Baby on Board
The Alma Max crib (from $850) can be used as a bassinet, crib or toddler bed for little ones up to age 5
Underwhelmed by nursery furnishings that failed to marry both fashion and function, four dads—Francisco Balderrama, Jon Lake, Jason Lewis and Simon May—came together to create a collection of designs to fit the needs of today’s forward-thinking parents. Clean lines, increased mobility and cutting-edge safety were top priorities when creating Bloom (bloombaby.com), a San Diego-based line of supersleek cribs, bouncers and highchairs that have become the gold standard of luxury for little ones. “We wanted to include baby in all of the important family moments,” notes Balderrama when asked about the Fresco highchair ($399-$799), a multifunctional offering that can be used from birth to age 8 and is offered in six frames and 15 seat pad colorways. “In our households, dinnertime is a great opportunity for the family to disconnect from daily activities and gather together to share a meal; baby obviously becomes a central part of that.”
The Fresco Solo cradle and toddler chair ($399) features three reclining positions perfect for bottle-feeding.
Since the founders met in Paris, an international mindset was applied when engineering Bloom’s wooden cribs and bouncers as products fold flat and can be easily moved from room to room. This added ease for globe-trotting parents is what likely put Bloom on the map among high-end hotels and resorts. Its cribs have become the standard for Four Seasons, Park Hyatt and Mandarin Oriental hotels globally, and with families traveling as a unit more and more, word spreads fast in contemporary creche circles. “In many cases it has been the requests from parents for Bloom that started our relationships with the luxury hotel groups,” says Balderrama. “Parents want our organic sheets, solid wood cribs and folding bouncers and will often call in advance to ensure Bloom is on hand. This word of mouth is very powerful.” So powerful in fact, that St. Regis Hotels came calling in January and has officially designated the brand as its partner for folding cribs, highchairs, step stools and bouncers. “We recognize that a St. Regis guest is likely a Bloom parent at home,” says Balderrama. A kismet relationship, indeed.
The Alma Max crib (from $850) can be used as a bassinet, crib or toddler bed for little ones up to age 5
Photography by: Lee Clower
