An Afternoon with Hollister and Porter Hovey

Tucked away in a loft building in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, you’ll find the home of Hollister and Porter Hovey, authors of the book Heirloom Modern. One chilly spring afternoon, they invited us into their apartment to explore their vast collection of heirlooms, and to chat about everything from their inspiring magpie ways to what it’s like working alongside one’s sister.

A: How did you first become interested in collecting heirlooms?

P: It was family-influenced for us. Our mom was always a shopper, so it started with her and we’ve expanded on her interests and made them our own.

H: Our parents were collectors, but not the type who would buy 80 pieces of the same thing, like baseball cards. I am a little more obsessive-I have 30 pith helmets. And we’ve always loved the stories behind objects and the family folklore that comes with them.

A: What is your most treasured possession?

P: The painting of the hunter—it’s nice because it reminds me of all the times we spent going to the antique store with our mom. She was really hesitant about the purchase and had to think about it for a day before going back to the store and buying it. It was a huge deal, because where was she going to put a life-size portrait of a hunter in our house? But she loved it and she made it work, and over time he sort of became a member of our family.

A: What are your five most treasured items?

P: The hunter, the Hermes scarf, the mirror, the Scottish prints, and the desk-all items from our childhood home. I also really love our chandelier—it was one of our first purchases for our apartment we live in now.

A: What is your biggest inspiration?

P: Definitely our family, the stories they tell and how they always surprise us. Our grandma is pretty tight-lipped, but out of nowhere she’ll tell you a story from when she was 16. She was at her boyfriend Bill Holden’s house, slurping a Coke, when his parents walked in, and she was so embarrassed! I love stories like that.

A: What era has influenced you the most:

H: The time from World War I to World War II. Even when I was a little kid, I thought movies with ’20s and ’30s fashion were so much better than when I was growing up in the ’80s. I yearned for a time when men were elegant and women wore flapper dresses.

A: What is your favorite place you’ve ever visited?

P: Istanbul—it’s the perfect combination of East-meets-West and completely unlike anywhere we’ve ever been before. We hunted for days before we found the antiques market, which made it all the more special when we found it. The art scene is really interesting, too. All of the artists featured in the modern art museum were Turkish, which was really refreshing.

H: London is the place where we’ve found the best antiques. We adore it, but it’s also not as adventuresome finding things there. We just go down to Portobello Road and love everything. The last time we were there we had bought heaps of things in under 45 minutes.

A: What’s it like working together?

P: We know each other so well that we’re always on the same page in terms of aesthetics. We never fight and we never have to ask questions. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

A: Tell us about the book Heirloom Modern.

H: Initially we wanted to make an advice book that would help people understand the things they love and how that should impact their home design. But eventually we realized we wanted it to be different from other interiors books, and instead decided to focus on our family and friends and the stories behind their homes and the objects they love.

A: Do you have any advice for people decorating their space?

P: Buy what you love. It will all come together because it represents who you are.

H: Think about the most fun vacation you took when you were a little kid. Think about the prettiest movie you’ve ever seen. First impressions are very important, and the things that resonated with you when you were five will still resonate when you are fifty.

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Five Things With t.la

Confession: we got it bad—we’re talking really bad—for t.la tees. So it goes without saying that we jumped at the chance to tour their studio in the heart of Los Angeles’ garment district, and ask them—you guessed it—five pressing questions.

A: Ok, first things first: what does ‘t.la’ stand for?

t.la: T-shirts made in LA, and true love always.

A: Tell us a bit about your small-yet-mighty team.

t.la: Our design team comes from various backgrounds. Collectively we have many years of experience in the garment industry—some from design and fashion merchandising, others from retail and manufacturing.

A: Explain what’s so unique about your tees.

t.la: The mix of high-quality fabrics, soft mineral washes and comfortable silhouettes with special interior love marks (i.e., details).

A: Do you have a process for choosing colors?

t.la: It starts with inspiring photographs. Then we research color trends to create a wearable palette each season.

A: Why t-shirts?

t.la: Everyone wears t-shirts. Plus, t-shirts have a way of always making you feel good.

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Book Club: Heirloom Modern

Sisters Hollister and Porter Hovey, authors of the book Heirloom Modern, have a unique interior design philosophy that emphasizes the personal history and experiences of each home’s inhabitants. An anthology of must-see spaces belonging to friends and family, the book provides a glimpse into how each drew inspiration from their past and incorporated it into their present-day homes. Check out some of our favorite spreads: 

Our grandma has beautiful taste-we’re so lucky that she’s still alive and lives right uptown. She’s hilarious. Every time she visits she completely rearranges the furniture—she can’t handle asymmetry and non-organized furnishing!” - Hollister Hovey

