Behind the Label | Lido
College friends, Manhattan residents, and longtime world travelers Heidi Kelso and Fran Lombardi-Reilly are the creative force behind the ever-so-boho-chic label LIDO. These two globetrotters are on a mission to support local artisans, discover textiles, and promote workmanship in coveted corners of the globe. With the exotic and the wearable always in the forefront of their minds, this dynamic duo regularly travels from remote villages in Sri Lanka to the souks of Oman, personally handpicking every item in their collection. Read more about their travel inspiration and upcoming endeavors.
College friends, Manhattan residents, and longtime world travelers Heidi Kelso and Fran Lombardi-Reilly are the creative force behind the ever-so-boho-chic label LIDO. These two globetrotters are on a mission to support local artisans, discover textiles, and promote workmanship in coveted corners of the globe. With the exotic and the wearable always in the forefront of their minds, this dynamic duo regularly travels from remote villages in Sri Lanka to the souks of Oman, personally handpicking every item in their collection. Read more about their travel inspiration and upcoming endeavors.
How does travel inspire your collection?
Everything we do is inspired by our love of travel, which started 20 years ago with many winters spent in Southeast Asia.
Describe Lido in 3 words.
Global, Free-Spirited, Casual. We are a global brand by virtue of where we do most of our sourcing and production, and we're always influenced by other cultures. We don't follow market trends -- we buy what feels right to us. Our brand is inspired by beach life, which is inherently free-spirited and casual.
Your collection of products keeps growing, what creative endeavors are on the horizon?
Our NYC pop-up is launching May 5th on Cinco de Mayo at 681 Washington Street in the West Village. We'll be open for one month. A possible winter pop-up in Goa is in the works for 2014 - 2015, and we are starting to design some jewelry.
Who is your Muse? Describe the Lido woman.
The Lido woman is someone with individual style and confidence who doesn't follow trends. She is adventurous and not confined to traditional rules.
Tell us about your favorite piece (or one of them) and where you were inspired to create it.
Our favorite piece is the criss-cross long tiered dress because it works day or night and fits multiple sizes because of the back tie. People can wear it to the beach or to a wedding. We produce it in several fabrics.
What are your upcoming summer travel and/or vacation plans?
Summer the last two years was Ibiza and Bodrum. This summer we will stay on the North Fork (Orient) near our pop-up boutique in Greenport. We spend a lot of time traveling. This year was Morocco, Tunisia, and India. India is aways a few times a year, and winters are traditionally spent partially abroad in Bali, Thailand, or Goa.
Globetrotter Stats
Souk or Department Store?
Definitely souk.
DIY or Concierge Service?
DIY always for travel. We have never used a concierge service.
Buy Everything or Buy Nothing?
Somewhere in the middle. Editing is really important because we often want to buy everything we see and it's hard to walk away. 50% of our sourcing is about discovery. We try to think about whether we love a product in the context of travel, or whether we would love it if we saw it back home. We often find things in areas we're just passing through, so we have to make in-the-moment decisions. Quantities can be hard to determine, too. We've had regrets about certain purchases, and we've made mistakes passing on certain products or not buying enough of something. We are always learning.
Camping or 5-Star Hotel?
Small 5-star boutique hotel, basic guest house, or beach shack depending on location. A beach shack is the closest we come to camping.
Drive or be Driven?
Both, but in certain countries we wouldn't attempt to get behind the wheel. When we're in remote areas where nobody speaks English, there's a lot of value to having a driver. Communication can be really challenging and a driver acts as an interpreter and saves us time and money in the long run. In different parts of India we have our favorite drivers we always use. They are trustworthy and reliable.
Room service or Street Food?
Both!
Lots of Luggage or Carry-on Bag?
We always prefer carry-on when possible, but it's not practical when traveling for long periods of time so we have to bite the bullet and check bags. We ship a lot back.
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