Unicorns, pirates and princesses, oh my! Last week, we shared a sneak peek of our newest Hyde & EEK! Boutique costumes and they’re not only adorable and affordable—they’re designed with all kids in mind.
“Every child deserves to bask in the fun of a special moment,” says Julie Guggemos, senior vice president, Owned Brand Management and Product Design, Target. “And at Target, we’re out to make sure even more kids get that chance this Halloween. We’ve seen how little design details in our Cat & Jack adaptive apparel and Pillowfort sensory-friendly pieces can have a huge impact. Now we’re bringing that same spirit of inclusivity to our new Hyde & EEK! Boutique kids’ costumes. We hope these creations will spark some huge smiles—and bring a little extra joy to our guests’ everyday lives.”
Turns out that Target guests are already loving these new online-only pieces—several items sold out within days of our preorder going live. “We’re amazed and truly humbled by our guests’ initial response,” adds Julie. “And our team’s moving fast to restock before Halloween so more families can get in on the fun.”
Check out the cute costumes and all the special details below, then preorder on Target.com. And if your fave is not available, never fear—we’ll stock more online by early October.
This elegant princess costume ($20) features a crown and a beautiful gown with an opening in the back for easy dressing and a wheel-chair-friendly design. And the carriage wheelchair cover ($45), which can be cut to fit a variety of wheelchair sizes, completes the charming look.
Designed with a hidden opening in front pocket for abdominal access
These unicorn and shark costumes (starting at $25 each, available in toddler and kids’ sizes) are as cozy as they are cute. They feature flat seams and are tag-less for an ultra-comfy feel.
Your kiddo’s ready to conquer the seven seas in this pirate costume ($25), complete with an eye patch. Add the pirate ship wheelchair cover ($45) for even more fun.
Go behind the scenes with Target designers Mari Anderson and Stacey Monsen.
What sparked the idea for adaptive costumes?
Mari: Following the launch of Cat & Jack adaptive apparel, we continued talking to parents with kids who have specific needs. They told us again and again that they want their children to have the same exciting, magical experience other kids enjoy on Halloween. And there’s a huge gap of fun, affordable options in the marketplace.
Stacey: My 9-year-old daughter has Autism, and I’ve always had to plan for Halloween well in advance, including making her costume because she doesn’t want things on her head or against her skin. This is often a conversation amongst parents with kids in the special needs community, and many families make their own costumes. But for those who are on a budget, are time-strapped or simply would rather not create something from scratch, we wanted to offer amazing costumes with adaptive features. So we got to work.
Tell us about that process…
Mari: We started by getting specific about our guests wants and needs. Parents told us that easy dressing, comfort and reduced bulk were key. Plus, we knew we’d want to incorporate favorite features from our Cat & Jack adaptive apparel line, like tagless construction, flat seams, zip-off hoods and extended zippers for easy diaper changes. From there, we looked back at our most popular Hyde & EEK! Boutique costumes from years past, and decided to create new versions of our popular pirate, princess, unicorn and shark costumes—all designed with these little details in mind. And we went through multiple iterations to make sure our princess chariot and pirate ship wheelchair covers could fit a variety of wheelchair sizes.
Stacey: That attention to detail is absolutely worthwhile when we hear stories about what these costumes mean to families.
Case in point? Marissa Smith, a Target team member whose son Elijah is modeling our pirate costume in the photo above, shares: “I’ve worked really hard to teach my son the importance of advocating for himself and feeling included—and seeing Target advocate for him and kids like him on this huge level makes me even more excited for what the future holds. I’m beyond blessed that he is part of this much-needed movement toward inclusion.”
Here’s to your happiest Halloween yet! Shop the Hyde & EEK! Boutique adaptive collection now, only on Target.com.
