Retail Gets Real Podcast

How Hanna Andersson built a brand families trust

Retail Gets Real episode 418: Aimée Lapic, CEO of Hanna Andersson, shares how the children's apparel brand builds loyalty, supports working families and celebrates childhood

June 30, 2026

Aimée Lapic, CEO, Hanna Andersson

Hanna Andersson has spent decades building a reputation for quality children's apparel that families trust and pass down from generation to generation. Aimée Lapic, CEO of Hanna Andersson, joins Retail Gets Real to discuss how the company continues to grow while staying true to its mission of championing childhood.

Putting the customer at the center

Lapic has worked across retail, ecommerce, media and consumer brands, including leadership roles at Gap, Pandora and GoPro. Despite the variety of industries, her customer-centric principles have remained consistent.

“The through line is this idea of focusing on the customer,” she says. “How do you think about how to surprise and delight them, and how do you learn fast?”

That mindset continues to shape leadership at Hanna Andersson — Lapic leads as a teammate first, embedded with her team and helping to foster authenticity among team members. Creating an environment where employees can be themselves encourages stronger communication and more effective teamwork.

Building a brand that celebrates childhood

At Hanna Andersson, every product starts with a simple mission: Champion childhood. Rather than treating children like miniature adults, the company designs clothing that embraces joy, imagination and independence. That philosophy influences everything from colorful patterns and playful designs to practical features that make it easier for children to dress themselves.

“We put the child at the center of everything we do,” Lapic says.

Quality is equally important. Every item undergoes extensive testing to ensure it remains soft, durable and wearable through years of use, ensuring clothes are handed down from grandparents all the way down to grandchildren, and creating customer loyalty along the way.

How resale became a growth engine

The durability of Hanna Andersson products naturally led to another opportunity: Its dedicated resale marketplace, Hanna-Me-Downs, is designed to help customers extend the life of their clothing while recovering value from items their children have outgrown.

“We did this for our loyal customers — but 40% of the customers are actually brand new to Hanna,” Lapic says.

The marketplace has become both a sustainability initiative and a customer acquisition tool. Many sellers choose store credit instead of cash, creating a cycle that benefits customers while strengthening engagement with the brand.

Supporting families and employees

The same customer-focused philosophy extends to the company's culture. With many working parents throughout the organization, Hanna Andersson has embraced a remote-first model that provides flexibility while maintaining meaningful opportunities for collaboration throughout the year. The approach has helped attract talent across the country and generated strong employee engagement results.

“If we can allow people to be the best at what they do from their home office versus forcing them to commute several hours a day, we feel like we're getting a great deal.”