Voices
Birdsn’Bees, Retailer Of The Season For Playtime Paris 
For several seasons now, we’ve been teaming up with one buyer from our international community for each edition of Playtime Paris and Playtime New York. Allowing us to visit the shows in the shoes of a buyer, it offers a unique perspective and the opportunity to put one of our amazing retailers in the spotlight. For the buyer of the season this winter at Playtime Paris, we’ve selected the founder of Birdsn’Bees, Hélène! We’ll follow along as she visits the show, but first let’s learn more about Hélène, her professional journey, and Birdsn’Bees!
Join us as we interview Hélène to explore her career and how it led to her opening this breathtaking family concept store in Dubai, as well as what she’ll be on the lookout for this winter at Playtime.
Hélène, founder of Birdsn’BeesMy name is Hélène Helffer, and I am the founder of Birdsn’Bees, a family concept store born in Dubai. Birdsn’Bees is a curated universe bringing together children’s fashion, toys, accessories, and, more recently, home and lifestyle pieces. Our approach is very selection-driven: timeless design, beautiful materials, and brands with a strong creative identity. Everything we choose is meant to be lived with, loved, and passed on.
Each move was guided by curiosity, a desire to grow, and the experience of being an expat woman, following my husband and reinventing myself at each stage.
In Nantes, I discovered entrepreneurship for the first time alongside my best friend Anne. Running our own boutique taught me independence, intuition, and the importance of building strong, lasting relationships with customers.
In London, working in luxury retail management gave structure to my experience. I was immersed in a world of high standards, visual merchandising, attention to detail, and large-scale retail operations, which deeply shaped my approach to the business.
Relocating to Dubai was a true leap of faith. Arriving as a young mother, I quickly identified a gap in the children’s market, positioned between fast fashion and luxury. In a retail landscape largely dominated by major chains, creating an independent concept store allowed me to focus on curation and individuality. Birdsn’Bees stands apart through its thoughtful selection, strong brand identities, and attention to detail. It offers a more personal alternative to mass retail.
In my late twenties, I identified a gap in Nantes for emerging brands that reflected my own style and needs at the time. Birdsn’Bees came from the same entrepreneurial instinct. Moving to Dubai in my mid-thirties as a young mother, I spotted a new gap, this time for well-designed children’s products and a more intuitive way for families to shop. Both projects grew from observing my own lifestyle and turning those needs into retail concepts.
They are very different experiences, but creating and running my own stores is where I feel most aligned. Working for established brands gave me discipline, structure, and rigor. Running my own business brings freedom, creativity, and a deep emotional connection to what I build.
Birdsn’Bees truly reflects who I am and what I believe retail should feel like. That said, as the company grows, I sometimes miss having a mentor or more experienced voices around me to challenge my decisions and help me move to the next stage.
Above all, a strong focus on visual merchandising and storytelling. Working for creative luxury brands taught me how to build a coherent universe through space, product placement, and detail.
I learned that atmosphere and consistency are as important as the product itself. At Birdsn’Bees, we apply these principles through thoughtful displays, strong visual rhythms, and carefully curated stories that evolve with the seasons.
Across all three markets, people are drawn to authenticity, quality, and good storytelling. The differences are really in the mindset and pace. In France, customers are very sensitive to heritage and tradition. In the UK, there’s a strong focus on comfort, playfulness, and childhood. As for Dubai, the market is incredibly international and fast-moving, with customers who are curious, open to newness, and who expect a very high level of customer service.
From the very beginning, I wanted to create a place where children genuinely feel like the customers. I kept the rails low so they can browse by themselves, touch things, explore, and take their time. I love the idea of children asking their parents to come back, of turning shopping into a little treasure hunt rather than a task.
But I also wanted Birdsn’Bees to speak to parents. A place where they can reconnect with their own sense of childhood, slow down, and enjoy the moment. The atmosphere is warm, calm, and joyful, never over-stimulating, with soft colors, natural materials, and playful details. “Where childhood never ends” is more than a slogan for me, it’s really the spirit of the store.
