Stephanie Lemieux Brings Comfort to Little Ones with Little Moo

Growing up, Stephanie Lemieux was always drawn to little ones. The second-eldest daughter of Mario and Nathalie Lemieux loved helping take care of her siblings, and nannied all the way through college.
That inspired her to create Little Moo right after graduation, with the brand merging comfort and luxury to create super soft blankets that soothe sleepers of all ages, along with staple garments for the closets of little ones.

"I've always just loved being around babies in particular, so that was kind of the focus with Little Moo," Lemieux said. "It started right out of college. I didn't really want to work for a corporation or anything like that, so given that I just loved being around kids - I like fashion as well - I thought I would combine the two and see what grew of it."
When looking for inspiration on what to name the brand, Lemieux drew from her own life. In addition to playing off of her last name, Lemieux reflected on her childhood, and incorporated something that was special to her when she was growing up.
"The decision for the name is significant," Lemieux said. "When I was younger, I had a small ceramic cow collection."
Lemieux has always craved simplicity in her own life, from organic, healthy foods to quiet evenings with family, and that desire is at the heart of the Little Moo philosophy.
She strives to provide parents with a neutral color palette and tones that can be seamlessly mixed and matched, and is committed to offering the best quality products that will grow with babies from the cradle to crawling and beyond.
Lemieux chooses hypoallergenic fabrics which are good for both the babies and the environment, primarily using bamboo, pima cotton or organic cotton.
"The babies are so little that I think it's important to have soft clothing on them," Lemieux said.
In addition to children's clothing, the brand also sells blankets for all ages that are made right here in Pittsburgh - including one that is adorned with the Penguins logo. Lemieux's favorite product is the throw blanket.
"I sleep with mine every night," Lemieux said. "It's definitely become a household staple. They're just great blankets to cozy up with."
Lemieux went to Carnegie Mellon University for business, so she knew quite a bit of that side from what she had studied. But the fashion side has been a learning curve, with plenty of ups and downs over the years.
"But I think that comes with the territory of having a small business, and having some bumps and bruises along the way," she said.
After Lemieux first launched Little Moo in 2018, it grew with the help of Jim Rutherford's wife Leslie, who is a dear friend of Stephanie's. Leslie bought Little Moo baby gifts for all of the players and their wives who welcomed children throughout the Rutherfords' time in Pittsburgh.
"And because they were so well received by the players and their families, we figured that we should be able to offer these to our fans as well," Lemieux said. "That's one of the reasons we're here today."
Lemieux couldn't be more grateful for the support she's had from all of her friends and family, specifically her family.
"They've been huge advocates of the brand, and it's just been such a blessing to have everyone around me support me," she said.
When Stephanie's father Mario was playing for the Penguins, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at just 27 years old. Following his successful treatment, he and Nathalie established the Mario Lemieux Foundation, which is dedicated to funding cancer research and patient care and supporting families in difficult medical situations.
They taught their children the importance of caring for and helping others, which is why philanthropy is and always will be a vital part of Little Moo. The company gives back by donating at least 5% of annual profits to Austin's Playroom, a project of the Mario Lemieux Foundation which was created after Stephanie's younger brother Austin spent more than two months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) following his premature birth.
While Mario and Nathalie were focused on Austin, it became clear that there was nothing within the hospital to occupy and engage their other children. Their experience inspired them to start Austin's Playroom, which give kids a home away from home during a stressful time.
"Incorporating a philanthropic aspect to the brand was something that was very high up on the list," Stephanie said. "We're really proud to help contribute to the Lemieux Foundation and everything that they do. I also think for our customers that buy our products, they feel good about buying the products, because they are able to help others in the process as well."
Operating a small business is a challenging process, and Lemieux is learning every day. But she's excited about how much Little Moo has grown, and for what's to come in the future.
"Pittsburgh has been home for forever for me. It's played a big role in my family's life," Lemieux said. "Just having the support of people that support the Penguins or support the Mario Lemieux Foundation, it really means a lot to us."