“[When designing your space] personality is most important. We always say that no one responds to being in 2013. You have layers of experiences throughout your whole life that make you who you are. There should be relics of your family’s past and your experiences. That makes it more comfortable for you and the people coming into your home.” - Hollister Hovey

“It’s not a book to buy if you want tips. It’s a book to be read lightly and enjoyed for its stories and photos.” - Porter Hovey

“Our greatest extravagance? Traveling. Our mom said regardless of where you go, try to stay at a nice place. Just take one vacation a year and make it really special. Treat yourself to one really big purchase because you’ll remember it for your whole life and the memory of a different place and culture will never be taken away from you.” - Porter Hovey

Real Talk: Denim Brands

When it comes to jeans, we all play favorites, forever loyal to a wash, silhouette, or beloved brand. So perhaps you’ll find a new object of your denim affection among this lineup of brands we’ve come to know and love. Don’t worry, there’s always room for one more devotee.

CURRENT/ELLIOT

Give us a little background on your brand.

Current/Elliot was launched in July 2008, and was born out of a love for vintage denim and its Americana roots.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

We are constantly inspired by the past, yet always looking to the future. We love James Dean in Giant, and of course everything about Levi’s 501.

Describe the jeans of your youth.

Washed and worn down—perfect!

Give us your denim philosophy, in five words or less:

It’ll take six: Love to wear, wear to love.

-Serge Azria, CEO and Creative Director

AG ADRIANO GOLDSCHMIED

Give us a little background on your brand.

AG Adriano Goldschmied started in 2000 as a partnership between my father, Yul Ku, and Adriano Goldschmied. My father was one of the best jeans producers in the world, and Adriano was widely considered one of the best denim designers, so it seemed to be a great partnership.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

Street style, vintage clothing, art and music.

Describe the jeans of your youth.

As a kid, you don’t really think much about the jeans you’re wearing. My jeans were always just a utilitarian choice.

Describe the jeans you were wearing five years ago.

I was probably wearing our Protégé in raw Italian denim. I would wear them nearly every day for as long as I could before washing them.

What’s the next must-have pair?

For Spring ‘13, we think women will be looking for vintage-inspired jeans. Jeans with more wear and love, and also with holes and destruction.

Give us your denim philosophy, in five words or less:

Chic. Sophisticated. Classic.

-Sam Ku, VP and Creative Director

MOTHER

Give us a little background on your brand.

Mother was born in 2008, at a time when black jeggings were all the rage. It was born not out of the need to create another denim brand but out of a need to create something unique, something special.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

Every season we pick a song or band, an artist, a rug. This recipe brings tone, color and texture to our designs.

Describe the jeans of your youth.

Easy one: Girbaud stonewashed x-wing fighter pegged jeans, everyday.

Describe the jeans you were wearing five years ago.

Literally the same pair I’m wearing now.

What’s the next must-have pair?

A wider straight-leg jean. Ours is called The Pretender, and it has a marbled vintage wash.

Give us your denim philosophy, in five words or less:

Don’t you want me, baby?

-Time Kaeding, Designer

How-To: Dip-Dye

Call us hippies-at-heart if you must, but one of our favorite DIY techniques is dip-dyeing. In this three-part series, we’re going to show you how to dip-dye items from your bedroom, closet and kitchen. First up is a cotton pillowcase. We chose a dark blue dye that reminded us of our buyer’s inspiration trip to the Aegean, but you can use any dye you wish.

One of the most important things before undergoing any DIY project is to be prepared! We like to set out all of our supplies beforehand so we don’t realize we’re missing something halfway through.

Boil one gallon of water in a kettle. Pour the package of RIT dye into the bottom of your large glass bowl and pour the boiling water over the dye.

Put on your rubber gloves and stir the dye and water with a wooden spoon. Make sure to stir thoroughly until all dye is dissolved—you don’t want any powder left behind. Once completely dissolved, add the laundry detergent and continue to stir.

In a sink, wet your pillowcase to the point you wish the dye to reach. We suggest half to 3/4 of the way up from the bottom. Twist out all excess water to make sure it won’t drip.

Lower your pillowcase into the dye solution to the point where you dampened it. This initial dip-dye needs to be very quick, as the dye absorbs very fast. Literally dip and pull out to the next section. This can be as thin or as wide as you like.

Let the color develop in the second section for 20 seconds and pull the pillowcase up to the last section. Hold this last section for 30 seconds or more, depending on how saturated you want the color.

Pull out the pillowcase, making sure to keep your hands on only the part with dye, so to not spread color to the white section. Twist out all excess dye.

Head back to the sink and run the dip-dyed section of the pillowcase under lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Twist out all excess water, again keeping clear of the white section.

Leave your pillowcase to dry and when ready, wash it on its own to ensure it does not leak any excess dye on your other clothing. Voila! It’s time to pull onto your pillow, sleepyhead.

