I’ve worked in the fashion industry for twenty years, on the commercial and operational side, often handling both at the same time. So I know that with production, there’s only so much any one person can control. Especially when you’re a small fish. A minnow, let’s say, in a very large pond. (Is there anything smaller than a minnow?)

When your quantities are small and your factory is big, they fit you in when they have the capacity. And the constantly changing tariff situation in the US hasn’t helped in the least. Factories are doing their best, but it’s hard to keep up when the rules keep moving.

All of that to say, I’m hoping the pajamas land in Sweden by the end of November and are ready to ship at the beginning of December, in time for the holidays. I say hoping because the factory only tells me the departure date a few days before it happens, so I’m holding all of this lightly. I have also opened a one-sided negotiation with the Greek god of sleep. Hypnos, do you hear me? We have a job to do here, to help women feel great when they go to sleep. No reply yet, but I am hopeful.

It would bring me so much joy if women opened a pair as a gift this year, or bought a pair for themselves, as I am wont to do.

While I wait, I’m doing everything around the launch: logistics, shipping bags, payment setups, trademarking and pricing. It’s the part I know how to do. I’ve done versions of it for years.

What I’m still learning is content and storytelling. I love this brand so much and believe wholeheartedly in what it represents, and getting that across in pictures and words is a different skill from a spreadsheet. I know what I like and what catches my eye. Making it is another story entirely.

So when it comes to content, I’m still very much a minnow, learning this part in public, which is either brave or slightly reckless. If there’s anything you’d love to see while we wait on the pajamas, the factory updates, the shoots, the unglamorous bits in between, tell me. I’d love to know.

And if you’d like to hear first when the pajamas land, you can join the list at L.Franchetti. You’ll hear it from me before anyone else.

x Lo

I love the moment a full day starts to wind down. My days right now hold two kids, a business I’m building, Swedish school and everything else that comes with a life, so my evenings are the part I guard most closely. If something’s happening after 6 p.m., you probably won’t find me there. I like my downtime too much.

That started with my first child. I never could have predicted how full life would become once I became a mother. In those early years I learned to protect my time and my sleep, and to ask for help when I needed it, and a lot of that happened in the evenings. Now my husband and I have a good system. I get up with the kids and take them to school, and he handles all the evening activities.

THE SHOWER.

My evening always starts with a hot shower. (If we had a nice bathtub, it would be a bath.) It’s how I wash off the day and my makeup, and I’ve done it for so long that I’m sure it tells my brain it’s time to start shutting down. I try not to work in the evenings, partly so I can be present with my kids and partly so my brain doesn’t start running again and keep me awake.

I use Prequel Cleansing Gel, which I brought back from the US and really like. If my skin feels dry or needs exfoliating, I go over it with a washcloth. Then I wrap myself in a plush towel. We bought all new bath towels in Marrakech, and they still feel like a treat.

While my skin is still damp, I put on a body lotion with urea in it, which works so well for me. Still in my towel, I apply my testosterone and estrogen. I’m 44 and perimenopausal, and I will do anything to help level out those hormones.

Then pajamas. Mine, of course.

RETIN-A AND A LITTLE PERFUME.

I double cleanse with micellar water and put on my Retin-A. It speeds up skin cell turnover, which can leave you dry, but I use it every night and my skin is used to it. If I want a little extra, I add moisturizer on top. More often than not I finish with a squirt of perfume, because I love to smell good when I go to bed.

A BOOK AND A HANDFUL OF M&MS.

By now the kids are asleep, so I climb into bed with a handful of peanut M&Ms, a cup of peppermint tea if it’s cold out, and whatever book I’m reading. I come from a family of readers and go through a book or two a week. I love learning and escaping into a story, and in bed with a book is my happy place.

Once the M&Ms are gone and I’ve read a few pages, I get up to brush and floss, add a little more moisturizer if my face needs it, put in my earplugs (finding a pair of ear plugs that work for you is a total life hack and game changer, such deeper sleep) and get back to reading until ten. On a good night that’s a full hour. Please don’t try to talk to me during that hour. It’s the last bit of the day that’s entirely mine.

A BED PERSON.

I recently read post on being a bed person, which is so thoughtful, and I have to admit that’s me. I get it from my mom, who’s a bed person too. During the day, when I need a moment to myself, I’ll sit on top of my bed to read, work or watch TV.

I think I choose it because if I’m in my room, I’m not front and center for my kids, who will always have something to ask me. They usually find me anyway. Still, my bed and my room are my sanctuary. I’ll have to ask my mom why she does it.

THE NO-PASS BEDTIME.

At ten, the book goes down and the light goes off. I arrange the four pillows I need to get really comfortable and drift off. I’ve always been a good sleeper. I keep children’s melatonin on hand for the nights I need it, and the hormones have put a stop to those miserable 3 a.m. wake-ups.

One of our kids climbs into our bed three or four nights a week, so the night isn’t always uninterrupted. I give them a cuddle, roll over and hopefully sleep until morning, when the excitement starts all over again with that first cup of hot coffee.

I hope to ask a few other women about their evenings over the coming weeks. In the meantime, I’d love to hear about yours. What’s the one part you wouldn’t give up?

x Lo

For a lot of us, it’s that stretch after dinner’s done, the kitchen’s more or less dealt with, and there’s maybe one message you still owe somebody. Then there’s a little time that’s yours. Sometimes it’s only 20 minutes, and nobody has asked for it yet. That’s the hour I’m nosy about.

