says, you are investing in art that withstands the capricious trends.

Baby & Co., which is located at 351 N. Leadville Ave. in Ketchum, has mastered the craft of delivering cult-like pieces that can be the perfect fit for chilling out at home or walking the streets of Paris.

Yes, you can use the same cool sweatshirt, cool trouser baseline elements, and upgrade to the streets by switching out a sneaker for a bold boot and adding the irresistible Schimmel Paris Lite coat.

 “So many stores carry the same brands that you see over and over.  As a buyer, my best job is to discover “the something” for you!,” Donnelly says, describing her approach to styling. “I want you, Baby, to have that same sense of discovery when you come into our store.  I want you to see a brand you’ve never heard of, to get turned on and inspired by a look you haven’t thought of.”. 

 Brands masterfully curated include: OOF Outerwear that features eco-sustainable padding with Vegan fur and recycled fabrics, and COG The Big Smoke made for the edgy jetsetter, with a one-size-fits-all ingenuity derived from Japan and London.

Antipast, a clothing label from Japan, weaves texture and art to create a story with each garment delicately worn. And the unassailable outerwear brand Schimmel Lite out of Paris will undoubtedly make anyone feel powerful, palatial and warm.

 Baby & Co. has the charm of a pop-up, the edge of a record store on the corner of a London market, and the attention your big sister’s best friend gives you when she lets you explore her closet for your first date.

 Let yourself be babied!