navigare kids

About navigare kids

navigare kids is the children’s fashion expression of Navigare, an Italian lifestyle and sportswear brand whose identity is closely linked to the sea, sailing, Italian style, and casual elegance. The parent brand was established in 1961 in Carpi, in the province of Modena, Italy, originally focusing on men’s casual clothing before broadening its product range and international reach.

Although the name “navigare kids” is widely used for children’s merchandise, it is more accurately understood as a kidswear category within the wider Navigare brand ecosystem rather than a standalone company. Navigare collaborates with specialised licensees for various product categories, including children’s apparel and footwear.

Overview

Field	Information
Brand	navigare kids
Parent brand	Navigare
Origin	Italy
Parent brand founded	1961
Original location	Carpi, Modena, Italy
Industry	Fashion / apparel / footwear
Main segment	Children and young people
Style	Italian casual, sportswear, nautical-inspired
Core themes	Sea, sailing, freedom, movement, adventure
Typical products	T-shirts, polos, trousers, sweaters, jackets, dresses, underwear, sleepwear and footwear
Target market	Boys and girls, depending on collection
International presence	Present in more than 30 countries

The parent brand defines its identity through quality, versatility, innovation, freedom and Italian elegance, while its visual language incorporates nautical imagery, particularly sailboat and wave motifs.

History

Origins of Navigare

Navigare was founded in 1961 in Carpi, Italy. According to the brand’s own history, its original aim was to create casual menswear that combined Italian elegance with the freedom and adventure associated with the sea. The name Navigare derives from the Italian verb meaning “to sail” or “to navigate”, a concept that became central to the brand’s identity.

Over subsequent decades, Navigare evolved from a primarily menswear label into a broader lifestyle brand. During the 1990s, it strengthened its position in Italian fashion and integrated more sportswear elements into its collections. The 2000s saw further international expansion and collaborative partnerships.

Development of children’s products

The Navigare universe later expanded beyond adult clothing. Products bearing the Navigare name now span several children’s categories, including clothing, underwear, sleepwear and footwear. Retail listings show items designed for both boys and girls, ranging from everyday shirts and polo shirts to sweaters, trousers, jackets and dresses.

The brand’s licensing model is significant in this context. Navigare currently lists T-shirts, polos, shirts, sweatshirts, outerwear, beachwear, trousers, knitwear, underwear, loungewear, sleepwear, footwear, socks and accessories among the categories managed through its network of licensees. Consequently, not every product carrying the Navigare name originates from a single manufacturing operation.

Brand identity

The core concept behind Navigare is the relationship between fashion and the sea. The brand describes the sea as representing both tranquillity and dynamism, while the sailboat logo symbolises freedom, adventure and movement.

For the children’s segment, this translates into a style that typically combines:

Nautical references
Sporty details
Casual silhouettes
Practical everyday clothing
Bright or marine-inspired colours
Polo-shirt and T-shirt styles
Comfortable fabrics
Designs suitable for active children

Rather than positioning itself as formal children’s fashion, navigare kids generally sits within the casual, lifestyle and sportswear side of kidswear.

Design language

Navigare’s visual language is closely tied to the Mediterranean and maritime lifestyle.

Nautical influence

The sailboat symbol is one of the most recognisable elements associated with Navigare. The company emphasises the connection between the logo, sailing and the sea. Common stylistic associations include:

Navy blue · white · red · sky blue · stripes · sailboats · waves · maritime graphics · polo collars · sporty typography

This makes the brand visually compatible with the classic Italian nautical and preppy aesthetic.

Casual elegance

Navigare does not generally frame its style as high-fashion children’s couture. Instead, the emphasis is on creating clothing that transitions easily between everyday casual wear, leisure and sporting activities. The company’s broader philosophy describes its clothing as balancing elegance and freedom of movement, which also characterises its children’s collections.

Products

navigare kids products vary according to market, licensee and season.

