I’m halfway through my interview with celebrated fashion designer, Juliette Hogan when she reveals she has a confession to make: “I’m a selfish designer,” admits the founder of New Zealand fashion label, JHL. “I like to design for myself and my lifestyle, so if I’m lacking something, then I’ll try to incorporate it into our label.”
Renowned for her curation of fresh, succinct and cohesive staples, Hogan’s designs have been coveted by everyone from Taylor Swift to New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.
Hogan is unapologetic about her personal design approach. “I wouldn’t swap my wardrobe [with anyone]. I love what I design. I design for myself. I ensure that I’ve got pieces that really align with my lifestyle and who I am as a person.” Hanging in her closet you’ll find a considered collection of tailored black trousers, silk shirts, crisp blazers… and two wedding dresses. “I got married four years ago, and it was an absolute dream to create my own dresses,” explains Hogan, who designed two bridal gowns for her wedding day. “I am constantly changing what I am wearing and how I’m dressing, but my wedding dresses constantly hang in there and they’re beautiful.”
Inheriting the secrets of the rag trade from her mum (who made her clothes growing up), Hogan began to sew at the age of 12. “I don’t ever remember ever wanting to be a fashion designer. I kind of just fell into it,” recalls Hogan. “I received my scholarship to study in New York [at Parsons School of Design] and did an internship with Rebecca Taylor. I remember being in her workroom and thinking, when I go back to New Zealand this is what I want my workroom to look like.” Hogan eventually secured the workroom of her dreams, launching her own brand 18 years later ago and opening her first store in Ponsonby, Auckland in 2007.
Before labels of ‘ethically sourced’ and ‘circular fashion’ became standard practise among the sartorial scene, Hogan understood that sustainability was the secret to good design. “It’s always been a part of our business that we need to be kind to our people and to the planet and be conscious of the processes that we use. As sustainability has become a far greater hot topic it’s exciting for us to spend more time and energy talking about it.”
Each season, thousands of JHL pieces depart Auckland and make their way into wardrobes around the world, although for Hogan, the most exciting trip one of her pieces has taken was through the halls of Buckingham Palace in 2018. “Being asked to design a dress for Jacinda was a huge moment. We have worked with Jacinda a bit over the years, so I knew her style quite well and what would appeal to her. She was pregnant at the time and I had had my daughter a couple of years earlier, so I understood what makes you feel confident and comfortable when pregnant,” recalls Hogan. “[We ended up designing] a beautiful tobacco full silk gown. When [I saw those first photos of Jacinda] walking through Buckingham Palace, it was just an absolute dream.”
Now in a new age of restricted travel, Hogan believes the best source of inspiration can often be found at home, hanging in our wardrobes. “I get inspired by the previous collections. I love that about the way that I design, I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel every time, each collection is a real evolution of what I have done in the past.”
Shop the collection now at juliettehogan.com and jhlounge.com
