We had the good fortune of connecting with Laurence Ligon and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Laurence, what are you inspired by?
I find quite a lot of inspiration from my travels. I have been to over 35 countries, mostly for fun and exploration. I have also done volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, building houses in various communities. Making a human connection with someone from another part of the world, sharing smiles or a meal, learning about the different cultures and beliefs has truly been inspiration. My travels have inspired me to learn other languages so that I can enhance that connection and relate on higher levels. Wherever I go, I try to learn some basic phrases – greetings, how to say please and thank you. I currently speak besides English – Spanish, French, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese. I dabble with Amharic and Arabic. I can also say thank you in over 25 different languages.
One last inspiration is nature. I love hiking on trails and being from California, disparate parts of that natural world were always close by whether is it be mountains or desert or the ocean. All were within an hour or two drive from my hometown.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always been artistic. I remember my mother buying me the 64 crayola set way back in the day. I used every color and experimented with different color combinations. I tend to gravitate towards bold colors and designs, many of which were inspired from my travels to other parts of the world and from nature itself. I find the best color combinations are out in the natural world.
We just completed our first big introduction of my line of men’s dress shirts under the Hattie & George label during New York fashion week at the Runway 7 show in February. What an experience! Seeing your own work on the runway in the fashion capital was at the same time nerve-racking and exhilarating.
I started my first business in Atlanta back in the mid-90s. It was a neckwear collection called TribalTies. I took colors and various motifs from around the world (Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, and Americas) and made it workable for the guy in a suit going into an office. It was the opposite of the Benettons that were dominating the market at that time. TribalTies stated, “We are different, but those differences are beautiful”. TribalTies also captured those beautiful differences in silk neckwear from some of the best Italian factories and craftspeople.
I did well. I had write ups in Essence, the Fashion Mannuscript, Wedding Dresses Magazine, and the Washington Post. This was before social media and in the early days of the internet and online shopping, so it was very difficult to get into the brick & mortar. There were a few gatekeepers and if you weren’t in their circle, you weren’t getting in. I had a lot of disappointments. I tried to get into big stores like Nordstroms and Bloomingdales, but they weren’t ready for the diverse offerings that I presented.
So, I focused on my customer instead of trying to get approval and recognition from those stores. I never measured my success by what stores I was in. I never let that stop me. For me, success was taking an idea and turning it into something tangible — something that I could feel and see.
That experience reminded me of why I started the business in the first place – the love of the craft, love of the art, and the love of creating. I carry that same philosophy on with Hattie & George. It is aptly named for my mother and father who were resilient, strong, dapper and stylish people. We were a family of kinda nerdy kids. My father spent his last few dollars once, to buy a set of encyclopedias and I spent an entire summer going through each and every page in every one of those books. That’s nerdy! LOL! My parents encouraged me and my siblings to be strong in who we were. That’s what I bring with Hattie & George. These are bold designs, bold colors. For those who are secure in who they are and don’t mind making a statement. People who want to be memorable. Not flashy or cocky, just confident and exceptional.
Today, I’ve come full circle with Hattie & George. I utilize some of those same neckwear designs to produce these beautiful shirts. Stay tuned, we have some great things planned for 2023 — not just for men, but for women as well.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So many places! Most of my friends are meat eaters so I would definitely take them to Fat Matt’s for some bbq. But I enjoy going to Politan Row at Colony Square as well. Lots of variety, good people watching. For sweets, Cafe Intermezzo is a nice place for coffee & desserts. Being an aspiring vegan (I’ve been a vegetarian for over 20 years), I really enjoy going to Bar Vegan in the Ponce City Market or Slutty Vegan in Kirkwood. Planted Soul has good vegan food as well.
For drinks Jojo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge is a really nice spot. Very cozy. Another is Rock Steady, though the younger crowd takes over in the late evening, it has a great vibe. Urban Tree Cidery is also a nice change of pace.
You know I have to get out in nature so hikes around the city are important. Sope Creek is a nice spot to get away from the hustle and bustle.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow. This is a hard one because so many people have been instrumental in where I am today. My parents, my sister Edna, my great-aunt Christine. I come from a very tight-knit Southern family, but I also have some great friends who have picked me up when I was down or gave me advice or opinions or some hard truths to keep me on the right path. Going to Howard University was a big part of my success. It changed my entire life’s direction and purpose. I owe that to my sister Edna who convinced me to attend.
I also think the time I spent in Paris, France completing my MBA was a big influence. I lived in the city for 11 months. It was also life altering and being in a different country helped me appreciate my own roots.
Website: www.hattiengeorge.com
Instagram: @hattiengeorge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hattien.george.5
Image Credits
Lee James Larry Lewis Marsin Mogielski