INTERVIEW #56 HENRY RUDE
Based in: Malmö, Sweden
Founded in: 2013
Founded by: Victoria Pettersson Henry
Stores: Webshop (shipping to Europe & North America) & physical store in Malmö.
Price range: ca €25-95
Instagram: @henryrude
Why we love them: We Love Henry Rude because they stand out from the Scandinavian crowd, certainly go their own way and deliver coolness season after season. More colorful prints to the people. Happy prints and colors make us happy so please never stop doing what you do Henry Rude!
What is Henry Rude and why did you start?
Henry Rude is a clothing and accessories brand producing primarily in Ghana & Burkina Faso in West Africa. We source a lot of the fabrics at the local markets and work with small scale independent tailors and artisans to make our products.
In what ways do you work with sustainability?
We don't brand ourselves as a fully sustainable brand since we feel like there are always things to improve, but we work in close connection with our tailors and try to be as transparent as possible so that our customers can know by whom and where their garment was made. We also like to use and support traditional techniques and handicrafts such as textile- and basketry weaving, printing etc so that these techniques will not be erased completely by industrial processes. Lately we also started working more with deadstock fabric, left over textiles from other productions.
How and where are the products produced?
As earlier mentioned we produce most of our products in Ghana and Burkina Faso in West Africa and we work with small local, independent tailors and workshops. Clothes are made in Ghana, and bags in Burkina Faso.
Your best selling product?
It's definitely our Leopard print Strap bag which has become kind of like our signum. I see people almost daily wearing them when walking around town!
Where do you find inspiration?
I find a lot of inspiration in the fun and quirky wax print fabrics that we use, the colors and the fun motifs that almost speak on their own. I also get a lot of inspiration from art, social medias and of course my travels, seeing how people dress, how they communicate, the way they dance and the nature around them. I always find it interesting to see how creative people can get with what they have access to.
What have been and are the major challenges?
EVERYTHING! It's been hard running a business on your own and trying to scale up, but it's so much fun and totally worth it. In the beginning it was hard to convince people to wear lots of colors and prints, since Scandinavian fashion is traditionally a bit more minimalistic, but I definitely feel a change there and people dare to use more colors to express themselves now.
Production itself has been a bit of a struggle, since I can't always be there to oversee everything myself, and even when I do it's taken a lot of trial and errors. Me and the tailors learn a lot from each other and we have developed a way of working together over the years. Right now the biggest challenge for me is finding time and energy to do everything I would like to do, since I also have other jobs. But we're getting there little by little.
Photo: Marta Miklinska
What has been and are the largest gain?
All of the love and support from our customers is invaluable and it makes me so happy everytime I see someone wearing or cherishing their garment. Also the connections I've made and the people I've made friends with during the process. I wouldn't have met my boyfriend either if it wasn't for me traveling to Ghana.
What do you think needs to change in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
There is a lot that needs to change! Production processes, transparency, habits and buying patterns. But I feel like people are getting more and more aware and I hope both the industry and the consumers are going towards the right direction. I used to work in the fast fashion retail, and since I stopped I shop a lot less and with more thought behind the pieces I get.
Photo: Moncef Henaien
What would you advise consumers to do who seek to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?
You definitely don't have to start with buying lots of new garments from sustainable brands, but start with the clothes you already have - which pieces are classics and will you be able to wear for a long time? Maybe create a capsule closet with fewer pieces that stay for long. Learn how to sew or mend and repair garments so that they last longer and are not thrown out because of a small hole. Look at some of the rental sites when you feel like you need something new, or if you need a special piece for a wedding or a party. Renting clothes is amazing and is a fun way of feeling like you renew your closet now and then. I have been using ItsReleased for a while now and I love it!
Best thing about Henry Rude?
For me it's the mix of everything; getting to work with what I love, and having the possibility to be creative and put my ideas into reality. For the customer I'd say a great thing with Henry Rude is that you know the garments are made with a lot of love and thought behind them, and the clothing pieces are very limited or sometimes even completely unique.
Do you have any advice for people who want to start their own business or get into the industry?
Honestly my best advice is to just do it! I didn't study design or business management before starting my brand, and sure it would've been helpful but if you're passionate and ready to learn along the way, it's not impossible. Google, read books and meet up with someone who knows the industry and pick their brain... do what you have to do to learn and to get there! And be prepared for a lot of trial and error which is fine because you learn from that too. Just start with something, even if it's small, and you can grow organically.
Photo: Åsa Haleby