TALK BRANDS #2: YOUNG RECKLESS HEARTS
This is Part 2 of our Talk Brands collection and how excited am I?!
If you don't know already, these posts are intending to celebrate our home grown brands and get to know their roots a little better. Here at Talk Casuals we're also giving you budding designers out there the chance to get some pearls of wisdom and advice from people who are already doing it!
Next up under the microscope is Jenifer Spence who is owner of runs Young Reckless Hearts. YRH is a women's street wear brand, based in Leeds, specialising in creating unique stand out pieces of street influenced garments and accessories. So, lets get started....
Where did Young Reckless Hearts all begin and what made you want to run your own brand?
It started in my 3rd year of uni; we had to work for out final major project to create a brand with a capsule collection of products. I started getting into getting into street wear and sportswear design and exploring into brands and it just stemmed from there! I wanted to create a women’s street wear brand with the esthetics of men’s street wear, mixed with 1970s skate fashions. I also had a rad tutor too and he encouraged me to do what I want and was really supportive of my brand ideas.
How would you describe Young Reckless Hearts?
Streetwear with a feminine fit, we take influence from 1970s skate too. Standout, limited garments and accessories with our signature prints from season to season. I wanted to make something that resembled the clothes boys get from well known street brands but edit the shapes to be a more girly silohette!
What is your favourite piece from your collection?
What is your favourite piece from your collection?
My favorite pieces where the all over print tees and leggings we did, unfortunately getting these fixed to work on a mass production as the first collection was all handmade by myself has been tricky but we are getting there! I also love our hearts and bones embroidery because I developed It during my graduate year I feel especially fond of it.
If you could sum up your brand in 3 words, what would they be?
Feminine, street smart, laid-back
What for you has been the highlight of running Young Reckless Hearts to date?
Putting up my graduate collection and exhibiting it, I got a really positive response to the collection and was really over whelmed. I absolutely love it; it’s like my brainchild!
What do you do outside Young Reckless Hearts?
I blog on youngrecklesshearts.tumblr.com and also loveluxxe.blogspot.co.uk, instagram a lot and intern at a number of names* looking after bape, billionaire boys club and ice cream in a pr/marketing role. Along with collecting too many homewares and trainers! I love just looking on the Internet at new releases and gorgeous imagery, always find inspiration that way!
A absolutely love man up girl! They have the technical products that I haven’t quite managed to master yet, but would love to achieve one day, it’s small steps and a massive learning process for me in my technical ability with garment construction but it’s so rewarding. I am forever bowled over with what they release, the puffa jacket was the most beautiful thing! I want young reckless hearts to have that effect one day!
Favourite brand of footwear?
I used to be such a Nike girl, and I still am but now I’m so into asics and the collaborations they pull out the bag with other brands and stores, also new balance but I tend to buy only made in the UK shoes, as they are made on my home turf of Cumbria!
Who would you most like to do a collaboration with and why?
I’d love to collaborate with small feet big kicks, man up girl, and some illustrators to make up some super cute summer prints! And there are a ton of photographers too I would love to have shoot my collection! I think adidas and i would get on amazingly, I would love to think up some ideas with them for women’s garments, Billionaire girls club too I’m forever in the office trying to come up with ideas to send over to them looking at the boys collection and trying to translate to girls, I’ve recently started on a line sheet of ideas so going to post it over with sweets see if the like them! i’d love to colab with Patta of course and some other indie street wear stores I don’t know what we would do, but I’d love to help design some capsule collection pieces! I have a never ending love for menswear and I’d love to design some really technically constructed pieces.
What can we expect to see from Young Reckless Hearts in the future?
Lots! We’ve been a sleepy brand for a while but we are getting back on it, sourcing new manufactures for cut and sew garments along with some new cute prints for summer. I want to experiment more with print and colour layering and also introduce some neon’s in somewhere! The time just passed by, I keep moving around and my head becomes lost but I promised myself that this year will be the year!
What, in your opinion, is the best thing about running your own brand?
The feeling at the end when you have a full cohesive collection and you stand back and just think...I did that…from nothing somehow I’ve made something, and it’s sick! It never usually lasts long though, I’m always thinking what can I do differently this time, what can I improve on and start on the next collection! It’s amazing seeing people wearing your things though, honestly I cannot thank everyone enough for their support they continue to have towards the brand!
What advice would you give to someone who may want to start their own brand?
Put your all into it, you need to believe in your brand and your collection. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do, if you honestly believe in your idea stick with it! I had a lot of tears and sleepless nights in the run up to the collection finish but it’s completely worth it in the end. Make sure you know what it is your doing, how your brand is different, what are your brand ideals? Put together a strong cohesive collection, even if its just 4-10 pieces make sure it all looks as one and cover all assets of a collection. And the main trick of the trade, don’t tell anyone anything ;) hahaaaa!
Anything else you'd like to add?
Just thank you to everyone for their support for the brand over the past 2 years! Promise going to have some lovely releases coming
this summer for everyone and the only way is upwards for the brand, thank you all for your patience and I hope you all love what’s in store!
www.facebook.com/youngrecklesshearts
www.twitter.com/yngrecklesshrts
Instagram @yngrecklesshrts
Don't waste any time, head over to Young Reckless Hearts now and pick up a tee before they're all gone!
Don't forget to go and like the YHR Facebook page, and whilst you're there give Talk Casuals page a like too!
