The matriarch of the duo, Sally Govorko, has been a clothing designer for many years, producing garments in Silk. She has long established relationships with Silk producers in China dating back to the early 90’s. Thea’s career has been in feature film production cleverly juggled with having children.
What inspired you to move away from the ‘matching set mentality’ and where do you get your design inspiration from?
We decided to make separates as we thought they have a more contemporary look & elegance. With 3 or 4 pieces you can create a range of different looks , we purposely didn’t do the ubiquitous P.J. jacket for that reason. Also when relaxing at home you still feel elegant as they cross from daywear to sleepwear with an easy feel.
How does your business relationship work as a mother/daughter duo and how do you always ensure that you are playing to each of your strengths?
We first discuss together what we think will work. I perhaps have a more youthful approach than mum, it’s always good to run things pass someone else to test your ideas on. We both work quickly & utilize our time without ‘fluffing about’……we’re practical & get things done! I’m the task master, and mum is the creative.
Sally, you have a long background in clothing design – What key lessons have you learned from your career in fashion Sally that you now bring to Pember Sleepwear.
My years in fashion have taught me to interpret designs so that styles will flatter the body, have a certain amount of ease….especially for sleepwear…..not wanting to constrict movement or be too voluminous for lying around in. Also knowing which fabrics work best for each design, using colours that will blend & be peaceful for relaxing in. Construction was very important to us as we offer ‘machine washing’, ease of laundering was key as nobody will choose to hand wash sleepwear. We considered each piece as to how it would be constructed for the sake of longevity…..we want this sleepwear to be worn & lived for many years.
Why Crepe de Chine Silk as your chosen medium?
Crepe de chine is in our opinion the top of the range for silk. It drapes beautifully & has a low sheen, sublty not found in other fabrics. It breathes & has a glorious feel next to skin….it truly is luxurious as anyone who has warn it will attest to.
Tell us about your commitment to slow fashion, and why you don’t release sleepwear seasonally?
Slow fashion is for us providing something that will last, not only in terms of the choice of silk for a fabric but also in classic timelessness of our designs. We are not fashion & seasonal, our ethos is not to create to then throw away, will introduce new pieces from time to time to keep our range alive.