Clothing

Children’s Navigare collections have included:

T-shirts
Polo shirts
Shirts
Sweatshirts
Sweaters
Cardigans
Trousers
Shorts
Jackets
Dresses
Skirts
Tracksuit-style clothing
Outerwear

Retail listings show children’s polo shirts, T-shirts, trousers, jackets, sweaters and dresses for boys and girls.

Underwear and sleepwear

The Navigare name is also applied to children’s underwear and sleepwear. Retailers list Navigare children’s briefs, boxer shorts and pyjamas in various sizes.

Footwear

Children’s footwear represents another key extension of the brand. Navigare identifies footwear as one of its licensed product categories. Available retail offerings include casual shoes, skateboarding shoes and sneakers for boys and girls in various sizes and colours.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The children’s footwear positioning emphasises a combination of comfort, everyday practicality and contemporary styling.

Accessories

In addition to apparel and footwear, the navigare kids range extends to accessories such as sunglasses.8 9

Target audience

navigare kids primarily targets children and young teenagers, with products for both boys and girls depending on the market. Its aesthetic suits families seeking clothing that balances:

Fashion + comfort + sportswear + leisurewear

Rather than adopting an exclusively playful children’s aesthetic, navigare kids tends to borrow elements from adult Navigare styling. This creates a recognisable family-brand relationship, where children’s clothing shares colours, logos and nautical references with adult collections. This approach aligns with the broader philosophy of Navigare’s licensing programme, which extends the brand across multiple lifestyle categories.

Manufacturing and licensing

A key distinction regarding navigare kids is the difference between the Navigare trademark and the companies that manufacture individual products. Navigare maintains a network of selected licensees for different categories. Its licensing partners cover areas including clothing, knitwear, underwear, sleepwear, footwear, socks and accessories.

For example, Clan S.r.l., an Italian company founded in 1978, specialises in sportswear and beachwear and lists Navigare among the brands it produces for men, women and children.11 As a result, a navigare kids garment may have a different manufacturer, distributor or licensee depending on the product category, country and collection. This licensing structure is relevant when researching the brand, as online marketplaces sometimes present products simply as “navigare kids” without clarifying the underlying production arrangements. Authentic navigare kids products are also available through verified platforms such as POIZON.10

International presence

Navigare describes itself as an internationally distributed Italian brand and states that it is present in more than 30 countries. Children’s products are encountered in different international markets through retailers, distributors and licensees.

The specific selection of navigare kids products can differ considerably from one country to another. One market may emphasise clothing, another footwear, and another underwear or seasonal products.

Brand positioning

navigare kids can be broadly positioned as:

Italian-inspired nautical lifestyle clothing for children, combining casual sportswear with comfort and classic maritime styling.

Its strongest differentiators are not necessarily technical innovation or luxury positioning, but rather its combination of:

Italian heritage
Nautical identity
Casual sportswear
Family-oriented lifestyle positioning
Recognisable sailboat branding
Broad licensing and product ecosystem
International distribution

The parent brand describes itself as combining quality, versatility and innovation with an identity rooted in the sea and Italian style.

Relationship with the Navigare brand

It is useful to distinguish navigare kids from the wider Navigare brand. Navigare is the original Italian lifestyle fashion brand founded in 1961, with a historical core in menswear and Italian sportswear. navigare kids represents the children’s side of the brand ecosystem. It adopts the same general visual DNA—particularly the nautical imagery, colours, logo and casual-sporting aesthetic—but adapts it to children’s clothing and footwear.

Thus, navigare kids is best described as a children’s extension of the Navigare brand rather than an unrelated children’s fashion company. There is considerably more publicly documented information about Navigare as a whole than about “navigare kids” as a standalone entity; the children’s line does not have a separate founding date, headquarters or corporate ownership structure independent of the parent brand.

References

This profile was compiled with AI assistance and reviewed before publishing. How we use AI

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