In her charming shop in Shoreditch, tessavermeulen welcomed us to talk about her youth in the Netherlands, the return of physical retail spaces and where her never ending love for silk began.

It was after a career in music that London-based fashion entrepreneur tessavermeulen saw an opportunity to create her own label, homeofhai . Starting out with a small collection of accessories, the brand now presents a full ready-to-wear collection as well as made-to-order bridal pieces, sold through her boutiques in London and Seoul. For this series of The Modern Connoisseur, we travelled across the pond to speak with Tessa on all things Hai and her personal approach to design. Read more about our conversation through our stories. For this series, Tessa is wearing our suede Benny blazer, Irina leather skirt and Cashmere Astine top.

For London-based fashion entrepreneur tessavermeulen, starting a silkwear brand has been a journey that’s learned her to always stick to her gut feeling. ‘’In the fashion industry, it’s very easy to get carried away and swept up by a lot of external opinions which make your brand and vision become blurred’’, she tells us. Her approach to design is very personal, which has made the brand standout. Read more about our conversation with Tessa where she talks about her youth in The Netherlands, the return of physical retail spaces and where her never-ending love for silk began. For this series, Tessa is wearing our suede Benny blazer, Irina leather skirt and Cashmere Astine top.

Merinillo Lacon Shearling is a lightweight shearling with ultra-soft and fine wool. It provides warmth and protection from the cold while maintaining a sleek, non-bulky feel for maximum comfort.

Embrace new season’s shearlings in autumnal shades of burned and rusted browns.

Embrace new season’s shearlings in autumnal shades of burned and rusted browns.

This reversible shearling jacket will lend an off-beat glamour to your winter wardrobe while keeping you warm on colder days.⁠ ⁠ The Dina jacket closes with a leather rope belt and is designed with front pockets and a wide collar.⁠ ⁠

This reversible shearling jacket will lend an off-beat glamour to your winter wardrobe while keeping you warm on colder days.⁠ ⁠ The Dina jacket closes with a leather rope belt and is designed with front pockets and a wide collar.⁠

Our campaign takes place at De Nollen, the life’s work of artist R.W. de Wint. Featured in this setting is the sculpture titled Harmonica.⁠ ⁠ This 13-meter-long and over 4-meter-high sculpture is completely enclosed. As the sculpture is moved by human touch it keeps rotating with the wind, the viewer’s perspective constantly shifts. The folds in the massive structure reveal a pattern resembling an accordion.