Spotlight: Women Farmers

Between soil and sky. That’s where you’ll find urban farmers Michelle Cotton and Tara Kolla on any given day, and it’s precisely where we happened upon them while shooting our June 2012 catalog in the outskirts of Los Angeles. Their small-scale homesteads are delights to behold and each begets a lifestyle so grounded, so natural, so inspiring, we had to share their stories.

Tara Kolla is something of a pioneer in the urban farming movement: over the last decade, she’s transformed her backyard on the east side of L.A. into a lush and thriving flower garden. The once barren and rock-hard plot now hosts sweet peas, poppies and zinnias aplenty, all grown without the use of chemicals and sold at local farmer’s markets. Of course, the land has left its mark on Kolla, too: her fingers sport a fine film of dirt, while her face carries a sun-kissed smile of content.

Instagram

Say hello to the winners of our #APerfectPair contest with @agjeans —
@floralthoughts, @betsytrem @saryi87! We’re crazy about their head-to-toe looks featuring AG Jeans and yours truly, and can’t wait to see how they wear their winnings. Many thanks to all who entered!

Where I Work: Tami

Go ahead, call her taste particular: she certainly won’t mind. Meet Tami, the woman once voted “most bizarre” in high school, whose askew point of view has been guiding our store merchandising teams for over 13 years. The former Brooklynite and Boston terrier devotee is the brains behind those meticulously detailed nooks in our stores—things like an individually labeled 54-drawer cabinet filled with staffers’ personal belongings and a wall of ruffles that took four days to sew by hand. This month, Tami lets us poke around her wonderfully particular workspace.

“I’m not really into sweets—I eat maybe one piece of candy a day—so these jars are purely aesthetic. The yellow candies are a mainstay and I swap out the others each season.”

“A way to stay organized. I believe it was an orphaned prop.”

“I’ve had this $10 yard-sale pineapple girl for 20 some years. It’s one of my favorite things.”

“This is a photograph of my grandparents, to whom I was very close. They were both a little nuts, and I’m kind of obsessed with peanuts, so I clipped them to this card.”

“How can you not love that face?”

“Our team is always trying to outdo one another when it comes to decorating our desks, but this fall we somehow managed to agree on the same birch-tree pattern.”

“A parting gift from a former colleague and friend. I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside some brilliant, creative people in my career.”

“I keep a fake egg inside this cookie jar. I’m not sure why.”

“Pairing these deer with our woodsy wedding photo seemed right.”

“One of the best gifts I’ve ever received. It was handmade by my friend Ann, who chose all 29 fortunes. May you grow rich. A personal is never too old to learn. Keep true to the dreams of your youth.”

“I love dogs. I imagine myself as an old lady, taking care of a bunch of pups. In the meantime, I collect all kinds of dog figurines and hope to do something amazing with them when I have thousands.”

“I think everything is ‘bananas.’ I use the word a lot. “That’s bananas!’ ‘My day is bananas!’ This is driving me bananas!’”

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Instagram

Our Knotted Melati Hanging Chair makes a perfect dog perch, don’t you think? Thanks to our friends at @chandeliercreative for the snap!

Dog of the Month: Norm

Each month we’ll be introducing you to one of the beloved dogs that joins us at home office every day. This is Norm, a ten-year-old pug who has been coming to work for the past nine years. He collects vintage bow-ties, loves pizza and even has his own Instagram hashtag, #normiscool. To keep up with his adventures, follow him on Twitter @Normthepug.

Employee Must-Haves: The Charlie

Here at the home office, we needn’t look far for style inspiration—our colleagues are some of the most fashion-minded folks we know. So when it came to outfitting our just-launched Charlie trousers from Cartonnier, it seemed only natural to turn to two of our own, who also moonlight as fashion bloggers: visual experience manager Ashley of Fancy Fine and senior visual manager Laura of Ascot Friday. On two different coasts (and two different ends of the style spectrum), this pair of fashionistas took to Instagram to share how they’re wearing our menswear pant of the moment. 

Name: Ashley                    Age: 28                    Location: Philadelphia

Personal style: feminine with a dose of quirk

Fashion icon: anyone who dares to dress originally

Her blog in her words: A celebration of all things vintage and vintage-inspired

Proudest blogging moment: it helped me snag my dream job at Anthropologie!

On the Charlie: “The print on this pair is really fun, so I kept the rest of the outfit understated with a silk blouse and flats.”

Name: Laura                    Age: 32                    Location: Los Angeles

Personal style: layered, edgy, bohemian

Fashion icon: Anita Pallenberg

Her blog in her words: style, fashion and life through the eyes of an adventure-seeking, thrift-store-shopping SoCal mom

Proudest blogging moment: when the reader lets me know I inspire their style

On the Charlie: “I love the neon pop! I chose a classic top and sneaks, so the stripe could carry the outfit.”

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