Introducing Ari Dein: deco-inspired nightwear

We’ve all seen the film scene a hundred times: it’s a period drama, perhaps a murder-mystery, and the heroine with perfectly finger-waved hair and red lipstick is gazing restlessly out the window of her hotel suite onto 1930′s Manhatten. She’s holding a long cigarette and she’s wearing some incredibly glamorous silk nightgown that you’re certain doesn’t exist in the real world. But the gown now does exist, of course, and Ari Dein is the designer.

A granddaughter of the New York fashion industry, Ari Dein’s creator Arielle Shapiro is in love with a forgotten era of old New York, a city of gracefully designed boutique hotels and art deco design. She’s created Ari Dein to harken back to that old-world luxury, and her first collection is a celebration of sumptuous fabrics and designs. Made of silk charmeuse, silk chiffon and trimmed with hand-applied silk georgette, Ari’s pieces are all of an uncompromising luxury and finish.

The designs are equally indulgent, but they get away with it by way of sheer wow factor. We never knew that we needed a transparent silk robe topped with a hood, but after seeing “Lillian,” (above, left) we’re certainly warming to the idea. In fact, we think the long gowns are the best pieces in the collection – the criss-crossed back “Boutique Hotel Gown” (above, right) in flesh-coloured “lust” is also stunning, and shows off Ari’s deco influences beautifully.

The collection also includes some gorgeous high-waisted knickers (cleverly called “Petit Mort”), as well as a handful of other nightwear essentials including boyshorts, a camisole, chemise and a stunning short hooded robe. Prices for the collection range from $250-$700, and all pieces are produced in Manhatten. Ari has just launched so she is currently looking for stockists – if you’re interested in the collection, you can e-mail her at ari@aridein.com. You can find out more information about the label at the Ari Dein website.

All images copyright ARI DEIN LLC 2010 (Hannah Heinrich Photography)