Do you have an evening routine? A favorite beauty product that makes you feel a little special as you get ready for bed? Do you read, take a bath, or watch the one show you’d rather not explain? Maybe you sit in the kitchen with the lights low because it’s the only quiet room in the house. And do you like to be on your own, or curled up with a partner or a pet? I really want the real version.

I also think a lot about what we wear in that hour. It’s the one part of the day when nobody is looking, and I still really care about it.

When my daughter and son were little, I remember being so embarrassed if someone came to the door and I was in my pajamas, because they looked so slovenly. So that was something I wanted from pajamas too. I wanted to feel comfortable and great in them, and if the doorbell rang, to still look put together. That mattered to me, and it was a big part of what I wanted L. Franchetti to be.

So tell me, what does your hour look like? And what are you wearing?

How and I actually are before bed.

Tell me in the comments. I’ll reply to every one. I’m really very curious.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll ask other women the same question and share what they say here. On Sunday, I’ll go first.

If you’d like a note when L. Franchetti is ready, you can sign up at L. Franchetti.

x Lo

This is me in the hospital pajamas, with my mom and my sister. Months later I was still wearing them. They’re the ones that started all of this.

I couldn’t find the style, price and fit I wanted. Neither could my sister. I knew then I’d have to do this one day.

That day is here.

L. Franchetti starts with one set: a menswear-inspired pajama shirt and pants, cut for a woman’s body, in White and Light Blue. The collar sits open, with a proper lapel. The pockets are on the outside. The fabric is 100% cotton twill, woven tight and washed after it’s sewn.

The first run is small, sizes S to L. If you’d like a note when it’s ready, sign up at LFranchetti.com, and find me on Instagram at @lfranchetti_.

The first studio shoot happened because friends said yes on a Saturday morning, and a lot of you cheered from the sidelines. Thank you. I’m nervous and excited, and I’m going for it.

Over the next weeks I’ll be asking women about their evenings, the way I did in Small Things. What does your hour on your own look like? How do you spend it, what do you read, what do you put on? I’d love to hear about yours too.

I’ll start with the question I always ask first. What did you sleep in last night? Honestly. Tell me in the comments.

x Lo

Those are the things I want to show you. The details that make L.Franchetti so special.

The collar and cuffs

Collars and cuffs have always done a lot of work in menswear. I like how much those details can change the look of a shirt.

On ours, the collar sits open, with a proper lapel. The cuffs are broad, perfect for pushing up your forearms when you want your sleeves out of the way. I love how they look a little scrunched up.

There’s something very appealing about that shape on a woman. You feel put together, even when you’ve finished dressing for the day.

The back

Turn the shirt over and there’s a box pleat beneath the yoke. It’s a detail you’ll recognize from classic men’s Oxford shirts. The folded fabric gives you extra room across the back, opening as you move your arms.

Also, it looks really pretty. The lines fall so elegantly from the pleat, giving the back of the shirt a lovely drape.

The stitching and buttons

The front placket has two layers of fabric. It’s a traditional menswear detail that reinforces the opening around the buttons and buttonholes.

On ours, that extra layer helps keep the fabric from wrinkling around the buttons and holds the shape of the front. The double topstitching gives it a defined line. It helps the shirt look chic and put together, even with the collar open.

The buttons carry the L. Franchetti name and Sweden around the rim. Small enough that you have to look closely. I like having something there to find.

The pockets

A pet peeve of mine is white pants where you can see the pocket lining through the fabric. Especially when it gets crinkled up inside.

So the pockets are on the outside.

They’re modeled after the fatigue pockets on some of my favorite vintage pants. Big patch pockets, with slanted openings for your hands. There’s another patch pocket at the back, echoing the one on the shirt.

I have fairly straightforward feelings about pockets. I want to use them.

The waistband is elasticated, with a matching fabric tie so you can adjust it. There’s nothing worse than a pajama waistband digging in. The leg is cut wide and straight, with room all the way down.

The embroidery

The monogram is embroidered on the chest pocket and the back pocket of the pants. You see the raised thread as the light catches it.

It’s a small detail that connects the two pieces, even when you wear them separately.

These are some of my favorite things about the set. The way the pockets relate to each other. The open collar. The extra fabric in the back.

Taken together, they’re what makes it L. Franchetti.

I thought you might like a closer look.

Lo x

I love makeup. I’m not very good at putting it on, but I love it anyway, and watching tutorials is how I unwind. But I don’t want the tutorial from the 20-year-old with perfect skin. I want the 40-to-60 one: supple, hydrated skin, subtle bronzing (never blush, I have plenty of pink already), and a rich, silky eye.

The only lipstick I really wear is a cool-toned pink. MAC St. Germain is the only lipstick I’ve ever rebought, and on my best friend Adrienne’s recommendation I’ve added MAC Snob, from the same family

.

Now that I have no natural tan on my face, I’ve switched to all cool-toned products, because a classic sun-kissed bronze looks orange on me. I use Westman Atelier Face Trace in Biscuit. The Too Faced bronzing stick in Milk Chocolate is similar but easier to blend out, and I can vouch for that because I snuck into Sephora last week and tried it.

If there’s a popular makeup brand trending, or a great classic like Chanel or Westman Atelier, I’ve probably tried it and passed it along: to my niece, who like me has always loved beauty products, to my nine-year-old daughter, who’s just starting to dabble, or to my bonus daughter, who is an actual makeup whiz. I don’t want to think about all the money I have spent on beauty over the years only to give away.

Eyeshadow is my latest obsession, and I’d seen a lot of tutorials using MAC products, which is what took me in that day. Then the woman with the incredible eyes walked in.

