Henry Holland. Photo / Mariano Vivanco
He says he's over the word, but Henry Holland's designs are seriously fun.
Some fun facts about London-based fashion designer Henry Holland: he used to be a fashion editor and worked at ultimate teen-dream magazine Smash Hits. He's BFFs with hip London girls like Pixie Geldof, Alexa Chung and Agyness Deyn. He loves the 90s, and played the 1994 bubblegum-pop hit Trouble by
girl band Shampoo at his recent show. He co-hosted Rihanna's fashion show, Styled to Rock. And he's one of the kings of the modern fashion collaboration, producing everything from glow in the dark undies to chewing gum packets.
Holland officially launched his label, House of Holland, soon after releasing his "Fashion Groupies" T-shirts in 2006; ironic riffs on the 1980s slogan tee featuring designer names - one announcing "Cause Me Pain Hedi Slimane", another with "Do Me Daily, Christopher Bailey" in blaring neon print, even one for Karen Walker ("What a Corker, Karen Walker"). Since then, there has been all sorts of fun and quirky grunge, rave and pop culture-inspired collections, helping to cement the 29-year-old as one of the "mascots of young London fashion", as described by Style.com. And though Holland recently told the Independent that he's "over" people using the word fun when talking about his clothes - he wants to be taken seriously - his fashion is a jolly good time.
He recently released his first full eyewear collection, furthering the tongue-in-cheek signature of his fashion house - statement sunglasses with wiggly eyelashes, round frames featuring the phrase "Cross my Heart, Hope to Die, Stick a Needle in my Eye", and, Holland's favourite, the "Librarian" with detachable chain.
You have done eyewear collaborations before, with Linda Farrow and Le Specs. Why your own line now?
We had great success with Le Specs but it was a more commercial lower-priced collection so it was great to go a little wild in places with the range and be as creative as we wanted.
