DESIGNER'S DOORWAY

Carmen Hawk

IN THIS FEATURE: Meet Carmen Fashion Focus Details

What’s your closet like?

CH: I HATE THAT IT’S TOO SMALL. I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD REALLY JUST GET RID OF THINGS BECAUSE I’M CONSTANTLY BUYING THINGS. I JUST WANT A BIGGER CLOSET AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE EVERYTHING.

Do you get rid of things?

YEAH I DO. I LET MY FRIENDS COME OVER AND LET THEM GO THROUGH BIG BAGS. THEN I’LL SEE THEM LATER AND SAY, “I GAVE YOU THAT?”
I HAD THIS AMAZING LEATHER BAG THAT I FOUND. IT HAD THESE INITIALS, I DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS “NAG” OR “HAG” ON IT. IT WAS JUST SO ODD. THEN LATER I SPOTTED MY FRIENDS AND SAID, “I NEED THAT BAG BACK!”

IT HAPPENS WITH A LOT OF THINGS. FOR AWHILE I HAD AN ADDICTION TO THRIFT STORE SHOPPING WHERE I WOULD GO EVERY DAY AND COME HOME WITH TWO GIGANTIC BAGS AND YOU WOULD JUST BE CRAWLING OVER CLOTHES IN MY HOUSE.

Is your closet organized at all?

CH: NOW I JUST MAKE A MUSEUM. I ACTUALLY JUST SHOVE THEM THERE SO I DON’T HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT ALL. EVENTUALLY THE OLD STUFF IS GOING TO COME BACK AND YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT IT, OR YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK AT IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN YOU ORIGINALLY DID.

If you could bring back any era in fashion, what would it be and why?

CH: THE EARLY SEVENTIES BECAUSE THAT WAS THE TIME I GREW UP. I ALSO LOVE THE TWENTIES AND I LOVE ART DECO A LOT. THAT WHOLE WORLD IS VERY APPEALING TO ME.

Eventually the old stuff is going to come back and you are going to feel a certain way about it, or you are going to look at it in a different way than you originally did.

– Carmen Hawk

Style Icons?

I HAVE A LOT OF THEM. THEY CHANGE. RIGHT NOW…. ANITA PALLENBERG.
KEITH RICHARDS, I WOULD LOVE TO RAID HIS CLOSET.
CH: BARBARA STANWYCK, THAT’S A CLASSIC. ALL OF HER CLOTHES JUST GET ME. THE ANKLE BRACELET, THE BOBBY SHOES WITH ALL THE LITTLE ROBE DRESSES. THE ONE FILM WHERE SHE HAD THIS BLACK DRESS WITH THE DRAPE THING AND A WORN CRAZY TIGHT ON AND THE OTHER ONE NOT, AND THE WILD HAIRDOS. SHE JUST HAD A RANGE OF THINGS THAT I JUST LOVE.

What style legacy will you pass down?

CH: MY DAUGHTER AVA IS NINE. I SAVE THINGS FOR HER. I JUSTIFIED BUYING THIS SUIT WITH THE JACKET BECAUSE I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WOULD BE REALLY COOL. MAYBE SHE WOULD LIKE THAT. SHE’S INTO CUTTING HER HAIR SHORT NOW. SHE’S KIND OF PREPPY. I GUESS IT GOES BACK. SHE’LL SAY, “I WANT TO WEAR THE SWEAT SUIT.” I’M MORE VAIN THAN HER. SHE’S NOT SO CONCERNED WITH WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE.

MyCloset.com Speaks

Carmen's appreciation of styles from almost every era coupled with her desire to constantly reinvent herself keeps us looking towards her for new trends and style inspiraton.