Where does your interest in clothing come from? Did you always have a strong sense of style?
Honestly, my start was pretty self-serving in an innocent kind of way. I was looking for a t-shirt that wasn’t from a vintage store. Everything I found was either Hanes, had a super-forward (read: asymmetrical) fit, was covered in stuff, or made from fabric that needed a ton of special care. New tees were either run-of-the-mill or way too fashion-y. There was no in-between. Streetwear hadn’t even blown up yet.
What came before Yoko Devereaux?
I’d been circling around fashion for years before Yoko, but never had my own clothing brand. Instead, I built projects around selling other people’s gear. I launched a first generation dot-com at the end of the 90’s (basically an online shop) and I had a few physical retail stores that got me started selling mostly womenswear. Clothes for guys like me were in short supply.
Yoko Devereaux was a sensation, a fabulous (if ephemeral) celebration of fashion/art/commerce — what are your biggest take-aways from that experience?
I love that you loved Yoko. Me too! It was such a different time - 9/11 had just happened and New York was all over the place. “I’ll try anything twice” was the motto.
Williamsburg was basically one Thai restaurant and one video rental store on Bedford. Brooklyn was just becoming its own destination. Electro and lo-fi electronica were everywhere. We all hung out in dive bars without phones or social media, so you could pretty much do whatever you wanted without the fear of it being immortalized. What happened at The Cock, stayed at The Cock.
The indie art, music and fashion scenes all embraced each other. Everybody supported everybody. I was in a band repping my own clothes and I would style other bands. And they would wear Yoko in mags like Fader and take my stuff on tour. That’s how it all got going. I started getting press but had zero stores I was selling to. I would carry magazines around to stores saying, “Here are my clothes in this mag, but I don’t have any stockists. How about you?”. Dot-com was still growing into itself and there def wasn’t any social media, unless you count Friendster. It was all about getting into stores, meeting magazine editors, and getting your clothes onto people in real life, bands mostly. It was hyper-creative and a lot of fun.
The industry has changed so much. Back then, you “had” to show an entirely new collection during fashion week every season to be taken seriously as a brand. But we always made it exciting. Yoko Devereaux was fun and irreverent. We did whatever we wanted. I think that’s why people liked it. I thought of it as performance art.
What inspired you to leave New York for Los Angeles? And how’s living in glitter and dust?
New York has always been good to me. I was lucky. I love that city and it loved me back. But maybe I loved it too much. New York requires so much energy, focus, and money. I burned out and needed a break.
I went West to chill out. I never planned to stay, but I did. It’s weird. I’m not a Hollywood person, which is where the city’s heart really lies. But when I moved here, the East Side was becoming more familiar. It reminded me of parts of Brooklyn. And places like Venice and Topanga were starting to get a new energy. A lot of things I loved about New York emerged in Los Angeles. And at the same time, the energy from back East started to feel more like appreciation than hate. Instead of New York vs. Los Angeles, it feels like we’re on the same team. Weird but true, I know.
Tell me about the inception of Hiro Clark…
I had left New York and Hiro Clark was born out of the process of trying to wrap my brain around California. It’s like night and day. In New York, people get dressed. In L.A., guys definitely pull it together, but it’s all t-shirts and sweats and super cozy. The look for guys right now is so feral, which is totally New York and L.A. smushed together. I love it.
I was drawn to a version of L.A. that spoke to the New Yorker in me – dark, maudlin, and a little bit broken down. It’s after hours at the Chateau Marmont or margaritas at El Coyote.
As for the clothes, I was coming down from building full menswear collections every season and loved the idea of focusing on just a handful of items. It felt like the right time to get really obsessive about t-shirts and just keep it essential.
What do you have to say about LA’s dark side? And how is that reflected in the brand?
The brighter the light, the darker the shadow. That’s L.A. 100%. We keep the color palette predominantly black, white, navy and gray. And when we have something to say, it’s always got something sharp to it. “CULT LEADER”, “DEAD INSIDE”, and “FATHER FIGURE” are some of the printed tees that really vibe with the ethos.
Why did you choose the t-shirt as your canvas?
A t-shirt is in every single guy’s closet. It’s essential. And I got excited about the idea of having fun with it.
How have you used fashion to proliferate themes and feelings?
When I first started with Yoko Devereaux, the whole industry was really excited about irony, messing with classics, and being cheeky. Is it fashion? Is it art? Is it commerce? But it’s totally evolved. I think the more elevated part of the industry is now driven by comfort. More specifically, people want to show that they have time. You are casual by choice. By wearing tees and sweats and sneakers, you are saying, “I don’t have to hustle, I don’t have to be a Wall Street guy or squeeze myself into a suit.” You have the luxury of chilling out.
Has it been difficult to marry art and commerce? You do it brilliantly.
Thank you! That means a lot. It’s something I find to be a really nice touch. Creativity anywhere makes the world a better place. I know my customer agrees with that.
What influence do you take from Tom of Finland? How does it feel collaborating with Tom of Finland Foundation to create a Tom collection?
We love it dark, so “THE DARKROOM” project with Tom of Finland has been a dream. We also love celebrating the underbelly of L.A.’s history. The Tom of Finland house is right here in Echo Park, so there’s another reason to love these guys.
Is queerness a part of your brand?
Absolutely, by definition. We’re queer owned and operated. It’s always in there somewhere.
Who would you love to see wearing Hiro Clark?
I never recognize anyone bold faced, so I’m probably the worst person to ask. But man, do I just love seeing Hiro Clark in the wild. Seeing strangers decked out in my tees is the ultimate rush. It’s such an honor.
Favorite t-shirt of all time?
I am forever obsessed with people wearing shirts that reference themselves. That’s ballsy. That image of Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing an “ARNOLD IS NUMERO UNO” tee is definitely on the list of faves.
Any collaborations or concepts on the horizon you’re excited about?
We are opening up our first store! Coming soon. East Hollywood. Small but OURS. Get ready Los Angeles….
