“Robe de Voyage was started because of a photo of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart,” says founder Jessica Linklater. “They were having breakfast in the Congo in their dressing gowns, looking effortlessly chic, and at the time I was travelling a lot for work and growing very tired of white, fluffy hotel gowns. The picture inspired me to create a travel robe that was lightweight, versatile and stylish – something that could be packed in a carry-on for any getaway.”
The result is Robe de Voyage’s scribble-print robes (from £245), which come in a range of vibrant colours inspired by Linklater's travels: a calm blue for the Zanzibar design, evoking the waters off the coast of east Africa; a rich red for Malabar, drawing on the culture and climate of southern India; and black and white for Kyoto, inspired by Japanese calligraphy. Each of the lightweight 100 per cent khadi cotton garments (available as a long robe, short robe, or a men’s version) also features hidden side pockets and comes in its own elegant pouch.
The company’s tightly edited e-store also offers a selection of pyjamas, kurtas, shorts and ethereal shawls. Like the robes, the pyjamas (£260) have a bohemian chic-meets-Issey Miyake aesthetic, with their three-quarter-length sleeves and delicate pearl buttons that add understated polish. The generous shawl style scarves (£170), meanwhile, come in shades of coral and blue, or in monochrome, and make ideal travel accessories for chilly nights. Each also comes exquisitely packaged in its own handmade box.
“The collection is made in small batches, with the patterns cut in Paris by a retired cutter from Dior,” says Linklater. “They are crafted from handspun and handwoven khadi cotton in partnership with a collective of weavers in West Bengal, and then screenprinted and assembled in Delhi.” Robe de Voyage has also been awarded the Butterfly Mark in recognition of its commitment to sustainability.
One of the site’s highlights is the diaphanous Pemba kurta (£245) in a cotton voile print inspired by the play of sun across water, while the simple charcoal version (£195), with its mandarin collar and beautiful hand-stitched finish, is the perfect staple for home or away. The shorts (from £70) come in the Malabar and Zanzibar print and, like everything else, can be shipped worldwide.