Hannah Marshall (fashion designer)
Hannah Marshall (born 1982) is a British Creative Director, Designer and Visual Consultant for women in music with a distinct aesthetic of sleek black minimalism.
Hannah Marshall founded her brand in 2007 with ‘Quiet Noise’, a quietly powerful collection of black clothing engineered with precision, discreetly embedded with coded braille messaging. She went on to produce a further seven collections ever exploring the themes of: communication through clothing, transformation of the body and, unconditionally, empowerment of the wearer. In 2011 after years of critically acclaimed and award winning work within fashion design, Marshall made the decision to break out of the seasonal fashion industry mold; choosing to work on bespoke pieces for female artists in the music industry and further explore the intersection between clothing and music.
With curiosity at the core of Marshall’s change of direction, she channeled her passion for live music and her empathy for the performers themselves, into a unique new way of working. Developing the pieces not for, but with the artists. Hannah works very much without unnecessary ego; she understands that stage clothing needs to be an extension of the performers identity. “Music artists are such powerful conduits of information and emotion, they communicate so much in many subtle ways, from the lyrics that they sing, to the clothes they wear, the audience cannot help but inhale every detail. The clothing needs to be empowering for the performer to wear, but does not have to overpower the performance.”
Despite her love and understanding of minimalism, Marshall is not unfamiliar with the creation of more avant-garde pieces, a look at her past collections see signature injections of sculptural, complex 3D spines, silhouette altering shoulders, and unexpected textures. Her versatility and years of experience means she can enable The xx to echo their subtle, minimalist music, in sharp razor cut tailoring whilst also create dramatic yet ethereal pieces for Florence and the Machine, to bring to life as she dances across the stage. “I have always understood and respected the power of clothing coupled with music, I believe the two go hand in hand. The musicians I work with breathe life into my designs, they give them a heartbeat”
Bespoke collaborations include The xx, Savages, Florence & the Machine and Janet Jackson. Other music artists who wear Hannah Marshall are Rihanna, Jessie Ware, Channy Leaneagh (Poliça), Ruth Radelet (Chromatics), Skin, Caroline Polachek, Banks and more.