A LIFE WELL LIVED
A prominent Manhattan socialite and fashion designer, Nicole Hanley proves to reflect a seamless lifestyle where she blends luxe chic with wearable fashion. We spoke with Hanley about how she manages to juggle it all and her latest collection.
WORDS BY JOSHUA HORTINELA – IMAGES BY CRISTINA MACAYA
Describe a regular day in the life of Nicole Hanley?
I find it is less about balance and more about appreciating the differences each day brings, organizing accordingly and giving 100% of yourself to what is in front of you while keeping in mind your big picture. Each day requires a different rhythm. In an ideal day- my children wake up after 6.30am, I have time to exercise, have a productive day in the office, have time somewhere for me, spend time with my children, get them to bed on time, perhaps have dinner with friends and get to bed before 10pm with a book in my hand- Mostly, I get 4 of the 8 in any given day.
What made you decide to become a designer?
I fell into the fashion business more by chance and circumstance than determination. During high school and College I spent summers interning in many different fields - and honestly always found a creative outlet and enjoyed my work no matter the assignment. My mind natural thinks through things creatively. While at Ralph Lauren I fell in love with the design process and with hindsight, looking back throughout my life the path to fashion was natural and obvious from the start.
Tell us about your latest collection?
I had the great privilege of visiting the Restoration Department of the Prado Museum. A meticulous understanding of a painting, its artist and historical context is necessary for the restorer to return a picture to an authentic and original quality. To that we studied the textures and prints as seen in the 16th and 17th century costumes from the paintings of El Greco, Velazquez and Claudio Coello and returned those historical influences through embroidered laces, unusual prints, rich velvets and veiled polka dots to our sophisticated, 21st Century woman on the go… This collection will be available online this Fall.
What is luxury to you?
Luxury is having time for myself honestly unbridled from the stresses of the many facets of my life ie. reading a book without feeling that I should be be doing something more productive...
Where is your all time favourite destination of all time?
Traveling is how you experience life. It moves you to engaging in the world. New surroundings both further your growth and understanding of the world while also allowing you to re-appreciate and see the beauty in your own back yard. I do, however, look forward to returning to the places I have already fallen in love with- as your senses become more familiar, each new encounter of a previous experience opens up a deeper connection to that place. I have only been to Kenya once, but am desperate to return with my children to visit the incredibly people I met while there and to share that experience with them. Havana is a city I have twice visited and still would like to return to and while there visit more of the country. And then, there are cities like LA, London, Paris and Florence that are so familiar that I navigate and enjoy returning to with a homelike sensibility.
For more go to http://hanley.nyc