When we were first introduced to Hozell by a local Californian friend of ours, we quickly appreciated their laid-back, leisurely take on fashion. Not only do they live and breathe with their company’s success, they represent the brand in their everyday lives. Inspired by the Southern Californian lifestyle we all love and admire (and are all slightly jealous of), friends Chad Campion and Jeff Jackel are aiming at taking their local brand global; from premiere retailers in LA, to Barneys New York in Tokyo, to HBO’s Entourage. We recently sat down with co-founder Chad Campion between tradeshows and finishing production on the Fall line to talk about social responsibility, golf and Johnny Drama.
LH: What makes living in Orange County so appealing? Is it anything like all the reality TV shows out there?
CC: Living here is pretty easy and mellow… Can’t complain much about 75 and sunny almost everyday, especially with the beach and mountains so close! I went east for school, for a liberal arts education and the world of finance. During breaks and vacations, we (Jeff and I) would reconvene on the beaches and golf courses of Orange County. I just couldn’t let go of the lifestyle. We both moved home to build a company that captured the lifestyle that we loved so much, but also reflected what we had picked up along the way traveling the world and living in 2 of the most influential cities in the world (LA & NYC). Confession #1 –for the first 6 months, we both lived at Jeff’s parent’s house learning how to start a business and make clothes. It’s a bit slow for me at times, but moving back to anywhere from NYC would seem a little slow. Luckily LA is close, and I am able to get out to New York quite often. Confession #2 –regarding the reality tv shows, as a recent college grad living in NYC nostalgic for home, I watched every episode of the OC and Laguna Beach their first seasons. That was amazing television…
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LH: Appreciate the honesty… Let’s talk about “Leisure with Dignity” -your tagline. What does it really mean to you and how do you live it day by day?
CC: Consciously reserving time in life for the things that you love doing the most. Not being held down by the daily grind. Not taking life too seriously. For us, that means creating clothes we love, surfing, golfing, ping pong tournaments in the office, lazy afternoons at the pool, outdoor movie night every Wednesday (projected on the wall behind our office), etc.
LH: All your clothes are made in Southern California, and you position yourselves as ’social responsible’ brand. Why is this important to you?
CC: By making all of our clothes locally, we know everything that happens and goes into making each garment. We are personally involved; we know why our screen printer’s nickname is Muerte, we attended Jose’s (one of our main cutting and sewing manufacturers) daughter’s quinceanera… All of these good people are part of our community, so it benefits us all to work and grow together. And for us, that is exactly what social responsibility is about… community.
LH: Does it make it hard to compete with brands going overseas for cheaper manufacturing costs?
CC: While the bottom line is important for every business, other factors should definitely come into play while decisions are made and actions are taken. The world of fashion and apparel is changing. It’s becoming so much faster, connected, like everything I guess. So having complete control over production and quick turn-around times is not only a luxury afforded to us by locally producing our goods, but it’s an advantage. It is a huge benefit that keeps us nimble and able to do things other (and often times much bigger) companies are not able to.
LH: Golf seems to be a huge inspiration behind the brand. How does the “stuck-up” country lifestyle mesh with your seemingly laid-back brand culture?
CC: Much more so at the beginning, yes. And something that we plan to revisit in the future. But for us golf is supposed to be fun. Period. It’s way more about hanging out with your buddies than trying to look and act like Tiger Woods. More and more people playing golf get that, and that is where we fit in.
LH: How about another confession… what’s your handicap?
CC: I actually don’t have a handicap at the moment, but on any given day i could shoot a 75 or a 95. Consistency is not one of my strong suits!
LH: You have a favorite golf course?
CC: Tough call… I’ll have to go with the Princeville course on the north shore of Kauai. Wow is the first word that comes to mind. When I do get around to playing there, I think that the Bandon Dunes courses in Oregon will become my favorites. I just love the idea of that place.
LH: Tell me about the Green Machine? Do you guys still roll out the trailer from time to time? What’s the response been like?
CC: So, we took a dilapidated 1984 Shasta RV and turned it into the coolest mobile store known to man. We gutted the interior, ripping out the bathroom fixtures, the kitchenette and all of the gross shit left in it by the previous owners and put in faux wood floors, crown molding and astroturf walls. The juxtaposition of all the elements represents our brand better any description I can offer – high brow/low brow, old/new, it really turned out great. Oh and we topped it off by painting the whole think bright green. We take it out as much as we can, and people love it. I can’t even tell you the number of people that ask us if they can live in it.
LH: I keep seeing Hozell pop up in Johnny Drama’s wardrobe, how did you guys get on Entourage? Did you ever get to meet the star of Viking Quest?
CC: I honestly don’t even remember! I think the show’s costume designer just contacted us. We get requests like that all the time, but I must admit that we were pretty pumped about Entourage. We have yet to meet the man, but we are working on something big that may change that. Unfortunately, I’m not quite at liberty to discuss yet…
LH: How intriguing… Let’s change pace- you obviously love to travel, what are the 3 most important things you need to pack before you leave home?
CC: a) A nod to my brother, Jason –he is a pilot, so I fly for free because of him. 2) I really should be put in one of those blackberry commercials. d) My Tretorn slip-ons.
LH: What are some of your favorite streetwear brands right now? What are they doing that you like?
CC: Rag & Bone –if you’re familiar I don’t have to elaborate.
Generic Youth –they are good friends of ours, and have a really cool program creating largely one of a kind garments from overstocked and recycled fabrics. Plus the owner/creator is responsible for starting Maui and Sons, in the 80’s, and Modern Amusement, more recently.
Tretorn –an old swedish company that used to make gear for fishermen back in the day, now makes the best shoes. They are pretty much all I wear. My grandparents used to wear tretorns all the time years ago. I recognized the logo from my childhood at this little store in Brooklyn a few years back… the connection was instant and I have been wearing them non-stop ever since.
LH: Wow, that’s quite the connection. Other than the O.C. or NYC, what are your favorite spots around the world? To surf, skate, hang out…
CC: South America is my favorite. I lived in Buenos Aires for a while and can’t get enough of that place. The city is amazing, the surrounding areas offer limitless fun and adventure, and the girls are super hot.
LH: What can we expect from Hozell in the near future?
CC: More and more product categories, more basics. That is actually one of the things I am most excited about personally. I love to wear plain T’s, and as we speak today, we are launching a big basics program. What that means is that our beloved T’s will now be available each season in an array of different colors, with no graphic art or crazy embellishing. Some with pockets, some with back yokes, some with contrasting accent fabrics – to keep things a little interesting, but basically just an incredibly comfortable, well fitting t-shirt.
On the big picture scale, we have some amazing international opportunities that we are finalizing right now, so next time I’ll have to fill you in on those.
Check out the entire current collection from Hozell on their online shop, here.
