Fashion industry veteran Meredith Melling had a lot on her plate last year: she helped homeschool her four children, ages 2 to 15, and spent months on the campaign trail when her husband ran for New York City Comptroller. In addition to that, she led the business through the minefield of the 2020-2021 retail industry: apparel specializing in stripes and linear patterns, which Melling launched in 2015 with friends and business partners Valerie Macaulay and Molly Howard She is one-third of the brand La Ligne.

A former Vogue editor, Melling was tired of falling victim to the latest fashion trends. But she recognized that stripes, from breton tops to pinstripe blazers, had become a fixture in the daily wardrobe of the fashion world. The creation of La Ligne was the three-person solution to effortless fashion that transcended trends. Says Melling, who is also La Ligne's chief brand officer. [Having run the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund (opens in new tab), which helps emerging designers launch their brands, Melling was acutely aware of the hurdles small businesses face when working with wholesalers. As a result, she and her partners made the conscious decision to launch the brand as a direct-to-consumer line, giving them more control over pricing and design decisions. Products typically priced under $500 are also carried by Net-a-Porter.

As an online brand that puts comfort first, La Ligne was well-positioned to respond to the pandemic. Graphic striped knits like La Ligne's Marine Sweater (opens in new tab) became the top of choice for zoom calls and waist-up socials. Still, Melling expects the brand to expand its in-person presence following the success of its Madison Avenue flagship store, which opens in spring 2019. Sustainability is another growth area: their newly launched Re-Ligne (open in new tab) program allows customers to buy and sell used designs on La Ligne's website.

We sat down with Mering (who admits she was hiding from her children and three dogs in her bedroom) to talk about the current state of her closet, her morning routine, and her most sentimental pieces.

My morning routine is... It's crazy. I don't need an alarm clock. The baby wakes me up. I usually put on my La Ligne pajamas and stay in them for a while. My husband takes the kids to school and I shower and get dressed in the meantime. I haven't found a good workout program that I can do at home yet, and I tend to cheat a bit when I work out alone. I do three sit-ups and stop. I thrive in an environment where I have a class instructor and watch others work out hard. Working out is something I want to get back this year.

Next up is skin care. I'm really into skin care right now. I don't really like to wear makeup, so this is something I can do because I've learned to pay more attention to my skin. When I was younger I was indifferent to skin care, but now it's a big part of my day.

I walk to work because it is not that far from my office. I listen to audiobooks and look around the city for inspiration. There are stripes and lines everywhere. Nothing is off limits.

I grew up in Boston, so I'm kind of a New England bohemian; I like brands like L.L. Bean and New Balance, which are straightforward and don't change much. I also like vintage '70s-inspired dresses like Stevie Nicks, but when I'm working from home, those dresses are a bit inconvenient.

[Before the pandemic], I was never a sweatpants person. I loved jeans. Jeans were very comfortable. Now I have a massive sweatpants wardrobe. My goal is to pull myself away from sweatpants. I am a little too codependent, but they are very comfortable. La Ligne jumper on top, sweatpants underneath.

Stan Smiths are my everyday sneakers (opens in new tab) and I wear my Emme Parsons strappy sandals day and night. I have them in every color, including these Emme Parsons anklets (opens in new tab), and wear them with absolutely everything. I'm also eyeing these Brother Vellies mules (opens in new tab). I wear them with everything from jeans to mid-calf dresses. I am a sucker for a straw bag. I use John Derian's French Market Basket (opens in new tab) as my daily purse.

I am drawn to sentimental jewelry. I can't travel without this charm necklace with my children's and husband's birthstones. I pick up random charms at flea markets. My mother-in-law gave me a very beautiful Cartier panther ring. I wear it when I want to be badass, it makes me feel strong and powerful. Also, I always wear something with an evil eye. Right now I'm wearing an evil eye bracelet. I like to keep good vibes

One more sentimental thing: a sweater I inherited from my late father, a gray v-neck style. It's a very fatherly sweater.

An original cream and navy combination marine sweater. Wears it to work. Also wears it on weekends. It has an industrial feel to it. My kids can't hurt it.