EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Sol Angeles

Sol Angeles designers Lindsey and Eli Meyers

Consider us totally enamored with Sol Angeles. The SoCal-based sportswear label has developed a cult following for the insouciant charm of their lust-inducing clothes, as seen on Zoe Saldana, Ben Affleck, and Kourtney Kardashian. Behind Sol Angeles are sartorially gifted husband-and-wife design duo Eli and Lindsey Meyers, who are also known for their previous label, Fortunate Sun. With their latest venture, Sol Angeles, they’ve carefully cultivated a collection of casual graphic tees for both men and women, as well as slouchy sweatshirts and tailored shorts in appealingly washed-out hues.

Their outerwear is particularly eye-catching. We fell hard for with an ivory pique blazer lined with Pacific blue stripes, but our truest infatuation was with a cotton hooded jacket with a fleece interior and nifty toggle closures, which integrates nautical and skate styles in a clever reinterpretation of the duffel coat for a mild SoCal winter.

Sol Angeles’ philosophy is perfectly executed in their clothes — Eli and Lindsey tell us that Sol Angeles is all about “the low maintenance approach to refined living,” for people who “appreciate versatility and can make something great out of something minimal.” (They certainly have.) We chatted with the designers about their creative process, celebrity style stars, and why they love their namesake city, Los Angeles.

NNN: You cut your teeth at Z Brand and Union before launching Fortunate Sun, and now, Sol Angeles. What’s the creative evolution been like?

Eli and Lindsay Myers: Our “creative evolution” looks a lot like our logo: It comes in waves — peaks and troughs. We shot out of the starting gates on a natural high, marching to the beat of our own drum, indulging our curiosity to make whatever we felt like. As we developed relationships with retailers and buyers, our brains got bogged down by “the plausibility of sell-through” — hitting numbers, running a business. The design process got a lot less sexy, verging on mathematical (and keep in mind that we suck at math!). Thankfully, we snapped out of that and started following our crazy again, which is a key element if you want to do anything unique.

Sol Angeles has a lot of celebrity fans. Which celebrity’s style do you most admire, and why?

I really like Ewan McGregor. He always looks comfortable, no matter what occasion he’s dressed for. I also have to take my hat off to the fearless Drew Barrymore. Her outfits have huge range, and she still manages to own whatever look she’s chosen for that day, making it look natural. But whenever we’re lucky enough to get pictures of people wearing our stuff, I’m happy because those people usually look pretty comfortable.

What are some of your favorite pieces from Sol Angeles’ current collection?

The waves T, which just looks good on people. Also, the women’s Sol Angeles sweatshirt — it’s the most comfortable garment ever engineered.

The waves insignia that’s become Sol Angeles’ signature is a distinctive logo. What was the inspiration for that?

As a recent transplant from New York, I find myself explaining to friends and family back east about the benefits of life in Los Angeles. The sun is usually the first thing that I reference, which accounts for the “Sol” portion of Sol Angeles. Having space to move and breathe is the second. Lastly, I try to explain that it’s a sprawling city which contains a thousand mini-cities within: business, pleasure, Hollywood, hipster, factory, hills, beach. The beach and ocean always go last. So the wave emblem is representative of the ocean and how it exerts a relaxed and rhythmic influence on Californian life — ours, at least! The three waves together symbolizes the harmony in which elements of life work together. Eclectic, unique, outrageously different pieces combining to make something harmoniously awesome: Kind of like Los Angeles, and the clothing we make.