Kestin Hare on SS25: A Fresh Take on Heritage

Kestin Hare has dedicated his life to his craft and perfected his skills over a 25-year career working for some of the industry’s top brands, including Burberry, Margaret Howell, Berghaus, and, most importantly, his own eponymous brand, KESTIN, which he has nurtured for the past 10 years. A trained menswear designer, he earned his degree in fashion design at Northumbria University.

He believes that the influence of lecturers and peers plays a significant role in shaping one's career. He was fortunate enough to be inspired by several lecturers who had experience in the industry before transitioning to teaching. One particularly impactful lecturer, who taught him pattern cutting, had a husband who was the head of design at the vintage-inspired brand Nigel Cabourn, based in Newcastle. This connection introduced him to Gary, who is now the Head of Collaborations at Barbour, and it was through Gary’s guidance that he began to truly understand the ins and outs of the fashion industry.

His exposure to vintage clothing, which had always been present in his life, became a major design influence when he worked there, cementing his passion for the aesthetic. Eventually, he became Head of Design at the company, where his design foundations were solidified—respecting heritage while pushing it forward and making it new.

If I had to pick just one, it would be the RWR. When Olmes Carretti developed it from the Consort Original it became bigger than just a jacket. What I liked about it was that it was designed for sailing, super functional, but adopted by youth culture. I like it when heritage brands are adopted and become synonymous with a brand. Olmes’s take were very bright and of the time, I wanted to take the contrast colours and make them more modern and wearable for today.