Meet the founders of Hibiscus – The brand bringing Ibizan party wear to the runway
Even if you’ve never stepped foot in Ibiza, we all know about the larger-than-life parties that douse the Mediterranean island each summer. And now, one fashion label, Hibiscus, is taking the essence of Ibiza’s vibrancy as inspiration for their debut collection.
Founded by designer and showgirl Carley Hague, alongside creative director, stylist and gliterati event planner Liz Mendez, Hibiscus (named after Hibiscus of hippie theatre group The Cockettes) pulls heavily from Ibiza’s hedonistic clubland. The pair had previously collaborated on crafting flamboyant costumes for podium dancers at some of the island’s most iconic clubs, including DC10, Pacha and Amnesia. Combining their extensive knowledge of party wear, the duo have now revealed their first capsule of head-turning gender fluid garments at London Fashion Week, bringing some much-needed heat to the city in the absence of summer. Below, are the vibrant garments in all their glory, capturing the eccentric spirit of Hibiscus in all its essence.
The capsule features a variety of colour patterns brought to life by abstract painter Emma Stone Johnson while embroidery designer Jenny King added a new dimension to the pieces through long fringes dangling from splashes of paint. Meanwhile, both Hague and Mendez placed an impetus on sustainability through the use of ethically sourced and recyclable fabrics. The designers hope to bring high-fashion, comfortable party wear to a large audience, producing head-turning pieces that’ll draw the attention of everyone in thee room as you waltz in. And with their debut collection, they’ve certainly done that. Here, HUNGER sits down with the founders of HIBISCUS to discuss the creation of their debut capsule, presenting their collection at LFW and what the future holds for their brand.
What inspired you to start Hibiscus, and how long has the first collection been in the works?
We have been working together for over ten years, designing outfits for some of the major clubs in Ibiza, creating a run of bespoke designs, often with tailor-made prints. We always strived to make expressive, sexy, slick colours and lines that would contour the dancer’s movements and flare – people loved them so much and were always asking how they could buy them. But they were always exclusively made for the clients, so we were unable to reproduce them for the wider public. So we thought, people want these party outfits/club wear that sit in the world of high fashion but are designed for dancing and partying, showing off people’s figures and always considering the need for movement and sweat!
We have had the collection boiling for some time, but due to our own busy lives, it’s been difficult. Carley has been tailor-making and designing for an array of individual clients. Over the years, she’s been making clothes for artist such as Skin from Skunkannaise, Jessie J, Paloma Faith, Natasha Kahn from Bat for Lashes, Kesha and many more of the fabulous ones who strut the stage. She also dances for a legendary NYC Downlow, performing her humorous mind-bending acts and go-go dancing through the night while managing to mother three of her beloved beautiful children, who’ve also taken to the runway in Kitty Joseph’s recent show.
Liz, creative director, stylist, glitterati event planner to Ibiza sun-drenched clients and beyond, also has a vintage accessories business adorned by Beyonce, Kelis, Rita Ora, Paloma Faith, AME, Jourdan Dunn, Jaime Winstone and Cara Delevingne.
With so much back and forth figuring out a path, Carley decided to hold a euphoria-inducing show at The Glory, the heart of the queer scene of London, run by her long-term friends Jonny Woo and John Nolan (Aka Sizzle). Whilst Liz in Ibiza was getting the label on all the right fabulous bodies like Natasha Diggs (Glitterbox resident) DJ Cassy and is talking with various favourite artists to make bespoke Hibiscus stage pieces.
Can you talk to me a bit about Hibiscus (George Edgerly Haris III) of The Cockettes and the impact his legacy has had on not only your brand but yourself?
Carley: My love for the Cockettes goes beyond! They have been a total life-changing inspiration for me. I was working with a large variety of performance groups, and we all wanted to create the sense of real queer freedom that The Cockettes created so marvellously. The drama, the costumes, the movement, the freedom, the comedy, Hibiscus himself is just so legendary to me. I would study his looks so carefully and try to re-create my own makeup and appearances for shows with his all-out essence, revelling in the tripped-out eccentricity and his wonderful ability to turn everything on its head. I loved his conviction, too. He knew his path and was determined to blow people’s minds, ensuring they knew how free and expressive people could be
Liz: They were so vibrant and full of love and life. We really wanted to embody that with the label and the show.
What were the main themes you were looking to explore in your debut collection?
