To celebrate the launch of our Molly Hatch For Joanie collaboration collection, our Brand Director Lucy sat down for a virtual cup of tea with Molly to ask the burning questions you want to know!

The Molly Hatch For Joanie collection has arrived! We’ve teamed up with US artist and ceramicist, Molly Hatch to create a range which combines Molly’s signature prints and slogans, with some of our favourite vintage-inspired styles across dresses, tees and sweatshirts.

Molly Hatch laying on a picnic blanket reading a book wearing Manon Button-Through Dress
Molly Hatch For Joanie - Manon EcoVero™ Galleon Print Button-Through Dress

The collaboration is Molly Hatch’s first foray into clothing. She’s known for her wonderful pottery and homeware, which she describes as ‘modern heirlooms with everyday charm’. We love that Molly’s tableware, home goods, stationery and gifts are intertwined with history, making the traditional new again, or given a witty twist with a fun slogan - a perfect match for us!

Keen bakers might have spotted Molly’s signature Flower Patch pottery regularly adorning the ‘Gingham Altar’ on The Great British Bake Off - a design that we loved reworking into a bold all-over print for our Judith and Savannah dresses, as well as the colourful Arianne jumpsuit.

The collection also has a big focus on sustainability, with many dresses and skirts created in environmentally friendly EcoVero™, while Organic and BCI Cotton feature heavily across the slogan tees and sweatshirts.

During the design process, our Brand Director Lucy sat down for a virtual cup of tea with Molly, to learn more about her and uncover her inspirations. Here’s what she had to say.

Hi Molly! Important first question - how do you take your tea?

Hi Lucy! I always take my tea with milk - and no sugar. The milk is sweet enough on its own!

Tell us a little about yourself! Where are you today? Set the scene for our readers.

Today I am sitting in my sunny studio in Florence, Massachusetts. I’m surrounded by my pots, paintings and plants. It’s an open, airy studio that’s in an old toothbrush factory building but it’s now full of artists and creatives. The ceilings are 14ft above and the windows are 10ft tall - making for a dreamy light-filled space to make all of my work.

When I think of New England, I think of autumn, the fall leaves, the Kennedy’s… is it all clam chowder and Dawson’s Creek, or is that a romantic preconception?

Ha! In many ways, New England is that, yes! Most people experience the fall or Cape Cod beaches - all fabulous! I think of New England as an academic place - much of the Universities and Colleges in the US are in the highest concentration here in Massachusetts. The landscape is much like Devon in the UK but with woods. Lots of rolling hills and valleys, small little towns with a church and steeple at the center. The valley I live in is a huge river valley, making it very fertile and full of agriculture. We love our little valley!

Molly Hatch holding a flower wearing Arianne Jumpsuit and Molly Hatch holding a flower wearing Camilla T-Shirt and striped trousers
Molly Hatch For Joanie - Arianne EcoVero™ Flower Patch Print Jumpsuit, Molly Hatch For Joanie - Camilla Good Things Take Time Slogan Tee

You’re a working artist and mother, as well as running a successful business, how do you balance things - what are your secrets?

I have my moments, believe me! Thankfully my daughter is also creative and loves spending time making things alongside me. As she grew up, I spent much of my time in the studio when she was napping or after she went to bed at night. I am grateful to my husband who is a true partner in raising our daughter and he steps in on the weekends often. Now that my daughter is older she often comes and helps in the studio!

Why clay, why ceramics - what drew you to your craft?

I actually came to clay rather late in art school as an undergraduate student. I enjoyed making pottery, but it was when I found that I could draw on pots that I truly came to love clay. I learned every kind of ceramic surface decoration process I could after that. But everything really comes back to my love for drawing and painting.

Whenever your work is described the word ‘whimsical’ is used! I love the word ‘whimsy’, it’s so underused. What does whimsy mean to you?

Whimsy to me is really about not taking things too seriously. I love it when you see something that is familiar, yet new at the same time. So I often play with historic source imagery and icons in my work and often play with expectations for the imagery. By making a mug with a teacup image on it, it suddenly becomes a mug with the charm of an 18th century teacup - whimsical, right?

