On today’s episode of Wedding Secrets Unveiled!, we have a truly special feature for you! Christine Lindebak, an American designer residing in Spain, has transformed her love for vintage linens into a passion for crafting exquisite robes and loungewear for brides on their big day. With each fabric thoughtfully selected and meticulously hand-sewn, the final creations are nothing short of art. Whether you’re seeking a mindful alternative to fast fashion for your wedding preparations or wish to incorporate heirloom fabrics into your special day, Christine is here to inspire you to turn something old into your something new!
Meet Christine.
I’m based in Valencia, Spain and I’m the founder of a fashion brand called Lindy Lindy. We specialize in one of a kind, and small batch robes and loungewear made from vintage linens. All of our linens are sourced here in Spain. I’ve sewn since I was a little kid and have always loved vintage linens. When I was 16, I went to Alabama and studied French sewing techniques with Martha Pullen, a long-time expert.
Then fast forward a handful of years and I find myself in a Spanish antique market – with these beautiful vintage linens. I picked them up because I just can’t leave them behind. They needed to come home with me – and I started experimenting with them. Because of the colors mostly being white, it clicked that these should be beautiful loungewear. It was the perfect fit. So, it all came together and that’s how Lindy Lindy was born.
That’s such a great story. Someone always needs loungewear on a wedding day so it’s a great way to be of service to everyone getting married!
Yeah. And it’s definitely someone who appreciates the “something old” part of a wedding day. That’s what this is – it’s upcycling something that’s been made years ago, sometimes even 100 years ago – and the person who buys it really loves that element woven into their wedding day prep.
This could turn into something they have forever. It could really be passed down to generations to generations. It could be their something old, and then it’s something old in their actual family too. So, I just love that idea. With that said – why don’t you talk to me a little bit about the charm and significance of the linens you’re using?
Well, embroidery has been around in the mainstream since the mid 18th century from France and England. But the embroider that we know today was really made popular in the Victorian era. That’s when French and Venetian embroidery really came into popularity. So, it was happening in Europe and really came into the American mainstream in the 20th century. The embroideries that I find are usually around 100 years old, made between the 40s and 80s. Everything is definitely made by hand and nothing is done by machine. There’s so much love that was put into these textiles by someone a long time ago – the embroidery designs can be very very intricate and beautiful. There’s a lot of charm that’s built into the flat piece of fabric I’m starting with.
How are you finding these fabrics?
I’m really searching. I’ve developed some relationships in different places, like Barcelona and different parts of Spain. They’re not like in abundance, I would say. The problem is that maybe linens aren’t always in good conditions – they have some tears. I do repair and fix little stitches that have broken. So, I find them in various conditions, but I can really only get the ones that have been preserved really well.
Wow, that’s amazing. The actual fabric that you’re using has so much story to it. I’m sure that there has to be a charm with your craftsmanship and your process of how you handle this material. Can you take me through the process of that?
Yeah, so I think. I have a history in in French sewing and I really understood techniques that were from another time – like 100 year old techniques. So that’s the craftsmanship that we use in all of our garments. Things like French seams – which is basically where the raw edges are encased in another seam. Something like that is more time intensive, but it means that there’s no raw edges or issues inside the garments. It really ads to the longevity and beauty of the garment. These little details are really important to me, because they come from a time before fast fashion was a thing.
Do you hand make every garment?
No, I have an incredible team with me. We make everything by hand, one piece at a time. Every once in a while, I’ll get like 10 meters of fabric and we’ll make 3 or 4 garments out of it – but that’s about as mass produced as we get.
So, speaking of pieces, tell us what type of pieces you’re making!
We have robes and pajamas. Those are pretty much the two categories. Robes can be a traditional spa style robe. I also have a style that is has a round hem, with a high low so you get a beautiful shape in the front, which sows some of your leg. We also have two-piece pajamas set – a little top with puffed sleeves and a front tie and shorts. Those are definitely one of the most popular items.
They’re super beautiful, and you can also wear them on your honeymoon, or even just wear the top with jeans for a night or dinner out. We also have a new style I just created – a beautiful slip with French lace at the waist and gorgeous low V-back. This is kind of my first step into a little bit more like lingerie category, and people have been really loving them. So, I’m excited to do a little bit more on the lingerie category too.
So for our listeners: they can hop on your website and see some of the garments you’re actually talking about. But I would assume it’s safe to say that what someone sees online right now might not be there a month from now, because everything is custom.
