Linea by Louis Dell'Olio

[Somertime]

I know that QVC has put restrictions on Louis.  He constantly pleads for more petites, in fact he wants them to change the wording for petites because he says the only difference is the length of the garment, so they are not true petites.  He is restricted regarding the necklines as well.  He refers to them as the neckline police because the neckline cannot be below a certain length.  QVC sets the price and he has to work within those guidelines.  I think the choice of fabric is controlled by QVC as well.  I think he does the very best to work within the parimeters he is given. They do not chose all of his designs that he submits and they determine they quanities ordered and if an item wil be re-ordered.  I wish he was given free reign but he isn't.  I know he used to purchase all the shoes for the models when he presented and used a lot of Anne Klein jewelry but since his own jewelry is selling, he is able to use his own.  Once in a while he uses Vince Camuto shoes from QVC as well.  I think the quality and attention to detail is far superior to the other designers on QVC and he is the only designer I buy from after being so dissapointed with the others.  QVC works within a price point, I think Louis pushes it as much as he can but QVC has the final say.

[Maxine49]

---

@GingerPeach wrote:

Thanks, @designista

But I did not say he never uses rayon.  I said he uses too much polyester.  (Whisper Knit is not practical for warm weather.  It's a sweater knit.)  

******

Whisper Knit is approriate ALL YEAR round. I wear his sleeveless tanks and Short sleeve tops all through the summer in 90 plus degree weather in the humid East and in 115 degree weather in the AZ desert! It is very practical!

---

[GingerPeach]

---

@Maxine49 wrote:

---

@GingerPeach wrote:

Thanks, @designista

But I did not say he never uses rayon.  I said he uses too much polyester.  (Whisper Knit is not practical for warm weather.  It's a sweater knit.)  

******

Whisper Knit is approriate ALL YEAR round. I wear his sleeveless tanks and Short sleeve tops all through the summer in 90 plus degree weather in the humid East and in 115 degree weather in the AZ desert! It is very practical!

---

---

As I said, it's not a black and white issue and what is appropriate for one may not work for another.

Please understand this is not a Linea-bashing thread.  No one needs to defend him.  I already said I like his designs, and I also understand his limitations.

Enough said.  

[Danielle46]

Perhaps the pieces you like are in poly but there are also many that are made of cotton, rayon etc.  You are not going to find much silk on QVC.  It is expensive and most of it has to be dry cleaned.  If you ask me, Halston, Susan Graver and LOGO have lots of poly.  Isaac has different options such as pima cotten etc.  I'm with you, however, I am not a fan of poly.  To me its hot and doesn't breath.  I stay away from it 99% of the time.  I'm a New Yorker and you don't find much poly in the high end dept stores and designer botiques which is why I do 99% of my apparel shopping at stores.

[Danielle46]

I live in New York and I love whisper knit in the Fall and Winter however, I could never where it in the 90 degree weather, sleeves or no sleeves.  It is not a summer fabric.

[WNYgal]

I think you should stop worrying, Homegirl. If you can't "wear" poly, there are many other sites for you to shop on, perhaps JJill. Plenty of linen & cotton there. You won't find QVC's prices by any stretch of the imagination, unless you wait for their sales & can still get your size, but even they aren't doing much silk anymore unless you're willing to pay well over 100 bucks a pop for a top, which women who shop on QVC have already shown they are loathe to do, to say the least.  Those fabrics that LDO used to use are long gone, as he has explained, ad nauseum, to the rest of us who may still get nostalgic & hand-wringy. Again, QVC won't buy them, because the majority of their customers will not pay for them. On the other hand, his design ability, tailoring and attention to detail still beats every other designer on QVC hands down. Logo & Halston? There is no Halston, it's just a business name, & Lori Goldstein isn't even in the same class, & will have to come up with a new style gimmick before long because what she's selling will eventually go the way of the bustle.

[alliswell]

---

@Danielle46 wrote:

I live in New York and I love whisper knit in the Fall and Winter however, I could never where it in the 90 degree weather, sleeves or no sleeves.  It is not a summer fabric.

---

  For me, high HUMIDITY here in the summertime prevents me from wearing WK more frequently. 

However, the superior quality of the fabrics Louis chooses, whether cotton or poly, as well as the obvious excellent workmanship and attention to detail of Louis' clothing, far exceeds anyone on Q.

