Meet Rome's Reigning Queen of Pajamas
No one runs a store like Shirley Braine of Schostal.
If you’ve been to Rome or are planning a trip, odds are that someone has recommended you visit Schostal Originals, a knitwear, pajamas, intimates, and socks shop that opened in 1870 and is now best known for its pajamas. I went for the first time last spring and had the distinct pleasure of being helped for a solid 30 minutes by its manager, Shirley Braine.
If there were a retail hall of fame, Shirley’s picture would hang in it front and center. She could also probably run for mayor of Rome and win. She’s supremely skilled at making everyone who visits Schostal, which is her husband’s family business, feel comfortable and special while offering some constructive criticism as well. You can trust her to tell you your size with a single glance or whether or not a shirt is sitting right on your shoulders. Somehow, she never seems frazzled, despite the fact that the store often teems with tourists.
At this point, an encounter with Shirley is as much of a draw as the pajamas themselves, which come in an array of fun colors and luxurious fabrics and which Shirley herself has had a hand in popularizing. This summer alone, the store was visited by Jimmy Fallon, Marisa Tomei, Sofia Coppola, and Harry Styles, all of whom posed for selfies with Shirley and the Schostal staff. In October, about two weeks before I visited, Gwyneth Paltrow stopped by.
Because going to the Schostal store is such an experience, I prefer to buy its pajamas in person. But you can buy them online, and Alex Mill also recently collaborated with the brand. I have a mint green shorts set made in ultra-lightweight cotton voile, and on my most recent trip, bought a striped green nightshirt (like this one) that I plan on wearing to the beach as well.
On the day I visited Schostal in mid-October, Shirley was slammed, so I came back towards closing time, and she generously answered my questions. Below is an edited transcript of our conversation.
How long have you worked at Schostal?
This is my husband’s family business. I take care of it with my son, Andrew Bloch, who is the fourth generation. Before, the store was on Via del Corso. We moved [to Via della Fontanella di Borghese] in 2010, and I started working here in 2012.
Do you have a background in retail?
No, it just came to me naturally. I’ve always loved our classic pajamas, but then I just got tired of them, so I decided to make some colorful pajamas that you can wear to go out. Fancy pajamas! And it’s going well. My husband liked Via del Corso more because he had his office there. This is a bit more chaotic, as you can see. But people like it. Here, you come, you touch everything, you pull everything out. You feel like you’re home; you’re not scared. Sometimes, it gets out of hand, but it’s okay.
It’s an experience. You open the envelope…
It’s an experience. Some young kids come in and do a TikTok. I don’t know if you’ve seen, but they come from Australia and every part of the world. Before, it was the sock shop or the wool shop. Now, it’s become the pajama shop.
It sounds like you had a role to play in the pajama evolution.
Yes, because I like the colorful ones. Sometimes, I’d go to the park or on summer holidays with just my pajamas. I love pajamas. I’ll also wear our pajama shorts with pockets and a shirt. You can mix and match.
And that was your idea? The colorful pajamas and pockets?
Yes, I get these ideas. They just come. But it’s not like I spend days thinking. Luckily, I have people who make them for me. I design and choose the piping colors, and we do it.
It seems like your designs are informed by how you live your daily life.
Before, we had the pocket [higher], but I thought it was useless, so I put the pocket down here. I have eight dogs, so when I take them out on Sundays, I put my driver’s license, dog treats…
Sorry, you have eight dogs?
I have eight dogs. And sometimes, I also take care of my friend's dogs. I love being with animals.
What’s your retail philosophy? What do you want the Schostal customer experience to be?
I like to welcome people with a smile. When I go into a shop, I hate when the people don’t look at you, or they’re talking among themselves. I don’t want this to happen here. In the old shop, 20 women were working there. It was two stories. They had to be like soldiers; they were all dressed the same. Here, with the younger generation, I try to be a bit more… Life is short. Be happy today because we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. I bring them food, I give them pajamas. We eat, we chat, we joke. I treat them like my kids.
Do you have a favorite store in Italy? Or in the world? Where do you like to shop?
Oh, that’s a big question. I get my shirts and all my wool stuff here. I wear a lot of white men’s shirts or our ruffle neck in linen, and I always wear one of our Schostal scarves; it finishes the look. I get my glasses mostly from L.G.R. Before, I used to go to Armani, but now, I have so much stuff, I don’t buy much.
Do you have a favorite customer interaction?
Oh, no. He’s lovely [points to a photo of her and Wes Anderson]. She’s fantastic [points to a photo of her and Charlotte Gainsburg]. This girl came recently, Gwyneth Paltrow.
I saw that! What was Gwyneth like?
Fantastic, she’s lovely. They’re all friendly. We also had Jennifer Lawrence’s husband [in the store]. Cooke! We’re all in love with him. He’s such a gentleman.
To keep up with Shirley, you can follow her on Instagram and learn more about Schostal’s fascinating history on its website.
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I’m going to Rome in March and will definitely be getting some new pjs. Thanks for the info 🫶🏼
Bought a pair of pajamas on the site three years ago, and it’s the best set I’ve ever had. Blue and white with black piping! Perfection.