Issue Two

But that’s not all. Hoffman is also moved by the exorbitant femininity of the Victorian period, the dramatic flare of a sleeve from a shoulder, the drape of lace against bare skin. And by the natural world, the colors, and shapes found there, the incongruent and fragile planes of a leaf. Never mind that Hoffman’s designs have been featured in Details and Vibe, and that right now some celebrity is probably heading for the red carpet in one of her dresses. Never mind that her entire line of clothing, "Circle", is now sold in high-end boutiques on both coasts. Never mind that for a fashion designer of just 24, Hoffman is right on the edge of where she wants to be. Right now, Mara Hoffman is moved by a lot of things—which, for her, is exactly the point. 

A graduate of Parsons School of Design, Hoffman has the background, the education and a solid knowledge of the rules. Which is what allows her to break them. Hoffman’s latest line, a frenetic blend of African and Victorian tones infused with wild slashes of color, is hand-dyed and painted by Hoffman herself and created in a backward manner—where patterns are cut after the fact, following the living, breathing lines of the already crafted garment. Her final creations are celebrations of femininity with a slightly wild, unfinished feel that lends them a sexy edge. It’s a process that works for Hoffman, who tries to keep her design tactics as spontaneous as possible.

"Sometimes I start with one idea and it changes into something I never expected," she explains. "Sometimes what seems like a mistake turns into something really, really amazing. I just dive into it."

Her February runway show during Fashion Week was alive with this spontaneity, a sensuous feast of rhythmic drumming, uninhibited dancing and textured diversity. Not a status quo beauty in sight, no starved, pale giants. Instead, a line-up of real women, plucking at the boundaries of what it means to be beautiful, strong, and sexy. Women as alive and full-bodied as Hoffman's designs.

"The show was really pushing it, really kicking it up," Hoffman said. "It’s a time to state my mission, to say really loud, look, look, look, this is what I see as beautiful."

But while Hoffman clearly has a mission, she insists that she isn’t trying to mix politics and fashion. She’s just trying to make "really beautiful things that make women feel really beautiful". A dreamer on her best days, Hoffman is also a realist when it comes to the business of the fashion business. Note that her clothing only comes in smaller sizes more suited to waifs than warriors, and that most of her designs are in inexpensive.

"At the end of the day there is the business side," Hoffman admits. "There are people out there charging five thousand dollars for a shirt they made from Salvation Army rejects. It’s hard to avoid that—I’m not giving my clothes away either. Obviously, everyone can’t afford it."

Note also that one of Hoffman’s most visible fans is the anti-Christ of feminism, the pouty, lolita-esque pop diva Christinia Aguilera, who wore one of Hoffman’s designs to the recent American Music Awards.

"At first I was appalled by it, but, hey, she wants to wear it, it’s her choice," Hoffman says. "If it makes her feel beautiful and strong, I applaud her. I’m always incredibly inspired by women who do wear my clothes and are connected to my stuff. It’s kind of a warrior thing in itself to just wear one of my pieces."

Hoffman is a bit of a warrior herself, evidenced by the strong lines of her body, shaped by years of ballet and by the rigors of daily yoga sessions. She’s the kind of woman you expect to be able to do things, able-bodied and brave—a woman who isn’t afraid to take risks. While most designers on the verge of becoming the next big thing would take every opportunity to sneak their name into the consumer consciousness, Hoffman doesn’t even attach her name to her clothes. Her designs bear only a simple circle on their labels, representing the name of her clothing line, and her mission. A marketing risk, yes, but one that Hoffman is willing to take.

"Besides circles being really beautiful, really amazing shapes, they represent that everything you do is circular. What you put out there is what is coming back to you," Hoffman explains. "I don’t put my name on my clothing because once I sell a piece, it’s not really mine anymore and so I’d rather remind people of something other than my name. I put beautiful things out there to make people feel beautiful and I hope that it continues in a circle."

So, what’s next for Hoffman? She doesn’t like to tie herself to anything, opting instead for spontaneity, and possibility. But there is an idea she’s been circling, a new obsession with a region of untamed, overgrown life, a place ripe with seductive, mysterious corners of undiscovered beauty that she is sure will shade her work in the near future.

"I never count anything out when it comes to what will happen in my life. But right now, I’m thinking a lot about swamps," she says. "That might be in my next collection. There’s a lustiness in swamps, don’t you think?"

Yeah, Mara Hoffman, we’re with you. Whatever moves you.