Okay, besties, we need to talk about the “Main Character Energy” coming out of Utah right now, because it’s giving… very much the wrong chapter of history.
Enter Dressed in Lala. You’ve seen them on your feed: oversized neon knits, “unapologetically loud” patterns, and a vibe that screams “I’m a quirky rebel who doesn’t follow rules.” Based in Lindon, Utah, the brand is the brainchild of Lex Nevin, a former LDS “rebel” making waves for the “Lala Babes.” But their Muse de Lala Pinstripe Longline Coat is making us do a triple take for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s look at the “fit”:
- Vertical blue-grey stripes? Check.
- Coarse, pajama-adjacent silhouette? Check.
- BIG YELLOW STAR PATCHES? Bestie, check.
Now, maybe we’re “reaching,” but in what world does a dark striped coat with a yellow star not immediately trigger a “Wait, is this a Nazi concentration camp uniform?” internal alarm? Apparently, that world is Dressed in Lala, headquartered in Lindon, Utah.
It’s especially wild because Utah is the world capital of “Doing the Most” when it comes to Jewish history. We’re talking about a culture that, until they got caught and promised to stop, was famously obsessed with baptizing Holocaust victims by proxy. So if the neighbors have enough data to find our ancestors’ names for a post-mortem conversion, how did everyone in the design room miss one of the most recognizable visual traumas of the 20th century?
The brand’s mission is about “taking up space.” Well, mission accomplished, because this coat is taking up way too much space in our “Things That Should Have Been An Email” folder. The product description doesn’t even try to address it. It cheerfully lists “yellow star needlepoint patches…” like that’s a quirky selling point and not a five-alarm historical fire. Needlepoint. Someone sat down and crafted those onto the coat. And this is labeled a “Lala Original,” meaning Lex designed it herself in-house. Unlike every other brand in the Nazi-inspired fashion hall of shame, there’s no blaming a third-party supplier here. This one came straight from the source.
The coat is going for a vintage 40s-50s workwear look, complete with a chest patch and double-breasted cut that screams bowling alley and gas station attendant. Here’s the thing though: “vintage 1940s” is not the aesthetic flex it sounds like. That is the exact era we are referencing when we talk about the Holocaust. The “retro Americana” vibe and the most recognizable visual trauma of the 20th century are, historically speaking, the same moment in time. So no, “it looks vintage” is not a defense. It’s basically the whole problem.
You can see the whole situation for yourself right here, $198 for a coat that would genuinely make a Holocaust museum curator need to sit down. And in case you were hoping public outrage had sorted this out already: it’s sold out. In all sizes. People bought this. Enthusiastically.
While heavy hitters like Loewe (who pulled a $1,840 striped suit), Zara (who sold a striped shirt with a yellow star for children), and Urban Outfitters (who sold a tapestry with pink triangles evoking the badges forced on gay men in the camps) have already played this game of “Oops, Was That Nazi-Inspired?” and lost, Lala is still out here selling this. Is it a “coastal pajama trend” or just a massive blind spot the size of the Great Salt Lake?
Currently, the brand’s Instagram is mostly fans gushing over “cool patches.” But for anyone who spent five minutes in a history class, the vibe is less “rockstar” and more “historical trauma.”
In the words of her own podcast: Lex, we’re living in Lala Land, and the view from here is honestly confusing? Concerning? I mean, it’s not a Star of David, and I am certain that there is nothing hateful inspiring the design or purchase of this coat. But I mean, come on!
