Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnathan Hayden.
Hi Johnathan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started working in the Fashion Industry when I was a freshman at The Art Institute of Dallas. I immediately began volunteering to work backstage for fashion events, what we might call “activations” today. I did that for 8 years, through internships, while I finished undergrad, fly back from my MFA studies at SCAD in Georgia, and briefly upon graduation. I learned intimately looking at the craftsmanship of these top brands how quality luxury products were made and finished. After a brief adjunct position, I obtained a fellowship at Parsons designing for disability. That nonprofit research work kept me engaged in design while I worked for a beading and embroidery factory. I continued to build my portfolio and the opportunity to present my first collection in Tokyo came in 2019. Through the last two years, the brand gained some attention and support from the local NYC fashion industry via The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR), and Fashion for All Foundation (FFA). That led to presenting our most recent collection on the calendar for New York Fashion Week.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, so it goes without saying building your own fashion brand is a thrilling challenge daily. You are allowed the freedom to create your own ideas, but held responsible to see that investment have some return. I am still very much in that phase of still having to directly engage to see revenue come in. Beyond the obvious hurdles of developing product, original prints and textiles, fittings, organizing for a shoot/show/in-store or online event, my largest struggle that I still encounter today is visibility. We spend a lot of time making quality clothing and accessories, but without the budget to market or the person in place to relentlessly engage media, it is difficult to simply gain brand awareness.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a luxury womenswear fashion designer. I mainly focus on higher end day to evening ready-to-wear separates with some more formal dresses and gowns that round out the wardrobe proposition. I am most known for my classic, clean shapes that have a textural graphic aesthetic. We utilize beading, embroidery, and original in-house prints to explore both tactile and visual sensory stimulation. With our DNA rooted in technology, these textiles lend themselves to interesting experiments in 3D Modeling, augmented reality filters, and even comic books.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Being able to layer all of my creative interests ESPECIALLY if I get to work with talented people. The more, the merrier. I love a conversation about design – what works, what doesn’t, and that balance of giving your collaborators the freedom to imprint their own taste and identity in their work, but within the context of your brand for the same customer. When it’s successful it’s REALLY fulfilling for all involved.
Pricing:
- Butterfly Ring Set in Gold or Silver $125
- Alessandra Eco-Viscose Knit Dress $395
- Code Clutch Embroidered Italian Leather Handbag $395
- Evelyn Japanese Cotton Poplin Shirt $495
- Mireilly Trench Coat $995
Contact Info:
- Email: info@johnathanhayden.com
- Website: www.johnathanhayden.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnathan.hayden/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnathan.hayden/
Image Credits
Photographs by Oye Diran, Kilian Son, Rafael Martinez, and Christina Mallon-Love
