Founded in 2011, HYPE. clothing quickly caught the attention of many fashion-fanatics. Specialising in brightly coloured casual wear, the label went from being a small company, set up by two friends who were bored during their summer holiday, to a well-known brand being stocked in the likes of Topman and ASOS.
Having just released their new spring/summer collection, as well a exclusive festival pack for Topman, we caught up with HYPE.’s founder Liam Green. Here’s what he had to say.
HTF: You guys have been all over the place recently and everyone’s wearing HYPE. How have you been coping with the influx of popularity?
LG: We’ve been coping quite well, surprisingly. In the first two years we struggled to keep up with growth but now we’re at a steady pace and have an amazing team in place. We’re growing really organically and are being extremely selective with distribution. Influx of popularity has meant more strain on every party of the business but we love a challenge!
HTF: If you could describe HYPE. in 3 words, what would they be?
LG: Colourful, Eclectic, Hype.
HTF: And how would you describe the aesthetics of the brand?
LG: Our main aesthetic is very colourful. We often challenge the winter palette by having a colourful summer season. We tend to have a lot of repeat print and wacky designs but that’s the HYPE. charm. Our silhouettes are simple but the print brings it to life – complex simplicity.
Source: HYPE.HTF: We are loving the new spring lookbook. What inspired the pieces you’ve produced for this season?
LG: This season was all about showing HYPE. Is safe to stay it’s a staple brand with rooted design tell tales. This collection celebrates a lot of themes from the past brought together in a more mature minimal standing. The main strive for this collection was to bring showcase our quality and show brand progression.
HTF: Going back to your roots, what inspired the concept of HYPE. as a clothing brand?
LG: Originally the main theme HYPE. was inspired by was the metal scene with one colour band like t-shirts. When HYPE. evolved rapidly into it’s signature style it was heavily influenced by vintage silk shirts and garish retro prints, which nobody at the time seemed to be doing on t-shirts.
HTF: So how would you describe a typical HYPE. customer?
LG: This is a question I get asked often but I couldn’t really pinpoint it. Our customer base is so wide and spans across various social circles, interests and music scenes. However one things certain, our customer uses HYPE. as a form of expression through print.
Source: HYPE.HTF: The pieces you sell are very reasonably priced compared to the competition, making them accessible to more customers. Has this always been a key selling point for the brand?
LG: HYPE. has always been about providing good quality fashion and forward clothing at a price anyone can afford. We never had the stance of up-pricing products like a lot of brands. We feel every piece should be accessible if the customer desires it and find this works really well. There is no plans on increasing our pricing structure.
HTF: And what sets you aside from other apparel brands that cater to both men and women’s streetwear?
LG: I think what mainly sets us aside from other street wear brands is we almost started off a ‘Do it yourself bedroom brand scene’. We get so many starter companies messaging us everyday for advice and it’s great. We have a true amazing rags to riches story which can’t just be created. Additionally we don’t fear failure, our drops are always large and risky and we stay true to the brand not jumping on cliche trends.
HTF: Finally, what’s next for Hype?
LG: HYPE.’s progression will see it moving into more cut and sew pieces. As well as further enhancement of quality and increased expansion on our ladies wear side. We have big things planned for the coming seasons.
To shop HYPE.’s new range or find out more about the brand visit HypeClothingUK.com.
Interviewer: Emma Matthews