Here’s what I tried and either walked away with or still want:

• MAC Snobbish lip gloss (bought)

• MAC Sweet Heat eyeshadow (haven’t bought yet)

• MAC Tempting eyeshadow, a beautiful shimmery brown (bought)

• MAC Omega Multisculpt Matte, as an eyeshadow base (bought)

Do you have a cool-toned product you can’t live without? Let me know!

Next on my list is a new all-over liquid foundation for the winter months. I want something that evens out my skin tone, feels nourishing, and never looks cakey, like a second skin. It also needs to work for fair skin. All recommendations welcome!

x Lo

This weekend, L.FRANCHETTI had its first “professional” studio photo shoot for product images for the website. There was a photographer. There was hair and makeup. There was an actual studio. My husband and I could put down our iPhones for this one.

It was still scrappy, of course. My good friend Louise modeled, and our photographer was a friend of a friend who opened the studio for us on a Saturday morning as a favor. When the budget is small (nonexistent), you do what you’ve got to do. In this case, that meant asking for help and being very grateful when people said yes.

The original plan (naively, on my part) was for Louise and me to do her hair and makeup ourselves. I wanted to keep the look clean and natural and felt confident we could do that. The day before the shoot, my husband (my biggest fan and supporter) asked about it. I explained the plan. He gave me a look and made a call.

Enter Patricia, our lovely hair and makeup artist.

I’d never been part of a photo shoot before, so I prepared in the ways I knew how. I put together a presentation of the looks and feel I wanted to capture and went through it with Louise and the photographer. I wrote a packing list and put my husband’s excellent ironing skills to work on the PJs the night before.

And I felt surprisingly calm. I didn’t know exactly how it would all go, but everyone was willing to get stuck in. I trusted that we would figure it out together.

While Louise was in hair and makeup, we started on the flat lays. It turns out that making pajamas look casually perfect takes quite a lot of fussing. We measured, straightened, lint-rolled and shot them again. Then straightened some more. They were the most tedious shots of the day, but we got there.

Once Louise stepped in front of the camera, I had something else to learn: how often you need to step in between shots to adjust a sleeve or straighten a collar. The smallest details suddenly become very noticeable.

The whole thing felt a bit like something out of a movie: the music playing, the studio lights, the photos appearing on the computer screen as we took them. I loved getting in there, adjusting the styling and working out how to bring the inspiration images to life. I like being in charge, making decisions and making things happen. It was fun to put that part of myself to work in a new way.

Five hours later, we were done. I was so happy with what we’d captured and grateful to everyone who had given up part of their Saturday to help me bring this little world of L.Franchetti to life.

I’m still waiting on the edited photos, but I couldn’t wait to share a little of the day with you. To follow along and see the final photos please sign up HERE and follow along to L.FRANCHETTI instagram here.

That was not a compromise. I could not think of anyone better. She is beautiful, she has real presence in front of a camera, and she is exactly the woman I am making these for. Photographing my own mother for my own brand was a day I will not forget.

The pictures are of a woman who knows who she is, standing in the garden in cotton pajamas, entirely unbothered. Sleepwear brands have mostly not been interested in women like her. That has always seemed like a mistake to me.

Here is where things stand. The first run is small, in blue and white. Menswear collars, proper cotton, cut with room at the chest and the hip. Presale opens at the end of September, and the run is small enough that I would not wait.

If you want to be there when it opens, the list is the way I will tell you.

Join the list

x Lo

L. Franchetti is the women’s sleepwear brand I’m developing here in Sweden. The idea is simple: what we wear at night should be considered as carefully as what we wear during the day.

The starting point is menswear. Proper collars, crisp cotton, an easy cut. Those details I’ve always loved, with proportions designed for a woman’s body. Room at the chest. Room at the hip. Pajamas that have been thought through.

Inspired by his. Designed for her.

I’m creating them for women with full lives and their own sense of taste. Women who know what they like and care about how things are made. That informs the decisions I’m making as I build the brand, from the fabric to the fit.

If you’ve been reading here, you may already know pieces of this story. If you’re new, this previous post is a good place to begin.

The next small step is ready: the updated L. Franchetti sign-up page is now live. I wanted to share it here, where so many of you have been following along.

I’m hoping to open a pre-sale at the end of September. There are still details to bring together, and I’ll share the date once it’s confirmed. Joining the brand’s email list is a good way to stay in touch and hear when the pre-sale opens.

If you’d like to follow along, please add your email through the page below.

Join the L. Franchetti list

Thank you for taking an interest in something I’m putting so much thought into. I’m glad to share it with you.

And if someone comes to mind who would like what I’m making, please pass this along. Sharing with a friend or your own community makes a real difference to a small brand like mine.

x Lo

Before summer, I found myself scrolling through modeling agency websites, thinking about the kind of woman I wanted for L. Franchetti’s first photo shoot. Ultimately, I chose my mother, and I’m so thrilled I did.

But during that search, I came across a woman with a great short haircut. It made me wonder: Should I?

That was on a Thursday. By Friday, I had created a few AI images to see how the hairstyle might look on me and texted a hairdresser friend. Lucky for me, she had a cancellation the following Monday and agreed that the cut would look great.

I knew I had to do it quickly, before I became too chicken. I’d been growing my hair for years, and just three days before seeing that photograph, I’d had absolutely no intention of chopping it off.

Then I saw photos of Charlize Theron looking incredible while promoting her latest film, The Odyssey, and thought: Hell yes. Let’s do this.

And just like that, it was time for the chop.

