An Interview with H.Lorenzo

A video introduction to our stores and company.

A video by:  DVcal

Filmed at H.L.N.R.  474 North Robertson Boulevard, West Hollywood

Read more...

Forme D'Expression, by Koeun Park

Interview by Kevin Y.

H.Lorenzo was glad to interview Koeun Park, the Haute Couture-trained designer of the emerging Italian men's and women's label Forme 3'3204322896 (Forme D'Expression).  Koeun Park discusses her approach towards the complex relationships between contrasting elements in design.  H.Lorenzo introduced the debut Forme D'Expression collection in 2005, and is proud to offer it for both men and women this season.

For you personally, what constitutes beauty in relation to clothing?

It would be difficult to define in one succinct way how I see beauty in relation to clothing.  I am attracted to the notion of a "severe aristocrat," as well as a soft and fragile feeling.  But whatever elements make such clothing beautiful, they must be in play with the wearer, and in either perfect harmony or a complementing contrast with their personality.  Clothes that appear to have been worn with history, all one's life - that is beautiful - so that the pieces become him, not the other way around.

How does your approach to ready-to-wear differ than your approach to Haute Couture?

Haute Couture is a pure spontaneous obsession of minute and painstaking individual efforts applied to every angle of making a single garment for a specific client.  A true luxury of all.  I admire the patience of artisan coutrieres, and their single aim of suiting the client's requirements.  I'm not really attracted to the shapes or products of modern Parisian Haute Couture scenes, but I do admire the spirit of couture, that is, the feel of hand and soul in the garment.  My clothes are ready-to-wear, nothing compared to the Haute Couture standards.  They are necessarily compromised by the demands of the commercial sphere.  But I hand cut all my productions and fuse, mark, and prep each garment one-by-one before the sewing process.  My staff and I hand treat all the pieces individually in the post production, putting an immense amount of time and effort into the collection.  It adds to the final character of the garment before they get packaged and delivered to the stores with whom I partner.  I see every single piece off - it's like sending off a child out into the world.  Whenever I get tired, I think of my customer who will be wearing the pice.  Then I come back to the place where I started. 

How does your approach to womenswear differ than your approach to menswear?

The origin may differ, but there is always a huge synergy between my designs for both genders.  I always start my season with menswear.  Not only because menswear is ahead on the calendar but also because I like to explore new tailored structures and the new developments in fabrics each season.  Designing men's and women's eventually becomes the same in essence, but since I am very interested in tailoring I see more possibility to do what I like with  the men's collection. 

My dominant theme, which never changes (especially in men's clothing) is "essence."  By that I mean simplicity.  I like men's clothes because they retain a simple integrity when compared to most of the women's clothing out there that's often merely visually entertaining.  My next focus is "comfort" - both mental and physical.  In order to achieve this you must understand how the jersey should hang on your skin.  You must create something comfortable in which someone can be both amused and confident.  But most importantly, it should not look too serious.  That's where the masculine element becomes significant  to bring in a balance.  The mood of men's design permeates the process of designing womenswear, since I personally try on the men's prototypes.  The softness in womenswear breaks the severity of the men's tailoring.  There's some amazing feedback in the conversation between menswear and womenswear.  I've been working for a while now creating soft tailoredware, structured garments from jersey and sweat fabrics.  Exploring this interplay between the sharp tailoring and soft fabrics, there are no limits.  I think this has become a signature of Forme D'Expression - blending tailoring and softness together.

Read more...

Continue Reading...

Augusta, by Simone Cecchetto

Interview by Kevin Y.

H.Lorenzo interviewed Simone Cecchetto, the singular designer and creator of the artisanal leather line Augusta.  Lauded for its rumpled, old-world leather footwear crafted from exotic hides, Augusta provides special leatherworks to the H.Lorenzo boutiques.  Simone Cecchetto constructs every shoe by hand and even cultures his own leather, distinguishing himself as one of the most passionate leather artisans today.  Below are excerpts from a meeting at our boutiques in Los Angeles.  

- Square One -

( Words by Simone Cecchetto )

"I never studied to design shoes.  I studied, worked, and evolved through 3 years of self-study.  In 3 years, I explored all the possibilities for shoemaking, starting with the stitch.  Then I was able to start designing a collection.  The first collection used with a simple stitch - a blake stitch - and then in every successive season I tried to develop new shapes, develop new styles, and develop new ways of stitching.   

Regarding the shape, I experimented with a square shape, a round shape, etc.  I think every season I develop 10, 20 shapes in research.  But when finally I go to Paris for the presentation, I think I present only about 2 or 3 new shapes.  And so before, the research for the shape is incredible.  I study and I find inspiration from many different sources.  There was one artist...what was his name?  I think it was  Norman Rockwell an illustrator for the New York Times maybe 70 years ago.  I found this old book of Norman Rockwell and it served as inspiration.  I don’t remember if it was the first or second collection I did, but I was also inspired by Japanese manga.  And so for every season my inspiration evolves and I'm led to develop new shapes.  I develop for the moment and my design is spontaneous.  I design for the inspiration i find in just one minute, it’s crazy.  People can’t understand why when they go to the showroom they see so many variations of shape - there's one a little bigger and another one just a little bit smaller.  But all these variations are just for me.  Because I design so I can be satisfied, and so I need to explore all the different possibilities of shapes.  My designs are probably good for one day, but not for the next.   So the work in the back is incredible – for the leather, for the shape, for all, it’s very complicated to develop one pair of shoes.  It’s super complicated.  I always start with the leather - I study the leather hides, then I select one and experiment with it, try it, feel it, and explore all its tactile properties.  I always search for the perfect leather.  After selecting the leather, then I can concentrate on developing the shoes, starting with studying the shape, but also how the leather molds to the desired shape.

Read more...

Continue Reading...

Lost&Found, By Ria Dunn

  

Interview by Kevin Y.

H.Lorenzo had the pleasure to interview Ria Dunn, creator of the artisanal Tuscan label Lost&Found, to hear her meditations on design.  Lost&Found produces phenomenal menswear and womenswear, and we read a complex interplay of nonchalance, experimentation, and luxurious elegance in this season's offerings.  Like many things we esteem, Lost&Found is a label whose details are its most salient features, and so it should be experienced firsthand to be appreciated in full.   

How did the label “Lost&Found” originate?

Lost & Found originated from my desire to create something that could communicate to a customer more deeply and could represent something meaningful.  I had worked in the clothing industry for many years and I was stuck in this cycle of disposable fashion.  I was tired of it and decided that I wanted to do something opposite of that world.  I wanted to create clothing that would remain with time, clothing that was intriguing in a deeper sense.  I wanted to create a way of dressing that was more introspective and private.  So I began to think about discovery and loss...and it's cycle...and this was the creation of Lost & Found.

Using labor-intensive techniques, Lost&Found seems to reclaim romantic traditions with regards to how clothing is made.  What compelled you to choose this path?

It was not really a choice I made, but it was really the instinctive and natural way I've always wanted to make clothes.  I am compelled to go extremely deep in all of the research and development of a piece/a collection.  I am an emotional person, and I need that you can pick up a garment and find something personally revealed in it.  I can only do that by starting the creation process right from the first material.

Read more...

Continue Reading...