It all started with a belt.
Anwar Hadid, brother to Gigi and Bella Hadid, model and frontman for the band Howvanish, was walking past the storefront of artisanal leather designer Ty Stephano in Los Angeles on his way to a local factory to make a belt, and they struck up a conversation.
Turns out Stephano was pondering beltmaking too, leading the two to partner on a new business venture creating small-batch leather pieces and metal accessories. They named it Obsidian and it will launch on Friday with a range of belts, bags, jewelry and apparel.
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Hadid said the launch collection will offer a variety of price points, ranging from $88 to $11,000 for a leather jacket lined with linen.
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“My first dream was always to be a designer,” Hadid said. “It’s what I wanted to do before I found music. It made my mother mad but I used to cut up pants and shirts and remake them. I have the brain of a creator.”
He said Obsidian is intended to appeal to people with a distinct sense of individuality and “has a lot of character and details.”
Although the collection will be sold exclusively online initially, he said he hopes to eventually open pop-ups or even brick-and-mortar stores.
To introduce the brand, he will utilize social media and also tap into the wide range of friends both he and Stephano have developed “in the underground of music and fashion.”
Hadid also has his own Martyre unisex jewelry brand. He said the collection still exists but is not currently being produced as he is focused on Obsidian.