Alice + Olivia’s Stacey Bendet Talks New Sleepwear Line, Big Feelings and the Brand’s Dedication to Mental Health
The Alice + Olivia founder and creative director launched her new line with a pop-up event.
Alice + Olivia’s founder Stacey Bendet is branching out to a new venture; sleepwear and loungewear.
Bendet, who serves as CEO, founder and creative director of the luxury women’s line teamed up with Andrew Rosen, a retail executive who co-founded Theory, to launch Big Feelings.
The new brand hosted a pop-up launch event in New York City on Thursday night before the store is open to the public over the next few months. Notable guests like Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Ava Phillipe attended the launch, which featured a DJ set, a photo booth, customizable sleep masks and more.
Big Feelings pieces were also on display. The new line features colorful pajamas and lounge pieces like sweatshirts, sweatpants, boxer pajama sets and more. Block lettering can be seen on the vibrant pieces, which have a sporty feel to them.
“I wanted to do something that gave back,” Bendet said. “That was a brand that was built with not just positivity but around supporting positive causes, and that was bringing awareness to light for mental health issues that I think have exploded since the pandemic.”
Big Feelings teamed up with Project Healthy Minds, a nonprofit organization committed to reducing stigma about mental health. The brand is donating a portion of its proceeds to the nonprofit.
“I want like moms and daughters to wear [these pieces] together and for the clothes to create a conversation like, what’s a big feeling? How do you feel about your feelings?” Bendet said. “That’s kind of the whole premise of it, and we decided that every drop would tell a story and every drop will give back to a different mental health or wellness organization.”
The line is available now on bigfeelings.com, in the pop-up at 1113 Madison Ave and at Saks Fifth Ave. Pieces retail from $65 to $200.
About the Author:
Tara Larson is the editorial assistant for Footwear News. She mainly covers topics from celebrity style to new footwear launches and collaborations. She also serves as the assistant to editorial director Michael Atmore. Prior to joining Footwear News, she worked for Esquire and Traditional Home.