meet Russ Hardin... a fashion perennial

Today we are going to speak with one of the perennials that I referenced a few weeks ago… one of those rare people who possess talents that allow themselves to reinvent themselves in new ways. Russ Hardin may not have even known he could or was in ownership of these talents that is paving a new path in his professional life. 

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As you will read, one might say he has been around the block a few times and yet, he found still one more milieu to utilize his well-known and self-aware skillset while discovering unknown talents to work on a new venture. Speaking from experience, I can say that there is a time in one’s life when you just have to gather yourself up and say fuck it… I can do this and then you just make it happen ... a company of one to start with and then who knows?

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So, in his own words, you will hear/read how this perennial is back at it again even if things unexpectedly happened in this life;  if there is one thing I have learned is that simply said  “we make plans and god laughs!” but that doesn’t mean it’s the last laugh! Maybe there was a plan we weren’t even aware of for each of us….

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Jeffrey Felner: Let’s talk about your career path... was this the plan? How did you arrive at your present position?

RUSS Hardin: Well…my current position is working for myself again. I Joined Bon Ton Stores in February of 2017 it proceeded to go bankrupt June 2018. I’d joined at the request of the CEO who I’d known for 20 years in order to “help” him keep it from going over the cliff, but the damage was done. Needless to say it was a terrible experience to watch so many long time employees basically lose everything. Over the last 10 years since I closed my own business in NYC in 2008 crash I’ve worked locally on individual projects and taken on long-term consultancies with companies like Kohl’s where I spent two years. It’s actually worked out due to my high tolerance for endless meetings and corporate/spread sheet side getting in the way of making creatively based business decisions. As far as my “career path” my only real plan was to get the Hell out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and get to New York. My father had all his suits made and when I was 8 years old he started taking me to his tailor and letting me pick out the linings for his suit and sport jackets. To say he was tolerant when I’d choose brash stripes or multi-colored polka dots for his business attire was an understatement. I’d always been inexplicably drawn to fashion AS IS my wife as well. She worked for Yves St. Laurent in Paris, Valentino and Guy Laroche. I’ve been busy developing a collection of home décor, cards, scarves, pillows and other related products under the name of, “mr. hardin says…”. The name derived from what I overheard numerous managers say that to staff as to why they had to do something. So I’m having a lot of fun; initial shipments hit the stores just before Christmas. I can’t say it’s the best timing for a new line—but I wanted to get a quick read on whether it was going to work. I’ve always been a good salesman for my ideas with clients and employers so I am a one man band.  

JF: Can you tell what was your most amazing experience in your career and what was the worst experience you encountered and why?

RH: I always tell people that my 5 years at Avon was the best and worst job I’d ever had because CEO Andrea Jung gave me seemingly impossible projects to handle (best). Aside from managing a team of 200 designers, art directors, writers, financial analysts, paper and print budgets ($150million), I opened a two floor Spa & Store on Fifth Avenue. Besides all that I was also building a corporate art collection based on beauty as seen through women’s eyes meaning the photographic works of Louise Dahl Wolfe, Shelia Metzner, Imogene Cunningham and 100s of others. The collection was displayed in the public areas of the company for all to see only to have it auctioned off 10 years later when Avon really hit the skids. Thanks to Andrea Jung it was five years of surprise, terror, invention, guts and stamina. I’d begun my career with Grace Mirabella at Vogue and had worked through the retail greats such Marshall Field’s, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and The Hudson Bay Company. Each had their unique challenges and opportunities but Avon was the most overwhelming experience that I’d had to date. My wife once said to me when I came home sort of dumbfounded, speechless and bleary-eyed, “Well you’ve finally done it. You’ve landed the job that not even you can do!” But I did…. (Re-read the intro)

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JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner, who would they be and why?

RH: Geez …dinner with five amazing people. Well, in no special order: Joni Mitchell; Picasso; Richard Nixon; Andy Warhol & Shakespeare. I can’t imagine the conversation but it certainly wouldn’t be boring. And if we could cajole Joni into singing a few, Picasso might paint a few dinner plates, Andy would be visibly bored as only he could be, Shakespeare certainly would recite a few sonnets and Richard Nixon could finally spill what was on the 18 minutes of missing tapes—I think it would be an evening well spent. 

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JF: Okay it’s time to speak about this new enterprise you’re working on so let’s have at it. Explain and expound on it. 

RH: I’ve worked as a writer and artist throughout my entire career so this new line of product makes perfect sense to me. It’s based on a “mash-up” of Victorian etchings of which I’m certainly not the first creative to mess around with. These old etchings have been repeated and massaged in different ways for decades. All my designs own copyrights and are registered with the Library of Congress. My work usually combines from three to 10 different etchings assembled into a single new artwork. Specifically for the “angel” series, I’ve added unique painted backgrounds to them in order to fend off their inherent “quaint” factor as I want them to feel new and contemporary. So far, I have greeting cards, giftwrap, tags, velvet pillows, scarves, porcelain dessert plates and trays in the assortment. 

