somnus; Marcella Mullins and Lillian Ludlow turn their many collaborations into an artful new label.(Brief Article)

Byline: Jane Herman

VENUS & MARS

lillian: We named our line Somnus after the Roman god of sleep. It's feminine but also masculine, sensuous but also strong. Marcella and I love Helmut Newton for the power that he gives the women he photographs. To get a look that's not overtly sexy, we look to medieval art and Elizabethan silhouettes. By using mostly linens, the line becomes romantic, poetic, and sculptural.

NATURAL BORN

marcella: I was four years old when I went to my first estate sale with my father, who was an antiques dealer. Lily's mother was a seamstress. She'd make everything from cashmere scarves to square-dancing dresses, which Lily later deconstructed and wore with ripped tights. So we've always enjoyed the hunt, and are always on the lookout for vintage Norma Kamali shoes and anything that Karl Lagerfeld did for Chloe.

DUAL ACTION

lillian: We'll show up wearing similar things, like an Imitation of Christ