Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Christine.
Hi Hannah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I attended the University of Alabama to study Apparel Design with my original intent on designing bridal gowns. As I progressed, I started experimenting with different mediums like leather, fur, and suede. As I became more confident in crafting with animal hide, I decided to build my senior runway show/project out of a mixture of hide and fabric, and it was a huge success! When I graduated, I interned for two different designers: a bridal line in Birmingham and Anthropologie in NYC followed by a merchandising internship with Anthropologie in Atlanta. As I grew in my knowledge of fashion, I continued learning and working with leather and fur on the side. I have Creek Indian in my ancestry and thought it would be a way to pay respect to my heritage by starting my own brand of handcrafted leather goods. Fast forward over ten years, and we now have our own brick-and-mortar flagship in Birmingham and are carried in several retailers in the southeast and the west coast. Over the years, we have added to our product line an assortment of handcrafted, upcycled vintage leather goods and curated vintage clothing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, it has been a very blessed experience seeing the hurdles we have had to overcome and the customers and friends we have had the pleasure of forming relationships with over the years. I would be lying if I pretended that it was easy though. Being a small business, especially one in the creative and design field, can be very challenging but it has been rewarding to see how we have been able to continue evolving as a brand and discovering new areas of sustainability and creativity to continue pushing us forward.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I began Hide & Hunter as a handcrafted, luxury leather goods brand but over the years as I have evolved and my paradigm of life has become more fine-tuned, I have tried to equally bring my brand along. I am someone who believes in sustainability and that, in life, our past experiences set us up to be incredible assets to our community. I began carrying a new line of handcrafted, upcycled vintage leather accessories and clothing, and although it started out as a fun test, people went crazy for them. I have come to realize that people are drawn to items that show the wear and tear of life and like humans, have been reused and repurposed for more. It’s the age and patina that makes them beautiful.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
First God, for giving me the passion, direction, and motivation. Second, my family for encouraging and supporting me to go out on my own and give it a try. I was adamant about not having any financial help from the start, but my family has provided me a firm foundation of emotional and spiritual support.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hideandhunter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hideandhunter/
- Facebook: http://Www.hideandhunter.com/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-christine-70126836
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hide-and-hunter-birmingham
Image Credits
Hannah Pennington was the photographer for the professional horse pics
