Marin Hopper seamlessly combines old Hollywood glamour with trendsetting designs. Launched in 2014, Hayward Luxury is inspired by her incredible family tree. Marin’s mother is Brooke Hayward: an actress, author, and legendary American beauty. Marin’s father is renowned actor, director, and photographer Dennis Hopper. As Marin herself has said, it was nearly impossible for her not to make something extraordinary with all of the creativity she has been surrounded by her entire life. Before launching Hayward Luxury, Hopper worked at Vogue and was the Fashion Director for Elle from 1995-2000. Every single piece from the brand is made in a factory in New York City, which allows Marin and her husband, John Goldstone, with whom she co-founded Hayward Luxury, to regularly visit and oversee the production. Hayward’s magnificent flagship store is located in the Grosvenor Atterbury Mansion on East 70th Street. The exceptional interior design includes Tiffany glass, a hand-painted, gold-stitched ceiling, ornate wood, and an overall unparalleled and special atmosphere. I am so honored to feature Marin Hopper and her incredible brand on The Zeitgeist.
While visiting Hayward House, I really loved seeing the photographs your father took in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Why did you decide to display them in the manner that you did?
When we opened the store last spring, we decided to launch with a celebration of the new book of photographs “Drugstore Camera” which my father, Dennis Hopper, took during his road trip in the early 1970’s from LA to Taos, New Mexico. He opened a gallery there called “Dennis Hopper Works of Art” – the opening of which is in the photos as well. In the Hopper living room section of the store, the creative director of the Hopper brand, Jay Carroll, hung a selection of the photos on loan from the Gagosian Gallery – and curated the room to reflect my father’s life in Taos at that time. He had the original tee shirt my dad had famously given out during the opening of his gallery in Taos – reprinted with the squash blossom necklace on it. The sign from “Dennis Hopper Works of Art” hangs over the fireplace, while there are vintage art books with the work of artists he was close to and collected at that time. There are also jewelry and textiles, amongst other home related products for sale from Taos and Santa Fe as well. We wanted to build an experience of shopping in a world influenced by a dynamic, multifaceted creator.
I carry my “Tuesday” bag almost every day, and I find the inspiration behind each piece in the collection so fascinating. Which design from Hayward Luxury is your personal favorite?
I am so excited to hear you like your Tuesday bag! For day, I find myself wearing the mini Maggie. It has the option of carrying either as a top handle bag or via its cross body strap. I like the versatility of it – and all the compartments it has for putting stuff away quickly while on the go. I like the Tuesday bag a lot as well, as it goes day to night with great ease. Big enough to fit everything for work, but with the chain strap feels dressy enough to wear out to dinner too. For evenings out, I always wear the slim box clutch.
What is the story behind the brand’s incredible hardware?
My grandfather, Leland Hayward, liked to make things and make things happen – including his custom designed cuff links he had made for him at Cartier. That idea, coupled with an American industrial style, epitomized by the aviation and movie industries of the 20th century, impacted my design ideas.
Did you ever think you would end up working with your husband? What do you think each of you bring to the creative partnership?
No way! Never thought I would work with him, not ever! However, we do balance each other out very well, as I am great at dreaming and he is great at making things happen!
The design and architecture of Hayward House is absolutely impeccable. Did you and John have the same vision from the beginning? How did the design process evolve?
My husband John is a movie producer, and so, when I first pitched him the concept of Hayward, he loved the great American story behind it, which brings the worlds of Hollywood, art, and design together through richly endowed family archives and images that have provided a natural platform on which to build the brand on. We wanted the customer visiting Hayward House to fully experience the stories behind those worlds, brought forward to the customer through the new design elements of the collection each season, and all in a living room salon style setting to feel comfortable in to explore and shop.