In the haven with Lila Castle of Memorial days: East Coast Nostalgia Brought to Life

Written & Interviewed by : Hannah Corbett

How Lila Castle turned her grandfather’s legacy into a made-in-America brand rooted in family, nostalgia, and quality craftsmanship

Before Memorial Days became a clothing brand, it was a feeling—a memory.  Of sun-soaked summers at the bay house, cousins scattered under one roof, laughter ringing through rooms, and stories told with a spirit shaped by a life fully lived. For Lila Castle, founder and designer of Memorial Days, this brand is far more than just a seasonal drop or a fleeting trend. It’s an ode—to the people who shape us, to quiet moments of gratitude, and to the summers that stitch themselves into our very identities.

“We’d pack our bags every Memorial Day weekend and drive to Saint Michaels,”

Lila recalls, referencing the small, idyllic town on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay that served as the backdrop for countless family memories. On the way in, one of the neighbors always held a roadside memorial service. A setup with mannequins posed as soldiers and their families, an American flag waving, and a moment of silence held with deep reverence. My grandfather insisted we never just drive past. “It might sound strange, but it was incredibly moving,” she says. “Even as a kid, I would get emotional. 

Before Lila Castle was a founder, she was a kid in an oversized sweatshirt—fighting with her siblings for the softest one in her grandfather’s closet at the bay house. Those sweatshirts held memories: East Coast sunsets melting into long, salty nights.

Those moments weren’t meant to become a business. But after quitting her corporate job, traveling the world, leaving-landlocked-Colorado. She decided to give herself one unplugged summer to find clarity.  She tells me how she’s been a very private person her whole life. So when she kept coming up with reasons and excuses to not start a brand, her boyfriend said to Lila  ‘“why don't you just do it and see where it goes.” So, she started the brand she had long daydreamed about—Memorial Days. 

The brand’s name came from her sister. Memorial Day weekend was always the official start of summer—bags packed, car loaded, beach-bound. “It’s more than a holiday. It’s a feeling.”

And that feeling is exactly what Memorial Days has become: a wearable memory. Something that pops up on your For You Page and makes you think, I know that feeling, I want to wear it.

“I kept thinking about my grandpa’s closet,” she laughs. “People would ask where my sweatshirts were from, and I’d say—no, literally, my grandpa’s closet.”

  My grandfather had the best stories and the most positive outlook on life,” Lila remembers. “He was all about living fully—being with those you love, making memories, letting loose, not taking time for granted.”

The idea existed quietly for a while, but belief came slowly. “I never thought I could start a brand,” she admits. “I’m not an influencer. I had no TikTok following. I’d purged my Instagram and was pretty private. But once I shared the story, I noticed people wanted to listen. That was the turning point.”

That reverence for memory—and the desire to make new ones—is woven into every stitch of the pieces she designs. Inspired by her grandfather’s vintage crewnecks, Lila sought to create garments that carry the same timeless meaning. “They had these amazing mock neck collars with double piping, crafted from 100% heavyweight cotton that was still breathable. You could feel the quality in every thread. Those pieces lasted.”

Memorial Days sweatshirts are made in America, and that detail is much more than a tagline. It’s personal. “My grandfather was proud of things being made here,” Lila explains. “I wanted to control the process fully. I wanted to know the clothes and ensure they were treated well. It matters deeply to me”.   "I never want to get political," Lila says.

“But for me, the fact that I can start this business and do what I love—that’s what I’m honoring.”  

While her earliest collections leaned into red, white, and blue, Lila envisions the brand’s future to show even more range. “I love Nantucket, Cape Cod, all those places. That’s definitely the aesthetic that I want to keep. But I also want to create pieces that feel timeless—ones you wear all year.”

That distinct kind of summer feeling that comes from chasing the last light of day, sitting outside with friends, and wearing a sweatshirt scented with sunscreen and bonfire smoke. It’s patriotic, yes, but in a personal, heartfelt way.

As she speaks, her eyes drift to a mood board pinned above her desk. Always in sight. “It keeps my creative gears turning,” she smiles.

That story—of summer sweatshirts, nostalgia, and timeless craftsmanship, it struck a chord. Memorial Days isn’t about chasing trends or viral fame. It’s about building something lasting. Made in America, rooted in quality, designed to feel lived-in the moment you pull them on.

“It’s not about being the next big thing,” Lila says. “I admire other brands, but I want to do it my way. My margins aren’t perfect. I’m learning every day. But I want Memorial Days to be something you’re proud to pass down.”

After selling out her first drop, she hadn’t planned to restock. But when dozens of DMs flooded in, she gave in. “I said no restocks,” she laughs, “then I said okay, we’re restocking.”

Behind the scenes, she’s still learning—navigating manufacturing, balancing costs, all without a roadmap. But she’s doing it on her terms. And that’s the point.

“Even if I fail, I’m proud I tried,”

she says. “I told myself—announce it, say you’re doing it, then you have to.” And she is.  That moment is what Memorial Days is about: crafting pieces with care, made to last, meant to hold memories and meaning for years to come.

As we wrapped up our conversation, it became clear to me that this is exactly what the meaning behind brands should be — proud, authentic, and true. Not just about what we wear, but about the stories we carry with us, the memories we want to wear on our sleeve.  Memorial Days isn’t just a label; and Lila is making sure that some things are worth holding onto, with pride and heart.