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Evening Standard

Entertainment

Joe Bromley

Haute hygge: the rise of designer dressing gowns

Versace

You cannot beat a piping hot post-work shower before bundling up in a bathrobe and lying horizontal in bed. In fact, nothing says luxury like no plans to leave the house until tomorrow’s alarm trills, feeling life flowing slowly back into your body. And high fashion is now in agreement: designer dressing gowns have got 2022 all wrapped up.

Even the matriarchs of lavish living are getting in on the act. Madonna has been cocooned in a Bottega Veneta green Intrecciato pattern robe since December. “If I’m going to be stuck in my house I may as well have some cute fits,” the singer quipped on Instagram. Cindy Crawford had the same idea. She was pictured on a velvet sofa in her white spa robe, above the caption “Taking my sweet time.” A perfect January sentiment.

Schiaparelli elevates the dressing gown for SS22 (Schiaparelli)

Meanwhile, leading the throngs of Gen Z gowners you have model Adwoa Aboah — partial to Prada’s white towelling wrap with triangle logo abreast — and Lil Nas X who had his custom made with the fanciful artwork of his debut album, Montero.

Versace has the monopoly on luxe comfort: Donatella’s robes come in every which way, from rainbow turquoise and pinks, to baroque prints and the jolly Trésor de la Mer pattern with dancing starfish. These are adored by singers (Dua Lipa, John Legend and Elton John) and sportsmen (Conor McGregor, and Italian 100m champion Marcell Jacobs) alike — but why all the hype? Ultimately, haute robes inject some runway into your wardrobe without breaking the bank. You can find one of these quintessential Versace’s for £225.

That is entry level, though. If you’re chasing a new season fashion fix, the catwalks have gone crazy for a robe de chambre. Daniel Roseberry, creative director of Schiaparelli, excelled in elevating the dressing gown for SS22. His come in all Egyptian splendour, embellished with eyes, trimmed with tassels, slit to the upper thigh, and read, in thick embroidery, “Hotel Schiap”. Call me Cleopatra! Dior sent them down a Grecian runway gilded in gold for Resort 22; Thom Browne did a crisp, quilt satin style for their Pre-Fall 22, while London designer S.S. Daley looked to public school symbols to make a splendid, tonal shade silk number Oscar Wilde would swoon for.

“We’ve seen an incredible reaction to sleepwear, with sales growth of 60 per cent since 2020,” says Damien Paul, Head of Menswear at Matches Fashion, whose robe stock counts Tom Ford’s leopard print to Emilio Pucci’s electric patterns. “As we spend more time at home, our customers are looking for luxurious versions of the sleepwear classic.”

S.S. Daley goes traditional for SS22 (S.S. Daley)

You can find the utmost indulgence at Olivia von Halle, known for chic illustrations on 19-momme silk-satin nightwear. “Robes restore a sense of style to the evening, no matter how drab the day outside,” the designer says. “I just happen to find that my favourite outlook is from my bath, with a great book in hand. It’s what January is for.”

Because who doesn’t want the soft living of a hotel at home? If that sounds tempting, Claridge’s sells them pastel pink, emblazoned with their signature golden crest. Channel Soho House Rome with their tan Berega print silk robe, or go all out London with The Standard Hotel’s multi-looped masterpiece, designed by the technical British designer, Craig Green. So go ahead — sit back and relax. Just do it in style.

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Versace