Whether it was through their awesome Target collaboration or through your favorite magazine, chances are, you’ve heard of the amazing clothing/shoe/bag/everything line Hayden-Harnett. I am personally a huge fan of their cute vintagey swimwear this season, and I’m constantly making eyes at their gorgeous yet functional bags.
Needless to say, I was super-psyched to be able to interview Toni and Ben, the founders of H-H for EIU. No surprises here; they are as awesome as their line is… maybe even more so! Read on, uglies!
<3 Wendy
Names: Toni Hacker (35), Benjamin Harnett (28)
As 10-year-olds, what did you dream about doing when you grew up?
Toni: I had many goals, but I’m quite certain at ten I wanted to be an astronaut who was a vet part-time and to live in Boston.
Ben: I wanted to be a famous author who discovered lost worlds.
Which do you think is more important? A great bag, or a great pair of shoes?
Toni: A great versatile bag can give you good mileage no matter what you’re wearing or where you go. It’s easier to cheat with shoes.
Ben: I think a bag is key.
If you had to pick one piece from your new line to wear everyday, what would you choose?
Toni: Our Athena tote in black.
Ben: I don’t wear our leather bags, but I carry a Maldives Nylon Weekender and the Lisbon when we travel.
Which celebrity would you love to see wearing your line?
Toni: Anne Hathaway. We just saw her in Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Park, which was so good. She’s not only lovely, but she’s absolutely brilliant and really talented. She deports herself with such classic charm and easy grace, but you can tell she’s totally hilarious.
Ben: Ditto! She was and is absolutely radiant.
If your apartment caught fire, what would you be wearing and what would you take with you?
Toni: I’m sure I would look like a hot peasanty-slob mess in LEGGINGS and a huge linen shirt with our cats thrown over my shoulders. Ben would be carrying our bikes and the meteorite slab he bought for me.
Ben: But what would I be wearing?? Probably jeans, sneakers, a white button down (the soft one I’ve had for a long time), a faded, worn brown sweater, and a corduroy blazer.
What’s a trend you love? A trend you hate?
Toni: Love: leggings. Hate: leggings + the word “leggings”. I’d very much like to have new terminology for the object of my longterm love/hate. You never hear other articles of apparel called “trunklings” or “armlings.”
Ben: I am hoping that Ray Bans and Filson bags will go out of style, so I can feel less conformist wearing mine.
Got any secret talents?
Toni: Making prank calls and impersonating imaginary people.
Favorite Brooklyn hang-outs?
Toni: Ben and I are biking like crazy this summer, so we’re often resting from a ride at the Domino Refinery park on the East River off Kent. If not there, then we’re probably going to be in a movie theater or on our roof.
Ben: I love Prospect Park, but we don’t get down there much.
If someone gave you $1 million, what would you buy?
Ben: I’d probably give most of the money away to environmental and educational charities. But I’d keep some and buy art books, and rare editions.
Toni: I would start another company, but something along the lines of researching simple and clean power sources like tides. Power lines and fossil fuels seem like a very primitive concept now that we’re one year away from 2010. Engineering and Industrial Design can make local energy happen.
One last thing: Show us your favorite YouTube video!
yay, we're so happy that their shop is down the street from us in greenpoint!