“H A N N A N is an honest expression of a timeless handcraft. With comfort and versatility at the helm of our philosophy, we aspire to portray the intricacies of Indian hand-embroidery in a modern light. A humble effort to show the world what modern India looks like, undefined by boundaries, unrestricted in thought.
We begin our journey with the sweatshirt.”
HANNAN
There is no way I could possibly be more eloquent than the two charming, creative, gracious, generous and brilliant young duo that is behind the concept and design of HANNAN. The statement above captures the essence of their brand. If you read the stories on their website you will have the pleasure of reading beautiful prose and are invited into the process behind their unique garments and packaging. Their great respect for their master craftsperson is reflected in the name of the brand and his photo in their stories. I was powerfully moved when told that although this man has worked on garments for some of the most famous couture houses, until now he has always remained anonymous and has never been connected with the glorious work he has produced. That now has changed.
Photo from www.shophannan.com
The two creatives behind HANNAN, Bhaavya Bhatnagar and Rishi Baweja, are “in-between people” like myself. Perhaps that was the draw when they emailed me to request a meeting when they came to New York this summer. They are neither young nor old, they are ancient and modern, they are complex but simple, humble but confident and subtle yet powerful. The sweatshirts can be worn by any gender. I already wanted to write about what they are designing and went to meet them even before they presented me with the gifts of a beautiful hand embroidered choker and this sweatshirt.
Photo from www.shophannan.com
The brand decided to focus on one type of garment, the sweatshirt, and build from there. This evidences the wisdom of making sure you do one thing really well before you move to the next. I for one love something to look forward to and this brand will always deliver on that; making me endlessly excited about the future. The sweatshirt has a structure that stands up all around you and makes you feel tall and elegant. The embroidery is intricate and makes you shimmer. I would feel perfectly comfortable wearing it with a glorious skirt or wide palazzo pants to a formal function. I would also wear it with jeans.
So I paired the sweatshirt for this post with Rick Owen sandals, vintage gold tone earrings and a skirt by Peachoo + Krejberg.
How do you stay modern while appreciating the past?
I like the style of the sweatshirts, particularly the sleeve enclosure. I visited the site and the pointer closeups shows the beauty of the design. It’s difficult to see from a distance. I imagine that in person the beads in the design are so beautiful and shows the intricacy of work.
You can dress this up and down in so many ways. I’ll keep my eye open for their upcoming projects, for sure.
Thanks for sharing this new find.
You are so welcome. This designer is as lovely as her designs inside and out. I feel so lucky to have met her.
I love the respect to the past and to craftsmanship this young designer shows, while still bringing her modern self to the mix!
I use traditional fabrics from my travels in my garments wherever possible.Indian embroidery is wonderful and this is such a good way to wear it in a modern way.
I love the respect to the past and to craftsmanship this young designer shows, while still bringing her modern self to the mix!
Thank you for being amazing! I stumbled onto your blog in a moment of looking for a distraction from my somewhat difficult life at the moment, and there you were, looking wonderful and reminding me that at 64 I can still express myself with my style and personality. I can still have fun being me.
Thanks for that I really needed it right now!
Oh my dear, you have made my day. Nothing pleases me more than to hear that someone is inspired by my work and has a moment of pleasure. Stay in touch as you move ahead!
Thank you for being amazing! I stumbled onto your blog in a moment of looking for a distraction from my somewhat difficult life at the moment, and there you were, looking wonderful and reminding me that at 64 I can still express myself with my style and personality. I can still have fun being me.
Thanks for that I really needed it right now!
Oh my dear, you have made my day. Nothing pleases me more than to hear that someone is inspired by my work and has a moment of pleasure. Stay in touch as you move ahead!
These sweatshirt look great. A special creation, texture and pattern looks good. The drawing is inspired and makes me think about a galaxy!
I agree, complex, interesting and just plain beautiful.
These sweatshirt look great. A special creation, texture and pattern looks good. The drawing is inspired and makes me think about a galaxy!
I agree, complex, interesting and just plain beautiful.