This Friday Underlines chats to the energetic Tessa Hartmann about her career and her ‘side hustle’, coming to swimwear and owning her own brand (HartiSWIM) in her fifties, claiming she was never brave enough before! A consummate professional and most definitely a master multi-tasker, she also gives whatever time she can to encouraging and supporting the next generation of fashion talent.
Tessa Hartmann (centre) with her daughters Valentina and Tallia
“I’m 54 years young and have been working in fashion branding, creative and PR for over 28 years. I have my own agency Hartmann House which was set up in Scotland focusing on luxury fashion clients. We have worked with many brands over the years including Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Emporio Armani, Bentley Motors and just now Gucci, who are opening in Edinburgh with a spectacular new flagship Scottish store in October. I am new to swimwear and certainly this is my debut as a brand owner. It’s like a rollercoaster – its’ thrilling, addictive and sometimes scary yet I go back for more. I call it my side hustle as I can’t give up the day job…just yet.
Why the world of swimwear? Tell us more about the brand…
Having worked in fashion for all my career I had always wanted to set up my own label but if I am honest, I was never brave enough, until and I had this crazy idea to put my husband Sascha’s artwork onto fabric. He paints under the name of Harti and has had exhibitions at the Saatchi Gallery, London, Venice, Italy and Seoul, Korea. I loved brands like Moschino in the 90’s, their use of licensed cartoon characters. They were fearless, bold and innovative. I realised we owned all the IP in the artworks, and it would be great to place these amazing pop art inspired original paintings onto a collection. Living in the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands for the last 9 years, it seemed natural to navigate towards swimwear and resort, given the beautiful white sandy beaches here in the British Isles.
The project took 2 years to develop and we’re a sustainable brand using only a new generation fibre called Repreve that is made with recycled plastic bottles from the ocean. I have developed a real interest over the last five years or so in our environment and believe in a salutary rebirth of our broken planet. HartiSWIM essentially will use our collections and art to bring awareness to climate change. We can for example tell you that it takes 13.1 recycled plastic bottles to make one Harti swimsuit – I believe today’s consumers are invested in our future and the planet and issues like the environment are important to them. At our heart, HartiSWIM is a new generation eco-luxe label designing contemporary, dynamic and sustainable swimwear and resort that is designed to be loved forever. I couldn’t have taken the plunge without the wisdom and support of my old fashion friend and swimwear maverick David Finlayson who I called as soon as I had this crazy idea. He has been an incredible mentor to me and indeed to the brand.
What is different about working in this sector?
For me the whole swimwear sector is new – but I love it. I love the entire process from designing the collections to manufacturing and of course the creative – it’s like nothing I have ever done before. Our collection of hand painted wearable art pieces portrays thought provoking narratives and at the same time offers our customers something stylish, original, and unique. We have also just introduced ‘Harti Atelier’, with our stunning made to order sequin gowns. We hope our customers will collect our pieces like they collect art; we will encourage them to buy better but buy less. No day is ever the same.
A Typical Week in your life
Well now I wear two hats – the boss of a small boutique branding and PR agency and Creative Director of HartiSWIM. I therefore treat HartiSWIM like a client, and I just adore the creative aspect of the business. With my day-to-day clients, I am reactive to clients’ objectives and targets – I do as I am told. So, with HartiSWIM I am the boss and I just love it. I love the creative side of developing a swimwear label. I do all the creative myself, and oversee the styling, the shoots, the video editing – the works. In all honesty, I feel more excited by this than I have in a long time. The only issue is that there aren’t enough hours in the day – the fee-paying clients come first…for now. Life is juggling work, clients, shoots, sales, trade shows and family. It’s dysfunctional and often chaotic but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Those Special Moments in your career
I received a CBE from HM Queen Elizabeth Birthday Honours list in 2016 for my contribution to fashion and textiles in the UK and Scotland. I still pinch myself. I also sit as the President of the British School of Fashion, and I have an Honorary Doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University. I am passionate about helping and supporting the next generation of fashion talent so do what I can in that space.
If you were not working in branding and swimwear, what would you have done instead?
I am the worst singer in the world, but my kids and husband are all very musical – so clearly in a past life I could have been a pop star …lol (albeit my kids often offer me money to refrain from singing it’s so bad) …
Any idea where you will be in 10 years’ time?
For me the dream is to build the Harti brand into a dynamic lifestyle brand, taking the art and placing it across a variety of other products. We already have done a cushion collection collaboration with Andrew Martin Interiors, and we have produced some luxury velvet furniture. I believe slower is a grower – it’s all the hustle – I adore my life right now and I’m dedicated to doing the best I can to grow the Harti brand and whatever else comes along with that.
Your proudest moment to date?
Gosh – just getting HartiSWIM off the ground. I was naïve about what was involved to set up a label and take it to market – it wasn’t easy, but we got there and now I’m in it for the long haul. My kids are all involved in the business and my two daughters Tallia Storm and Valentina who have big numbers on social media are a great support. They have their finger on the pulse and to have that in-house on trend insight to their demographic is useful. So, I am certainly proud that we are all hustling together as a family.
Your biggest mistake
Look I believe that we should wear failure like our best shirt. People shouldn’t be afraid of failure – it’s only through failure do we learn and progress. I have made loads of mistakes along the way, but I have the chutzpah to keep going. I get up and keep hustling, what doesn’t break us, only makes us stronger.
What is your greatest challenge?
Everything at this stage. We are a small brand in a crowded market space, so we need to keep cutting between the noise and show the world what we can deliver – wearable art sustainable swimwear. There is nothing else like it on the market and we have an abundance of artworks to last us for years. The challenge is to keep pushing forward in a challenging economic environment and raising our brand profile which I must say is going well. We are starting to pick up some great press across Europe, LA and the UK and we’ve had some amazing call ins from A list celebs in Hollywood – I will share their names once they wear it – don’t want to jinx it!
The one product you cannot live without?
My mobile. I’m a workaholic so I am never without my phone. Plus, it’s got all my playlists – I always have loud music on in the studio and office. It’s a prerequisite – it’s you don’t like loud trap soul then you’d better not work for us.
Time out
What is that? lol
Pet Hate
Moaners – I can’t stand whiners. I am a glass half full kinda gal. I hate people who are glass half empty. I love to surround myself with people as hungry and creative as myself – we learn from each other – that’s what life is about. Every day is indeed a school day. I have got lots still to learn in the world of swimwear but I’m just getting started and not going anywhere.
