Choosing perfect nightdresses: your complete guide

Where we came from

Luxury nightwear is in our DNA at David Nieper. It’s where we began, back in 1961, when David and Rosemary Nieper started cutting out nightdress templates on their living room floor. Expanding to six employees soon came with relocation to a small factory, and then another move to the current main site in 1972. We’ve continued to grow since then and now have multiple factories, an on-site fabric print house and 300 fantastic employees.

We started making luxury nightwear from Swiss cotton, but quickly grew to handcraft a whole range of garments. From casual capsules like tops and tees to party-prime occasionwear dresses, we help you feel fantastic in the latest styles.

And we’ve never stopped designing ultra-cosy, touch-me-soft nightwear from sumptuous fibres. So whether it’s naps or nighttime, make sure you keep comfortable in the finest British-made styles.

Our luxury nightwear range

Just glimpse at our luxury nightwear range and you’ll discover everything you need for your sleepwear ensemble. Alongside best-in-class luxury nightdresses, cotton-rich pyjamas, dressing gowns and loungewear are waiting to take your bedtime and evening comfort to the next level. Because what else do you deserve?

The types of nightdresses

Cotton jersey nightdress

Choose a pure cotton jersey nightdress and put every busy day behind you. Luxury cotton jersey is ideal for nightdresses. Light against your skin and supremely soft, it’ll quickly become your first choice for a five-star sleep. We design all our nightdresses in loose-fitting, roomy styles for ultimate comfort – you might just forget you’re wearing it!

Woven cotton nightdress

Just like jersey cotton, our woven cotton nightdresses are featherlight and beautifully breathable. Their floaty coolness makes them perfect in warm weather, and ultra-comfortable all year. Take a look at our luxury nightwear range in summer and find lots of woven cotton designs paying hommage to the sunshine.

The difference between woven and jersey cotton rests in the yarns. While woven cotton yarns run parallel to each other, linking over and under in a cross, jersey stitches feature single yarns in loop-like shapes.

Bamboo nightdress

Sublime softness is just the start with bamboo nightdresses. Their lightweight fibres also treat your skin to fabric that’s smooth, breathable and naturally hypoallergenic – just the ticket if you have sensitive skin.

Bamboo is moisture wicking – it naturally ‘lifts’ moisture away from the skin – so keeps you cool and comfortable all night long.

Speedy growth also makes bamboo your top choice for thinking about sustainability. Growing hassle-free with little water and absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide as it does so, bamboo is your go-to for clothes with a conscience.

This geo lace nightdress is a beautifully understated choice. Prefer print? Try this meadowy style.

A short or long sleeve nightdress?

Designing brand-new styles every season means you can always drift off in comfort. Whether you need a long sleeve nightdress for winter chills or flowy cuts and floral prints, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect piece in our collection.

Summer nights call for airy designs and breathable fabrics. Luckily, our team make a dream of bedtimes with lush cotton nightdresses in sleeveless, short sleeve and elbow-length styles. Take a look at our range and discover styles to take you into summer.

Now, however, the temperatures are dipping and the nights are drawing in… so it’s time to hunker down under a duvet. Make sure you’re cold-weather prepped with long sleeve nightdresses in seasonal prints, bright raspberry pinks or classic cream.

Worried lace might be scratchy? Don’t! We source most of our trims from Cluny Lace, who have been producing exquisite lace for nine generations. We only select lace enriched with a softening finish to make sure it doesn't scratch while you sleep.

How we make your nightdresses

Designing beautiful luxury nightdresses

When the day’s done and it’s time for bed, all you want is to slip on a luxury nightdress and switch off in comfort.

That’s why we put our decades of experience into designing, printing and handcrafting timeless pieces you’ll treasure for years. From first sketch to final stitch, we make each nightdress right here in Britain to bring you a blissful sleep every night.

Because the more we put in, the more you get out.

Every cotton nightdress deserves premium materials

Soundless sleeps start with superb materials. It’s got to be quality from the word go.

Our cotton jersey nightdresses owe their softness to responsibly sourced cotton from the Naoussa in Greece. Draw your eyes from the unspoiled skies and vine-covered courts and glimpse into the hills, where you’ll see shell-white cotton growing among a carpet of green. This is Naoussa’s Supreme Green Cotton®.

Responsibly sourced from the family-owned Varvaressos spinning mills, Supreme Green Cotton® is sought after for its high ethical standards and excellent, long-lasting softness.

Varvaressos mills have been spinning premium cotton since 1908, and still maintain a fully transparent supply chain today. They don’t just guarantee responsible farming and fair pay – their cotton is grown exclusively from GMO-free seeds.

Watering is performed entirely by drip irrigation, too, which uses 40% less water than standard methods. This helps to reduce emissions, put less pressure on resources and keep your cotton nightdress beautifully sustainable.

Designing and cutting

Our design team put all their time and care into creating nightdress styles you’re sure to love.

‘We craft and design with you in mind,’ says garment designer Millie, ‘and we know you want elegant, perfectly fitting pieces that look as good as they feel.’

Once the design is complete, creation gets underway. Our on-site printed fabrics make their way to the pattern-cutting table, where skilled machine operators cut each panel to a flawless finish. We maximise cutting layouts to keep waste rock bottom – we’re proud to operate a zero waste-to-landfill policy.

Handcrafted luxury

Our nightdresses are made to last, and masterful stitching is just another secret to their success.

The David Nieper sewing team have years of experience – many have been with us for decades – and stitch each nightdress panel together with absolute precision. It tends to be the front and back yokes we stitch first, but each nightdress is different. Our team are incredibly versatile and adapt the method to suit the nightdress – each style gets star treatment.

Using thread that’s slightly thicker than ordinary cotton means our nightwear stays perfect wash after wash. Because styles this good should last beyond a season.

What’s more, broad thread allows for a little give in the seams, meaning your nightdress becomes more comfortable with every sleep.

Finishing touches come next – think fabric-covered buttons and pillowy-soft lace – before our luxury nightdresses are checked, pressed and packed just for you. Perfect sleeps in a parcel? We think so…