Sophie Hardeman makes clothes for the rebellious youth. A simple pair of jeans may be one of the most widely embraced garments in the world, but Hardeman manages to take the popularity of denim and create styles that are far from safe. Distorting classic pieces with zips, poppers, twisted flares and crinkled chiffon, a HARDEMAN collection is like your staple wardrobe in the early 2000s, but dragged through a Texan farm on an acid trip.
The Amsterdam-based designer, who cut her teeth interning with Meadham Kirchhoff and Bernhard Willhelm, caught the industry’s attention when she showed as part of the VFILES AW16 runway show during New York Fashion Week alongside Berlin’s very own Ottolinger. When the Netherlander sent one model out in an incredible knicker-flashing denim maxi skirt – we needed to know more.
“I reconstruct everybody’s favourite clothing, giving it a new definition.”
Hardeman describes her brand as “gender-free” rather than gender neutral. “That’s why my sizes run from XXS to XXL – it’s whatever you feel good wearing on your body.” She draws inspiration from daily life, people on public transport and at markets. Her distorted Americana vision sees the designer breaking the classic workwear attire, free from convention. “Jeans play a role as the ultimate example of social conformity,” Hardeman explains. “I am inspired by common shapes. I reconstruct everybody’s favourite clothing, giving it a new definition.”
HARDEMAN is a brand not only defined by its use of denim but also the strong cast of unique models, or non-models. Sophie Hardeman’s urge to reconsider what has become standard also rings true in her choice of faces, as she praises individuality and flaws to create her own “new perfection”. Her new AW17 lookbook also features a much broader range of bodies than most brands – but then again, HARDEMAN was never going to follow the status quo.
SLEEK shot some selected looks from the Dutch designer in Berlin, scroll down to see more
More information is available at hardemanonline.com