Today we’d like to introduce you to Hyden Yoo.
Born in Seoul and raised in Houston, Hyden graduated from The University of Chicago with a degree in biology with the intent on becoming a doctor, but instead dipped his toes in a variety of jobs including fitness training, retail sales and management consulting. Unhappy with his life trajectory Hyden took a chance (a crazy one) and applied to a reality show called Fear Factor and WON. Hyden took his winnings, moved to New York and began working on what he really wanted to do – design clothes.
Hyden has been the creative head of his label since 2008. The Hyden Yoo collection is developed for every man for every day and every night. Hyden has also since started the easily accessible streetwear brand Standard Issue. Hyden now lives in Venice, CA and designs out of his studio in DTLA. Hyden is a lover of the many multicultural cuisines, art, and people LA has to offer. Hyden Yoo contributes a percentage of all sales to the many local and global foundations that support humans and make the world a better place.
Has it been a smooth road?
Very challenging. Not having any investors for a very cash-intensive business. Not having a design background. Never been in the industry prior.
Not knowing anyone nor getting mentorship and advice. Just had to learn on my own and figure things out as I went along. Even my very first batch of shirts were terrible. The fit and the look were good, but I didn’t know anything about fabrics, so the fabric quality wasn’t the best. Finding buyers and convincing them to give my brand a chance was very difficult.
Fashion business is like the cool kids. You want to try and join them at the cafeteria table, but it’s like you were the loser who moved from another state. No one wants to talk to you or give you a chance, but then you do something cool and then people start warming up to you.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
You guys really jam a few questions into “one” question. Anyways, I mainly run operations and design. We do some retail and online, but we specialize in creating stuff for other brands and shops. That’s what we’re known for in industry circles. We’re a very small business, but we get a lot of great stuff done.
I’m most proud that we’re still in business. We’ve morphed from doing men’s shirts to doing a full on collection to doing new york fashion week with men’s and women’s collections to now doing lifestyle products on the west coast. We’ve adopted as the market and industry changed, and a lot of my peers weren’t as lucky.
We adapt quickly, we don’t need ten meetings to get one small thing done. So we’re different b/c if I have an idea, we can develop it within a week. Quick turnaround and results in everything that we do. We might not have the name in lights like the other guys, but we do pretty well without it.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We’re already seeing a major shift in retail. Brick and mortar are starting to die. Rents are getting higher, yet sales are going lower. I think any retailer without an online presence is doomed, yet, for the big box retailers, I think they will be ok. In terms of clothing, I think soon everyone will start getting over the streetwear trend and anything suitable to make girls butts look bigger.
Ten years ago, most dudes weren’t into big butts, but now it’s everywhere, and we’re getting overloaded from all social angles. I think ten years from now that’s all going to be gone and we’ll have moved on to something else. I wish I knew what so I can start on it early!
Contact Info:
- Website: hydenyoo.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @hydenyoo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HydenYooClothing/
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