PIERRE HARDY | THE MAN OF DESIGN

Pierre Hardy is known as a phenomenal designer who sees dance in his interpretations of design whether he creates shoes and accessories for Hermès, a number of his notable collaborations and of course his namesake collection, Pierre Hardy. His love of dance, design and teaching is felt immediately upon any conversation with him. 

His career includes being an illustrator for Vanity Fair Italy and Vogue Hommes International, designer of women's shoes for Christian Dior, becoming the Creative Director for Women's and Men's shoe collection, as well as the Creative Director for the Fine Jewelry division of Hermès (he still maintains these roles with the brand), collaborating for over a decade with Nicolas Ghesquière for the women and men's collections at BALENCIAGA - and this is just the quick highlights. 

In addition to his coveted roles in the above, in 1999 he launched his own shoe line for men and women and at that time he also collaborated with a number of brands, including 3 shoe capsule collections with GAP and he partnered with NARS for a capsule collection of nail polishes and blushes.

We talked with Pierre to find out his thoughts on designing the smartwatch band for Apple Watch, what his process is like when he is designing, what it was like to launch his own namesake, his relationship with various design houses and the importance of sneakers.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You have designed with Hermès for a number of years and have created iconic prints as well as pieces for the house. What was it like to have the opportunity to create the watch, band?

PIERRE HARDY: It's a very narrow field because I just did the bracelets and leather bands. My mission was to think about what you can do with the band for the smartwatch. What was interesting for me as a designer was to link technically the watch with a high-end leather good - to make them work together. In the beginning, I was a little trepid wondering if this was a good idea - but I was wrong. In the end, it worked so well - for both of the brands I believe! The combination and perfection of how it came together and in working with the team in Paris and to have that time together was interesting.

AM: Will there be other wearable designs in your future?

PH: I believe it was just that one, but I would not say no if they asked me!

AM: Throughout your career, you have collaborated with many designers, what was it like working with them?

PH: First as a point of clarification, I would say that my position with Hermès is not a collaboration, it's more like my second house. We've known each other for such a long time now. When we came together, it was immediate and there wasn't a hierarchy. I was and am happy to be a part of the success of that house. The same can be said in working with Balenciaga. It fit and I liked, as a designer, the experimentation of what we created and it was very different as a designer.  

AM: It seems that when you design with these coveted houses that you are in a state of translation. 

PH: Absolutely, I always look to transform things into different shapes - something visible, tangible and sensible. Something you can enjoy. I'm always looking to understand as a means to design into the pieces that you enjoy. I'm always searching for something new and better. I love the pleasure and satisfaction that comes from the work.
 

AM: How did creating your own line come about?

PH: At that time, I had designed with Hermes for about 10 years and wanted to create pieces that there wasn't a place for them in my work there. I came  to the realization that I would have to create them in another space. I decided to launch 15 models in my living room and I called the press and said, "I've made some shoes, would you like to see them?" I was lucky because it worked for me!

AM: What were you looking to achieve with this line? 

PH: I was naive when I first came out with my line. Looking back at the initial offering, it was a bit rough. When you start something on your own it's so different. The American press was very enthusiastic - it was not the same in France. Neiman Marcus came and bought the first collection - miracle. I told myself that if I sold 1000 pairs of shoes I would be happy - I sold 3000! But when I first started my own line, the idea was there, but the quality wasn't there yet - we were just starting out. I started the line because I wanted newness. People look to the past to recreate but I want to do so in a new way!

AM: You're known for designing heels, bags, and jewelry, but you also design sneakers! Sneakers are on trend - do you think it will continue to evolve?

PH: Yes I design sneakers especially for men! The lines between sneakers and shoes is a blurred one now. It's one of the shoes that women have to wear now - it's our lifestyle and the way we go about our lives! You don't have to think about it and you wear it to be more comfortable and it's a key fashion item nowadays. The main thing to note about them is it's youth. It's the best shoe to wear to look younger! You win 10 years - I'm not kidding! Youth his very important and the feeling of young age is dynamic and filled with energy. I love wearing sneakers! It comes from your memory of college, efficiency, sport, dynamic speed. All of this together - makes you better!

AM: What's your favorite color?

PH: Black - I think everything is beautiful and better in black. The only color I like is red. Black is more of an efficient and theatrical color. It's physical and optical. Anything on a black background looks better and more obvious. Even my home is all black.

Read more from the June Issue and read Pierre Hardy, The Man of Design in Mag.

THE GROOMING CHORD

Anthony Sosnick has been a leader in Men's Grooming for well over a decade, with his namesake, Anthony. We took a moment to talk with this beauty guru and musician as National Men's Grooming Day takes place on August 19th.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When you launched the brand Anthony 16 years ago, you were a pioneer as well as a trendsetter in the industry, now you have the core line as well as sub-brands under it - what was your background in the industry and tell us about each line and how it is differentiated?

ANTHONY SOSNICK: I had zero background in this industry, however I had a strong desire and passion to create super high quality grooming products for men and women. You don't always need to have a background in something as passion can increase the learning curve significantly.
 
Anthony is our core brand. It is the first line we created and is geared toward men's grooming needs. Having said that, women are also frequent users of the products - hence our tagline, "Developed for Men. Borrowed by Women." Anthony is a premium brand with good-for-you ingredients that is sold in prestige stores and used by anyone from the discerning grooming-conscious person to the everyday man or woman looking for superior skincare.

Shaveworks is our first foray into the women's side of the sink. Each product is considered a "hero" product that is specifically targeted to pre and post-grooming needs for women. It is made with some of the finest ingredients to solve waxing and shaving woes.

