Lake Pajamas Discusses Southern Influence and Doubling Down on Friendship at 10th Anniversary
For 10 years sleep and loungewear brand Lake Pajamas is all about elevating the art of comfort and style — and they do it with a bit of Southern charm.
Created by two best friends-turned-founders, Anne Read Lattimore and Cassandra Cannon, Lake Pajamas’ signature aesthetic is rooted in the desire to celebrate what they say is the “best part of every day” (bedtime) in a stylish way. Longtime fans of the brand repeatedly return to their favorite styles and further championing the founders’ mindset of leaning away from trends.
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To celebrate a decade of Lake, the brand has launched an exclusive 10-year anniversary collection featuring those consumer-favorite styles. The capsule features the brand’s signature original blue and white striped design (a pattern that the company said continues to be popular), while showing the brand’s evolution.
As Lattimore and Cannon continue to push the boundaries of what it means to create pajamas for every milestone of life, they spoke to WWD about key moments for the brand, resonating with women through Lake’s designs and supporting each other.
WWD: You were friends long before creating Lake, how did you meet and has having that friendship helped you grow the company?
Anne Read Lattimore: We met in college through our [now] husbands. After college, we all moved back to Savannah and started families at the same time. In the early years, it felt exciting to launch a brand from our homes while balancing a young family. As the company has grown, we’ve been able to grow a team of local talent as well as remote employees, while infusing the Southern sense of ease into both the products and company.
Cassandra Cannon: One of our core values at Lake is family first. That’s how we personally go through life, and it’s helped us support one another as friends who share a growing business. It applies to our employees, too: Leave work at the office. That’s not to say we don’t love what we are doing — we do. We have loved every part of this journey, but I think that’s in part because of the attention we pay to having a true work-life balance for ourselves and our colleagues.
WWD: You have said that with Lake you wanted to create looks for “special occasions,” how did this lead to pajamas?
C.C.: We started by designing classic and polished pajamas that we wanted to wear. We were new moms, so we were spending a lot of time at home (or at least we thought we were pre-2020). We were consumed by the special, formative moments of early motherhood, but frankly, we were also just trying to get through those long newborn days and nights. This time in our lives confirmed what we already felt to be true — changing into pajamas is one of the best parts of the day.
We found ourselves wearing them during our favorite moments at home. It’s so exciting to see our customers wearing them in the same way — when coming home from the hospital after having a baby or gifting them for graduations. We love celebrations and our product naturally fits into these moments.
WWD: How would you say Lake has grown the most in its first decade?
A.R.L.: Those early years truly feel special. We’ve grown our team so much that we were able to move into an office building in the Historic District of Savannah; it was built in 1840 and was already converted to offices. Renovating the building to suit the business and our brand aesthetic was a fun project. We love interiors and Southern hospitality influenced the homey touches we wanted to bring into the office.
C.C.: Opening our first retail store in 2018 on King Street in Charleston was momentous to us. It felt great to have a place to connect with our customers in person. In 2020, we expanded our retail presence to Atlanta where we have a large customer base. We love that the customer can touch and feel our product in person. It’s also been rewarding to see the traction we’ve built outside of the Southeast in the last few years.
WWD: To that end, the company saw quite a bit of growth during the pandemic.
A.R.L.: Leisure clothes really took off at that time as people spent more and more time at home, worked from home and generally sought comfort. Women were looking for more comfortable options while still feeling put together.
It’s exciting to see how the business has scaled beyond that time and our customers are still looking for the items they wear to look as good as they feel. We’re committed to designing timeless silhouettes in incomparably soft fabrics that you’re always going to feel comfortable and stylish in.
WWD: How does Lake differentiate itself in the market and what is unique about your product testing?
C.C.: We’re big on recognizing sleep preferences. Hot sleepers and cold sleepers are going to reach for different silhouettes and fabrics, and preferences can change from season to season. We offer products that let consumers build a true sleep wardrobe. We believe women are interested in bringing the same attention and care to what they wear at night as they do during the day.
A.R.L.: Simply put, to create the best sleepwear imaginable and to inspire moments of celebration and bliss. We believe that so many of life’s best memories happen at home, in pajamas — time spent with our children, holidays with family, or even just unwinding at the end of the day.
Our consumer is smart, and she’s intentional with her time and decisions. This is someone who buys pieces that serve her, and she doesn’t settle for less when it comes to comfort, quality and personal style.
WWD: How have your southern roots inspired Lake?
A.R.L.: The ease and lifestyle of the Lowcountry inspires us. We both grew up in the South [Mississippi and Savannah, Ga., respectively] and through Lake we bring elements of the South to life. We find joy in elevating everyday moments — reading a great book in pajamas, enjoying a glass of wine with our husbands while our children play or just hanging out in loungewear after work.
C.C.: Southern graciousness and hospitality are intertwined with our brand values. We love a thank you note and the perfect gift. Pajamas make the perfect gift but a silver julep cup engraved with a special date is a nice option.
WWD: What does the future hold for Lake?
C.C.: We’ve learned so much over the past 10 years and hanging out in pajamas is still one of the best parts of the day. Our mission to create the best sleepwear imaginable remains and we will continue to expand on how we meet our customers’ sleep preferences and needs for where Lake authentically fits her life.
A.R.L.: It’s been both heartening and humbling to see Lake grow through the years. Above all, it’s a testament to the customers who have been with us since Day One.
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