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Why is everyone wearing this £245 summer dress?

hilary rhoda Millie Mackintosh leona lewis nap dresses daily sleeper - Instagram: @hilaryrhoda @leonalewis @MillieMackintosh
hilary rhoda Millie Mackintosh leona lewis nap dresses daily sleeper - Instagram: @hilaryrhoda @leonalewis @MillieMackintosh

What do Busy Philipps, Chrissy Teigen, Vanessa Hudgens, Brie Larson, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Lena Dunham, Katy Perry and Hilary Rhoda have in common…? Need another clue? Notable style influencers Candice Brathwaite, All That’s Pretty and Katherine Ormerod all have at least one in their wardrobe…

It is, of course, Sleeper’s Atlanta dress. If the name doesn’t ring bells, the design will - crisp linen, shirred into a stretch bustier, elasticated, voluminous sleeves that can be pulled on or off the shoulder and a full-ish midi-ish skirt. I’m sure it’s impossible to scroll through Instagram without spotting at least one person in the tell-tale puffed sleeves.

If the world was ‘normal’ and I ever left my house/went to work/caught the train to town, I’m sure it would be the same story - a quick flick through the Ukrainian label's Instagram reveals countless images of the dress, which is sold for £245 and is currently not available anywhere except the brand's own website. In the time I’m scrolling (all of about three minutes) two new shots are tagged. 24 hours later, over 30 additional snaps have been added in their tagged feed. Safe to say, the style has reached cult status.

sleeper dress Busy Philipps
sleeper dress Busy Philipps

Sleeper was launched in 2014 by two former editors - Kate Zubarieva and Asya Varetsa - ‘as a brand of high-quality, multipurpose garments designed to help you feel beautiful — whether you’re wearing Sleeper on the streets, or in the comfort of your own home,’ they tell me. The Atlanta was designed to be, ‘cool and very comfortable for any shape. It’s made with linen which we adore, as it’s breezy and looks great even when wrinkled.’ An ideal style for the year of the nap dress.

Victoria Prew, founder and CEO of rental platform Hurr says Sleeper is one of their most sought after brands. An Atlanta post on Hurr’s instagram received ‘over a hundred DMs’ from renters clamouring to get their hands on the style. What’s the magic? ‘It’s the perfect transitioning-out-of-lockdown piece,’ says Prew, ‘plus, pieces that are trending on Instagram rent best.’

Instagram is the perfect springboard for brands like Sleeper, quickly reaching a receptive audience and catapulting styles into the spotlight. Zubarieva and Varetsa designed the style to be worn, ‘on the beach, at a party with friends, for a picnic and even during an escapade to the market’ so Instagram allows us to see it in its natural habitat.

This season, the Atlanta sits alongside Cult Gaia’s Serita and House of Sunny’s Hockney as hit Insta-dresses, but, unlike the Serita and the Hockney, the Atlanta isn’t new this season. The dress was originally from the SS19 collection, and has been re-released for SS20 in a series of new colourways. Its continuing popularity is testament to the timeless design.

Bethany Rowntree, founder of online boutique Studio B, launched the style in April and has just sold out after several re-orders. ‘I don’t know exactly how many I’ve sold,’ she says, ‘but hundreds - it’s been one of the most popular dresses I’ve ever had online’. Rowntree even managed to persuade the brand to recreate one of last year’s colourways as a wholesale exclusive.

Karina Marriott, founder of the blog ‘The Style Idealist’ owns the Atlanta in two colours. ‘I love the throw-on nature of the dress,’ she says, ‘fashion to me is about confidence and comfort and the Atlanta combines the two perfectly. Plus, it’s mood boosting.’ Bethany agrees; ‘Customers love the shape and fit, they’re really comfy and the linen is beautiful.’ The style’s versatility is another bonus, Marriott says; ‘it’s a style that suits so many body shapes’, while both Rowntree and Prew note the piece’s popularity as a maternity piece.

Unlike last year’s cult hit - that Zara spotted style - the Atlanta is designed to last. ‘They’re handmade, the quality is premium, and the dresses are love forever pieces,’ says Rowntree. Sleeper makes to order, too. ‘Yes it means if they don’t have available stock I have to wait a few weeks for reorders,’ she says, ‘but it’s more sustainable, avoids waste and feels more special.’ Perfect for a world where buy less, buy better is increasingly becoming a shopping philosophy.

Kate Zubarieva and Asya Varetsa launched Sleeper to, ‘solve a mathematical equation that puzzles women of the whole world every summer’, designing dresses that ‘would take no time to put together’ are ‘suitable and multifunctional’ and ‘will look cool in photos after 20 years.’ For a multitude of devotees, the Atlanta seems to be the answer. If only I could find one in stock...

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