As a time-poor, sleep-deprived mum, Melburnian Jacqui Hoang dreamed of creating something that made her feel good, felt comfortable to lounge in all day and was stylish enough to wear out. “Naturally I thought of designing luxury pyjamas,” she says. That was 2017. Fast forward three years and throw a pandemic in the mix, and it’s safe to say the gamble paid off.
Sleeping with Jacques was founded with a focus on classic designs, made to last. “I didn’t want to be another trend-driven label that adds to landfill,” Hoang explains. Pieces can be worn together or styled separately, creating a polished yet comfortable look.
Hoang’s latest collection, Rise, is a feminine approach to power-dressing, experimenting with masculine energy in softer shapes. The label’s popular velvet power suits are reinvented in looser silk satins; the clean lines and lace inserts of the night dresses accentuate a woman’s natural curves. “There is power-dressing in looking feminine also; [it’s] not just reserved for suits,” she says.
The Bon Vivant silk velvet robe set is one of the label’s signature styles and has been worn by the likes of Cindy Crawford, Shanina Shaik and Kelly Rowland. The latest iteration is available in lilac velvet with classic black piping.
The Osiris dress in navy has launched exclusively at Net-a-Porter. It’s cut from lightweight, plissé crepe de Chine silk, making it comfortable to sleep in. The lace trimming and plunging waist and neckline also make it an effortless dress for a night out – just add heels.
Hoang says the chocolate Freudian slip dress is one of her spring wardrobe staples. The silk-satin maxi dress is made from Oeko-Tex-certified material, which means the fabric is free from chemicals that are hazardous or potentially harmful to the human body. It channels the ’90s skin-baring style with a deep-plunge neckline and an open back with slim crossover straps.
Sleeping With Jacques silk is sourced from China. “Our production utilises two dedicated Oeko-Tex-approved silk farms, where the silkworms feed on organic mulberry leaves,” Hoang says. “Recycled water is used to boil the cocoons; each strand is then carefully unwound onto reels.”
Hoang says the new collection is aimed at encouraging and celebrating women in their time of rest. “I started Sleeping With Jacques because, as a woman, my whole life I have felt the pressures of being a woman. Wax your eyebrows this way, wax your bikini this way, now wax it all off, now laser it off permanently,” she says.
“Wear your jeans low but no muffin top or camel toe … I have endured every trend and listened obediently. I’m a mum. A single mum. Pushing 40. I wanted to start a brand that championed women. And my way of doing that is by starting at home. Telling yourself you deserve these luxury silk pyjamas, you deserve to be comfortable and you deserve to feel good. And you don’t need to impress anyone but you.”
Sleeping with Jacques’ Rise collection is available online and via local and international stockists Net-a-Porter and Tuchuzy.
