photo courtesy of Les Sól
Les Sol
mood board for new local shop Les Sól
Update 7/21/20: After publishing this post, Josh Sundberg announced on Instagram that he is no longer associated with the Les Sól brand.
Yesterday, sisters Megan and Mikaela Harrod officially launched their e-commerce boutique: Les Sól, a women's fashion and lifestyle shop, with plans to open a physical storefront in Linden Hills this fall.
"We had always envisioned building something together,” says Megan Harrod, co-owner of Les Sól. Megan brings with her years of PR and marketing experience, while her little sister, Mikaela, a fashion designer by trade, is no stranger to retail. Before Lés Sol, Mikaela spent two years working as manager of longtime Uptown boutique Cliché (which permanently closed after a 16-year run in January).
Josh Sundberg, owner of Cliché is also joining the Les Sól team as general manager. "Josh is a great ally and resource in all of this and will essentially be the face of the shop," says Megan Harrod, of the retail veteran.
The shop's name—meaning salt in Polish; sun in Spanish; and ground, floor, earth, and soil in French—speaks to the sisters' love of travel, and the merging of elements and cultures. Les Sól's edge? Casual, indie and sustainable brands with a subtle '70s nod and West Coast-vibe—Paloma Wool, Rolla's Jeans, MATE The Label, Just Female, and more. Most fashion items are priced under $200.
photo courtesy of Les Sól
Initially scheduled for April 2020, the pandemic threw a wrench in the plan to open Les Sól’s physical storefront. Nonetheless, the duo decided to go online first. "I kept learning about the smaller brands that were forced to get to know the online space better," says Megan Harrod. "We had to pivot and be resourceful, but ultimately, we thought it made the most sense to go online and understand e-commerce and establish ourselves digitally before moving forward with the physical location."
Instead, in April, the brand started by making masks (from up-cycled fabrics originally used for Mikaela’s clothing designs) and donating 100 percent of proceeds to Sheridan Story. After George Floyd's murder, they expanded the mask initiative and donated them to peaceful protestors. To date, Les Sól has given over $4,000 to the Roseville-based non-profit.
"This isn't how we envisioned our kickoff. We envisioned opening our doors on a sunny spring day in Minneapolis, hugging our friends and family and thanking everyone who helped us get here. But instead, we're fighting a battle so much bigger than us: a global pandemic. In practice, we are a women's lifestyle boutique, but at the core we care deeply about connection, sustainability, and our community," the brand said in an Instagram post.
The Harrods made it a point to incorporate more lifestyle goods (face and body products, scents, and gifts) into the offering to cater to consumers and their current buying behavior. “We wanted to incorporate elements that were easier to purchase from afar and online," says Megan Harrod.
The sisters plan to open the Linden Hills brick-and-mortar in September, in a new building right by Sebastian Joe's. 4353 S Upton Ave., Mpls., shoplessol.com