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It’s a lot of fun and people, merchants and vendors have been incredibly enthusiastic. I’m doing a PA this January for one store and another in February. There’s also some discussion of wallpaper. One store wants to trick out an entire room with one of the designs and a good friend; the British author Jane Green has also expressed her interest to “do a room”. It’s all been very satisfying and a great deal of fun.

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JF: What’s the advice you would give to fledgling designers and those wanting to go into the fashion business or any related profession and why? Pros and cons?  

RH: I was recently having lunch with Philip Miller, former CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. We were discussing our time in the glory days of department stores and how lucky we were to be there when it was at that time. Phil encouraged me to do my own work and he believes the new line is extremely marketable and that I’m “onto something.” With regard to the fashion world in general it’s become so splintered, specialized and unremarkable. For a new designer to even try to get their ”goods” marketed it’s now an epic journey through investors, factoring agents and other obstacles.  Fashion has become just another business … a business that must make money immediately and cannot withstand any missteps. I think it’s a huge challenge to venture into fashion today unless it’s approached as strictly business. If you have grandiose ideas that it’s some magical place where profoundly talented people create extraordinary things... then you’ll be sorely disappointed as a rule; that ship has sailed. This evolution has occurred due to a confluence of changing consumer needs, living costs, lifestyle erosion and a general lack of style from both consumer and designer. Style is a delicate little creature that can be bruised and damaged so easily. When I moved to New York almost 40 years ago to work at Vogue you did walk the streets and marvel at both the architecture and the people. What was on the street was inventive, unexpected and above all else—stylish. Individuality was coveted and most everyone I knew was driven to make their mark that day by what they wore each day. So to answer your question I’d say, ‘go ahead’ and give fashion a try. There are lots of jobs in the related areas that support that business, But what remains of the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” era is gone and been replaced by the pedestrian and classless Kardashians and their ilk.

 I’m sure there are young creative minds at work right now thinking they’ll be the ones to break through and change everything.  It’s happened before. Let’s recall Dior’s “The New Look”, YSL’s “Le Smoking” and Marc Jacob’s groundbreaking “Grunge”. Creativity is after all—endless.
 www.russhardin.com

meet Fern Mallis .. author, fashion veteran, luminary

This is an unexpected and amazing surprise to have Fern Mallis as the subject of one of my Q & A sessions. If you are not aware of whom she is then you are only pretending to be a dyed in the wool “fashionphile.” Ms. Mallis has just had her first book (Fashion Lives) released by Rizzoli within the last 30 days. The book, which is an unadulterated joy to read and selling like crazy, is comprised of a curated selection of sit down interviews conducted by the author. Her interviewees are some of the most notable fashion, in its broadest sense, personalities of our generation.  Think Mellen, Kamali, Jacobs, Oscar, Karan, Ford, Cunningham ... To name a few …These sit downs were conducted as part of a series produced at the 92^nd St Y in NYC over the past few years.

Fern & me

One tidbit about the hugely attended book signing at SFA on April 20th and that is: the book and author were afforded nothing short of megastar treatment when 18 windows were devoted first to the book, then the designers and then of course the raison d’etre for both .. Fern Mallis. It is not exactly a common occurrence to have one of the world’s most celebrated department stores, known for selling CLOTHES to devote its entire Fifth Avenue frontage to a book!

I am humbled and gratified that Ms. Mallis made the effort to do this “interview” during this extraordinarily busy time given her promotion schedule for the book. It just really shows me that there are people who still retain their grace and integrity even after being in this business for so long which is not always easy. This little interlude between us also should demonstrate to all that Fern Mallis gives as good as she gets. Her replies are written with great candor backed up with extensive knowledge and experience. If you need to google her, then just check out Wikipedia... that says it all!

So it is my pleasure to so offer a chat with the author of the moment! Fern Mallis….

1-After the runaway success of your first book, Fashion Lives, what’s on your agenda for a follow up? ideas??

It’s a little too early to be planning more books, but I do have some in mind, including a Volume II of Fashion Lives, since there are already  4 interviews-5 interviews that didn’t get into this book.  My next interview at 92Y is on June 3^rd with Victoria Beckham,

2-While we are on the subject, I’m going to steal one of the questions you asked Bill Cunningham and that was “what was the best show you ever attended and why?”

There have been several very memorable ones; I loved the final show Bill Blass did when he announced his retirement.  It was in the morning during Hurricane Floyd.  The winds and rains were unbelievable, but his “Ladies” kept arriving with umbrellas blowing away, the tents were leaking everywhere….the drops of water dripping in the venue and over the runway were more dramatic with the lights hitting them…and it was a scary day….Bill paced backstage with his cigarette and said to me he was perfectly happy to cancel the show, the clothes had been made, models came, but he was worried about guests being out in this weather.  I said we were not letting him retire without this final show.  It went up late, but the music was all Gershwin, Lerner and Lowe, all very American, with red white and blue lit backdrop…The show was gorgeous and when he came out for his bow at the end- there wasn’t a dry eye in the house during an extended standing ovation.  I’ll never forget it.

3-Being a child of the garment center and having been so immersed in the popularizing of Seventh Avenue and its designers ... what do you think of the evaporation of what was 7th Avenue and why do you think it happened and lastly do you see it becoming extinct?

