Linea by Louis Dell'Olio

[Mobaby65]

Now for the second part of my letter………….It is with profound sadness that I am compelled to tell you QVC has made the choice, not mine, to end its’ relationship with the Linea brand. Dec of 2020 will be the last Linea product delivered to QVC…….Let me be absolutely clear…..As of Jan. 2021 there will be no new Linea product to purchase. There will also be no reorders for 2021. The Linea brand as you know it will come to an end. Of course there will still be inventory merchandise on the QVC website, but once it is sold out……as they say….it will be gone forever. It has been explained to me that due to the closing of QVC3 and QVC2 all of the existing brands would have to be scheduled into the QVC1 programming. They will also be introducing “new” brands that will have to be scheduled into the QVC1 programming. I can only assume there isn’t room to accommodate Linea. From what I understand choices were also made due to a brands volume. These are QVC owned brands that naturally would get priority ………I have always said Linea is a “Boutique, Specialty Brand”, meaning it was designed for a certain customer, not for everyone. It is a line designed for certain women who have the same taste as me. That’s how a “Designer Brand” is developed…….appealing to women with a similar taste level. It was never conceived as a big volume line. Throughout my career, for the past 50 years, I have always stayed true to myself, and only designed products I was proud of. I have never been a jean and tee shirt “designer” . There are plenty of other brands that take care of that segment of apparel…..That said, there are very very few brands who can do or have come close, IMHO, to what I have consistently designed for you…..It saddens me that my type of clothing will no longer be avail to you in the breath that I have offered over the last 20 years……I will not abandon you, and I will continue to post on my website and answer your questions for as long as you want me…….I hope that you too will continue to write to me, and ask me all of the questions on your mind. I have no illusions that without the Linea Brand to bond us together, eventually a quiet distance will happen, but remember I am always at my computer on the ready!………………….I will miss working with Elaine and Rowena after these 20 years of collaborating on each and every garment. We have lived through, what I consider, the Golden Age of QVC when everything was possible. When there was no compromising on materials, embroiders, and labor wasn’t an issue as they are today. When price was not the main concern. Even with  the compromises we have faced over the years we still maintained our integrity, and have produced incredible designs with superb quality……….I will miss working with the team at TCJC, Marty, Cathy and Karen, who made designing the jewelry line a pure joy, and watching it grow and get better and better year after year……….I will miss terribly seeing my “girls”…..Angela, Chantal, Kate, Maria, Brenda and Katia. It was always so gratifying to see them bring my creations to life…..I will miss the special relationship they had with Jac…We plan many many visits…..As Covid has changed everything it has been a long time since we were all together on the QVC stage…..Again, the Golden Age of QVC IMHO will never to be repeated again……..I will miss working with Jennifer who did an outstanding job being the Linea Brand spokesperson. She believed and loved the lines…..I know these friendships will never end……………….Most of all I will miss being “Your Designer”, a title I have been most proud of……..It is impossible to write in one letter what FIFTY years of designing has meant to me. I have been in training since I was 16 years old. It was never a question for me what my life’s work would be, and I have been blessed many times over. It was designing that brought me the love of my life….Jac…….who could ask for anything more……..I can’t remember when I wasn’t designing…..It will be difficult for me to put my pencils and paper away, but all good things must come to an end, and the end is at hand………..The ability to touch so many women’s lives by making them feel beautiful and more confident about themselves has given me a true life’s purpose……….I sincerely hope, with the passing of time, we do not drift apart……………..Whenever Jac and I would come to a fork in the road, or hit a bump, and some were mountainous………………….Jac would wisely say to me……………..NEXT………………………………all my Love……………Louis

[KingstonsMom]

@Mobaby65 

What a heartwarming message from Louis.....it truly is the end of an era at QVC.

I will miss him and his designs.

[Jaspersmom]

How timely you should post this as I get ready to attend a meeting wearing both Linea pants and a top.  Love the brand.  Will miss it and the high quality items Louis brought to the Q.  I wish him well and hope that we'll see him again sometime in the future.

[Group 5 minus 1]

Why was the line dropped?

[KingstonsMom]

@Group 5 minus 1 

Did you read the OP? It discusses why in Louis's opinion.

[Krimpette]

Was QVC the only place he sold his fashions?  It sure would be nice if someone else would pick up his line.

[Vivian]

I fell in love with Linea from Day One. The original line was so beautuful, so well-made, yet priced for those of us who loved fashion yet couldn't spend thousands. I still have some of the bouclé wool blazers that I wore to work for years. QVC powers-that-be clearly made a choice years ago. Q now stands for quantity, not quality. I still order items I see on line but I no longer look for quality clothes because I won't find them here. I call them Covid Clothes, perfectly appropriate for quarantine at home.

[Buffalogal47]

What a coincidence that this is posted today. I only have 4 of Louis's pieces, all bought during what he called the Q's Golden Age.  I have a 2 skirts: a crushed velvet maxi  and an ultra suede boot skirt, both fully lined, a black suede jacket with red suede appliqués, and a print cardigan with solid contrast sleeves. I have to go to a wake this PM and guess what I chose to wear before I read this? The ultrasuede skirt and the sweater. All my pieces are almost 20 years old and still  look like I just took them out of the package. That is a real testament to the quality and the timeless designs Louis brought to us. He is truly one of a kind. 

[author]

What a lovely letter from Louis. 

I shall miss him and his designs more than I had anticipated, and this past year already have missed the shows with all the familiar models and his brilliant line of clothing.  

My latest purchases are arriving daily, each one a treasure. 

The white tulle embroidered topper with tiny covered buttons down the front came yesterday and I was blown away with its beauty and quality.  The mixed metals mobile necklace arrived the day before and it is so stunning in person, a fabulous addition to my "look."

Thank you Louis for all the wonderful years, the fun and excitement of building a wardrobe with you that does give me confidence and joy.  We will miss you more than you know.  

[Spurt]

What a wonderful heartfelt letter...... How sad it is truly the end of an era.....The clothing I purchsed from the Linea brand was superb in quality and fit at an affordable price!!!  Linea I will miss you😥

QVC prefers to present overpriced clothes many that pill, are inconsistent in sizing, many shrink or stretch out, many styles harken back to the 70's when polyester was "the thing" (you can call it anything you want but it's still polyester!) there's so many unflattering styles and ugly prints !!

QVC continues to show the "diaper hems", 3/4 sleeves (what about those who have to deal with 100 degree heat and 100% humidity-those in warmer climates would like to see some short sleeve or sleveless options for us ---they are getting harder and harder to find), don't care for the "bag lady look", nor pajama styles...And all the QVC clothing lines all look alike these days.!!!!....I know that me and others out there have stopped purchasing QVC clothing...... And what QVC is doing isn't working because apparel sales have been declining for a couple years now...way before the pandemic....

QVC you gave up a quality classic style clothing line in Linea....I can find better quality clothing, better styles, and better prices elsewhere!!!! shoot, even Walmart had some nicer and more stylish things than what Ive been seeing at QVC lately..  

👗🧍‍♂️👚

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