At first, the short hair was a shock to my system, partly because I never blow-dry it straight and that’s how she styled it at the salon. I knew I needed to get my hands in there and make it my own.

Once I did, I loved it. I felt like a new woman. Lighter, more playful, and a little flirty.

For the first cut, I went blunt. When it was time for a trim, I wanted to make it a little edgier, à la Lara Worthington. Raw edges, texture, movement. I think my hairdresser nailed it.

I’m also making a much bigger change in my life by starting my own business. I’m sure the worries will come once I launch, but right now, I feel pure excitement. I believe deeply in both the product and the message behind the brand.

Ask a woman what luxury feels like and she will not name a thing.

She will name a moment that belongs only to her. A shower taken slowly. Coffee while it is still hot. The quiet hour before anyone needs anything.

The hours around sleep are often the only ones that feel entirely hers. And they are the hours she has never been given a reason to dress for.

L. Franchetti was built to change that.

Crisp cotton with weight. The structure of menswear, cut for a woman’s body. Slightly undone, but never careless.

There is a coolness men have always carried in their pajamas. Unhurried. Unbothered. At ease.

L. Franchetti brings that same feeling to women. Not borrowed from him. Made for her.

I love a challenge. I love solving problems and having the freedom to be creative. That said, I’m also incredibly lucky to have a supportive network around me, which makes taking this leap feel a little less daunting. My dad sent me a Wall Street Journal article this week that reinforced the idea that it takes a village. Everyone should have a village, I’m so thankful for mine.

For Part Two, I’m introducing you to two more women whose answers made me smile, think and check out new (to me) substacks. I love how differently we each define the things that make us feel most like ourselves, yet how often the same themes appear: time, freedom, creativity, comfort and the people we love.

These conversations are also a reminder that luxury doesn’t have to be grand. It can be an early morning before the rest of the world wakes up, a piece of clothing that feels like armor, a beauty ritual we refuse to give up or a book that stays with us long after we have finished it (I LOVE this about books and when you find one that stays with you it is a gift.)

These are the moments I think about as I build L.Franchetti: the quiet, personal hours at the end of one day and the beginning of the next, when we can return to ourselves.

Here is Part Two, featuring two more incredibly lovely women.

Hope you enjoy!

Who describes herself as: I am a jewelry marketing executive, substack writer, and obsessed with getting dressed.

I have to add that she is also incredibly chic. I’ve bought multiple things on her recommendation (hello, Celine portfolio and ballet slippers) and her posts are a constant source of inspiration. In her answers below, she names one of the most stylish women on the internet; for me, Olivia herself belongs firmly on that list.

But beyond her great recommendations, Liv is exceptionally kind and generous with her time. When I first started following her Substack, I told her how much I appreciated her short, to-the-point posts, and we began a dialogue. When I shared that I was starting a brand, she immediately offered to talk with me about branding and marketing, and we quickly booked a digital coffee date.

As well as being absolutely lovely, she is bright, thoughtful and wonderfully succinct in the way she shares her advice and experience. I feel so lucky and grateful to have met her. She is an absolute gem.

Oliva’s answers:

What did you sleep in last night, honestly?

I landed in Istanbul last night. I immediately put on a hotel robe and fell asleep.

Finish this: the older I get, the less patience I have for ___, and the more I want ___.

Excuses___to start even when it’s messy and imperfect!

Have you ever borrowed something of his because what you own didn’t do the job?

I like using men’s toiletry and folio bags as clutches. I find women’s clutches too feminine.

What do you reach for most?

A straw bag. Summer to winter. I love wearing straw with unexpected textures, like leather.

What’s something small you spend money on that everyone thinks is a little ridiculous, and you will defend forever?

$30 on eyebrow threading every two weeks like clockwork. It’s the one beauty routine I really care about.

What do you wear that makes you feel most like yourself?

All white. I like to dress like a handkerchief, ha.

What time of day is actually yours, no one needs anything from you? When did you last get it?

6 to 8am is my sweet spot. As long as I’ve had a proper workout and coffee, I feel like I can take over the world. I prioritize this consistently in my week to feel my best!

What is the best thing about being the age you are now that nobody warned you about?

You begin to understand that not everyone is on the same path or timeline, and that has given me such a sense of freedom from expectation.

Where is your favorite place to travel in the world and why?

I always come back to Paris. It lights me up creatively.

What is your favorite book?

I recently read The Friday Afternoon Club, a memoir about growing up in LA in the 70s. I love things that make me feel nostalgic for my own city.

Is there a Substack you read every time it lands in your inbox?

I think Luft (troupe) is one of the chicest women on the internet.

: Style- The Paris Edit

I remember discovering Frosso’s Substack and thinking, “Jackpot! This is exactly what I want to see and read these days.” Her posts are complete eye candy, and I love her take on life in Paris. Like me, she has made another country and city her home, and I love the way she has embraced it.

I started a conversation with her via Substack Chat because, if I like something, I make it known! I have found her to be incredibly upbeat, lovely and full of light. I’m dying for Substack to arrange a European get-together because I would love to meet her IRL. Until then, I’ll happily live vicariously through her take on Parisian life.

What did you sleep in last night, honestly?

A pair of blue-striped boxer shorts and a great slouchy white tee with just a few too many holes to wear outside (and far too comfy to throw away).

Finish this: the older I get, the less patience I have for drama, and the more I want _empathy and mutual understanding__.

Have you ever borrowed something of his because what you own didn’t do the job? What do you reach for most?

