Fashion: Sources for maternity chic

DESIGNERS AND SHOPS A Pea in the Pod Nearly every celebrity mom you can think of (Annette Bening, Cindy Crawford, Tea Leoni, Jodie Foster, Jada Pinkett Smith, etc., etc.) has

Thursday, June 8th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DESIGNERS AND SHOPS

A Pea in the Pod

Nearly every celebrity mom you can think of (Annette Bening, Cindy Crawford, Tea Leoni, Jodie Foster, Jada Pinkett Smith, etc., etc.) has worn Pea in the Pod designs, which range from $70 to $400.

Designers creating pieces for the store include Lilly Pulitzer, ABS, Three Dots, Nicole Miller, Vivienne Tam, Bisou Bisou, Trina Turk, Robin Piccone. The company is currently working on a collaboration with Anna Sui.

Barneys New York

Those stores in the chain that have maternity departments feature the in-house Barneys label Procreation, with prices ranging from about $120 for a stretch skirt to $250 for a stretch cashmere sweater. They're in Chicago (312-587-1700, ext. 6024), in Beverly Hills (310-276-4400, ext. 5405) and on New York's Madison Avenue (212-826-8900, ext. 2197).

Labels such as L'Atessa and Mamma Luna are also sold, as are leather pants and vintage Levi's adapted with stretch panels.

Belly Basics

The label is best known for the "Pregnancy Survival Kit" ($152), which consists of a pair of slim pants, a dress, a shirt and a short skirt. The company also has a catalog with swimsuits, work wear, dresses, hosiery and diaper bags; prices range from $29 for a pair of athletic shorts to $128 for a blazer. Fans include Uma Thurman, Cindy Crawford and Josie Bisset. Visit www.bellybasics.com or call 1-800-496-6684 (1-800-4-9-Months toll free). Also available at Nordstrom.

The company's founders Cherie Serota and Jody Kozlow Gardner have also penned a book titled Pregnancy Chic: The Fashion Survival Guide ($16.95, Random House).

Gap

The Gap maternity collection, featuring 16 basic pieces such as a $34 classic shell and an $84 suit jacket, is sold only online or by mail-order; visit www.gap.com or call 1-800-427-7895 (1-800-GAPSTYLE, toll free). Catalogs are available at Gap stores, and returns can be made to any Gap store.

More fashion-oriented pieces will be available in mid-June, and leather pieces will be available at the end of summer.

Japanese Weekend

This San Francisco-based line features basics with stylistic innovations such as Hug separates that show your shape, the Obi Kutsorogi ("sash of comfort") waistband for support and a "during and after" waistband. The most expensive item is about $120 for a formal dress.

There's a store at 500 Sutter St. in San Francisco, and a new one opens at Fashion Island Newport Beach this summer. The company's Web site is www.japaneseweekend.com. The catalog number is 1-800-808-0555 (toll free).

Liz Lange Maternity

Pucci-print shirts, gorgeous silk shantung evening wear and belly-hugging swimsuit halters are some standout items. The catalog and New York store also have some accessories - such as woven sandals, totes and sun hats - that the non-pregnant can also appreciate. Celeb fans include Terri Hatcher, Elizabeth Shue, Vanessa Williams and Kelly Preston.

Prices: about $55 for a tube top to $375 for a raw silk gown.

To place a catalog order, call 1-888-616-5777 (toll free), or to order online, visit www.lizlange.com. The first Liz Lange shop, at 958 Madison Avenue, will be joined by a Beverly Hills outpost at the end of July.

M by Lauren Sara

One of the more expensive maternity collections, the Philadelphia-based Lauren Sara's M, appeals to Kathy Ireland, Deborah Norville, Natasha Richardson, Julia Louis Dreyfuss, Annette Bening and Demi Moore.

Pieces have an elegant flow to them and sell for $160 to $525. Special custom designs such as wedding gowns for the pregnant bride can be priced in the thousands. Visit www.laurensara.com, or call 1-888-233-7226 (toll free).

Mimi Maternity

The line is trendier and less expensive than its parent-company Pea in the Pod's signature label, and it features items such as decorated jeans. Price range is $18 to $198.

Stores are at the Galleria and NorthPark and at Preston Park Village in Plano and University Park Village in Fort Worth. A store in Frisco's Stonebriar Mall is scheduled to open Aug. 4. For mail order, call 1-877-646-4666 (1-877-MIMIMOM toll free). Or visit www.maternitymom.com.

Motherhood Maternity

Call it the Old Navy/Target of maternity basics. It's not the most fashion forward of the lot, but good for T-shirts, stretch capris and jeans. Prices range from $9 to $43.

To order online, visit www.motherhood.com, or to order by mail, call 1-800-466-6223 (1-800-4MOM2BE toll free).

Pumpkin Maternity

Here's where to find hip separates for downtown girls whose fans include Rebecca Miller (Mrs. Daniel Day-Lewis), Tabitha Soren and Molly Ringwald.

Pumpkin prices range from $58 for a T-shirt to $148 for a silk bias-cut dress. Cute items include skirts and shorts that wrap under the belly and pieces with hip prints such as zebra.

Available at www.pumpkinmaternity.com or by calling 1-800-460-0337 (toll free) for a catalog. A store will open in fall in New York City's Soho neighborhood.

WEBSITES

Babystyle.com

This site, launched in June of '99, has supermodel Cindy Crawford as a spokeswoman and contributor. Babystyle takes a woman from the moment she knows she's expecting up to her baby's second year of life. After that, Kidstyle.com can handle them until they're 10.

Babystyle.com features maternity clothes from Liz Lange, L'Atessa, Japanese Weekend, First Comes Love, Mommy Chic and more.

ThatGlow.com

ThatGlow serves as an In Style for the pregnant set. Ever wonder which celebs are planning on a bundle of joy? Look no further than this site, which features late-breaking news on the rich and famous.

The content is sharp and funny and features everything from Sophia Loren's tips on staying sane during bedrest to stories for men for Father's Day.

You can order nine months of breakfasts in bed from Dean and Deluca, or nine months of gifts for the mom-to-be. Or purchase beauty products and jewelry especially for pregnant women. There's also an in-house clothing line.