Frances de Lourdes -- Ladies in Tees
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Frances de Lourdes, a new brand of luxury tees and tanks in ultra soft, lightweight Italian cashmere and silks. The collection, designed and produced in New York City by 36-year-old Alejandra Echeverria, was born out of a desire for a refined classic tee. Echeverria, who notes that the name “Frances de Lourdes” is a reference to her mother and father’s middle names, respectively, was inspired to create an elevated version of her favorite vintage staples - the perfect tee.
A long time lover, wearer, and collector of tees, Echeverria set out to create a collection of timeless tees that she herself wanted and felt were missing from the market. Calling upon a decade’s worth of experience designing for various New York fashion brands and her education at both Skidmore College and Parsons The New School of Design, New York native Echeverria spent over a year meticulously developing the debut collection of Frances de Lourdes. The collection, which is tightly edited in both color and silhouette, consists of eight (8) timeless luxury tees and tanks made from fine Italian cashmere and silks.
The collection started with the Johnny Tee, which was based on an oversized vintage men’s tee that had shrunken over time to hit the perfect spot on the hip. Often when women wear a men’s tee it can end up looking sloppy, but the shrunken length of the Johnny tee provides the relaxed fit women seek without it feeling overwhelming. With a relaxed, easy fit, round neckline and short sleeves, the Johnny tee is classic and perfectly effortless - a natural addition to the regular rotation in every woman’s closet. The brand’s favorite ultra soft, light weight cashmere and silk Italian jersey (80% cashmere, 20% silk) is the final touch that instantly elevates the silhouette of the Johnny Tee.
Building off the Johnny Tee, Echeverria has created two additional styles with reference to the vintage men’s tee fit. The Frankie Tee - a deep v-neck alternative to the Johnny Tee - is the offering for those who may want the same relaxed feel seen in the Johnny Tee, but with a more revealing neckline.
The final interpretation of the Johnny Tee is seen in the solitary long-sleeved style within the debut Frances de Lourdes collection, the Marlon Tee. With it’s signature relaxed fit, a round neck and long sleeves, this Italian cashmere and silk-jersey number (retailing at $340.00, the highest price point of the collection) is undoubtedly a staple essential for both summer evenings and winter layering.
