Designer gowns have their time and place, but when it’s time to slip into something a little more comfortable, stars turn to British designer Olivia von Halle‘s silk pajamas, slinky slip dresses and cozy cashmere tracksuits.
A former trend forecaster, von Halle was first inspired to launch a line when she designed her own pair of PJs while living in Shanghai in 2010. “I literally lived in them,” she told Page Six Style. “And before I knew it, I had friends queuing up for me to make them a pair too.”
She moved back to London the following year to get her brand off the ground — but her big break came in 2012, courtesy of the Beckhams and a surprise shopping spree.
“David Beckham was spotted in Harrods buying some of our pajamas for Victoria for Christmas,” von Halle recalled. “It was in every paper, on the radio, even on E! News in America. It must have been a slow news day, but it was a huge turning point for us. That was our first real taste of the influence of celebrity.”
The serendipitous superstar placements didn’t stop there. In 2015, Kate Moss was infamously escorted off an easyJet flight from Turkey to London — “for exhibiting some rather rock and roll behavior,” as von Halle put it — clad in the designer’s striped “Lila” sleepwear set ($490).
“It’s still our bestselling style,” she shared.
For those seeking an even more luxurious travel uniform — whether or not they’re engaging in in-flight debauchery — there’s the cashmere “Missy” tracksuit ($1,205) beloved by the likes of Gigi Hadid, Rihanna, Oprah and Jennifer Lopez, the latter of whom owns it in no fewer than three different colors.
In an age where celebrities are never photographed in the same thing twice, it’s such a great feeling,” von Halle said of the much-papped style.
Of course, not everyone can afford to splash out four figures on loungewear, a fact the designer readily acknowledges. “We don’t cut corners and invest huge amounts of time honing our product,” she said. “For example, the ‘Missy’ tracksuit took two years to develop. Other businesses may see this as lost time, lost revenue, but to us the product isn’t finished until every last detail has been perfected.”
To wit, von Halle’s PJs and slip dresses are made from 19 momme silk — “much weightier than many other silks on the market today,” she explained — while buttons are crafted from mother of pearl and seams are hand-rolled.
“Many of these materials and heritage methods are rarely used today due to their expense,” von Halle continued. “These things are a luxury, but as a designer putting new things out into the world, it’s so important to me that they are loved and treasured … Our pieces are designed so that every detail can be enjoyed and lasts.”
They’ve certainly struck a chord with brand superfan Selena Gomez, who’s not only worn her “Lila” PJs as evening wear (styled with sky-high heels, a floor-sweeping coat and clutch), but also sported them in two of her music videos, picking the pink “Coco” set ($480) for “I Can’t Get Enough” and the “Remy” nightdress ($390) in both black and white for her new “Lose You to Love Me” video, released last week.
Now, having conquered Hollywood and dipped a toe into the collaboration space (with a partnership with Disney’s “Maleficent”), von Halle is thinking small. “We’ve been working on a mini version of our “Missy” tracksuit for children,” she revealed.
So don’t be surprised if you see 8-year-old Harper Beckham wearing a posh outfit to match her mom’s in the months to come.