In this era of extreme accountability, it’s hard not to view every fresh brand commitment to the environment as mere lip service. But Nina Hollein was earnestly following its unwritten code of conduct long before sustainability entered the fashion lexicon.
First, a brief history. Originally an architect, Hollein, 50, worked for the famous husband-and-wife architecture duo Tod Williams and Billie Tsien before taking a break to raise her young children in Frankfurt (during which she wrote two children’s books). To stay creative, the Austrian-born designer began to make her own clothes for fun. “I was sewing so much, and I realized I had a whole rack of dresses,” says Hollein, who presented them at a local gallery in 2009. By 2014 she had opened two stores.
Then four years later, the Holleins moved to the U.S. (her husband Max became the director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco), and her fledgling fashion career was put on hold while the family adjusted to life in a new country. In 2018 they moved once more, when Max was tapped to lead New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Today, even with a renewed focus on growing her namesake brand, Hollein is keeping the business small. And while it would be easy for her to pick one, convenient sustainability tactic to adopt, be it manufacturing locally, recycling materials, or producing in tiny batches, she does them all. “I want to take my time,” she says. “Of course, I’m happy when I sell many dresses, but that’s not my primary goal.”
Her latest collection, created during the Covid-19 lockdown, is a testament to her dedication to the slow burn. Every piece is one-of-a-kind and handmade by Hollein herself from surplus fabrics she found at home. Men’s suits happened to be plentiful, so she built her autumn line around turning them into quality women’s wear, preserving their finest details in her exquisitely tailored jackets and elegant patchwork skirts. “I imagined a woman could really have a great party in them. More so than men in their boring suits,” she says. “Max was joking about it all the time: ‘Where has all my stuff gone?’ ”
In top photo: Nina Hollein (left) and Lisa Spellman at Spellman's 303 Gallery in New York. Photographed by Tyler Joe; Styled by MaryKate Boylan; Hair by Dennis DeVoy at dennisdevoy.com; Makeup Misuzu Miyake for Chanel Beauty; Artwork by Dan Graham. On Hollein: NinaHollein top and skirt ($2,250); Dinh Van bracelets (from $4,400) and ring ($4,070); Repossi rings (from $7,700). On Spellman: NinaHollein belted jacket ($1,750); Cartier bracelets (from $9,350) and rings (from $2,270).
This story appears in the September 2021 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW
Leena Kim is an editor at Town & Country, where she covers travel, jewelry, education, weddings, and culture.
