The Soleil Tote & A Vincent James Summer

An interview with Heather Sullivan, my most-worn VJD pieces, and seven summer looks.

May 08, 2026

Earlier this week, the Soleil Tote dropped over on ABBY ALLEY, and this bag might be my favorite we’ve ever made. So it felt deserving of a dedicated post! (This one gets a little long, so click over to Substack to read the whole thing.)

The Soleil Tote understands summer. It knows you’ve just come from the water, or you’re about to, or you’re somewhere in between with a drink in your hand, sun on your shoulders, and nowhere urgent to be.

It’s the bag you’ll take to the beach, the farmer’s market, the sidelines of little league, to the park, for a day on a boat, toting library books, and everything in between. And if you’re headed somewhere fabulous this summer, it fits underneath the seat in front of you - I tested it out!

When I received the final sample of the Soleil Tote, I was deep in the nausea stage of the first trimester. Planning a full photo shoot just wasn’t realistic. It was winter in Chicago, and I knew I didn’t want to photograph this bag in a studio.

I had dreams of flying to Florida and hiring a photographer and model there, but at that point I could barely plan more than a day ahead.

Then I had an idea.

As I’ve said many times, one of the coolest by-products of being a small business owner is meeting other small business owners who share your values.

Heather, founder of Vincent James, lives on Sullivan’s Island, and her line has long been one of my favorites. I sent her a voice note asking if I could ship her the bag and if she’d be willing to take a few photos with it. It felt like a huge ask, so I was fully prepared for her to say no.

Instead, she replied about five minutes later with an immediate yes.

The photos she took captured the Soleil Tote exactly how I’d imagined it - effortless, organic, and meant for real life.

I’m so excited for you to get to know Heather, Vincent James, and the Soleil Tote a little better.

Tell us about Vincent James/ your style

Vincent James is small-batch line of intentional but effortless women’s clothing ethically made from sustainably and regenerately sourced fabrics and fibers. I started Vincent James after having 4 children as a creative outlet and way to connect with the woman I’d since become. As a new mother I was always looking for pieces for my children that used natural and organic fabrics, ethical production and timeless but still special designs but couldn’t quite find pieces for myself that met the same standards so decided to start playing around with making things myself. My mom is a good sewer and helped. Her father, my grandfather, Vincent James, was a pattern maker so we grew up around sewing machines, being creative and solving problems by making our own solutions.

I’d say my style is minimal and timeless with a hint of elevated boho. I feel best when there’s a little tension or contrast in a look to create interest.

What made the Soleil Tote feel like a natural fit with your pieces?

The Soleil Tote was absolute love at first sight. From the sculptural shape to the organic texture and color, I knew as soon as I pulled it out of the box she would work so well with my wardrobe and lifestyle. I love it with the simple silhouette of the Gaia dress or Emma skirt to add a little boho contrast to those minimal pieces and with Hutton or the Jane tee and denim for a modern Jane Birkin feel.

You design beautiful, wearable clothing- how do you balance function and style in your own wardrobe and what role does a bag like this play?

I live near the beach in Charleston and have a pretty casual daily life but my nature is to elevate things a bit. I love that Soleil is sophisticated, chic and unique enough to take around town, sturdy enough for travel and gives my weekend beach style a chic upgrade. Also, with 4 children (and a husband who always throws his book in my bag) my beach bag can never be big enough. Soleil is the perfect size!

What does an ideal summer uniform look like for you?

I’m a serial outfit repeater and have been since starting Vincent James. It’s been so liberating to not think much about what to wear and just rely on favorites year after year. I love a simple loose cut tank like Cecilia or the V Neck Tank with denim or a knit skirt (Calvin or Emma), an easy linen dress (Edie), a button front linen top (Hutton) with a swimsuit or denim and a slip dress or loose fitting knit dress (Lou) for nights with a tan and something cold to drink.

My Favorite Vincent James Pieces

I met Heather at her Vincent James launch party, and I’ve been a fan (and customer) ever since. Beyond being beautifully designed, her pieces are incredibly well made - the kind you reach for year after year.

Here are my favorites, along with a few currently sitting on my wishlist.

The Tube Top: I LOVE this one and can’t wait to wear it again post-pregnancy. One of those pieces that feels both minimal and sexy.

V-Neck Tank: This was my first purchase back in 2018 (I think?!), and I still wear it! It might be time to get a replacement soon, but honestly it has been my most worn tank probably ever.
The Duster: This has probably been the best investment in terms of cost per wear. I get so much use out of it and I feel so good every time I wear it. I can’t recommend this one enough.
The Jane Tee: A tee shirt that feels more elevated than most. I love the slightly longer sleeve. I sized up (pre-pregnancy).
The Scoop Neck Tank: I love the ease of the fit on this one. It gives that perfect effortlessly chic look.
The Hutton Linen Button Up: If the duster is my best investment and the v-neck my most worn, this one has to be my favorite of all my VJD purchases. I get compliments every single time I wear it. My husband thinks it’s hilarious. :)
The Leigh Wide Leg Pants: These aren’t pictured above, but are probably either tied for first place or a close second to my favorite VJD piece. I wear them almost every time I travel because they are so comfortable. I’ve worn them to formal events down to with sneakers or flip flops. So versatile.

On My Wishlist

The Dress Edit: Vincent James Edition

I mentioned last week that I’d be adding a dress edit section to posts for the foreseeable future, and it felt fitting to dedicate this one entirely to Vincent James dresses.

I styled each look with a bag and pair of shoes, but truthfully, the beauty of these dresses is how interchangeable everything feels. You could swap almost any of the accessories from one look to the next depending on whether you wanted the outfit to feel more elevated or more relaxed.