Please note this article was originally published while this publication was called Funland.
WHAT? The launch of new clubwear brand Hibiscus’ first collection, titled “Eyes of Kali”
WHERE? The Glory
WHEN? 17th September 2023
WHY? For one, I want to do more fashion-related things. For two, Carley Hague is really good at doing such fashion-related things herself.
Carley Hague is an uberbabe. She has been since I saw her dance pregnant and ethereal nine years ago at Glasto, and I was just dying to know who she was. Once I discovered her then-elusive identity, a girl crush had formed. Sixteen-year-old me even applied for a fashion diploma in an attempt to follow in her footsteps. (Obviously, it didn’t work out.) It took me eight years to finally meet her, at Jonny Woo’s 50th. She proved my suspicions right by being an absolute sweetheart.
Carley recently started up Hibiscus, named after the founder of the Cockettes, with Ibiza-based party promoter turned stylist to the stars, Liz Mendez. Prior to founding this line, Carley balanced motherhood (she has three kids) with the creation of bespoke spandex pieces for names such as Jessie J (famously wearing a Carley piece with a broken foot), Alexandra Burke and Paloma Faith, as well as scenesters like Lucy Fizz and Gaff-E.
I immediately spotted and introduced myself to friend of Carley’s, the equally-sartorially-inspirational Bethan Laura Wood (who I regret not taking any pics of). Apparently Mel Blatt from All Saints was there, as was Kavana. I couldn’t see them there, so I wonder if they just got the tip-off a la Jaime Winstone (one of Liz’ most frequent clients/besties who shared a pic from the runway on IG). At any rate, I can’t wait to see them all rock the collection – especially Jaime.
Before and during the procession, Glory-verse veterans Nadia Juma (does she still call herself NaDiva?) and Jacob Love acted as a pseudo Adam and Eve, painting each others bodies and stirring up intrigue. At 6pm, emcee Jonny Woo told us it was time to put our bums in our seats (alright, alright, I had to stand up but someone no-showed so the sweetheart and Glory co-founder Colin Rothbart impromptu secured me the spare seat – thanks ever so much!).
Moments later, music rose and out popped one visual explosion after the other. (Prints from this line were done by artist and Royal Collage of Arts grad Emma Stone Johnson.) The heart-shaped bags by Katie France and headpieces by Piers Atkinson only made the line’s look and feel that more iconic. (A little Carley goes a long way!)
Being adorned by such creations were East London drag legends like Bourgeoisie, Camile Leon and Diana Might, as well as street-cast creatives like Sadie Clayton and Nathan Lee Grant. Shaking up the pace, go-go boys Giorgio Spiegelfeld and Fabio Leo took the jackets off their backs to charm plus size models, Talia Darling and Elizabeth Wolfe, into being escorted down the runway.
Then came the finale. Karen Grymm revealed to the audience that her guitar wasn’t an incidental prop (in a “you can wear Hibiscus when you’re playing guitar! you can wear Hibiscus when you’re gardening!” kinda way) but something she had expertise in. Fellow model Charlotte Carter-Allen then picked up the mic and gave us a gusto-filled rendition of Alison Limerick’s Where Love Lives; Grymm accompanying her. Surrounded by Charlotte’s chants of “Come on in, come on in”, Carley joined all of the models/birds of paradise in a joyful dance down the runway.
Once the show was over and all that was left was the video projection on the wall, I did my best at breaking introversion. I said my thanks to, hung out with Woo and Sizzle, and found out that NaDiva’s divine perfume of choice is Tobacco Vanille from Tom Ford. (Get a decant! Steal her style!) Despite being clearly exhausted and in that ever-electric clean-up mode, Carley and her husband Kamil were gracious enough to smooch for my cameras once again.
Carley and Kamil are pretty rare in the fact I consider them couple goals, no ifs no buts. On the Tube going there and back, I saw couples on both ends of the “please stop coupling” spectrum – to Haggerston, those who you just want to shout “get a room!” at and, from Haggerston, the blushing girlfriend suffering while her beau sings loudly along to 00s R’N’B as testament to his love. Carley and Kamil will never touch those boundaries of “ew!” and that’s a wonderful thing. I have a feeling Hibiscus will be just as blissfully ever-pleasing.