Meet Lisa Hackwith, Designer & Founder at Hackwith Design House. Lisa is the woman whose vision and dedication is the reason HDH exists. With a background in studio art, it was the a gift of a sewing machine from her mother that led Lisa to discover that her ideal medium was designing and making clothing. She delights in the details and loves the process of creating beautiful things.
What inspired you to start Hackwith Design House?
I taught myself to sew after I graduated from college with a studio art degree. I took a year off to research MFA programs when my mom gave me my grandma's old sewing machine. Through that, I discovered my medium – designing and making clothes. Over the next five years, I sewed daily. I had some success with my Etsy shop and getting wholesale orders, but in order to make my business sustainable, something had to change.
In February 2013, I took a few months off to re-work my business model; I re-launched Hackwith Design House in September 2013. The new model centered on my priorities: staying in Minnesota, manufacturing all the clothing in the U.S., and making sure I love everything with my name on it. Thus the limited-edition model was born: 2-4 designs were released every Monday, no more than 25 pieces of each. Since September 2013, we've expanded to a team of 10 (including 5 sewers), being size inclusive on every piece, and having a swim line.
What values drive you in your day to day business?
We are really focused on how we can be as ethical as possible in a capitalist system. We've kept our manufacturing in house, where we know our employees are paid fairly and receive benefits. We continue to make all of our pieces after they are ordered, which helps cut down on waste.
We strive to use natural fibers in our fabric, deadstock fabric, recycled fabric, or fabric that is also made in the U.S. We have our Sustain Shop where people can send back their old HDH pieces for store credit, and we clean and re-sell them (or remake them into something new if needed). Every piece we sell is also size inclusive. We are always looking to improve on these practices!
How did you decide on a visual direction for the brand?
That's a big question. The visual direction is guided by our three pillars of simple, beautiful; values-based; and forward thinking. The fabrics I tend to work with can influence the designs, and they're also informed by those three pillars. The models we seek out are also with those three pillars in mind. We want women of all backgrounds and sizes to be able to see themselves in our clothes.
How do you see your personal lifestyle reflected in the brand you've built?
I love hosting friends and family, and my goal is for people to always feel comfortable and cared for. When I design, I approach it with that similar mindset - I want women to feel comfortable in the clothes, cared for. I want them to be able to put on my designs and not have to worry about what they're wearing the rest of the day because it fills them with confidence.
How do you balance work and rest?
Sometimes I don't. These last two years especially have been a grind to get through and keep the business afloat. It was hard working from home in order to best protect our employees. But now that I can work back in our studio again, I'm able to leave work at work which gives me more time to rest at home. Rest is part of work actually. If you don't rest your mind, there won't be room for inspiration and new ideas.