I also wanted to mention that Louis has been on Q for 18-years, and thanks to his designer genius, his designs are timeless.  In fact, I still possess and can wear Louis' clothing that was purchased when he first arrived on QVC, and that clothing is still in remarkably pristine, beautiful condition after all these years.  

[GingerPeach]

---

@WNYgal wrote:

I think you should stop worrying, Homegirl. If you can't "wear" poly, there are many other sites for you to shop on, perhaps JJill. Plenty of linen & cotton there. You won't find QVC's prices by any stretch of the imagination, unless you wait for their sales & can still get your size, but even they aren't doing much silk anymore unless you're willing to pay well over 100 bucks a pop for a top, which women who shop on QVC have already shown they are loathe to do, to say the least.  Those fabrics that LDO used to use are long gone, as he has explained, ad nauseum, to the rest of us who may still get nostalgic & hand-wringy. Again, QVC won't buy them, because the majority of their customers will not pay for them. On the other hand, his design ability, tailoring and attention to detail still beats every other designer on QVC hands down. Logo & Halston? There is no Halston, it's just a business name, & Lori Goldstein isn't even in the same class, & will have to come up with a new style gimmick before long because what she's selling will eventually go the way of the bustle.

---

Seriously?  Nostalgic and hand-wringy?  Really?  THAT's your takeaway from the OP?  I find it really odd that you think I don't  know all that you said already and have known it for years.  What makes you think I don't shop elsewhere and have done that, too, for many years.  

How many times do I have to say I love his designs.  I am not against Linea.   I'm not comparing his DESIGNS to anyone else's, simply the fabric.  Sorry, poly, no matter how much anyone touts that it is different than it used to be, is still poly.  Some of us tolerate it, some don't.

You're bringing up things that have nothing to do with the OP, @WNYgal

[tipsy]

---

@WNYgal wrote:

I think you should stop worrying, Homegirl. If you can't "wear" poly, there are many other sites for you to shop on, perhaps JJill. Plenty of linen & cotton there. You won't find QVC's prices by any stretch of the imagination, unless you wait for their sales & can still get your size, but even they aren't doing much silk anymore unless you're willing to pay well over 100 bucks a pop for a top, which women who shop on QVC have already shown they are loathe to do, to say the least.  Those fabrics that LDO used to use are long gone, as he has explained, ad nauseum, to the rest of us who may still get nostalgic & hand-wringy. Again, QVC won't buy them, because the majority of their customers will not pay for them. On the other hand, his design ability, tailoring and attention to detail still beats every other designer on QVC hands down. Logo & Halston? There is no Halston, it's just a business name, & Lori Goldstein isn't even in the same class, & will have to come up with a new style gimmick before long because what she's selling will eventually go the way of the bustle.

Appropriate analogy LOL!

---

[Beccaboone2]

I am a huge Louis fan, and much of my closet is Linea.  There is nobody out there who has the talent of Louis (that I have access to, anyway) not to mention the knowledge, passion, and skill to bring us what he does.  I truly believe he is a genuine, lovely man and I feel fortunate I sort of stumbled upon him years ago.

Having said that, there are certain fabrics I don't like (most polys), or irritate my super sensitive skin, or are just too warm for the climate i live in.  So I don't buy them.  An issue for me that is just as problematic as fabric though, are color choices.  I am not particularly fond of "neutrals" - can't wear beiges/taupes/browns, don't care for blue, and really love and need to wear clear cool colors.  I find quite often colors I love just aren't available to me - when they are, I snap them up!  I think overall Louis is more drawn to warm, earthy type colors with an occasional clear bright color thrown in.  Most women seem to really enjoy the colors he chooses as most times when he asks for wanted colors in a reorder item, the majority want the neutrals and earthy colors.  I accept that my preferences are in the minority. 

I really, really dislike when others "jump" on a poster who they may feel is less than adoring of Louis, though.  The OP's original post made it clear she likes Louis and Linea and was voicing her opinion, not anything negative on Louis (who is a dear man - what could possibly be said that is negative of him?).  This is a huge reason I don't post on these boards hardly ever - Linea devotees in particular can appear to be somewhat rabid in their defense of Louis at times, and some posts almost feel "mocking" (hand-wringing - really?).  It's always been that way (to me at least) and yes, I understand the history and feel somewhat protective of him myself.  But there is enough of all the negative stuff spewing daily in our world.  I certainly don't want that here. 

In the meantime, I will continue to keep my fingers crossed for the return of malachite!