A family business is a beautiful thing. It offers a universe that can be passed down and evolve as the family itself grows, bringing new perspectives and ideas with each generation. One of the most successful family businesses in our community is AO76. Having started as an import business, this brand has grown and shrank as it’s adapted to become the renowned kidswear label it’s recognized as today.

As the brand approaches its 50th anniversary, we sat down with the CEO and third generation to enter the family business, Gaspard, to learn more about AO76. We discussed how it all started, the changes it’s gone through, the present and the future for this iconic label, as well as AO76’s relationship with Playtime and our events.

Join us as we dive into the colorful universe of AO76!

Gaspard and his mother, Patricia

As the name says, AO76 was founded in 1976 by Gaspard’s grandfather, Etienne. He would often visit the United States, where he fell in love with the sweatshirt and t-shirt materials. He started American Outfitters, an import business to bring jerseys from brands like Hanes and Fruit of the Loom to Europe. After a few years, one of his daughters joined the business, bringing sales expertise to the company. Then, his second daughter and Gaspard’s mother, Patricia, joined as well. As the creative one, Patricia proposed the idea that rather than importing, American Outfitters could start producing their own collections. So, the family began contacting manufacturers and launched an American inspired menswear label.

“They began with really classic rugby shirts, sweatshirts, and t-shirts,” Gaspard told us. The brand then grew to include a women’s and kid’s collection as well. In 1998, American Outfitters opened its first store with all three collections. As the brand expanded into women’s and kid’s, it grew from a few associates to a larger company.

By about 2006, they had stopped producing the menswear collections, choosing to focus on the women’s and kid’s. This decision ended up helping the company weather the 2008 financial crisis, as their team had already been reduced and they were only producing the collections that were selling strongly. By 2017, interest in the kid’s collection was consistently increasing, while the womenswear was remaining steady. They decided to focus only on the kid’s collections from then on, seizing the opportunity to also rebrand to AO76. The decision to change the name was to step a bit away from the American inspiration which clashed with the Belgian roots of the brand, while still paying homage to its history by keeping the initials “AO” and the year “76”.

From then on, AO76 has been recognized for its jerseys, super soft t-shirts, and colorful collections that always have a unique twist.

Gaspard has been involved with AO76 since he was a child. “My first job was modeling around age 6. We were also the quality control for the knitwear, never hesitating to say when it was too itchy” Gaspard said. As he got older, he began helping with photoshoots, unpacking boxes, and folding at the outlet store. “I was the promotional boy as well, passing out fliers and balloons at the seaside,” he told us.

When he became a teenager, Gaspard decided to go his own way rather than join the family business as he had originally intended. But in his first year of university studying architecture, he changed his mind once again and decide to pursue taking over the family business. He took marketing and business courses to prepare, and joined the company officially in May of 2020. After two years of working on the marketing side of the company, Gaspard took over as CEO in 2024.

“When I entered the business, it was important for me to come in ready to listen. I’m an empathetic person, so it was natural for me to be ready to listen to those with more experience than me.” Gaspard explained. “Some of my colleagues I’ve known all my life. I was once the small child running around their office, so they know me and want to help me on my journey. It’s really nice to work with them and my mother, because it’s people you can really trust,” he continued.

AO76’s SS25 collection

Each season, the team at AO76 starts with a theme for the new collection. Patricia is the head of the design team, so she and the boy’s and girl’s stylists come together to create a moodboard. Gaspard joins as well, helping to select between different options. From the moodboard, they then pull a color palette and develop their fabrics.

Quite early on when they started designing their own collections, the brand began developing its own fabrics. Drawing inspiration from the American fabrics Etienne loved, they further perfected them year after year. “I think now we’ve reached a unique quality. It’s super soft and light, with almost all of our garments being made with 100% cotton,” Gaspard said. They have special techniques of washing and brushing the fabric to achieve their exceptionally soft materials that the brand is known for.

Since he’s been working as the CEO, Gaspard has learned the importance of the different fabrics and colors. “When I started, I didn’t really understand the subtle differences my mother could see,” he explained. “Now I see the difference. It can be such a subtle nuance between a color that seems expensive versus one that appears cheap. It’s really my mother’s specialty, being able to identify the perfect colors and fabrics that create the top level quality we offer our customers”.

Once the theme, colors, and fabrics have been figured out, their graphics team starts developing motifs and a selection of prints for their t-shirts and sweatshirts. “Our Belgian DNA and the American vibe the brand is founded on guide our designs, with each season’s theme helping us to reinvent ourselves,” Gaspard explained. By keeping their Belgian and American influences as the most important for their designs, AO76’s distinct style is easily recognized season after season.