Guilty as charged! I can’t prevent myself from stealing my boyfriend’s shirts whenever I’m feeling uninspired by my own wardrobe. I’m a sucker for an oversized and boxy fit and I have a feeling the men’s department just does them better.

What’s something small you spend money on that everyone thinks is a little ridiculous, and you will defend forever?

Lipsticks—one can never have enough! I love testing out new brands and even when I don’t get the shade exactly right, I can always layer them with other colors to create something new.

What do you wear that makes you feel most like yourself?

A good oversized blazer is like armor for me. Whether I’m wearing it with a romantic dress or a simple tee and jeans, there’s something about it that makes me feel like a badass.

What time of day is actually yours, no one needs anything from you? When did you last get it?

Early weekday mornings. It’s hard to sacrifice those extra hours of sleep, but whenever I wake up before everyone else I realise I should do it more often. There’s something so liberating about having this time completely to myself, taking my time over breakfast, reading a book, maybe even pop into the boulangerie for a warm croissant and bring one home for my boyfriend to wake up to. You’ll be surprised by how empty the center of Paris is at 8 in the morning, it feels like the whole city is yours.

What is the best thing about being the age you are now that nobody warned you about?

That you no longer feel the need to pretend you don’t want the things you actually want. Best thing ever.

Where is your favorite place to travel in the world and why?

Fried calamari and tzatziki on a secluded Greek island, with wet hair and wearing nothing but a bikini and a sarong—that’s my definition of happiness.

What is your favorite book?

I just finished reading The Correspondent, which gave me the most liberating ten-minute cry. I already feel like I’m missing the main character, which is telling. It left me with a strong urge to start corresponding with my friends in Greece—texting them feels très banal now.

Is there a Substack you read every time it lands in your inbox?

Antonia’s newsletters are like meditation for me, I never miss them. If you’re looking for someone to convince you to start wearing more color, Ritika is your girl. Tess Sullivan, Lola Froebe, Allison and Alice Betts are my girl crushes and Kelly Williams and Sogole Kane have the best way of devising a whole theory out of a styling idea. Gosh, the entire Fashion Substack is so good, isn’t it?! On the non-strictly fashion side, I’m a sucker for anything Rose Florence, emily north, and Erifili Gounari. And whenever I need a reminder that it’s okay to be lazy from time to time: @Lazy Women.

The brand has not launched yet. That is coming this autumn. So far, much of my time has been spent on the physical pajamas, operational set up and working out what the brand should look and feel like.

I have worked in fashion for more than fifteen years, always in international sales and business development. I have never worked on branding, so this part is new to me. It is also a lot of fun.

I love having the freedom to think creatively and try things. When I look back at some of my early Instagram posts, they feel very amateur. They were. But I can see the progress, and I try to remind myself that matters more.

This summer, I decided that my mom should model in the first L.FRANCHETTI photoshoot. My mother is so beautiful, chic and photographs incredibly well. She knows how to work it in front of a camera, I think she missed her calling as a model.

She joined us in Italy for our final family holiday before the start of school. We had the production samples, an iPhone and two locations. We shot for about an hour each on two days, fitting everything around family, friends and kids. It was an absolute joy to watch her work it in front of the camera, at some points I just took a step back to soak up what an amazing, memorable experience this was. One where I kept thinking about how my mom is a total bad ass.

L.FRANCHETTI is self-funded and working with a limited budget. We have to be smart about where the money goes. At the same time, every decision still needs to feel right for the brand. Resourceful, yes. Random, no.

When I talk about L.FRANCHETTI I talk about men’s pajamas, reimagined for women. The structure of his, cut for a woman’s body. Cotton with weight. A proper collar. Room where I needed it.

The kind of oversized pajamas men have always had. The kind that seem to say: I have time to stretch out, drink my coffee, read the newspaper and simply be.

There is a coolness men carry in their pajamas. Unhurried. Unbothered. At ease.

I wanted that to come across in the photo shoot and I think we/she nailed it.

I still have to go through all the images, pick the ones we want to use, edit, plan the campaign etc but they are too beautiful not to share a select few.

If this post resonates with you please feel free to share it <3

Last September, while visiting the little Italian town of Orvieto, I spotted a beautiful, stylish woman carrying a bag I immediately fell in love with. I took a photo, both because her look inspired me and because I wanted to confirm through Google Images that the bag was Lemaire, as I suspected. It was.

I had never particularly loved Lemaire’s Croissant bag, but this was the Fortune Croissant, and I found it impossibly chic. I also loved that I had never seen anyone else carrying it.

She looks great in socks and Chanel dad sandals too and the monotone black and beige. She wears it all so well.

It was the only item on my Christmas list last year, and it has lived up to the obsession. I love the supple leather and the way it slings effortlessly over my arm. When I need more room, I simply toss it into a tote, I love a little bag within a bag.

I love learning about the women in my life and how they take care of themselves when so much of our busy world revolves around caring for others. We mostly love doing that, of course, but the time we take for ourselves is just as important.

Among my friends, particularly those of us in our thirties, forties, and fifties, I’ve noticed a real shift in how we define a good life, or even a luxury. When we were younger, perhaps it meant a new handbag or pair of shoes. These days, luxury is more likely to be a moment to ourselves, the freedom to hustle or work for ourselves so that we can own our time, or simply reading a good book surrounded by the people we love.

I asked these questions because I wanted to know more about the small moments that make women feel most like themselves: what they wear, what they read and how they spend the rare hour when no one needs anything from them. These are also the moments I think about as I build L.Franchetti. It began with pajamas, but it was always about more than sleep. It is about the end of one day, the beginning of the next and the hours in between that feel entirely our own.

