Nearly four years ago, two women architects in Australia noticed a gap in the bedding and towels market: Rarely were soft goods made to last, few designs appealed to men as well as women, and there were simply too many options. With an architect’s attention to detail, Amelia McPhee and Roshana Lewis set about engineering the ultimate terry towels, complete with clever design tweaks and old-school charm. Here’s a look their new collection, Cleverly Laundry, currently available via Mr. Porter.
Above: A set of three Striped Superfine Cotton-Terry Towels includes a small, medium, and extra-large bath towel ($165). Every detail is carefully considered, starting with the extra-long terry loops made of superfine cotton (the same cotton used to make men’s shirts). A hemmed, rather than selvedge, finish gives the towels extra softness and ensures they stay in place when wrapped around the waist.
Above: The towels come in two colorways: grey and blue. Their extra long shape makes them versatile (the medium size can be used as a hand towel, head wrap, or bath mat).
Above: The towels’ grey tones give them a vintage, “smoky” look that will increase with use.
Above: Every piece has a stitched Cleverly Laundry tag and a sturdy loop for hanging.
Above: Cleverly’s Striped Cotton-Terry Robes, also made of superfine cotton terry, are extra lightweight, and are available in blue and red ($185 each). A small detail: The sash is rope-shaped, rather than flat, allowing a tighter, more secure tie.
Above: Like the towels, the robe is neatly hemmed.
Above: The collars of the robes are left open, rather than stitched into a flat piece of material, making them lighter and more “squidgy,” McPhee says.
Above: Cleverly Laundry also offers simple Washed-Cotton Pajama Sets ($160 each), currently available in grey (shown here), white, blue, and tan.
Above: The pajamas in white. With modern lounging in mind, McPhee and Lewis designed the pants pockets to be extra deep to accommodate a phone.
Above: The only detailing on the pajamas is the mother-of-pearl buttons down the front; McPhee and Lewis left everything else simple for maximum comfort.
Not pictured: Cleverly Laundry’s soon-to-be-available sheet and duvet set; keep an eye on their website for more.
For more homewares designed by architects, see our posts:
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