We have a few main sections, such as baby, boys, girls, swimwear, and partywear, which help structure the store, but everything is organized by universe rather than strictly by age. Within each area, products are mixed by theme or color, bringing together clothing, toys, soft toys, and accessories to create playful stories that invite families to wander, follow their curiosity, and enjoy the experience.
At the heart of the store, we have a central table that changes every two weeks, often in line with our newsletter. It might highlight a brand, a color story or a key moment of the year, such as back to school or Christmas. Displays evolve constantly to surprise, inspire, and encourage customers to discover something new each time they visit.
Our selection is largely European, creative, and timeless, with a strong focus on durability and responsible production. We favor brands that work consciously, use certified fabrics such as GOTS, and produce in a fair and thoughtful way rather than through mass production.
Children’s fashion remains our strongest category, especially everyday pieces with beautiful cuts and fabrics that are made to last. Toys and gift items are also key, particularly for our international clientele looking for meaningful, well-made pieces.
Each location has its own role and personality. The Courtyard was our first permanent brick-and-mortar store, opened in 2019, and I’m very attached to it. It really feels like an Ali Baba’s cave, full of little discoveries. Located in Dubai’s industrial area, within a collective of independent stores and restaurants, it was a real bet at the time, but it quickly became a place driven by creativity, entrepreneurship, and a very loyal community.
Our second location is at Mercato Mall, which is very family-friendly but also attracts a lot of tourists. We opened Birdsn’Bees Family Concept Store there in 2021, focused on children and gifting. Over time, it naturally became our flagship store. In June 2025, we expanded just next door with Birdsn’Bees Maison & Lifestyle, dedicated to home, stationery, and lifestyle, allowing the brand to grow and explore a new side of its universe.
Finally, our permanent kiosk at Ripe Market, open every weekend during the cooler months, is very family-oriented and a bit more relaxed. It also works as our outlet for previous collections. This format is particularly close to my heart, as Birdsn’Bees actually started in 2013 through pop-ups and markets like this, so it feels like a return to our roots.
Our customer base reflects Dubai itself, with locals, expats from all over the world, and tourists. Expats are a big part of our community, often drawn to familiar European brands and new discoveries.
Local customers are seduced by our unique selection and tend to come back regularly. Meanwhile tourists are often looking for meaningful, well-chosen gifts. The balance varies by location, and this diversity is one of our strengths.
Playtime immediately felt curated, human, and inspiring. What keeps me coming back is the quality of the brands, the conversations, and the strong sense of community. It’s a place where creativity and business meet in a very genuine way, and where I can connect with suppliers, build long-term relationships, and openly share experiences on both sides of the business.
I always feel a sense of discovery, find inspiration, and have meaningful encounters at Playtime. It’s never just about placing orders, but about understanding the stories behind the brands and connecting with people who share the same values. It’s also a place to spot emerging trends and support new brands at the beginning of their journey.
I’m looking for strong collections with clear identities, responsible approaches, and pieces that truly make sense for everyday life, at the right price point. I’m particularly attentive to brands that balance creativity with wearability and durability, offering well-cut designs, soft fabrics, and a colorful, playful spirit.
We’ll continue to develop our Maison & Lifestyle universe, strengthen our online presence (which grew by over 45% in 2025), and deepen our community approach through events and collaborations. We’re also looking for a new location in Dubai, even if the city is growing so fast that it sometimes feels hard to keep up. The focus remains on growing thoughtfully and sustainably, rather than quickly.
Thank you to Hélène for sharing her story with us! We can’t wait to see what products will stand out to her this winter at Playtime Paris. Stay tuned for a sneak peak on the @iloveplaytime Instagram of Hélène at the show, and the follow up article that will be released in February to discover her top 10 products!
Fellow buyers can get their pass to join Hélène and thousands of other international buyers at Playtime Paris January 24-26.