This is a two-part series, for now, and today I want to introduce you to two incredibly lovely women.

Antonia of Scandi Delights

The first is , who writes the beautiful Substack Scandi Delights, and boy, does it ever live up to its name. She is always the first to generously share or restack someone else’s article or note, which I believe is how we met. She very kindly restacked one of my posts.

As it turns out, she grew up in the US, is half Swedish and half Austrian, and now calls Stockholm home. We have so much in common: our American upbringings, choosing to build lives in Sweden, marrying Swedes, and spending our careers working in or adjacent to the fashion industry. She speaks fluent Swedish, though, as she is actually Swedish, and I have to say, I wish I did too!

We chat so often these days that, even though we haven’t yet met in person, I consider her a true friend. It is relationships like this that make me so thankful for social media.

Antonia’s answers

What did you sleep in last night, honestly?
It was a hot night in our house here in Sweden, so I slept in nothing!

Finish this: the older I get...
the less patience I have for bad-quality clothes. The more I want pieces that will last for years.

Have you ever borrowed something of his because what you own didn’t do the job? What do you reach for most?
I’d love to borrow more from my husband’s wardrobe, but he’s 6’5”, so even at my height, the sizing doesn’t quite work. I do, however, happily inherit his knits when they accidentally shrink in the wash — I love an oversized sweater.

What’s something small you spend money on that everyone thinks is a little ridiculous, and you will defend forever?
Flowers for my home. It can totally turn my mood around to have freshly cut flowers on the table.

What do you wear that makes you feel most like yourself?
A pair of great and comfortable jeans and a t-shirt.

What time of day is actually yours, no one needs anything from you? When did you last get it?
The bike ride after dropping my daughter off at preschool. Sometimes I head straight home to work, and sometimes I’ll stop at my favorite coffee shop on the way to the office. That ride always feels calm and is the perfect way to start the day, whatever the weather.

What is the best thing about being the age you are now that nobody warned you about?
You realize that happiness isn’t waiting in the next purchase, promotion or holiday. It is found in the small everyday moments.

Where is your favorite place to travel in the world and why?
I love Istanbul, Turkey. It feels both ancient and modern at the same time. But as much as I love traveling, nothing beats the feeling of coming home.

What is your favorite book?
My favorite book this year was The Correspondent on audiobook.

Is there a Substack you read every time it lands in your inbox?
I love Natalia Quintero Ochoa’s How to Wear It. It’s easy to digest, and she always shares great inspiration. And your Substack too, Lauren!

Ali of The A*li List

Next is , my extraordinary sister, and she truly is just that in my eyes: extraordinary. She writes the aptly named Substack The A*li List because she is definitely Type A, but in a gentle way that works perfectly for her.

I am so lucky to call my sister one of my best friends. We come from a very close family, and although we are incredibly alike, we are also very different. She is the ultimate caregiver and puts everyone else’s needs before her own. It brings her joy, and she is exceptionally good at it. As the baby of the family, I am used to being on the receiving end of that care, so some might say I am a little more independent and selfish.

She listens and doesn’t always share what she is thinking. I, on the other hand, am more direct and feel it is my obligation to tell my loved ones exactly how I’m feeling. Lucky them ;-) Yet we always know what the other is thinking without a word being said. I can read her mind, and she can read mine. We can both do the same with our parents.

My sister is also the ultimate hustler. She thrives when working for herself because the freedom to own her time is priceless. She is like a second mother to my children, always there to bake, craft, read, have an adventure, or help teach them a lesson. They are so lucky to have her, and so am I.

One of my greatest hopes is that our lives, and L.Franchetti, will one day reach a place where we can work together. I cannot imagine anyone I would rather build it with.

Ali’s answers

What did you sleep in last night, honestly?
A blue and white striped pair of Arket men’s pjs that I bought in Sweden with my sister and have since sewed up a massive tear on the backside so I can keep wearing them until L.Franchetti launches her pjs :)

Finish this: the older I get, the less patience I have for ___, and the more I want ___.
Working for other people and the more I want to control my own time.

Have you ever borrowed something of his because what you own didn’t do the job? What do you reach for most?
Not really? But my husband does have this great fleece pullover that I love, though it’s a little scratchy, I just love the heft of it and how perfectly oversized it looks on me.

What’s something small you spend money on that everyone thinks is a little ridiculous, and you will defend forever?
Unfortunately, I’m pretty thrifty so I really can’t think of anything.

What do you wear that makes you feel most like yourself?
My Levi’s cutoffs and a button down shirt. Always with one less button butttoned than my daughter would prefer.

Finish this: I stopped apologizing for ___ somewhere around ___.
I don’t know if this is my personality to think in terms of this question ;)

What time of day is actually yours, no one needs anything from you? When did you last get it?
My one hour of Tracey Anderson. It’s a week day non-negotiable for me. The only time I truly prioritize myself and myself alone. And I make sure I get it every single weekday when I am home.

What is the best thing about being the age you are now that nobody warned you about?
Hmmmm. That you don’t take things too seriously? That you feel comfortable in your skin? You don’t care if you embarrass yourself? Are these boring answers??

Where is your favorite place to travel in the world and why?
Anywhere with my family. Truly anywhere. It could be just going out for lunch in the town where we live, it could be a day trip to Chicago, it could be the ride to the airport or it could be a bike tour in Stockholm. Anywhere I am with my family experiencing life.