For example, their Spring-Summer 2025 collection is inspired by a trip Patricia took when she was around 20 years old. “We found this old scrapbook from this trip to Kenya, Botswana, and other places in Africa,” Gaspard told us. “We used these images and text from the first page of the scrapbook for a t-shirt, and built the rest of the collection around it,” he continued.

AO76 has been exhibiting at Playtime Paris since the show’s beginning. “I think Playtime is the top fair in the world that brand’s have to exhibit at,” Gaspard said. Having been inspired by the outstanding displays he remembers seeing when he visited trade shows as a child, he’s reintroduced stunning stands at the show since he became CEO. “As we’re looking at the collection, I’ll have an idea that we then develop and bring to life at our booth,” he said.

Last winter, AO76 was able to exhibit at Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York for the first time as well. At both shows this summer, buyers will be able to discover their Spring-Summer 2026 collection, Back to the Roots. “For SS26, we wanted to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” Gaspard explained. Buyers can look forward to an exclusive orange label to mark the special collection, and a theme inspired by New York, the Bahamas, and the East Coast of the United States with a special preppy-chic side to it.

One of the concepts AO76 has been centered around since the beginning is making memories. This can be done through garments, as well as through different initiatives the brand offers. Once a year, they encourage their customers to get creative. “I feel like I’m part of the last generation before technology really took over. I would mainly play outside, and I want to encourage our community to step away from screens and get creative,” Gaspard explained.

This year, they have a paper flower challenge, which is a Belgian tradition. Kids can get a package with wooden sticks, thread, and paper to make their own, which they then have to sell at the beach for a specific shell. They can then use this shell to buy a hat in AO76 stores.

AO76 flower initiative

In addition to these annual challenges, they also have the Bekind Crew. “I started this initiative in 2020. It’s designed to acknowledge kindness,” Gaspard told us. Whenever children do something kind, whether it’s calling a friend, walking a neighbor’s dog, or being kind to themselves, they can post a photo to the AO76 website. They’ll then receive the Bekind Crew starter pack which has a t-shirt, stickers, and invitations.

Bekind Crew t-shirt

Another initiative Gaspard implemented in 2024 is the brand’s repair service. Starting with the AW24 collection, all AO76 products purchased in their stores have a free, lifetime repair service. Centered around creating memories as well, this program invites kids to bring in their garments, share the adventure story behind the damage, and select which color thread to repair it with. The garment is then repaired at AO76’s head office and returned a few weeks later. This turns a repaired product into a cherished memory, one that Gaspard hopes will be held onto forever. “I want kids to be proud of every tear, to show them off and enjoy that that garment is uniquely theirs,” he said.

“I was confident enough to offer the lifetime service because our garments are designed with outdoor kids in mind. The fabrics are durable enough to endure an active kid,” Gaspard said. Since its launch, there have only been about 7 repairs, acting as a true testament to the brand’s quality.

All of these community building initiatives are done without financial gain in mind. They’re done with sincere intention to do what’s good for the world and the kids that love the brand.

Gaspard has ambitious goals for AO76. He is working to expand the brand’s product categories, having already added underwear, girl’s swimwear, pencil cases and socks, to name just a few. “I want to offer everything for kids,” he said. One of his goals is to even add toys to their offer, creating a truly one-stop brand out of AO76. “We have 5 stores in Belgium. They’re all spacious, so there’s plenty of room to display everything well,” he said.

Each of their stores follows a similar aesthetic that is true to the brand. They make shelves out of old baby beds and reclaimed cabinets. Every store also has surfboards as part of the decor. “It’s fancy, but with a lot of wood and natural materials to be authentic and give it a soul,” Gaspard explained.

In addition to expanding the product categories, Gaspard would like to open one new store in Belgium each year. “I want to continue the growth we’re experiencing now,” he said. He also wants to continue expanding the distributors and agents that carry AO76, firmly believing in the importance of the B2B side for the brand as well.

Thank you to Gaspard for sharing the family story behind AO76 with us. It’s been quite a journey, having begun with imports and menswear to eventually evolve into the iconic kidswear brand it’s recognized as today.

We can’t wait to discover the Back to the Roots collection at Playtime Paris June 28-30 and Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York July 27-29. Their booth is going to be even bigger and better, so make sure not to miss it! Buyers can click here to get their pass to discover the collection for themselves in Paris and New York.

All images from AO76