Lacausa, the Laid-Back California Brand to Know Now

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The line between office-appropriate outfits and weekend-only clothing has been blurred in the last few years. We’ve finally reached the point where hoodies outnumber blazers in the office and laid-back denim is the norm among fashion week show-goers, but finding clothes that hit just the right balance of polish and comfort still takes a solid effort.

Enter Lacausa, the Los Angeles-based brand making cool-meets-practical essentials that aim to make you look as good as you feel about how they were made.

The brand name is made up of the abbreviations for Los Angeles, California, and the United States, a nod to both where the clothes are made and where founder Rebecca Grenell credits much of her design influence. It also translates to “the cause” in Spanish — fitting, as Lacausa is committed to manufacturing under the most ethical conditions possible.

“We’re very serious about working with fair factories and vendors,” Grenell shares, which is why you’ll find the Lacausa offices right above its factory in LA. The setup has allowed Grenell and her team to have a significant role in the sourcing processes and to build substantial relationships with everyone who takes part in creating the clothes.

“Our factory and office downtown is filled with wonderful people. It's been a true team effort,” says Grenell, crediting everyone from the pattern makers to the customer service team for the launch and success of the brand.

Lacausa opened the doors to its first brick and mortar store last summer in LA’s Silver Lake neighborhood after two years of being carried exclusively by retailers like Satine and Elyse Walker. Today, the store stocks the Lacausa collections in full (including accessories, like these great woven bags) alongside other brands that have similar vibes and ethical commitments, like Vero Verto and Solid State Studios.

The resort collection, available next month, offers billowy, bohemian silhouettes in romantic colors like deep burgundy and baby pinks, evolving from the neutral palette and oversized tailoring you’ll find now in the brand’s fall collection.

The jump from one collection to the next, according to Grenell, is another collaborative effort that starts with mood boarding and fabric sourcing. “We don’t always start with a theme to direct the process for each collection,” she says. “It’s often further down the line when we'll realize all along we’ve been thinking about a story, or a time period, or a place.”

Standout pieces, while hard to narrow down, include a sheer long-sleeved dress, a tie-dye midi wrap skirt, and a heavily-pocketed army green coat falling just above the ankle — the ease of California is referenced subtly but consistently in each garment.

Keep an eye out for the restock of Rebecca’s favorite piece, The Santi Jumpsuit, which will make its much anticipated return in new colors, ahead of the resort collection this month.