FASHION /
NEWS
April 3, 2015
Holland Esquire | An Interview with Designer Nick Holland
Holland Esquire | Nick Holland Interview
Unique Tailoring by British Countryside Gentleman
An Interview with Designer Nick Holland
“Holland Esquire” is a brand centered on tailoring, boasting significant popularity primarily in the UK, with its pieces available at historic department stores like Liberty and Harvey Nichols. In 2005, it was selected for the Harrods exhibition “Britain’s Ten Best Tailors” alongside leading British designers such as Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, and Oswald Boateng, garnering global attention.
Designer Nick Holland visited Japan for a pop-up shop at Hankyu Men's Osaka. He spoke about the appeal and cultural background of his items, which blend traditional tailoring with contemporary design rooted in the countryside, as well as about the fashion markets in Japan and the UK.
Photographs by NISHIMURA TomoharuText by IWANAGA Morito (OPENERS)
Understanding and Challenging British Classics
──Please tell us about the brand.
The brand name “Holland” comes from my surname. “Esquire,” simply put, means “gentleman.” However, not a gentleman from London at the center of the UK, but rather a gentleman from the countryside, from a more rural area. I myself grew up in the countryside in Nottingham and still live there.
The culture of hunting, fishing, and shooting, which have been cherished as leisure activities in the countryside, most influences my clothing creation.
Holland Esquire does not have a concept for each season. However, each piece of clothing is imbued with a theme or story. This season, we held pop-up shops not only in London but also at Hankyu Men's Osaka in Japan. The theme was “Revenge of Wildlife.”
A naked human flees through a forest where stuffed rabbits aim guns.──We develop displays and lookbooks with satirical visuals like this.
──Are there aspects of the theme reflected in the item designs?
How about this jacket? I've transferred photographs of animals I've actually hunted onto the buttons. The jackets sold in the shop also have cartridges and pheasant feathers placed in the inner pockets, with details designed so that one can feel the story when wearing it and discovering them.
──The lining and the outer fabric have contrasting colors.
The direction is to first show the shape from a distance, then draw interest with the buttons and stitching when viewed up close, and finally, to delight the wearer with the color of the lining when they look inside the garment. Of course, I value the traditional British hand-tailoring and continue to offer made-to-measure services. From there, it’s about how to present something interesting.
The brand’s identity is also evident in the fabrics. All our tweeds are original, co-developed with MOON, a long-established factory in Yorkshire. While our main items are classic tailored pieces, if you look at the fabrics, you will feel that Holland Esquire is a unique brand that respects tradition while also forging its own path.
──What do you value when creating clothing?
I always keep two concepts in mind: “hands on” and “boundary.” “Hands on” is something I learned while apprenticing as a tailor under my father; it means learning through doing, with your own hands. It’s about the tactile sense acquired through constant practice, not just theoretical knowledge.
“Boundary” refers to rules, like “it must be made this way.” I’ve always questioned those rules. It’s a concept I value in terms of challenging them. Of course, you must first learn to adhere faithfully to the “boundary” before challenging it; otherwise, it has no meaning. The challenge comes after that.
British fashion is, after all, very classic, and perhaps, to put it bluntly, a bit dull. However, at Holland Esquire, even the jackets have a shorter length and a slimmer fit and shoulder width compared to what is strictly considered classic. We do make them commercial, adapting them for contemporary times.
──What are your impressions of the Japanese fashion market?
There are many brands with high technical skill and a great deal of freedom. I was once very surprised by a jacket from a Japanese brand. It was a product that had undergone garment washing, a process that is difficult to achieve with the materials we handle. They create patterns anticipating shrinkage from washing. Considering the finished size, it must have been quite large initially. To achieve such excellent fitting after that is truly remarkable.
In the UK fashion market, classics still dominate, and it’s not exactly brimming with novelty. I’ve visited Japan many times, and whenever I walk through the backstreets of Omotesando or Harajuku, I always discover fascinating shops. Each time, it makes me feel that we need to work harder too.
This visit to Japan, including the pop-up shop at Hankyu Men's Osaka, was very well-received, so I was able to spend a very meaningful time. I would eventually like to open a standalone shop in Japan as well.
HOLLAND ESQUIRE
http://www.hollandesquire.com/
