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If you look on Homeism’s website, the main portal for the luxe loungewear brand started by Licheng Ling, you’ll find oxblood-color, Mandarin-collared silk charmeuse nightgowns and pajama sets dyed a number of soft, muted hues. The New York City–based designer incorporates these cozy creations into her own jet-setting wardrobe—the past two months alone, she has gone from skiing in Switzerland to attending major art fairs in Los Angeles and Hong Kong—a love of comfort that she draws back to what she saw on the streets of Shanghai, where she was born and grew up. “Shanghainese are famous for loving to wear pajamas on the street, in the parks, in the grocery stores, even when they are playing mahjong,” Ling says. “It’s a phenomenon.”
After studying fashion design at Donghua University in her hometown, Ling interned at Elle China and worked as a fashion editor at InStyle China, before moving to New York in 2010 to study fashion marketing at Parsons. The move West simplified and sharpened up her wardrobe—two-thirds of her closet is now composed of black garments, like any good New Yorker’s—and she’s collected a number of warm jackets to get through the long winters.
Her pursuit of comfort and simplicity, however, continues to dictate her everyday outfits. Ling usually opts for a simple V-neck cardigan with slim-cut carrot pants. She likes wearing heels, she says, but sneakers are a more practical choice for daytime, as an average work day might entail running around to a fabric mill or factory around the city (not to mention all the walking she does on her monthly travels). If she’s going to a gallery opening or a dinner later in the evening, she’ll pull out one of her opulent silk designs in a more dramatic hue, like burgundy, to contrast with her beige- and camel-heavy wardrobe. “I like to wear my own pieces mix-and-matched with other brands,” Ling says. “People love to see that loungewear can be worn outside—especially if you designed it.”
Here, see how Ling always looks at home, wherever she goes.
“In Tribeca. It’s still cold in March. After I had coffee with friends at Interlude, we decided to walk a bit in the neighborhood because the weather was nice.”
“In Maastricht’s Bonnefanten Museum [in the Netherlands]. It’s a very quick stop at the museum, and I needed to run to the train station after it, so I decided to wear sneakers with my day look: white cardigan, black pants, and sneakers.”
“The third day of Art Basel Hong Kong. I was having dim sum breakfast with my art friends, gallerists, art advisors, and collectors at a traditional tea house in Hong Kong. I wore this cheongsam-like dress by Ms Min. I love the color and flower print.”
“In an old longtang in Shanghai. I got these beautiful lilies from the flower market, so I decided to take a photo with my new Burberry dress.”
“A quiet Wednesday afternoon at Maggie Mao the Flora Art. This 101-year-old flat turned flower shop made me feel at home—that’s why I went barefoot. The light was good so my friend Maggie took this photo of me.”
“Having lunch, waiting to be seated. I wore a lot of white basics in Shanghai because the weather was getting warmer. This Burberry trench is a statement piece to go well with my other basics.”
“Having a magazine photo shoot in Shanghai. My friend Mei insisted to send me her own Prada dress because this is the only one in China. She told me the last person wearing this dress was the singer Faye Wong . . . I think it looks better with my Calvin Klein sneakers.”
“In my friend Jed and Michael’s house in Amsterdam. This house used to belong to Rolf Snoeren [of Viktor Rolf]; our friend Siebe did all the interiors when Rolf was living there. But Jed and Michael changed it to a more modern, vivid style by mixing their ancient Chinese furniture with Memphis designs after they moved in. I’m wearing a hoodie, which is super-comfy; the oversize fit creates lots of ease to wear it in a house.”
