The Spring Summer 2011 collection is an homage to the returning American servicemen who fought in World War II. The ravages of this conflict had taken its toll on some more than others, and many disaffected young men returning after the war found themselves unable to re-assimilate with society - they were lost. The camaraderie and feeling of belonging that came from being part of a military unit was wanting, and so, for some, it was replaced by taking to the road with other like-minded types, in cars and on motorcycles, and a new cult of highway style was born. Car clubs sprang from this sense of detachment, regular meets and races would take place on the Californian dry lakes of the Mojave desert. Hot Rodding became a favoured pastime of men who had been trained in the military now turning those skills toward building and racing cars.
The Hawaiian sport of surfing rose in popularity in the 1940's in the USA. Surfing had a great impact on many of these ex servicemen, it's freedom and danger appealing to those who craved the adrenaline rush of action, mirroring that found in Hot Rodding and motorcycle riding. These sub cultures would become inextricably linked, creating the Californian stereotype we know today. Many WWII veterans were endorsed by the US Government to return to education post war, some of them attending one of the eight Ivy League Universities. These ex GI's inadvertantly created a new style by blending their military issue garments such as chinos with civilian clothing of the day. One such US Navy veteran was John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who would later become an icon of sartorial preppy style and President of the United States.
This collection reflects these sub cultural styles with careful consideration of the garments worn at the time, the cut of particular styles, the colours and the fabrics. The garments are then re worked into a contemporary piece that slots nicely into a modern wardrobe. The nostalgia behind these styles is what makes them attractive. They were born out of a time of necessity, designed for a specific purpose - to function and protect under adverse and challenging conditions. Aside from specialist or collaborative pieces, all HR garments are handmade right here in England, under one roof, by skilled craftsmen and women, there is no huge production line, the emphasis is on quality not quantity. Because HR garments are handmade, the generic slickness of mass manufacturing is replaced with character and warmth. HR is designed and made for someone who appreciates the stamp of an individual rather than a production line.
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