When Lake first launched, nearly 10 years ago, cofounders Anne Read Lattimore and Cassandra Cannon wanted to provide pajamas that were classic and easy to wear. Now, as consumers continue to look for comfort in fashion, Lake is expanding its offerings into clothing for everyday with luxe, cotton, cozy sweaters.
With sweaters, the brand aims to give its customers the same ease of the classic loungewear phenomenon into a versatile layer for all-day comfort — especially for cold months. Following the design process that Lake carefully took with its sleepwear and lounge apparel, Lake’s cofounders say the sweaters are made of superfine, plush cotton yarns to ensure a silky-soft sensation with every wear.
The brand has already found success with apparel expansions including day dresses and caftans that were launched in the spring and summer seasons and plans to make sweaters an annual offering.
Here, Lake Pajamas chief executive officer Read Lattimore talks to WWD about the evolution of the cozy category, Lake’s continued growth and the luxury of comfort.
Lake Jane Sweater.
WWD: As you prepare to launch into a new category with sweaters, can you tell us about how you’ve seen the cozy category evolve since you originally entered the market?
Anne Read Lattimore: We founded Lake nearly 10 years ago because we couldn’t find pajamas that were classic, put together and easy to wear. As new moms, we were spending a lot of time at home (ha, or at least we thought we were before 2020). We were enjoying life’s simple, very best moments with our family, and here we were sitting around in old, worn-out sweats.
Honestly, we just wanted something better, so we made it ourselves. In hindsight, it feels prescient, because we’ve seen leisure clothes take off in the market. It’s evolved in scale, obviously, but for us, a lot remains the same. We’re still committed to sourcing the absolute softest fabrics we can find and designing timeless silhouettes that you’re always going to feel good in.
WWD: From a consumer behavior perspective, how has the way people shop for cozy apparel changed in the last few years? How do you see that continuing?
A.R.L.: There’s a lot of nuance within sleepwear, and consumers are becoming increasingly savvy about it. At Lake, we’re big on recognizing sleep preferences — hot sleepers and cold sleepers are going to reach for different silhouettes and fabrics, and preferences can change from season to season. In colors and prints that speak to an individual’s personal style, we offer products that let consumers build a true sleep wardrobe. It’s hard to overstate the importance of quality sleep for our bodies, so there’s a wellness element, too, that’s continued to gain traction over the last few years. Why not bring the same attention and care to what you wear during the day to what you’re wearing as you reset and rejuvenate?
With sweaters, we’ve recognized that people appreciate creating comfortable looks meant for outside the home. Once people “got” how comfortable lounge and sleepwear was, they started to have similar expectations for their clothes. Comfort and style can definitely coexist.
WWD: In your own words, who is the Lake consumer?
A.R.L.: First and foremost, our consumer is smart. We have a lot of data to back this up, of course, but what it ultimately tells us is that she’s intentional. She’s not going to buy pieces that don’t serve her or family — whether that’s in regard to comfortability, personal style, quality, utility, and so forth.
WWD: Why are sweaters a natural extension of the brand?
A.R.L.: I routinely return to classic silhouettes and styles year after year, so whenever I’m adding something new to my closet, I’m always thoughtful with the approach. The same goes with adding to our product assortment — we never want things we’re not excited to wear, or anything too precious that we can’t live our lives in.
We wanted to add a totally timeless, beautifully made, works-for-real-life apparel piece, and to me, sweaters are that perfect, cozy yet polished garment to reach for again and again. Our robes are a wonderful way to bookend the day, and sometimes, frankly, I wish I could live in them. But I recognize the need for something more pulled together.
I wanted to put the ease and softness of our sleep and loungewear into a versatile layer for all-day, wear-everywhere comfort. I’m also quite pleased with how great our sweaters look and feel paired with our Pima sets and other sleep styles. It’s given me a new way to layer both inside and outside the home.
Lake Lydia Sweater.
WWD: How did you approach this new category from a design perspective?
A.R.L.: So many sweaters on the market these days are either a high-stakes game of dry-clean-only cashmere or some sort of blend that isn’t going to last. We were ultra-choosy in selecting the yarns for our sweaters; they’re 100 percent cotton, just like so much of our sleepwear, and they have an incredibly cushy, plush hand feel. They’re really just so much softer than other knitwear we’ve tried, and with cotton, you get natural breathability in a medium weight that gives you more longevity throughout the year.
From there, we stuck to our design bonafides of classic colors and silhouettes — quietly stylish, and the care is really simple. Hand wash and lay flat to dry. You can take it to the dry cleaners, but only if you want to.