Sarah Halpin
We are delighted to welcome Sarah Halpin to Hai Society! It was such a pleasure to have Sarah visit our Boundary Street space. Sarah is a London based creative who moves fluidly between fashion, interiors and curation. In our Hai Society interview Sarah shares the places, rituals and observations that inspire her, from long walks and slow weekends to trips to Athens, alongside a whisper of an exciting upcoming project.
Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do!
I’m Sarah, a London-based creative usually working across a variety of projects at any given time. My background is in textiles and surface design, so I’ve always been drawn to materiality and visual composition. I spent much of the last decade modelling, and over time my work has naturally evolved somewhere between fashion, interiors and more recently, sourcing and curation.
What’s the most essential part of your daily routine?
Walking. Even on very busy days, getting outside and walking somewhere makes such a difference to how I think.
What, where and who inspires you?
I’m often most inspired by quite ordinary things, and by the small details that give something character. I’m constantly collecting references and like to keep neat little piles all over the flat so I can look at them often. I think that instinct to notice, keep and arrange things is probably what’s drawn me towards wanting to create a project of my own that brings all of those interests together - something I’m very excited to share more about soon.
What does a perfect weekend in London look like for you?
A slow morning at home, followed by a long alfresco lunch with friends that accidentally takes over most of the afternoon. Weekends have felt incredibly busy over the summer, so my boyfriend Felix and I have recently made a bit of a pact to keep Sundays free. We buy the Sunday papers and head to the pub.
How would your friends describe you?
An over-thinker! Considerate, meticulous and probably the world’s slowest texter.
What is one place you visited last year that you felt inspired by?
Athens has become an annual trip for me over the years. I leave feeling inspired after every visit, to the point where I’m now semi-seriously planning, or at least daydreaming about, a relocation.
What is the most delicious thing you can remember eating?
Four weeks of eating my way through Japan. Impossible to choose just one thing!
What is your first fashion memory?
Being incredibly envious of a classmate’s pink sparkly jelly shoes. At the time, I was wearing some arguably more sensible blue buckled Kickers. My mum was a teacher at the school, and I knew there was a very good chance I’d get caught and get into trouble for trading shoes. Four-year-old me was apparently much more of a risk-taker.
Are you more romantic or more pragmatic?
Romantic in ideas, pragmatic in execution. Probably an inconvenient amount of both.
Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do!
I’m Sarah, a London-based creative usually working across a variety of projects at any given time. My background is in textiles and surface design, so I’ve always been drawn to materiality and visual composition. I spent much of the last decade modelling, and over time my work has naturally evolved somewhere between fashion, interiors and more recently, sourcing and curation.
What’s the most essential part of your daily routine?
Walking. Even on very busy days, getting outside and walking somewhere makes such a difference to how I think.
What, where and who inspires you?
I’m often most inspired by quite ordinary things, and by the small details that give something character. I’m constantly collecting references and like to keep neat little piles all over the flat so I can look at them often. I think that instinct to notice, keep and arrange things is probably what’s drawn me towards wanting to create a project of my own that brings all of those interests together - something I’m very excited to share more about soon.
What does a perfect weekend in London look like for you?
A slow morning at home, followed by a long alfresco lunch with friends that accidentally takes over most of the afternoon. Weekends have felt incredibly busy over the summer, so my boyfriend Felix and I have recently made a bit of a pact to keep Sundays free. We buy the Sunday papers and head to the pub.
How would your friends describe you?
An over-thinker! Considerate, meticulous and probably the world’s slowest texter.
What is one place you visited last year that you felt inspired by?
Athens has become an annual trip for me over the years. I leave feeling inspired after every visit, to the point where I’m now semi-seriously planning, or at least daydreaming about, a relocation.
What is the most delicious thing you can remember eating?
Four weeks of eating my way through Japan. Impossible to choose just one thing!
What is your first fashion memory?
Being incredibly envious of a classmate’s pink sparkly jelly shoes. At the time, I was wearing some arguably more sensible blue buckled Kickers. My mum was a teacher at the school, and I knew there was a very good chance I’d get caught and get into trouble for trading shoes. Four-year-old me was apparently much more of a risk-taker.
Are you more romantic or more pragmatic?
Romantic in ideas, pragmatic in execution. Probably an inconvenient amount of both.