In an industry that constantly reinvents itself, beloved fashion designer Mara Hoffman has mastered the art of staying grounded. The designer’s journey—24 years of creating and redefining sustainable fashion—has turned her into a style icon who champions the balance between personal expression and environmental responsibility. She recently closed her label, and is now taking stock of the industry she helped shape and how she will continue to advocate and contribute meaningfully to the fashion conversation. She is, in the meantime, staying inspired via a blend of curiosity and a relentless drive for discovery.
“When curiosity drives an artist, it brings them into situations and with people that evoke new ideas,” Hoffman reflects. This pursuit of exploration has woven together her outer experiences and inner growth, propelling her forward. As she puts it, inspiration comes from “the inner realms”—keeping her work layered and ever-evolving.
As for her own personal style, the New York designer leans toward a mix of her own designs and vintage treasures, including priceless pieces from her father’s wardrobe. “He never threw anything away … I have so many pieces of Monty Hoffman, including his shirts from the ’70s and ’80s.” This blend of sentiment and style isn’t just practical; for Hoffman, clothing has alchemical properties, able to transform the way she feels and connects with the world. “I hold a lot of alchemy and emotionality in fabric,” she reveals, sharing her preference for natural fibers and her discomfort around synthetic materials. For her, wearing clothing with personal history is a grounding reminder of the intimacy and soul of fashion.
With her enviable closet and archive, the pieces she won’t part with (though she did let many lovely things go in a recent archival sale with Vestiaire Collective) include her Margiela Tabi collection from the 1990s, her dad’s vintage shirts and a treasured Adrian coat from her own line. The designer is mindful of the allure of new pieces but believes in building a wardrobe that doesn’t need constant additions. “Fashion is alchemy. It’s a state of emotional up-levelling,” she says, capturing the way a great piece can elevate both style and spirit.
As a steward of the planet, Hoffman has an interwoven sense of responsibility in her work; she embraced sustainability long before it was buzzy. For her, it’s about an awareness that starts with the individual but reverberates through the entire industry. “Both the brand and the consumer need to wake up to what is actually happening,” she says. Her advocacy for responsible fashion includes every step of the process, from materials to manufacturing to end-of-life solutions. The future of fabrics is an integral part of the conversation, and where Hoffman envisions a kinder fashion world that makes full use of existing resources. Her vision of the future leans into the recycling-tech firms like Circ that are aiding in circularity by creating solutions for textile waste, separating out natural fibers for re-use.
Hoffman’s partnership with luxury re-sale platform Vestiaire also allows her to bring beloved Mara Hoffman pieces to new hands. “It aligns so much with our ethos,” she says. “After I made the announcement about winding down the line, Vestiaire was an ideal match for managing inventory thoughtfully.” Shopping secondhand is an antidote to a large problem. “We’re set for six generations with the existing clothing on this planet. There’s need now for the adaptation of systems, not new things, and buying secondhand is part of the solution.” The Vestiaire archive drop, still live online, includes pieces from Hoffman’s personals stash and brand favourites like the Sloan dress and Juliana sweater.
The New York factor, too, runs deep for Hoffman, who says dressing in “the best city” is all about layering—both physically and on a psychic level. “New York’s an incredible city with a lot of energy—good, bad, ugly, beautiful. You can wear anything if it’s done with confidence: a tutu or a garbage bag, anything.” Her own personal style leans toward masculine silhouettes, wearing men’s clothing. “I think it gives me a sense of protection. It’s one more layer of walking through this city.” Reflecting on New York’s influence on her designs, she emphasizes the city’s unique fashion diversity. “In New York you can have everything existing at once on a fashion scale. Similarly, Paris is beautiful and pulled together—such an aesthetic to it—but it’s a little more uniform. In New York, there’s every possible expression at once.”
Her advice for fashion lovers? “Start by re-connecting with your wardrobe—take stock of what you own before seeking out something new.” If you do want something fresh, Hoffman suggests secondhand shopping, where treasures abound. “There are so many beautiful, barely worn or unworn clothes out there; you can be sustainable without scarifying style.” —Lauren Walker-Lee
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