How much would you pay for a pair of pajamas? Is $4,000 just a bit too much? What if they guaranteed that you’d sleep better? How about if you could also wear them to work? Or to a swanky cocktail party?
Would spelling it the British way – “pyjamas” — cause you to be willing to pay a bit more?
The world of luxury sleep is a booming business, and one of the fastest-growing segments is sleepwear and pajamas. Whether you’re a fashionista who is looking for something fabulous to lounge around in, or an insomniac who needs tech-enabled performance fabrics to help you fall asleep and stay asleep, there’s something in the luxury market tailored to meet your needs.
In our ongoing Dandelion Chandelier series on luxury sleep, we’ve already explored the best beds, mattresses and bed linens for those seeking the best night’s sleep money can buy. Next up – luxury and high-tech sleepwear and pajamas.
The cool kids of the world already know that current fashion trends have given us all permission to live our lives completely in our pajamas if we like, indoors or outdoors, office or studio. So think of these luxury PJs as investment pieces of apparel, to be worn whenever the mood strikes. For women:
–Some of your favorite ready-to-wear designers offer limited-edition sleepwear (these are not made by licensees, they’re straight from the house). For example, Prada’s embellished silk-twill pajamas are $2,200. Erdem’s silk PJs are $2,080. Valentino offers one ultra-luxurious pajama set with each of its collections – they’re $4,000 each.
–F.R.S For Restless Sleepers delivers seasonal collections just like a luxury ready-to-wear brand. Its fall ’17 collection features “mystical prints inspired by Russian novels of the 19th century” made from silk-twill. The tops clock in at $700; bottoms are another $575.
–Fleur de Mal offers highly feminine and elegant sleepwear made from silk-satin, velvet and other luxury fabrics. A chemise is $695, and their “PJ Bomber Jacket and Pants” is $570.
–Olivia von Halle started her career as a trend forecaster; inspired by the lounging pajamas worn by Coco Chanel and her contemporaries, she began working with her tailor to design the perfect pair of pajamas and launched her eponymous brand in 2011. Her 100% silk or silk-satin pajama sets run $350 -$595 per pair. Selena Gomez wears them to parties with a pair of satin pumps.
–Morgan Lane has a fresh and fun take on sleepwear in prices that range from $350-$650. They even have a range of PJs that can be embroidered and given as bridesmaids’ gifts.
–Eres offers sleepwear that easily doubles as ready-to-wear; for example, their Betty-and-Lou-Lou PJ set, in chic black silk chiffon and satin, is $920 and can easily take you from a nap to a nightclub.
–Sleeper’s silk pajama sets come in gorgeous colors for $390 a pair and can be monogrammed, making them a great gift.
–Araks’ washed silk charmeuse PJs with contrasting silk chiffon piping and mother of pearl buttons come in a sophisticated color palette and range from $490-595.
–Asceno’s pajama sets are made of “sand-washed silk” to create an “off-duty matte finish” and come in muted chic colors and a relaxed fit for $400. They also offer sleep shirts in the same fabric and colors for $315.
Lest you think that designer pajamas are a “girl” thing, there are equally extravagant options for men (we of course reserve the right to steal these from you and wear them ourselves):
–Derek Rose was founded in the 1920s, and the London-based family-owned firm is known for “smart comfort” sleepwear, primarily for men. A pair of printed silk pajamas for men is $1,000-$1,400; silk-twill is $885, and the 100% cotton pairs average $350.
–The Swiss have a way with cotton, and you can reap the super-soft and elegant benefits: Hanro of Switzerland offers men’s 100% Sea Island cotton pajama sets for $500; their average price is closer to $175. Zimmerli, another Swiss brand, offers handmade men’s silk pajamas at $475; their 100% cotton ones run $300-400.
–Italian luxury brand La Perla’s men’s pajama sets are about $550 each.
–London-based Law of Sleep luxurious men’s cotton and Irish linen “travel pajamas” are $300. You can rock these in First Class instead of whatever the airline is giving out.
–Sleepy Jones is an American company established in 2013 by Andy Spade and two fellow alumni of kate spade; their product is “a collection of sleepwear, underwear and not-quite-ready-to-wear for men and women inspired by the lifestyles of artists” like Picasso and Hockney. A pajama top and bottom run about $300.
–Brooks Brothers is an “entry level” luxury pajama option: they average about $100. A couple of our male friends swear by James Perse sleepwear because the hand-feel is so incredibly soft; a set of the brand’s 100% cotton pajama bottoms are a relative steal at $65.
On the other hand, if you’re seriously just looking for a good night’s sleep and are unconcerned (or at least less-concerned) with aesthetics, there are numerous options in luxury performance sleep wear designed to keep you cool and deeply asleep:
–Lunya, established by Ashley Merrill in 2014, features fabrics proven to enhance sleep; their new collection of luxury shorts and tank tops is made with a technical fabric utilizing a fiber called Celliant that it says will regulate body temperature and promote cell growth and improve blood flow. The company says that infrared signals in the fabric increase oxygen levels by 10%-24%, which increases overall health. It’s only for women, at least for now, and pajama sets run $140-$200.
–Sleepwear brand Lusomé was founded in 2012 by Lara Smith after her sister battled cancer and couldn’t find sleepwear to address her needs. The company says that its sleepwear uses a proprietary, high-performance fabric called xirotex that pulls perspiration away from the body 10 times more effectively than other moisture wicking competition. A pajama top and bottom range in price from $120 -$180.
–SHEEX is a Florida-based company founded by former star WNBA player Michelle Brooke-Marciniak and her partner Susan Walvius; it makes sleepwear for men and women out of performance fabrics powered by SLEEP•FIT® technology, which provides superior air ventilation, breathability and moisture-wicking. The company says that its products transfer body heat up to 2 times more effectively than traditional cotton. A pajama set ranges in price from $50-$100.
You should now be armed with everything you need to stock your nocturnal wardrobe. Our sleep series continues in our next post. In the meantime, in the immortal words of William Shakespeare, we’re wishing you the “sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care . . . sore labour’s bath; balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, chief nourisher in life’s feast.”
Sweet dreams, everyone.
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