In Conversation With If Only If

“Nighties are a family affair in that they are an ‘inherited love’ passed down through our family generations. My granny wore nighties, as does my mum, as do I…  and now my seven-year-old daughter will sleep in nothing else!”  

With Fortnum’s being a family run business, we feel a certain affinity with If Only If and wanted to celebrate their wonderful brand for Mother’s Day, with this particular mother daughter partnership a dream come true. 

In 2020, Emily Campbell took over the reins of If Only If from her mum Issy who started the business in 2014, and has continued the pillars her mum held true - creating beautiful, comfortable nighties made from the best organic cotton and silks. Issy hadn’t been able to find the classic, elegant nighties she grew up wearing, so with her bags packed she was bound for India, knowing Indian cotton and craftmanship are some of the best in the world, and sourced their suppliers, who they still work with today. 

This is a business built by women, for women, and we were delighted to hear more from Emily about what makes this business quite so special.  

“I didn’t want my production line to be volume focused, instead choosing to just produce for ourselves (and Fortnum’s!) and ensure that the quality is exceptional. We produce on average 200 pieces of each style per season. We price fairly based on the quality and volume of material used together with the craftmanship that goes into them from our in-house pattern masters, tailors, cutting and stitching teams. Most pieces are hand smocked or embroidered and the collections mostly sell out before the end of the season. 

If Only If Nightwear is for every woman, no matter their age or size. We want our customer to know their item is beautifully designed, made from natural materials in ethical conditions and in a slow, sustainable fashion.” 

“How and who make our nightwear is vital to our ethical priorities. Indian cotton and silk are, in our opinion, the very best in the world and we have been partnering with our wonderful suppliers in New Delhi for over 10 years now. 

The fabrics we use are perfectly matched to our romantic float-away designs; namely lighter-than-air organic cotton voiles as well as buttery soft silks. Nightwear should feel exceptionally comfortable, and we pride ourselves on the material not only being the highest quality but wearing and washing beautifully. Your nightie will get softer and softer the more you love and care for it. A true old and faithful friend.” 

“The choice of the materials we use is paramount to our efforts. We choose GOTS certified organic cotton because it uses up to 91% less water than other fabrics. Selecting only 100% natural fabrics is important for our customer for breathability during sleep, but also, once at the end of its life, the nightie will bio-degrade and not sit in landfill like other synthetic counterparts. We also commit to using every scrap of material ordered - our accessories are made purely from what’s left on the cutting table. 

From January this year, we were officially Butterfly Mark Certified having been named Positive Luxury’s First Real Changemaker of 2025, meeting their rigorous standards for sustainability across Environment, Social and Governance. It’s something we’re extremely proud of and worked very hard to achieve." 

With Fortnum’s their only retailer outside of their business, we are hugely privileged they said yes to us. And thankfully the feeling is mutual as Emily explains… “Fortnum’s is a place for all, it’s cross-generational and celebrates tradition and quality, something we believe strongly in too” 

There’s nothing not to love about this brand, and Emily has shown that nothing but love goes into it either.  The honour is all ours.  

Selected range online | Wider range available in our Piccadilly store