La Ligne was founded in 2016, emerging from and anticipating the accelerating trend cycle. While Instagram was still growing and TikTok hadn’t launched, founders Meredith Melling and Valerie Macaulay (then Vogue editors) and Molly Howard (formerly of Rag & Bone) aimed to create a modern uniform for the busy, social, and fashionable women in their lives.

Now, a decade and several stores later, La Ligne marks its tenth anniversary with the Perfect 10 Anniversary collection. Featuring Connie Britton, the collection revisits the team’s favorite takes on wardrobe staples, like a relaxed suit and a robe inspired by The Big Lebowski.

Below, the founders discuss running an independent brand, their regrettable 2016 style moments, and how their customer has evolved alongside them.

Vogue: La Ligne is celebrating ten years. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about running a fashion business?

Molly Howard: Everything was all-hands-on-deck in the beginning. Without the team we have now, we were involved in every part of the business. The biggest takeaway—something I understood from my time at Rag & Bone—is that success depends mostly on the unglamorous work behind the scenes.

What’s been the most rewarding part?

MH: Looking back at photos from shoots, trunk shows, and store openings is wild. But the most rewarding images on my phone are of strangers on the street wearing La Ligne. It’s fulfilling to know someone chose to spend their money on something you helped create.

Meredith Melling: We have a Slack channel for spotting La Ligne “in the wild,” and the whole team gets excited. When we launched in 2016, direct-to-consumer was booming, and opening a store seemed old-fashioned. Opening our first New York City store in 2019 was an incredibly emotional milestone.

Your brand focuses on consistent style rather than reinventing each season. Has the woman you design for changed over the past decade, or has she grown with you?

Valerie Macaulay: We ask ourselves this with every collection. She has grown with us, just as we have—from being socially active and mostly single to becoming busy moms and entrepreneurs. My own style has shifted; I rarely wear heels now, but that doesn’t mean I’m less stylish. It’s about redefining my uniform.

2016 was a notable time for fashion and social media. Is there anything you wore or designed then that makes you cringe now?

VM: Definitely. You never think it’ll happen to you, but…

MM: Absolutely. Should we talk about that bandage skirt?

MH: For sure. Though, to be fair, none of us actually wore it.

VM: I really tried. Early on, around our second collection, we thought, “Sex sells! We can’t just make oversized sweaters.” But… crickets. No one bought it.

MH: It was a helpful lesson. Why were we trying to be something we weren’t?

MM: It was a great lesson to learn early on.Early on, being consistent and developing this sartorial authenticity—is that something you, Meredith and Valerie, feel you cultivated from working at a place like Vogue?

MM: La Ligne was born while we were both still at Vogue, and it was partly a reaction to the hamster wheel of trends we found ourselves on with the rise of Instagram. One day you’d be talking about one thing, and the next you’d completely pivot. As editors, stylists, and journalists reporting on trends, we noticed that the chicest people in the office—the Graces, the Tonnes, the Tabithas, the Camillas—were all wearing something simple like a Breton T-shirt or a men’s Charvet shirt picked up in Paris. It was a real eye-opener: you can love fashion, be in fashion, and still embrace the idea of a uniform.

VM: I love getting dressed; it’s my daily joy in the morning, deciding who I am for the day and putting it together. That was clear to everyone at Vogue—along with the power of being inspired by the people around you. I wasn’t wearing the latest Marc Jacobs straight off the runway, but I was wearing my own version of the uniform we now create. I’m still that tailored tomboy editor I was years ago. I hope that joy of getting dressed—and the confidence and poise it brings—is instilled in La Ligne.

Speaking of which, I have to ask about working at Vogue during that era, especially with all the buzz about The Devil Wears Prada 2. Is there any nostalgia bubbling up? Was it really like that?

MM: I watched the movie with my three youngest children over the weekend. They hadn’t seen it, and their first question was, “Mom, did you run at work? Did you have to run?” And I said, “Yeah, we ran.”

VM: I’m totally nostalgic for it. I’m here for it. I loved the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy love story drama, and now I’m ready to revisit those Vogue days with the book.

So, looking back nostalgically at the time you’ve spent building La Ligne, where do you see yourselves in the next 10 years?

MH: It’s funny—they’re all laughing because they know what I’m going to say—but we made a deck before launching the brand in 2015. It included launching denim, launching home, going international… it was the most aggressive timeline. We obviously didn’t understand how things worked back then. But we have a lot of plans to explore new categories—denim, which we’ve entered, has been a big success. We also want to keep rolling out retail stores. And we’re still only in America, aside from a few wholesale accounts, so international expansion is a big opportunity for us.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about La Lignes decadelong dedication to its editorinspired uniform designed to sound like questions from real customers and fashion enthusiasts

About the Brand Philosophy

Q What does editorinspired uniform actually mean
A It means their clothing is designed to be the versatile highquality staples that fashion editors rely on dailythink perfect striped tops crisp buttondowns and elegant knitwear that mix and match effortlessly

Q Its been ten years Has La Lignes style changed much
A Their core philosophy hasnt changed but theyve thoughtfully evolved Theyve expanded beyond stripes into solid essentials new categories like dresses and outerwear and more inclusive sizing all while keeping that timeless editorapproved sensibility

Q Why is La Ligne so focused on stripes
A The stripe is their signature and starting pointa classic pattern that never goes out of style It represents their belief in building a wardrobe on timeless versatile pieces rather than fastfashion trends

Shopping The Collection

Q Im new to La Ligne Whats the first piece I should buy
A Most people start with their iconic Marin sweater or a classic Bettina tee These pieces perfectly embody their ethos and are incredibly easy to style

Q Is everything just black white and navy stripes
A Not at all While their stripe collections are iconic they offer a beautiful range of solids in seasonal colors prints and textures The uniform is about versatility not monotony

Q How does their sizing run
A La Ligne is known for truetosize fits with a focus on flattering silhouettes Many styles are designed with a relaxed effortless drape Checking the specific products size guide and reviews is always recommended

Quality Practicality

Q Is the quality worth the price
A Their dedication is to exceptional fabrics and precise construction The pieces are designed to be worn season after season making them a longterm investment in your wardrobe

Q How do I care for La Ligne pieces to make them last