Tessa Vermeulen
The London-based creative director and founder of Hai, built the foundation of her brand on her favorite fabric: silk. Her designs are classic yet playful and speak to shoppers from London to Seoul.
In her charming shop in Shoreditch, Vermeulen welcomed us to talk about her youth in The Netherlands, the return of physical retail spaces and where her never-ending love for silk began.
What was the first piece of clothing you loved?
‘I was born in Hong Kong where getting your clothes made custom is quite common. My mom’s closet was filled with beautiful custom Dupion silk pieces that really made me fall in love with the fabric. To this day, I still use a lot of the same silk for Hai as it feels super nostalgic to me.’
After building a successful ready-to-wear brand,what made you want to launch bridalwear?
‘For my wedding, I wanted a special dress, but I didn’t want it to be too extravagant or over the top, and I think a lot of our Hai brides were in a similar boat, so I always knew there was some sort of hunger for it.’
The brand was established in London but has shown rapid growth across Asia. Why do you think it works so well there?
‘I guess the fact that silk is the foundation of Hai. People know a lot more about the history of silk in the Asian market. People tell me that our pieces feel like something their grandma used to wear, but with a modern design twist. It’s this mix between modern design and a nostalgic feeling that really resonates.
What excites you most about the future of fashion?
‘Something I’m quite optimistic about is the return of physical retail spaces. There’s something very special about meeting your customers in person that can’t be replicated online. Sometimes we will have people in the store that stay there for hours. I do the same thing when shopping abroad and a store really.’
What’s a craft you’d love to hone but haven’t yet?
‘I would love to learn how to weave. My parents now live in Cambodia and there’s an island near their house that’s called ‘silk island’. It’s a small island filled with silk weavers. There’s something very fundamental about creating something from scratch. If I ever find myself with some free time, that’s definitely a craft I’d love to learn more about.’
