Vita Daily interviews Espino's founder, Tara McCarthy. In the interview she talks about everything from why she started the company to working with Canada's original supermodel, Monika Schnarre.
In discussing Espino silk pajamas and loungewear, Tara describes the collection as luxleisure, calling it an elegant alternative to athleisure. "It’s multi-purpose, versatile, comfortable, and reads luxury. For Espino it’s centred around this incredible silk fabric that is so scarce in the market today—especially at the more substantial weight that we use."
Luxury Loungewear for Women
The collection's best selling wide leg pant is flattering on all figures and is a hot trend for the season according to Who What Wear. This pant silhouette is iconic and dates back to Ginger Rogers days, later made famous in the disco era by style mavens like Bianca Jagger. Today's version has relaxed silhouettes and long hemlines - just like the real silk pajama pant from Espino. It's so thick and rich it can be styled to go out!
Tara goes on to explain that Espino is made by women, for women. "We design for collectors—those who prefer to collect rather than consume. It’s more about personal style than fashion fads. We get the importance of fit in making women look and feel like a million bucks. We focus on very few items and our goal is to be the best at those pieces. We take the time to test the designs on different body types and revise patterns several times until they feel as good on as they look."
The company is very female focused, creating stunning luxleisure items that double as loungewear and sleepwear in real silk for women of all ages that have high standards for what they put in their closets.
"We’re so lucky to work with a legend like Monika Schnarre," says Tara. "She’s the nicest person and a consummate professional—she’s magic on set. At 50, she’s proof that women possess timeless beauty. My wish is to never again hear a woman, of any age, say she dreads her next birthday and brands have a role to play."
Real Silkwear Made in Toronto, Canada
Espino is made by master garment makers in Toronto because creating real silk pajamas and natural silk loungewear takes a tremendous amount of skill. The experts who work on the collection are experienced in couture bridal so the sewing is immaculate. The company intentionally makes limited quantities of it's silk pants, silk dress, silk shorts and silk tops to ensure excellent quality and that the wearer has something unique. Each real silk clothing piece is ultra comfortable, flattering and hand washable. Espino's laundry partner is Soak wash and is extremely gentle and effective for hand washing silk and other delicates.
Luxleisure is comfy chic. Everyone got used to wearing comfy clothes in the pandemic. As we emerge back into public, the comfort will continue but it’ll have to look more polished. Espino accomplishes this with the glamour of weighty natural silk and the comfort of loungewear, expertly tailored for a beautiful fit and drape. Tara suggests pairing Espino silk loungewear with knits for fall and winter. Even Vogue agrees that comfy chic is here to stay!
"Mass produced clothing made from synthetic fibres is a pet peeve of mine," says Tara. "So we’re all about small production, hand made and natural fibres. Because the world doesn’t need more—it needs better."
Synthetic fibres are for the most part uncomfortable to wear and are one of the worlds biggest sources of pollution and dangerous microplastics in the foodchain as described by The Sustainable Fashion Collective blog. Tara wants people to stop viewing clothing as disposable and this is why Espino is made to such high standards.