So today’s post is all about ‘HollenWolff’ a brand
based in Milwaukee, USA that specializes in the true art and craftsmanship of
creating cufflinks – now some of you might be thinking you are not that
interested in cufflinks, but this post sets out to give you an insight into a
brand that I for one have a whole lot of respect for and also the products are
made with unparalleled attention to detail. To introduce you to HollenWolff I
got the pleasure of interviewing the Creative Director – James Lohmiller to give you an insightful look into the brand.
So
the brand is called ‘HollenWolff’ what does HollenWolff mean and represent?
The
name HollenWolff is an amalgamation of the surnames Hollenbeck
and Wolff. Stanley Hollenbeck was my grandfather and, due to his
impeccable style, the inspiration behind my lifelong interest in fashion. Paul
Wolff, my fellow cofounder Kyle Stoehr's grandfather, was a tool and die
manufacturer and similarly, an enduring inspiration of his regarding
mechanical ingenuity.
Kyle,
a ball bearing manufacturer by trade, and I met when I was selling custom
clothing. When we decided to combine our passions in a venture, the
name was an easy decision as that combination is really what HollenWolff
represents - the intersection of mechanical function and style.
I
must say, the video introducing the brand on your website is brilliantly shot,
and offers a great look into the craftsmanship behind the production of the
HollenWolff cufflinks, what was your creative thought process behind the video?
Thank
you. When we met with our filmmaker, Bill Seidel, we explained
that we wanted our film to be both educational with respect
to the integrity of the manufacturing process, as well
as celebratory of craftsmanship in all forms – from machining to
music. Our violinist, Jordan Waraksa, is both a master woodworker and
professional musician who laid down the song spontaneously in his
workshop, looping his own tracks over one another. It was really amazing. We
want our product to evoke the same kind of emotion as a brilliant performance
can.
The HollenWolff brand, a really refreshing and unique company...selling a
uniquely refined product…how did the brand come about and what do you want to
achieve with it?
Kyle
and I were at a charity event one night in 2009, and he was complaining about
having worked up a sweat getting his cufflinks on earlier in the night. I
showed him on my phone that I had just been researching vintage snap-together
cufflinks earlier in the day that were popular in the 1920s and '30s, and that
you put on before putting on your shirt. Kyle knew we could make them. A
cocktail or two later HollenWolff was born, and within days we were reviewing
designs.
That's a question we feel is
important to understanding our brand. For over a century, Milwaukee
was known as the machine shop to the world. Geographically, we're located in
the Midwest industrial belt 150 km north of Chicago. Due to a
heavy concentration of skilled European tradesmen, predominantly German by
ethnicity, who originally immigrated to the area, Milwaukee has a rich
history of skilled manufacturing (not coincidentally, some of our most
famous staples include beer, sausage and cheese). Perhaps our most
familiar export, however, is the Harley Davidson. As a smaller
metropolitan area, and despite the fact we are producing a traditionally
high-brow product, we felt it important to celebrate our blue collar
heritage in a way that contrasts traditional expectation.
What
does the word ‘craftsmanship’ mean to HollenWolff?
Also from our home state of
Wisconsin, furniture icon Gustav Stickley emblazoned the Flemish craftsman's
phrase "ALS IK KAN" on the bottom of every piece of furniture he
built. Translated, the words mean "to the best of my ability". It's
hard to imagine there could be a more perfect definition.
If
I’m being honest I have never seen or heard of bearing-lock mechanical
cufflinks before, what is good/different about buying a pair of these types of
cufflinks?
The early 1900s were the golden age of cufflink
ingenuity, when dozens of innovative designs were patented including the
bearing lock cufflink in 1924. Companies like Swank were making 12 million
cufflinks a year up until the 1960s, a large portion of which consisting of a
snap together design. All cufflinks at this time were double sided. The
combination of the emerging popularity of the button-down dress shirt, as well
as automation that made the one-sided T-bar flip closure very economical to
produce rendered this ingenuity largely obsolete until today.
In addition to form which of course is subjective,
there are several functional benefits of mechanical cufflinks. Installation is
easier, due to the ability to install them on a shirt before butting the shirt
on. This feature also means you can disconnect them while they remain in the
cuff, for example to roll up your sleeves. Another feature we’ve brought to our
adjustable-length design is the ability to lock the cufflink to one of two
lengths for comfort, or to accommodate a larger watch for example. Security, or
loss prevention, is yet another – our cufflinks won’t come undone until you
unlock them.
I
like the simplicity with which the cufflinks are designed, is this something
you were trying to achieve?
This
is a purpose-built machine with a function. Although we’re a new brand, we’re
applying fifty years of manufacturing experience in industrial environments. This
has certainly taught us the benefits of keeping mechanical design as straight
forward as possible. We felt it important for function to dictate the results
with little added.
What
are your feelings on the overall ‘cufflink’ market, and where do you think you
fit in with this?
In general, men’s accessories have been a doing very
well over the past few years, although we’re not fond of the word “accessory” however
as a category within which to insert our product. By nature it implies the
superficial. We are more interested in substance. What sort of a man would wear
these? What is going on with this person? We’d like to give that man permission
to wear cufflinks often and outside of what are considered traditional forums
for doing so – for example only for formal occasions.
Is
the HollenWolff brand just going to produce cufflinks or is there any scope to
create any more accessories?
There is a unique satisfaction that comes with
owning an item of exceptional quality. You can tell when something was
handcrafted by somebody who cares. We are interested in making things that
stand the test of time.
I
must say, never mind the product, I absolutely love the attention to detail
that has gone into making the box and leather detailing that has gone into the
box…I believe it’s these attention to details that us gentlemen really respond
too…did you give much thought to the packaging or was it something that just
came naturally?
Again, ALS IK KAN. This is the best we can make and
very much a part of the experience of owning a HollenWolff product. We wanted
our packaging to be as worthy of heirloom gifting as its contents – something
you pass down to your son.
What
is your opinion on the popularity of cufflinks in 2012, are they as popular in
America as the rest of the world?
We’re
quite a distance removed from the golden age of cufflinks as referred to
earlier, however it’s apparent that an renaissance of appreciation for
craftsmanship as it pertains to men’s apparel and furnishings is upon us –
substance trumping novelty, and quality
over quantity. We hope to be a part of their resurgence.
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Can
you give me a fact about Milwaukee that ‘us’ Brits would have never heard
before?
There is likely no place outside of the UK that is
more familiar with the culinary celebration of fish and chips. The “Friday
night fish fry” is very large part of our regional culture.
In one sentence, sum up the
HollenWolff brand for me?
When style
transcends the superficial, things get interesting.
(All images courtesy of HollenWolff)
I would
like to thank James for his time, I really enjoyed finding out more about this
new brand, a brand where attention to detail goes into everything they do
(including the beautiful packaging). I wish them the best of luck for the
future…I must also point out that the answer to my last interview question is
so absolutely brilliant that I’m going to have to quote it again ‘When style transcends the superficial,
things get interesting’ brilliant! If
you would like to find out more about HollenWolff then visit their website at: www.hollenwolff.com
Enjoy!
Brilliant!
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