London Parents Swear by Bugaboo
Neha, it seems, is not alone thousands of London parents swear by Bugaboo bee, the pushchair that believes it is the ultimate urban child transportation device. Launched 10 years ago by an obscure Dutch design company, the space-age pram did not become a must-have until its UK launch in 2003. As the first Bugaboos hit London’s streets the brand went viral, ably assisted by a new paparazzi target: the baby-making celebrity. Primrose Hill-based Fran Cutler a friend of Meg Mathews apparently credits herself with being the first person in London to buy a Bugaboo Frog for her daughter Mercy Magic. Soon after, Gwyneth Paltrow, Stella McCartney and Sara Cox were seen wheeling them through the streets of the capital. In recent years the Bugaboo has faced competition (the £1,200 Silver Cross Balmoral was Gwyneth’s choice for her latest baby) but it dominates the pavements of Westbourne Grove,Kensington and still reigns supreme in Clapham’s “Nappy Valley” on Northcote Road. Instead of being a fad, it has morphed into a classic and the accessory of choice forClaudia Schiffer, Geri Halliwell, Gwen Stefani, Helena Bonham Carter and, most recently,Kate Garraway. “It’s difficult when you become a mum,” says Katherine Kowalski, 30, mother to Beatrice, eight months. “Your sense of style has to change enormously because you have to think about what is practical.” After spending £380 on a Bugaboo Bee, she says she feels stylish again.