Our previous designs for dancers guided us, and we wanted the garments to be sexy, free for movement and hot for the party. We wanted a riot of colour patterns and texture.
Liz and Carley decided to use the beautiful abstract painter – Emma Stone Johnson, a renowned artist and an old art college friend of Carley’s, to create the print. Her wild brush marks and fluid composition would be exactly the print that could dance all over the body. We were also determined to use ethical fabrics, and found a great selection of recycled materials to print on that would have the feel of luxury but also respecting Mother Nature.
Carley’s background is a love for beads and embellishment. She wanted to give a variety of textures and movement, adding to the painterly aesthetic, so she discussed with Jenny King, the wonderful embroidery designer, how to emphasise the print with long fringes that dangle from the splashes of paint and enhance the overall excitement for the on-looker. Liz, as a club kid and East London promoter of some of the most notorious parties, including Kubicle that started in an east London toilet in 2005, to Show Pony their disco star-studded soirée, knows what works on any dance floor!
You recently presented the collection in London. Overall, what was that experience like?
Well, Carley had cast a collection of really incredible individuals, a number of her dancing partners from the Infamous NYC Downlow in the Block 9 field of Glastonbury festival, along with a number of other handsome beings that were street cast from her keen eagle eye, always on the hunt for an intriguing face and personalities. Recently, she created a bespoke veil for Sadie Clayton, who cried when she first adorned it. Their connection from this led to her gracing us with her presence at our show. We had such an amazing team, and the venue was decked out with lavish amounts of kitsch and floristry, all happily executed by the wonderful Yan Skates and Jade, who owns the delicious Brighton shop Blackout.
Liz brought her brilliant audience with the likes of her best fashion friends, including Melanie Blatt, who she styled for All Saints, 90’s pop sensation Kavana, and designer Julia Clancey, who she also styles campaigns for. The team worked so hard with amazing wigs by Dan W. Chapman and love-filled tassel bags from Katy France. With the finishing touch, the cream and cherry on the top, hats by Piers Atkinson gave it all the life and flair/exuberance that highlighted all the models/dancer’s eccentricities. It was a heartfelt, upbeat party atmosphere that we wanted to create, getting the audience to feel like they could party with us, and that is indeed what they did! For the finale, Charlotte, one of the models, sang ‘Where Love Lives’ [by Alison Limerick], whilst all the models/performers pulled people out of their seats to get loose with them. It seemed that people were so blown away they felt like crying, and did!
Lots of laughter, cuddles and tears filled the room. People felt their emotions and could express them freely. It was a wonderful thing!
Carley: I am so grateful for all the love that was felt and the beautiful, incredible people that made this explosion of delight happen in such a divine celebratory way. All in all, it was quite mind-blowing for us as the designers, let alone the audience.
Were there any nerves before the show?
Carley: I couldn’t eat my lunch. I just had to go go go and keep focus. My stomach and adrenaline were pumping wildly, and it drove me through it all. And the incredible help from my team helped me in a major way. I knew all these people would make something so gorgeous there was no doubt. There were a couple of spanners in the works with dancers and assistants falling sick, with a mad scramble to fill their boots (a hard task) all in the afternoon before the show, but it all came together. The universe gave this to us.
What do you hope people took away from the show and the collection?
We want them to feel love, feel connected, and be excited to express themselves and enjoy all the colour and beauty of the world and share it with others. The pieces echo the connection to a deeper creation.
What advice would you give to an up-and-coming designer?
Keep going, and make your dream a reality. It can be a ride, but you can make anything happen with enough determination, time, effort, and focus.
Who are some of the designers that have inspired you the most over the years?
Carley: A personal favourite of mine has always been Jean Paul Gautier. The Fifth Element blew me away – I loved the comic sex appeal and the raucous riot of dynamic body contouring, fashion and costume interwoven. I always loved the vivid prints of Pucci and Zandra Rhodes, too. It’s all about colour and not taking yourself too seriously, for me.
Liz: We want our clothes to reflect that desire to not just be seen, but to always make a statement. Show people you are out, out, OUT.
What does the future look like for Hibiscus?
We envisage our looks being worn by stars parading down the red carpets and dressing people going to exclusive wild all-night parties. We want our clothes to be worn by every gender and non-gender expression that wants that freedom to be fabulous, and being danced across endless dance floors the world over. Stockists will be flocking to have our looks for their spaces.