What is your favorite book?
Tough one. I read allll the time so there is a lot of volume happening! But there are very few books I will read twice and one of those was Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I also absolutely adored Gentlemen in Moscow by him too.

***

I loved receiving and reading these answers. It really is the small things: flowers on the table, a quiet bike ride after drop-off, an hour when nobody needs anything from you, or simply being with your family.

Thank you, Antonia and Ali, for answering my questions and letting me share a little more about both of you. I’m grateful for you both, and I encourage you all to go follow their writing.

More women I love in part two.

Searching, searching, searching.

I never found one. In the end, I wore my absolute favourite piece in my wardrobe. A black Joseph jumpsuit I have owned for years and still love every time I put it on.

It was the right choice, but I had hoped to find something equally good. A second go-to for weddings and other occasions that require slightly more than my usual uniform.

We have another wedding in Lisbon this September. I have not been to a wedding in years, and somehow I get to go to two this year. I love weddings.

I have been keeping an eye out ever since. Nothing urgent. I already know what I will wear if I do not find anything.

The jumpsuit. Again.

Then, while scrolling this weekend, I saw a photograph that stopped me completely.

I thought, I need that dress.

A quick Google search revealed that it was Victoria Beckham Autumn/Winter 2019.

Of course it was.

I am now deep in the secondhand search. Saved searches. Old listings. Questionable websites. Increasingly specific combinations of words entered into Google at increasingly unreasonable hours.

I am determined to find it. Or at least something that comes close.

Wish me luck. And please tell me if you happen to see it for sale somewhere.

That search took me to Tennessee, Sydney, Chicago, New York, Amsterdam, several cities across Italy, and eventually Sweden.

Until a couple of years ago, I was convinced we’d eventually move to Lisbon. I longed for the climate, the energy, and the street life. But somewhere around my eighth year in Sweden, something shifted. It quietly became home.

Part of that was the friendships I built here. Looking back, I think community was what I had been searching for all along. I just happened to believe I would only find it somewhere unfamiliar. I’ve always been fascinated by other cultures, and I still love living abroad and travelling whenever I can. But I no longer feel the need to pack up my life every few years.

These days, when I feel that familiar restlessness creeping in, I travel through books instead.

I recently looked at my Kindle library and realised there are nearly 800 books on it. I abandon plenty if they don’t grip me—life is too short to push through books you’re not enjoying—but I still read one or two every week. My family is exactly the same, and most of our conversations eventually turn into book recommendations. I love that about us.

Reading is, without question, one of the greatest pleasures in my life. Every evening I look forward to putting on my pajamas, climbing into bed, and disappearing into another world. It is my favourite part of the day.

So I thought I’d start sharing some of the books I’ve loved over the years.

Today’s list is for the sweeping, immersive novels—the kind you disappear into for days. They’re almost always set in cultures very different from my own.

I suppose, in one way or another, I’m still travelling.

#1. Shantaram — Gregory David Roberts

If I had to choose one novel to take to a desert island, it would probably be Shantaram. I’ve read it twice, listened to the audiobook, and—despite desperately wanting to love it—even watched the television series (which, sadly, never captured the magic of the book).

I find myself returning to it whenever life feels particularly hard. There’s something about being completely immersed in Bombay—its chaos, colour, contradictions, and humanity—that pulls me out of my own head. Few books have transported me so completely.

At its heart it’s the story of an escaped Australian convict rebuilding his life in India, but it’s really about far more than that: friendship, loyalty, morality, identity, love, and the complicated ways people reinvent themselves. It’s sprawling, philosophical, messy, and unforgettable.

#2. Pachinko — Min Jin Lee

Pachinko is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.

I’ve read it, listened to the audiobook, and watched the television adaptation—which, unlike Shantaram, is absolutely magnificent. Every frame feels thoughtful and cinematic, and somehow it manages to honour the novel rather than compete with it.

The story follows four generations of a Korean family living through Japanese occupation and later life in Japan. It’s about identity, belonging, prejudice, resilience, and all the quiet sacrifices families make for one another. Despite covering decades, it never feels rushed. I became so attached to the characters that I genuinely missed them when the book ended.

#3. The Covenant of Water — Abraham Verghese

This was my most recent read and immediately became one of my favourites.

It’s set in Kerala, India, over several generations, and somehow feels both epic and deeply intimate at the same time. Verghese is a physician, and medicine quietly runs through the novel, but it’s ultimately a story about family, love, loss, faith, and the strange threads that connect generations.

I listened to the audiobook after reading it, narrated by Verghese himself. His voice is incredibly calming, and somehow made the story feel even more personal.

When I finished, I wasn’t ready to leave that world. I found myself searching for interviews, podcasts, and anything I could find about the book because I simply wanted to stay with it a little longer. To me, that’s the mark of a truly exceptional novel.

Looking at this list, I realise none of these books are really about plot for me. They’re about being completely immersed in another place and another way of life. They satisfy that part of me that has always wanted to see what exists beyond my own world.

I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these—or if you have a book that completely transported you somewhere else. I’m always looking for recommendations.

I suppose, in one way or another, I’m still travelling.

When I find something I genuinely love, especially from a smaller woman founded and run brand, I can’t help but tell people about it. This feels like the right place to do that.

I don’t own much swimwear, so what I do have has to earn its place. I don’t buy a new bikini every summer. I’d rather have a handful that fit beautifully, make me feel good, and last for years.

For me, that’s Augustine.

Full disclosure, the founder and designer is one of my closest friends. But that’s not why I’m writing this. If anything, it’s made me even more demanding. I know how much thought goes into every style, and after wearing her swimwear for years, I can honestly say they’re the best-fitting pieces I own.

