Fashionista has dropped the news that the New York-based lifestyle brand founded by Nell Diamond just announced a partnership with Meena Harris’ Phenomenal and Netflix, tapping into the “Regencycore” phenomenon by reimagining its viral Nap Dresses with a new custom floral chinoiserie print by London-based artist Diane Hill inspired by the show, which was costume designed by Ellen Mirojnick.
There are three styles, each retailing for $125, to be sold exclusively on phenomenalwoman.us: a floral pink Ellie, a floral lavender Ellie and a Whistledown Trellis Nesli. There are also two hair pins ($40 a pop).
“One of the interesting things over the past 18 months with the Nap Dress becoming so popular amongst our customers has been us thinking: ‘Who is the right first partner?'” Diamond says. “This is our first collaboration, and if I had to pick out of a hat, it would really be this collaboration. It’s pretty surreal and humbling that it’s actually happening.”
Phenomenal had already been working with Netflix on “Bridgerton” merch. Harris reached out to Diamond via Instagram earlier this year, to discuss a potential “project,” which was later disclosed in a Zoom call. This was right after Hill House had released its English Garden collection in February, which got a lot of “Bridgerton”-related feedback, according to Diamond. “We got so many comments like, ‘Oh my God, this is giving me major ‘Bridgerton’ vibes. This is so timely.’ I remember getting a DM from someone, like, ‘Wow, you really turned that around fast.’ I was like, ‘No, no, you can’t make a dress like that,'” she says.
Though its signature Nap Dress was introduced in 2018, the brand has grown its fashion offering significantly over the past year. And this launch represents a whole new chapter for the company. “I always wanted to have the ability to collaborate with partners,” Diamond says. “So much of my joy around the Nap Dress is that it is this versatile piece that, really, in my closet has taken the place of jeans. For me, there’s a style that works for me — my style is the Ellie and the Athena, I wear those two all the time — so having lots of fun prints for different seasons and different fabrics is really the foundation of my closet.”
Nap Dresses have become so massively popular in part because of an attention to detail and a cheekiness that touches every single element, from the custom artwork to the marketing. These are qualities they share with “Bridgerton,” Diamond argues: “Before I knew we were going to do this, I was pausing the show and zooming in to look at some of the details on the dresses. Nothing was overlooked, and I think that’s so fun from a fashion perspective, to see that amount of dedication go into the costume design. That’s what we think about all the time. What are the little details we can incorporate to make things fun?”
This capsule opens the door to a new chapter for Hill House — and for the Nap Dress.
—
Photo Credit: JOCA_PH / Shutterstock.com