A lot of your slogans and positive affirmations come from musical references, what’s your jam?

I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. I love ‘60s Folk, ‘90s Indie, current Indie-Pop and Folk-Pop and I love listening to Mozart piano when writing.

What inspires you? (I know it’s history…)

Yes! History, always. I love taking something we know and making it new. In this way I am adding to the continuum of history - rather than reinventing the wheel, I am adding to the conversation.

What’s your favourite historical period?

I always find myself drawn to the 18th century - peak porcelain production in Europe, when porcelain was as valuable as gold! It’s amazing the things that were made with clay at that time and how precious they were. It was a time full of wealth and opulence in porcelain. I always visit the ceramics galleries at the V&A when I am in London - my favorite museum of all time!

Would you describe yourself as a committed Anglophile? What is it that draws you to us Brits?

Yup, pretty much that’s me! The inherited studio pottery practice form I learnt apprenticing for a British potter in the US was a big part of this love of the UK. I love history so much, and the Jane Austen period films of the 1990s and early 2000s really added to my love of the Brits. The Arts & Crafts movement artists like William Morris have also long been inspiring. My Father in Law was British and returned to Devon on retirement, so my husband and I have spent a lot of time with family in the UK over the years - we both love it! As you can imagine, I was beyond thrilled to have my pots featured on the Great British Bake Off too!

Molly Hatch in front of a yellow tree wearing Rosylea T-shirt and James Teacup print skirt
Molly Hatch For Joanie - Rosylea Cup Of Tea Slogan Tee, Molly Hatch For Joanie - James EcoVero™ Teacup Print Swing Skirt

It’s been a real pleasure working with you on the collaboration which is your first clothing range - is it something you’ve always wanted to do?

It has been so fun collaborating to make this dreamy collection a reality! I have always loved the idea of designing clothing but just havent had the right opportunity present itself, until now!

Why Joanie, what was it about our brand that appealed to you?

The overall aesthetic of Joanie is just so perfect for the Molly Hatch brand. I have to say that I was absolutely thrilled to find that Joanie is working hard to produce clothing that uses eco fabrics and organic cottons. I have been making great strides towards making as much of my product as possible both ethical and sustainable and this was a huge draw for me.

We spent time delving through your back catalogue to create the collection - did you enjoy the process? We’ve also done this all online - did lockdown change the process for you?

I really enjoyed the process and I think that what we’ve come up with is a cohesive representation of my signature pattern collections - everyone’s favorites are there. I have so many ceramicist friends and colleagues who are already beyond thrilled to get their hands on pottery themed clothing, it’s so FUN to see this come together!

What is your favourite piece from the collection?

The Arianne Flower Patch Print Jumpsuit is my favorite piece from the collection - I love a good jumpsuit!

If you could pick someone past or present to wear a piece from the collection, who would it be?

I feel like if I could go back in time and meet my grandmother as a younger woman, I would love to see this collection on her. She was a hat model in the ‘40s in New York City (hard to believe that was a thing!). She was glamorous and elegant, I think she would be thrilled to know that I have designed a clothing line and she would wear it well. I really miss the afternoon tea conversations she and I would have when I would visit her…

Molly Hatch wearing Ranier Dress holding a china plate and Molly Hatch stood in front of a wall wearing Nettie Dress holding a wicker handbag
Molly Hatch For Joanie - Ranier Bluebird Pottery Print Cotton Sundress, Molly Hatch For Joanie - Nettie EcoVero™ Blue China Print Tea Dress

I’m so excited for our Joanie gang to see the range, and I hope our followers love it as much as we do, Molly. Mainly because there are so many more pieces in your archive waiting to be explored and fabulous designs just raring to be translated into clothing. I hope we get the opportunity to do this all over again! Maybe next time, we’ll get to meet IRL!

Agreed! I think the world is going to love this collaboration as much as I do! I think there certainly is plenty of fodder for another collection that will be a fabulous follow up. I can’t thank you enough for making this dream a reality!

 

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Molly and the new collection! You can shop the Molly Hatch For Joanie collection, here. Be quick, it’s limited and we’re sure it won’t be around for long!