Dearly Beloved, We Are Gathered Here In Cashmere

I became interested in Harden after meeting its founder, Hale Hines. The quality of the clothes was immediately apparent, but what stayed with me was Hale himself. He had a presence—interesting, original and impossible to manufacture. It made me want to know more about him and, by extension, what he was creating.

That matters to me.

Quality is always the starting point. Herschede carries beautifully made clothes in many forms, from the restrained and timeless to the far less expected. What draws me to a piece is the sense of creativity, vision and point of view behind it. I need to feel it before I ever touch it.

Harden had all of it.

The brand works with exceptional cashmere and specializes in intricate patterns, embroidery and customized details. Some pieces are made in Los Angeles; others are hand-knit in Nepal, often in limited quantities.

Harden takes a material usually associated with quiet, traditional luxury and gives it a different kind of energy.

There are vivid colors, unexpected patterns and designs filled with personality. A mushroom might appear on a sweater. A cardigan may feel closer to wearable art. And then there is the purple paisley cashmere smoking robe I am wearing in the photograph.

It is luxurious. It is expensive. It is beautifully made.

It is also a purple paisley smoking robe.

That combination is precisely why I love it.

Some pieces refine the familiar; others show you something you had not thought to look for. A good store needs both. Harden brings substance and surprise together, with enough individuality to make you look twice.

Unique choices do not reject good taste. They can enhance it. There is room within style for refinement, pleasure, humor and the occasional piece that may not make sense to everyone else but feels entirely natural to you.

I carry Harden in limited quantities because it should feel like a discovery. The purple paisley smoking robe will not be for everyone. But when it finds the right person, it will make perfect sense.

-E