Yeah, because there’s usually only one linen that I find in a style. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to find duplicates, but normally it’s just one – it’s made in a certain size then it’s gone. But, I do have an option that’s bespoke – where I post linens and the bride can choose which linen and style they want, as well as their size, so we can create that custom and ship to you within 2-3 weeks. So that’s a really great option, especially do if you want to put together something for your bridesmaids and you want to have pieces that coordinate in a way but need different sizes.
This is a great way to do made to order – but obviously keeping it custom. I love the idea of gifting something to your bridesmaids that’s custom and special like this that they may not buy it for themselves. So that’s nice that you can browse on your site different linens that you have in stock that you then can make for your tribe, basically.
Yeah, and I add new linens every week. There’s always something coming down the pipeline.
Ooh, fun. Is there any influence in your art that comes from you living in Spain?
Yeah. So being in Spain as an American – born and raised in Seattle, worked in LA and New York, working in fashion means that I see Spain through a different lens. Specifically in Valencia, the architecture is just so explicitly beautiful. I think that that definitely influences the embroidered linens that I pick up and am attracted to. Also, weddings and traditions are really held in a high regard here and I think that’s influenced my decision to do this bridal niche
The reason why I moved to Spain was that I was completely burnt out working in fashion in New York. The first time I came to Spain I was on vacation and I saw how amazing and balanced the Spanish culture was – and I knew I needed to move here.
I love it. And then there you were in the market, right, looking for all the different linens.
It’s definitely those beautiful moments that life throws at us that we could never plan that are the most important.
So, let’s say you all want to purchase one of the robes or pajamas. Can you educate our listeners about how they get those products in their hand and what they need to think about?
Everything is made one by one – by hand – in Spain. So that’s the first thing I’ll say: it’s definitely not a process. So, if you were to place an order today, you can always email with any questions about sizes or styles. I do have a size chart and product pages. But of course, if you need any help, you can just reach out to me with without a problem.
Once you place your order, we need about two to three weeks to cut and sew the actual garment. Sometimes it’s faster, but just depends on the workload, and then we package it up and ship it your way. Usually shipping to the US is taking about 10 working days, so good two weeks in order to arrive in the US. So all together, you’d want to have between four to five week lead time in order to get it in time for for your wedding.
That’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be, considering that this is a custom piece coming overseas! What are your tips for measurements for these custom pieces?
I do have a video that walks you through how to take your measurements. We measure your bust, which is just the fullest part of your bust and your waist, which is where if you tip your body over the waist, is the natural indent that happens. That’s where your natural waistline is. And then we measure your hip, which is just the fullest part of your bottom. The sizes are pretty standard and it’s easy to get your size from the measurements.
Now, what about fabric? How does someone understand what would be most comfortable for them?
Luckily, everything is either cotton or linen. It’s 100% natural fibers, which is something that I absolutely love, and those natural fibers are going to be the most breathable. So, if you’ve ever been to the Caribbean or a tropical island and you think of white linen – the breezy cottons – that’s what you’re going to find. Everything has been washed several times throughout it’s life, so it has a really nice soft feel to it all. And for people who are really into the slow fashion movement, buying these type of garments – they’ve already been washed, so they don’t carry any chemicals on them. This is a really unique to buy fashion without chemicals or fast fashion. So, if you have any skin sensitivities, or you’re just one of those really conscious shoppers, this is a really great way to purchase garments that won’t irritate your skin.
Tell me a little more about your robes and pajamas – and how they might align with the values of the person who’s buying them.
Yeah, it’s definitely someone who really is a conscious buyer. We have so many options with fast fashion now. It’s so easy to go buy a $20 polyester robe and basically throw it away after you use it. But that’s not for everyone. It’s a really great way to be a conscious shopper and weave that into your wedding day,
And it’s a really great way to start your wedding day – wearing a unique and fun piece that no one else is wearing.
Yeah, and you could wear or bring your robe on your honeymoon – or when you bring home your first baby. Whatever it is – all these amazing things that you can still use it and pass it down to other generations.
Wrap-Up Question
What are some key tips that people need to be thinking about when ordering from your site to make sure that they have just the perfect fit and the perfect garment for their wedding day?
Definitely take your measurements and if you need any help, you can email me with questions.
Consider a 4-5 week lead time – so plan in advance.
Think about what kind of shopper you are and what is important to you – where something is getting made, what it’s made from, and how that impacts the world.
What We Discussed
Meet Christine (2:43)
Charm and antiqueness of vintage linens (4:50)
Craftsmanship and process (7:40)
Product offerings (9:27)
Influence of living in Spain (12:33)
Ordering process (15:36)
Wrap Up Question (24:20)
Links Mentioned in the Episode
Find Lindy Lindy at Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
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