I’ve had two of her swimsuits for years now and they still look beautiful. The one-shoulder style is one of those pieces that always gets a compliment. It’s simple, flattering, and feels timeless.

The other is a deep V-neck in the most subtle green. I actually tie the straps around my neck instead, so it becomes a halter. Two swimsuits in one.

This season she introduced a black and brown stripe that I immediately fell for. I wear the string bikini top with the black low-rise brief. As soon as it arrived, I wished I’d ordered more, so I went back for the navy-and-green stripe brief and paired it with the navy crinkle bandeau.

And I have to mention the low-rise brief because finding a good bikini bottom feels surprisingly difficult. I’d worn high-rise styles for the last few summers, but this year I wanted something that sat lower on the hips. This one somehow gets everything right. It sits exactly where I want it to, gives just the right amount of coverage, and, most importantly, I feel good wearing it.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not someone who spends hours in the sun, so I probably care just as much about the cover-up as I do the swimsuit underneath.

I love to wear a caftan for its simplicity, and over the years I’ve collected a few that I love. The purple one came from my favourite place on earth, a tiny beach town in Portugal. The animal-print one came from Marrakech seven years ago, from Norya ayroN. I went back to visit her store this May and came home with a beautiful top.

If you ever find yourself in Marrakech, it’s well worth a visit. The clothes are beautiful, and Norya herself couldn’t have been lovelier.

I also find myself throwing my L. Franchetti pajamas over my swimwear. The cotton is so breathable that they’re perfect on hot summer days when you want a little coverage without feeling any warmer. They’ve quietly become one of my favourite beach cover-ups.

The best finds are the ones you reach for, summer after summer.

An oversized polo. Old denim. A crisp collar left open. A shirt that looked better because it had been worn for years.

Sometimes the inspiration came from a magazine. Sometimes from an old Ralph Lauren campaign. Sometimes from a photograph taken somewhere in the south of France. I think real people on the street are incredibly inspiring.

And sometimes it was just me. Not because I was documenting my outfits. Simply because, when I looked back through my camera roll, I noticed I kept dressing the same way. Not intentionally. Instinctively.

Looking at those images together, I realised they all shared something. Not a colour palette, not a trend. A feeling…

I’ve always admired the ease that seems built into classic menswear. There’s a confidence to it that never asks for attention. A proper collar. Sleeves pushed up. Nothing trying too hard.

I’ve never wanted to dress like a man but I’ve wanted that ease, that cool.

When I started sketching the first L. Franchetti pajamas, I wasn’t thinking about trends, or what was missing in the market. I was thinking about that feeling, and one question I kept coming back to: how do you make pajamas that feel like the shirt you instinctively reach for, the one that somehow makes you stand a little differently the moment you put it on.

Ten years ago this week, I got married on a hillside in the south of France, in an old monastery that belonged to a friend. He offered it before I’d even worked up the nerve to ask. That’s still one of the best gifts anyone has ever handed me.

I had already built many happy memories there throughout previous summers. Long lunches that forgot to end. So by the wedding, the place felt familiar.

Small wedding, long tables under the trees, walls old enough to have hosted a few centuries of other people’s good nights before mine. I liked being one more good night in a long line of them.

My sister made me a gift, a woven basket, and she asked what colors to paint onto it.

Navy and white, I said, without a second of deliberation.

That basket has traveled with me to many places. Beaches, markets, airports. Ten years later, navy and white isn’t just a color I reach for anymore. It’s the whole brand. Every label, every fold.

My sister clocked something in me before I had a name for it, then handed it back that she personally hand painted onto the bag. I still think that’s the most charming way anyone has ever told me who I am.

Ten years married, a few years into building something with the same instincts. So far, both are holding up beautifully.

Europe is having its own heatwave right now, which is annoying, except for one thing: if you’re traveling through the EU this summer, it means you’re standing right next to the good sunscreen. The kind that’s much harder to get your hands on once you leave. So consider this your reminder to stock up while you’re here.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Hydrating Cream SPF50+

I put this sunscreen on my face, neck, and ears every single day. Rain, snow, shine. I live in Sweden, where the sun is basically seasonal, and I still do not skip it. This one is creamy and moisturizing and, the part that matters most to me, has no sunscreen smell at all. It is the only thing I put on before makeup in the morning. Easy.

The filter that makes it special (they call it UVMune 400) still is not allowed in the sunscreens sold on American shelves, which is honestly the whole reason I am writing this. You can find it online, but it is the European version shipped over. Much simpler to throw a tube (or 3) in your bag while you are already there.

Nuxe Tanning Sun Oil SPF 50

I avoid direct sun like a vampire. But I do love a quiet glow when my arms and legs are finally out, and this oil is how I get it. What little tan I did have last summer was curtesy of this product.

It protects, and it smells so good that it has quietly become my summer perfume. My niece is currently obsessed with it. She is getting the most beautiful tan, and I cannot blame her one bit. I tried the Nuxe suncream version this summer, just as delicious.

Vichy Capital Soleil UV Aqua Stick Invisible SPF50+

This is the one I am buying the second I am back in Sweden. My kids are still at the age where applying sunscreen turns into a small wrestling match, and I only discovered this stick this summer. The container is genuinely cute, the sunscreen goes on clear, and I am hoping that if they get to help, they might actually sit still for it. A girl can dream.

That is the list. Pop into a local pharmacy or chance it at duty free and grab them before you fly home.

And if you see me out there this summer, I will be the one in the shade.