Hot As Hell Founder Sharleen Ernster on Sex and Sustainability
It’s not easy to make gym socks and shower sandals look sexy, but Los Angeles-based Hot As Hell proves attitude is everything. A good bikini and killer body to go with it don’t hurt, either, but that’s not the ethos behind the brand – at least not the killer body part. The former chief design officer of Guess and Victoria’s Secret designer launched her own label, consisting of versatile swimwear, lingerie, and ready-to-wear at Miami Swim Week last summer and it’s all laidback, feel-good vibes and undone seductiveness. Think skimpy string bikinis cut high on the hip that somehow don’t intimidate, lacy underthings without a hint of fussiness, vacation wear for everyday life. It’s also totally sustainable and eco-friendly, without looking like it. I got the chance to talk to Sharleen Ensler about her new line and what really makes someone sexy:
What initially inspired Hot-As-Hell?
SE: I’m one of those people who always knew what she wanted to do, for as long as I can remember. Since I was five years old, I knew I wanted to be a designer. When people ask me what inspired Hot-As-Hell, it’s kind of a lifetime of lingerie and hot-weather destination inspiration. What really got me here was after working for Victoria’s Secret and Guess, and prior to that, Armani Exchange. They’re all awesome brands, but I was frustrated by the lack of swim and intimate apparel for customers who like to feel natural and still sexy. Those brands are extremely successful, but they function more on a single dimension of sexuality.
How so?
SE: It generally translates to perfect body types, lots of push-up and padding, lots of things to – without being derogatory – make you look like a perfect Barbie. Instead of saying, ‘Maybe I like what I have. If I’m a A cup or a DD, I just want no padding.’ There was a void in the marketplace for super-sexy things that aren’t full of all of these embellishments, things that wear you. I was working with great designers and none of us really wore the products we were making. We all wanted unlined bras, stuff we could pop over our heads every day, throw in the wash. We want the bells and whistles on occasion, but there’s your everyday, when you like to feel sexy without feeling dumbed down.
It’s surprising how impractical much of the ‘real-life’ clothes and lingerie on the market is. There’s often a fantasy versus reality dichotomy.
SE: So what inspired Hot-As-Hell is this whole notion that it’s hot as hell to be authentic and natural, to wear your socks and Adidas along with your tiny bikini that’s completed unpadded. That all body types are hot as hell. We launched in Miami last year and had seven girls on the runway who had not walked before because they were either not the right height, shorter than the norm, or they were definitely flatter. That notion you have to be this supermodel to be in the lingerie and swim space is outdated. It’s hot as hell to be any type of woman, but it’s most important to be yourself and be authentic. We just started our journey on what that feels like, and recently we’ve shot a variety of girls, from Caroline Vreeland to Cailin Russo.
What’s next for HAH?
SE: We just launched bridal, which is something we’re passionate about. You’ll see more of that coming, how Hot-As-Hell follows you through all the curves of your body and your life but still always natural and not forced. Really easy on the planet and easy wear, easy care for you as a customer.
It’s a luxury to be able to wash something at home and not have to take it to the dry cleaner, not the other way around.
SE: I’m crazy passionate about that. I spent a good ten years, especially the years at Victoria’s Secret, hoarding all these beautiful caftans. I’d be in Rio, St. Tropez, St. Barth, all these fabulous places, and I’d buy these amazing pieces. But they were legitimately hotter than hell on the beach. So I was like, ‘How do you create even a cover-up line that’s super-dramatic, but really easy?’ And P.S. it’s breathable. You can roll it in a ball, pack it, and hang it in your shower and ‘steam’ it while you’re getting ready to go out – and it’s affordable.
Do you have a current favorite piece?
SE: I have to say my go-to for apparel is the Mad Maxi dress. That thing goes from the beach to a dressy party, and I feel like it could be in my wardrobe for 10 years. You can belt it, not belt it. I’ve seen it rocked with heels, and I’ve seen it swimming in the pool.
My favorite clothes are the pieces that leave room for styling, tweaking, and personalization.
SE: I’m super-passionate about it, and it’s based primarily on an eco-friendly fabric. It’s all biodegradable and made from corn, all sublimation printing techniques, which are incredibly soft on the environment and better quality. I call it the Energizer Bunny collection because it’s like the gift that keeps on giving.
How do you describe Hot-As-Hell?
SE: It’s a state of mind. Things you can style that don’t feel contrived or ‘special occasion.’ Let’s say you’re going to a destination wedding on a beach. You might buy the outfit you’re wearing to the wedding from Stone Cold Fox, For Love and Lemons, or Zimmermann, but the rest of your suitcase would be full of HAH. That’s the stuff you’re just rolling out in every day. It’s not precious.
Whose personal style do you think is on-point these days?
SE: I like classic. There are literally a thousand people I’m following right now, but when I’m asked that question, I go back to Kate Moss. She’s timeless. What she has is easy, it’s lasting, it’s street mixed with high fashion. She had it from day one.
Is HAH influenced by LA?
SE: It’s definitely influenced by LA. I was in New York for 25 years and born and raised in Texas, but I have to say the free-spirited, Wild West optimism that’s out here is a consistent point of inspiration. You’re in a space of ‘Yeah, I might be able to wear that on Wednesday!’ There’s something about that that makes you create things that are natural and easy. People also legitimately want you to succeed around here. They want to collaborate and in the fashion industry, at least, they want to help you.
What’s the sexiest thing a girl can wear?
SE: I don’t think it has anything to do with what you wear. I think empathy is the sexiest thing a woman can have. If you’re empathetic, you’re going to listen to people and you’re going to think about them through their lens. Especially in the age we’re living in now on social, it’s pretty hard to find and it’s a standout quality.