A sustainable take on the traditional 1970s leisure suit
Hollywood actress used quarantine to create a line of next-level loungewear
LOS ANGELES — We've all had to adjust our routines since the pandemic — with many people pivoting professionally. Phoebe Tonkin is no different.
When Hollywood productions halted in March because of the novel coronavirus, the actress and environmental activist used the downtime to revisit an idea she'd previously put on the back burner.
In October, Tonkin teased the new project on her Instagram account alongside a photo with the word “LESJOUR!” in red. The mysterious post left Tonkin's 6.1 million followers Googling what the word might mean.
The answer is officially out of the biodegradable bag. Recently, Tonkin launched Lesjour!, a sustainable loungewear collection. It consists of six pieces (four tops and two pants) in two colorways (black and red) with each piece sold separately for $198. The sets, fashioned from Earth-friendly material, are exclusively available for preorder on lesjour. com in sizes XS to XXL.
Although Tonkin had long contemplated creating a sustainable fashion line, its aesthetic was ultimately inspired by her off-duty wardrobe and pandemic lifestyle.
“I felt like I was changing four times a day but in the same variation of pajamas,” Tonkin told The Times over Zoom in mid-October while clad in a red Lesjour! top, which she paired with gold hoop earrings by Oma the Label. “Then the pajamas would elevate to sweatpants to go to the grocery store, and then I'd come back and put something else on.”
To minimize wardrobe changes, the 31-year-old decided to design a modern take on the traditional 1970s leisure suit. “I wanted to create something that was tailored, that was flattering, that was most importantly comfortable but was also really chic and classic,” she said of the various styles, which include cardigans, long-sleeve tops and wide-leg pants.
“The set is a great foundation or platform for your personal style,” she said. “You can project your personality onto these clothes as opposed to these clothes being the personality.” She also wanted the pieces to be fuss-free without any need for ironing. “You can scrunch them up at the end of the day and then put them on again in the morning.”
`Future of fabrics'
Based in Los Angeles, Lesjour! is a quintessential West Coast brand .“I definitely feel it's been influenced by the ease of living in California,” Tonkin said, adding that each garment is made in L.A. with all orders dispatched from the brand's local studio.
“I moved back from New York to L.A. to do Lesjour! full-time,” she said, explaining she has lived between the two cities but decided midquarantine to get out of her East Coast lease to focus on the new endeavor. Tonkin drives to downtown Los Angeles every few days to visit the manufacturer. Otherwise, she works from home.
“The less impact on the environment, the better,” she said, adding that the factory is within a five-mile radius of her home.
Because Tonk in is as passionate about the environment as she is about fashion, sustainability is built into her brand's ethos. The entire line is made of Ecovero by Lenzing, a Los Angeles-knitted renewable viscose made from regenerative wood pulp.