Action is our masstige line of grooming products for men. The brand consists of all the daily essentials that a man would use to properly groom himself while keeping his budget in mind.

Finally, Emily & Tony is a collaboration with an old friend who is a renowned sex therapist. The line has three aromatherapy and massage candles that can be used to spice up your home...and your love life.

AM: What sets Anthony apart from other men's skincare and cosmetic brands in the market?

AS: Anthony is one of the only brands that has a founder who leads the creative development and overall brand vision of its products.
 
AM: What is the primary goal that Anthony looks to accomplish when making its assortment?

AS: What's most important is making sure we develop innovative, high-quality products that meet the needs of our customer. We have been developing products for many years now and have a very good understanding of the market but it is also important for us to listen to our customers, while we take into consideration our own methodical and strategic research to bring to the consumer the best in class grooming products.

AM: Anthony is in a number of locations around the world, will it have its own independent stores in the future?

AS: We have no plans to do this at this time. We feel it is more important to support our retail partners and develop our e-commerce websites.

AM: Are there any launches coming out this fall that we can look forward too?

AS: We recently launched an amazing exfoliating cleansing bar that can be used as a shaving soap, body exfoliator, and facial cleanser. The product is fantastic as it does not leave the skin dry or dehydrated, but well-nourished.

AM: What is your favorite product within your lines?

AS: That's a question I get asked often. I would have to say the ones I use most often are the
Invigorating Rush Hair + Body Wash, Glycolic Facial Cleanser, No Sweat Body Defense, An-
thony Anti-Wrinkle Glycolic Peptide Serum, and, of course, our sunscreen for the face.

AM: What is a core ingredient that you believe is necessary for men to have within this line that is in Anthony products?

AS: We have dozens of key ingredients throughout the line. The one that is used most often may seem boring, but at the right level and in the right formula, is very effective. Aloe Vera is an exceptional ingredient for healing and soothing the skin and is especially good to be used in a wide range of men's skincare products.

AM: Are there ingredients that you would like to use that have yet to be included within Anthony products?

AS: At this time we feel very confident that we are using the right ingredients for the products we make. Having said that, we will start to use more advanced ingredients such as peptides and anti-aging complexes as we begin to develop new products.
 
AM: When you are not running your grooming business, how do you decompress in terms of fitness, enjoying meals out, etc?

AS: I am an avid runner and enjoy bike riding along the Hudson River in New York City. When time allows, there's nothing I enjoy more than traveling to Malibu and chilling out at the beach or hiking in the mountains.

AM: We know that you are a fan of music and you play the guitar, tell us about Guitar Mash and how this came about?

AS: A very close friend introduced me to Rebecca Weller who had the idea for this amazing concept. The first day we met she explained what she wanted to do and I was in. Guitar Mash is an amazing organization that gets a wide variety of people together for the purpose of jamming, hanging out and sharing musical ideas in a variety of settings.

AM: Tell us more about your involvement in giving back as we know you support a number of causes/charities.

AS: I've always thought it was important to be philanthropic since the inception of the brand. My father passed away from cancer before the products even hit the shelves so it was important for me to give back, not only in his honor, but also to support the fight against prostate cancer as the brand was initially developed for men.

Coming and Going: Tory Burch

Tory Burch has a way of finding the elegance within a lifestyle. Whether you enjoy her namesake line that has iconic styles with her much loved 70’s orange hues that find their way in her collection. When speaking to those that define themselves as “Tory Girls” it’s not only an embrace of the brand at retail but the woman herself who embodies the qualities of a designer as well as providing empowerment to females around the globe in achieving their dreams to own their own businesses. She has left her fingerprint on pieces that can be worn to brunch, the office and beyond across a staggering array of categories. But the idea of creating Tory Sport, a sport line was always something she wanted to create Athleisure Mag caught up with Tory to step into her world and understand why she has included this within her universe. “I found that I kept wearing my sports clothes from highschool and college and I was intrigued by the concept of the elegance of sport”, Tory says. In addition, Tory is known as someone who is active whether she’s working out 4 times a week or focusing on a particular sport such as paddleboard yoga. Tory Sport is not available within Tory Burch boutiques and can be found at their Elizabeth Street Pop Up, online and at their Tory Sport store on Fifth Avenue in Flatiron, which will open this spring.

We fell in love with Tory Sport's collection due to its perfect blend of function and form coming together for ultimate style. COOLMAX (a sport friendly material) can play with cashmere, SPF, Schoeller Fabric to repel water, oil and dirt as well as including neoprene beingu sed within gym bags and more. The pieces incorporate our Athleisure lifestyle by being able to wear the leggings from gym to lunch and having fitted jackets and blazers that can be mixed with tees and curve hugging pants that allow you to jetset in comfort, hitting the ground running when you land. When Tory reflects on how this line can be classified, she is quick to note that its focus is on "looking good and being comfortable". It’s about the transition of leaving a lunch to go to the airport, going to work to join a class at your studio and more. In this manner, she defines Tory Sport as a part of “coming and going” and ensuring that your closet allows this process to happen in an easy way. In addition, it’s focused on performance for running, yoga, tennis and golf. Because the focus is on the ability to navigate your day and to mix and match pieces that are great for work but can merge into the studio. In addition, the line has elements of the 70s in it and has a color palette that is different then many performance/fitness lines which tend to lean towards pastels or fluorescent hues.

With an array of brands working within the space, Tory feels that she stands out as she doesn’t focus on many of the trends utilized by other brands such as exposing body parts – she embraces the country club preppy focus with pieces that cover studio fitness as well as classic sports such as golf and tennis. In addition, personalization is a vital component so those looking to have their track jackets/pants monogrammed can enjoy this detail to make it their own.