It had a lot to do with greed, in making the clothes as inexpensive as possible with a large markup….the unions in the garment center made it too expensive to produce in NYC, the real estate folks saw buildings in the district with full floors dedicated to manufacturing and sewing and knew they could get top dollar as office space and showrooms, and they helped push out the workers, and it all started to be made overseas in Asia, India, China, Vietnam etc…    It’s sad to not see it all happening in the district and some of that old-fashioned garment center energy is gone.  It’s not extinct however as there is a renewed commitment to making it in NY again, however it will never be what it once was.

4-Who would you say have been your mentors, idols or influences during your long and varied career within the world of fashion and why?

Stan Herman who was President of CFDA while I was ED, has been a great mentor, the many designers in my book have been my idols and have influenced me—Calvin, Ralph Donna, Michael, Tommy, Betsey

5-Do you believe that runway shows have lost their importance due to over coverage/exposure via the age of the internet or the pandering of  the media due to advertising  budgets and the whims of certain editors rather than real merit? ... Thoughts??

The runway shows have lost a lot of their exclusivity and WOW factor, as people are much more excited about things they can’t get into and see, than they are about something available to everyone.

But with the internet, the iphones, and other handhelds- every image is instantly available and several business have been spawned allowing people to pre-order from the runway before a store even places an order….It’s a new ball game now, and we all have to adjust to the power in the palm of our hands,

6-There are so many new and wildly talented designers who don’t get recognized by the media, the CFDA or the retail establishment. Don’t you think that there should be some way to cost effectively show off all of this “hidden” talent? Any ideas or suggestions?

I do think that in NYC, there are many programs and initiatives that DO identify and help new, up and coming untested talent.  Other int’l cities are trying very hard to copy these programs.  These programs assist in fashion show expenses, cash for their business and provide mentors, and get them in front of the media.

7-Have you ever wished to once again “hear the voices” of fashion critics like Bernadine Morris or Hebe Dorsey; meaning honest to goodness fashion reviews/reportage and not front rows and venue?

Well Hebe Dorsey was before my time, but I do remember the last years of Bernadine Morris.   I miss Amy Spindler’s voice, John Duka’s wit and observance of our industry and its players, and I miss Cathy Horyn’s take no prisoner’s coverage of the collections…

8-If you could invite any 5 people to dinner ... past of present ... who would they be and why?

This is very difficult…there are many people that I’d love to dine with, but this first dinner could maybe be with YSL, Coco Chanel, Elizabeth Taylor, Pres. Obama and Diana Vreeland. I think I could just sit back and listen all night without having to say a word… each of them are opinionated, smart, brilliantly clever and talented…and maybe a sixth- having Julia Childs there cooking the meal…

9-What are your thoughts on vintage apparel as well as all the referencing that has  been going on and the fact that  rarely if ever  credit is given to the originator of the “idea” that has been recycled?

I’m not a “vintage” shopper, however many designers are.  In essence nothing is brand new and not influenced by something that came before, but I’m not surprised by not giving credit to where the inspiration comes from…Frankly it would cause havoc in an industry to keep acknowledging this.  But with that said every so often a designer’s line sheet at show will explain where the ideas came from and if there was a specific look or person that they were influenced by.

10- Given your long history and breadth of knowledge of the fashion business, how do you feel about the heritage brands from our past being reinvented in ways that have no common thread with the original DNA?

We have yet to really see an American heritage brand re-invented successfully in this country.  Halston has tried several times.   Now Chris Benz is trying to do it at Bill Blass and hopefully that will succeed.  The recent appointment of Peter Copping at Oscar de laRenta might be the first time this is working.  He is channeling the spirit of Oscar and not deviating from the look of the house, yet putting his stamp on it.   I think it is imperative that there is some connection with the original design philosophy.

Rachel Zoe ... pre-fall 2013

Apparently, this might be the last season that Rachel Zoe shows a collection for most of her major accounts have abandoned ship….. Shocking as that might be!  This pre-fall should serve as yet another reminder that the only thing offered here is just another pile of clothes from someone who has no clue about the pulse of the retail environment let alone her own.

Apart from black, Ms. Zoe is woefully short on a palette as well as any particular look other than clothed.  Who dresses like this and why would anyone dress like this?  Save maybe 2 or 3 pieces, I am not sure how any store could go about buying this which brings us back to her lack of retail outlets after Neimans has left the building and Saks and relegated it to only online which means either HELLO Kohl’s or some home shopping channel with her trying to fill an hour with her self absorbed chit chat.

The bottom line is like when there is a train and wreck and the cops direct you to “move along, nothing to see here” and so you have the synopsis of the season here chez Zoe.  A hat and a pair of boots do not make a look nor does some faded reality star that has about 30 second left of 15 minutes.

With all the wonderful talent out there, it does give one great pause to think “what were you thinking?” when you take this cartoon character and try to make her a designer brand.  She is a glorified saleslady who had a magic wand waved over her and failed to become the next Donna Karan! 

Not so sadly one is reminded that you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear!.... P.S. this is as good as it got!

RALPH RUCCI ..Chado fall 2012 in store