PLAY HARD
From London to LA to NYC and back. Fashion designer Jessica Horwell finds inspiration around the globe. Her brand Hardware LDN has been shown on catwalks in NYC and worn by influential celebrities. We find out what’s next for the edgy, provocative and comfortable fashion label.
Photography and Interview JC Verona
The last time I saw you it was 5 years ago before you moved to LA for a few years. Back then your brand Hardware LDN was at an early stage. So many exciting things have happened since then. Growing up in London, living and working between there, LA and NYC. How do you think that diversity of experience has inspired your vision?
I think it’s really important to travel around fashion forward capitals like London, New York and LA because you learn so much and for me, I get my inspiration on the streets, seeing different things. There’s so much culture in those places that keeps my inspiration fresh and my ideas current and I just feel it’s really good for my focus and I find it exciting to get to a new city and work on different projects.
You seem very passionate about culture and people – you take in and absorb from many different strands. How does culture influence your creative process?
Culture is everything for me. That’s why I move around between London, LA and NYC because the cultures are so inspiring in those places which is a huge part of my creative process. Although there’s nothing quite like when I get back to London and I have my studio and I sit and work on a collection. That’s one of my favourite creative processes. I just fully delve into creating something as special as I possibly can. The outcome really depends on my mood and my vibe but I have always quite a similar aesthetic, especially when it comes to Hardware LDN.
“Culture is everything for me.”
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
Humans are always evolving, right? So just as naturally as a human we evolve and when I started my brand in 2012, I was so much younger, just 21. Having it for so long now, I guess everything I do evolves with me and my experiences throughout life.
Does your approach differ when designing menswear compared to womenswear? Should men and women be able to dress more like each other?
For me I feel the clothing that men and women can wear is a huge focus point of mine. I like the non-genre. I love womenswear but I also love menswear and I thought that the cross over between those two is something I am very inspired by at the moment. I think that everyone should be able to wear whatever the hell they want. I don’t think there should be a “You should wear this or you should wear that” and now more than ever we are seeing such a crossover in men wearing women’s clothes and women wearing men’s.
"Everyone should be able to wear whatever the hell they want.”
That’s one of the really positive things that came out of 2020 and now in 2021 it is how gender-fluid people are. I think it’s really inspiring and important for people to have to see and to know that they can be like that and to realise it is ok if they want to do that. I’m all for it, of course. I think it’s super important.
What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
When it comes to designing, a massive part of me getting inspired was going to flea markets when I was living in LA or NYC or London. Obviously, we are in lockdown so none of these are open now. I want to walk around the city and see people on the streets or things in shop windows or patterns in the floor or things in my own wardrobe. What I wear myself or how I put things together is a massive part of my brand because my brand aesthetic is all about being authentic to my own style. I’m not creating anything I wouldn’t wear myself. My designs really come from my heart – they are my vision and my interpretation of fashion.
What can we look forward to seeing from Hardware LDN this year?
At the moment, I’m working on a vintage collection because sustainability is really important to me and I want to be part of that movement. I think everyone has to do their bit for the environment and that’s something I’m focusing on. I am working on a tracksuit collection just because everyone is wearing tracksuits now I think that luxury for people is wanting to be comfortable. People are stuck at home and nothing beats good comfy well-made, beautiful fabrics. I am also working on a new handbag collection, some jewellery pieces, a few non-genre pieces, womenswear and some swimwear.
“I think everyone has to do their bit for the environment and that’s something I’m focusing on.”
What is your advice for creatives during lockdown?
I think it’s really important in times like this to keep creative and to keep focus – that’s what is keeping me sane. At the moment, I enjoy to wake up and go to my studio and get up and be creative. It’s an important part of my day and it makes me happy. Try to make those creative projects you have in your mind happen. Keep pushing and don’t give up because this will be the time to pause to be creative not to run away from reality. You don’t have to be in a huge studio to create, you can be in your bedroom. Just keep passionate about what you do and make what you want to happen, happen. We’ve all got the same amount of hours in day.
To find out more about Jessica’s work, please visit her website or follow her on Instagram
READ NEXT
