Charina Sarte And Pie Alvarez Launch A New Loungewear Collection For Mothers And Their Mini-Mes
Growing up, my mom and I never wore matching clothes, but honestly? It's probably because we never had Noah and Nara.
After a tumultuous year (for kids and adults alike), Noah and Nara has stepped in to give every household a little taste of comfort. Named after the firstborn children of Pie Alvarez (Nara) and Charina Sarte (Noah), this emergent loungewear brand offers (what seems to be) this decade's sartorial staple. Case in point, how many of us have lived through 2020 in loungewear—and continue to do so today?
If there's one thing we've learned about fashion last year, it's that versatility and comfort go great together—and nothing spells it out better than thoughtfully designed loungewear for you and your mini-me!
Most of you might recognise Charina Sarte as the Paris-based Philippine fashion designer behind her eponymous fashion label, and Pie Alvarez as the former San Vicente Palawan mayor. Now, however, they've added two new feathers onto their individual caps—this time as designer and "mompreneur" for Noah and Nara, a loungewear line that's designed in Paris (by Charina) and made in the Philippines. It's an international celebration of design and comfort that's sure to be a hit for sleepy toddlers and (just-as-sleepy) adults.
"As mamas to Noah and Nara, we want cosy, fuss-free, and easy-to-wear pieces that will take us from playtime to sleep and back." Because the idea itself was birthed from women who are mothers themselves (and who therefore know the modern-day struggles of having busy schedules while also being a full-time parent), Noah and Nara sets are able to do just that.
And while the two friends have only recently launched their collection (in November of 2020), both "mompreneurs" say that they have big plans coming. "It was easy for me to want to collaborate with Charina and create a loungewear brand that would reflect our personalities, our needs as mamas and for our little ones," Pie says excitedly. "We have so many ideas we want to do with our brand, and we can’t wait to show you."
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Right now, Noah and Nara carries two styles of loungewear sets: the Classic and the Boho. The Classic, Pie explains, best fits those with a taller frame. It features full-length sleeves and easy drawstring straight pants. Petite mamas, however, can look toward the Boho style, which is a flatteringly cut cropped that comes in a boxy fit.
While the pandemic may have inspired others besides Charina and Pie into venturing into business—particularly loungewear—it's obvious that Noah and Nara's distinct look has won over the hearts of many. It's not just the innate cuteness that comes with matching mother-daughter clothes, it's also in the unique way that these sets are made. Interestingly enough, their designs are inspired by a traditional art form that originated in Jaipur, the magical pink-walled city of India. "Jaipur is where block printing originated from. The craftsmanship of fabric makers in Jaipur is one of a kind. We wanted to use these unique textiles for our collection because we haven’t seen much of it available in retail brands. Thus, we created our own," Pie explains.
Block printing, which is done by hand, is an intricate process devoid of the humdrum repetitiveness that comes with machine-made clothing. "[It's] done by hand by a skilled artisan," Pie says. "There are no machines used in the process, therefore, each fabric is unique. Each colour pattern is stamped individually onto the fabrics, the process takes time and skill, as the pattern must be stamped repeatedly across the fabric, colour by colour."
It's this meticulousness that makes Noah and Nara not just unique, but truly one of a kind.
While the brand is fairly new, Pie and Charina have promised that there are more exciting things to come. Despite working with a time difference—Charina being in France and Pie in the Philippines—the two "mompreneurs" are already cooking up an exciting new collection. "Charina and I brainstorm on a daily basis on what we would like our loungewear to be," Pie reveals. "[For the next collection], we are doing more styles and introducing bold and beautiful new prints. We are exploring more clothing and home accessories that will make it easy for you to stay cosy while staying in". And don't worry, this includes dads too, in the future! "Our dream is to create loungewear for everyone, even for men," Pie reveals. "Definitely stay tuned on what we have to show you."
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