Letters of Marque

For actress Stacey Dash, the epitome of sexy comfort is a vintage dressing gown in her closet.

At a boutique in Los Angeles’ Venice district more than 10 years ago, Dash found an antique robe that a woman in the 1800s may have slipped on to warm her shoulders after a bath or while sitting in her bedroom. The bed jacket is saturated with hand-crafted details such as a Swiss dot pattern, insertion lace and two layers of topstitched lace on the gathered wrists.

“It was the most comfortable, most beautiful, sexiest thing that I own,” said Dash of the piece that became the inspiration for her sleepwear and lingerie line, Letters of Marque. “Anytime I wanted to feel pretty or sexy I would put it on,” she said.

Careful not to wear out the fragile piece, Dash sought out similar styles. When she came up empty-handed, she decided “I’m going to make it myself.”

Around the same time, Dash’s ex-husband met Jason Amirmajde, owner of the luxury lingerie shop Le Bra in West Hollywood, Calif. Amirmajde facilitated a meeting between Dash and her now partner and designer, Jennifer Issa.

Issa has the fashion-industry experience, having run her sleepwear line, Issa, for several years. The two shared a mutual love of pretty and feminine woven cotton lingerie and loungewear.

“When I met Stacey, I recognized immediately what she was talking about,” said Issa. “My line before was very similar to [Letters of Marque] in the fabrication, the look and feel of it.”

Letters of Marque’s delicate cotton voile camisoles, robes, chemises and bloomers trimmed with English leavers lace put a modern twist on vintage underpinnings. Simple cotton provides comfortable familiarity with unique lace, ruffle and ribbon details.

“After I had my daughter, you don’t want to put on a garter belt and stockings every time you want to feel sexy when you’re a mom. Sometimes that’s too provocative,” Dash said. “I think sexy should go back to being pretty.”

Wholesale price points range from $30 to $150. For more information, call (213) 745-9155.

Rhea Cortado