I believe most women are like me; when we come home from a long day of work, we want to take our dress clothes off and slip into something casual and comfy. But the market doesn’t give us very good choices. Nightgowns and traditional lingerie can be sexy, but not very comfortable, and once you reach a certain age it gets hard to find nightgowns that flatter your figure. At the other extreme, we can go fully casual with pajamas or sweatpants. These offer the comfortable feel that our typical lingerie is missing, yet our sexy look is completely lost.
We need a solution to the traditional lingerie options we have. We need a garment we can wear day and night, made to make us look and feel great! Something we can wear without a bra and still feel comfortable around our family, or answering the door.
Soulevant is the solution to all of our problems. Soulevant has taken the concept of the predictable chemise and created a garment that is versatile enough for day and night wear. No more worrying about not having a bra on. Soulevant has a custom designed built-in wire-free bra that is shaped and formed to lift you up and keep you fully covered! Not only are you fully supported and covered, you are also being provided with soft, comfortable fabric, and you can choose among a variety of solid colors or vivid prints. All of their garments are machine washable, and easy to care for. They hang dry and don’t need ironing. And the fabric flows nicely without clinging to your body.
This brand is also “Made in the USA,” which allows them to closely monitor the production process and ultimately enables their customers to have the best construction available.
Soulevant’s printed chemises are so beautiful, they are not just for indoors; you can wear them out as a sundress or poolside cover-up.
I was pleased to speak with Linda, the owner of Soulevant, on her process of creating this brand.
What does the word Soulevant mean?
Linda: Soulevant is a French word, meaning “lifting up.”
What inspired you to start this collection?
Linda: I’ve always loved wearing pretty nightgowns and bathrobes. As time passed, I started looking for loungewear and sleepwear that had built-in support, but I was disappointed to find that there wasn’t really anything available. I designed a line of nightgowns and chemises with built-in bras, and matching robes that are stylish, attractive and comfortable for women of all ages and sizes.
What is your philosophy?
Linda: Support, Comfort, and Style. The support is our built-in bra. For comfort, we showcase materials that are soft to the touch and comfortable to wear without the restriction of an underwire. For style, we look for vibrant colors and prints that will make you feel beautiful and energized when you wear them.
What are you most proud of with this collection?
Linda: That our brand is “Made in the USA”. We have also worked very hard to create a design that will give real support to women who need it. Most brands that claim to have built-in support actually offer a “shelf bra” that does not provide any real support to the average size woman.
Who is your brand for?
Linda: The real woman. Most brands design their products to fit runway models, who are not representative of their actual customers. We make a full range of sizes, from XS up to 2X, so that women of all sizes can wear our garments. We also use softer, stretch fabrics so that they fit a range of body types.
What is your background?
Linda: I am an artist, and a former art teacher. I took on this project through the eyes of a creative person. I visualized and sketched out designs of figure flattering chemises and nightgowns, and then worked to get the built-in support just right. I needed to touch every fabric and hand select every print.
What is your goal with this brand?
Linda: To bring out the confidence in every woman. I love it when customers try on our products, and you can see in their eyes that they love how they look and feel. At the end of the day, we all want that!
Soulevant has a mission to lift you up, both literally and spiritually!
To learn more about this brand, check out: www.soulevant.com
Article By: Tosha Cole Clemens
Tosha has over 10 years’ experience in fashion. Consisting of styling, trend forecasting, production, product development, design, and sourcing. She has represented top companies that include, BEBE, Wet Seal, Fredrick’s of Hollywood, and Fox Racing. She provides consulting and also is a contributing fashion writer for several magazines and the founder of www.NittyGrittyFashion.com
