Whether you prefer size inclusive, curvy, or, as our friend Ashley Longshore dubbed for our collection, extra, you asked and we listened. Our XL (10-12), 2X (14-16) and 3X (18-20) cashmere sweaters are here and they have us bursting with excitement! Email us at info@linguafranca.nyc to customize yours today! And, look below for inspiration from some of our favorite friends who have that certain X factor!
I met Ashley Longshore on Instagram (as one does), and was delighted when she accepted a DM from me months ago, which resulted in a digital friendship. I've been fangirling her quirky spirit and what her friend Blake Lively (casual ha!) calls her "elegant yet rebellious" art for months. Her take on the zeitgeist, whether in the form of making over pop culture icons on canvas or collaborating with iconic brands in new and inspiring ways, is VERY much in line with the concept of "Lingua Franca." Fast Company named her one of their "Most Creative People" and I'm here to tell you that she's also the most fun. If you live in NYC, you can go check out her work at Bergdorf's - she's the first female artist to be profiled at the iconic store and she even took over their cafe, redoing it into the "most instagrammable cafe in NYC"! Otherwise, click on the photos above for some inspiration from Ashley!
Meet Samhita!
Name: Samhita Mukhopadhyay Occupation: Writer, speaker, digital strategist and executive editor of Teen Vogue IG:@thesamhita
Samhita first showed up on our radar when she took the helms as executive editor of Teen Vogue, but she's been a well-known name in feminist power-girl circles for years. As the executive editor of the award-winning blog Feministing, Samhita has had a voice in everything from online dating to affirmative action and Mad Men, all with her sharp-witted feminist voice that we truly admire. You can read some of Samhita's work here.
Katie is a friend that continues to inspire me. Her love of fashion and dogs is what initially brought us together, but my affection grows each year for this fabulous blogger turned Megababe entrepreneur. Here's an incomplete list of some of the things I ADORE about Katie (in no particular order): 1. She knows great style is chic in size and has been showing us just how it's done for years on the12ishstyle.com. 2. She froze her eggs live on Instagramand dispelled myths about the process. 3. She recently launched "Megababe," a women's beauty comfort line with eco-friendly hygiene products including "thigh rescue anti-chafe stick" and "boob dust" (how amazing is that?!), which has literallyeveryone talking. 4. She recreated Meghan Markle's styles for plus-sized women on a budget and looked chic af. Her message of body acceptance is one that resonates with women of all sizes.
Meet Lauri!
Name: Lauri Freedman Occupation: Head of product development at the Whitney Museum IG:@instalaurigram
You know when you meet someone and you just get that feeling? That "you need to be in my life from here on forever" feeling? That's the one I got when I met with Lauri almost two years ago for a coffee in the village. Knowing that she's only two blocks away at the Whitney (where she's the head of product development and the co-curator of the Eckhaus Latta: Possessed exhibition, which opens on August 3rd, NBD) brings me a sort of joy. Even if I don't see her, I feel her. Besides being the brains behind our collaboration with the Whitney, Lauri is just plain cool. She's the kind of person that brings a lightness and energy to everything she does, but also a purposefulness that's hard to find and easy to be inspired by. Case in point, her side hustle, 3-4oz.com, a site that is helping create an inclusive language to speak about the rituals surrounding death. I feel so lucky to know Lauri and to share her genius with you.
p.s. All photos shot by my friend Yumi Matsuo. She used to work side by side with me at Guest of a Guest. Now, she's KILLING it out on her own. Go here to book her for your next event, wedding or photo shoot!
