Photographer / Creative Director: Raen Badua
Stylist: Luca Kingston
Photo Assistants: John Natividad & Analiese Yamawaki
Style Assistant: Ally Jade

Words: Miles Holder

Anwar Hadid isn’t someone to be tied down to any one creative outlet. As the frontman of alternative rock band howvanish, Hadid (like us!) has often traversed the roads intersecting the world of music and fashion. This season, he finds planted his feet deeper into the world of fashion with the launch of OBSIDIAN and his debut collection.

OBSIDIAN debuts with a concise, intentional 12 piece collection, that the young artist hopes to continue to build upon. In conversation with FAULT, Hadid discusses the inspirations behind the label, the lessons learned from his creative journey, and as alway, his FAULTs.

FAULT Magazine: I was really interested to know what were the original seeds behind the label, because you’ve got so many creative projects happening, I was wondering, did you set out straight away to launch a label, or did the idea spark from another creative project that turned into this label?

Anwar Hadid: Clothing was always something I really wanted to do, it was my first dream before I found music and that creative voice, fashion was always a real outlet for me so it felt like something I was always supposed to do, I kind of just realised it.

Full look: YSL

FAULT Magazine: You mentioned your music inspirations there, when I was looking at the collection, in a way it feels like a very holistic label, you can see your creative channels fusing together, was that by design, or did it just happen naturally?

Anwar Hadid: I think it was just a combination of everything, being a musician and a creative person I see a lot of things I want to make and wear, I have a lot of ideas and I’m very specific about details, you learn a lot in music that ties into creativity in fashion, so it all works together, I made a lot of things thinking about my friends, music, playing shows, and enjoying the whole process.

Vest: Obsidian
Pants: R Swiader
Boots: Camper

FAULT Magazine: If the collection had a soundtrack, what sort of sound do you think captures its essence?

Anwar Hadid: That’s a hard question, when I think about Obsidian as a brand and its future, I think of it as genre-less and boundless in many ways, I have no intention of following trends or even seasons, the soundtrack could be many things, it’ll evolve and shape itself over time.

Vest: Obsidian
Pants: R Swiader
Boots: Camper

FAULT Magazine: From the outside, the collection feels very intentional, a concise set of 12 pieces, did you find yourself having to self-edit down to those, or did you know immediately when the collection felt complete?

Anwar Hadid: It’s still incomplete to me, these are just the first renditions, the birthing pieces, they’re staples and foundations we can always come back to, this is just where we drew the finish line for this project, but it’s ever-evolving, we never really stopped creating since we finished, everything we have now already has an evolution, and the next step is already in process.

Vest: Obsidian

FAULT Magazine: What would you say was the greatest challenge when creating this collection?

Anwar Hadid: Definitely the production, it’s really difficult, a lot of maths and logistics that need to be right to get things over the finish line, I don’t like maths very much, so that was a challenge.

Vest: Obsidian
Pants: R Swiader

FAULT Magazine: Was being involved in the physical production important for you, because there are so many ways to launch a label, this could’ve been a collaboration or a white-label project, but it sounds like you wanted to be deeply involved in every step?

Anwar Hadid: For sure, I think that God or the universe makes human beings for specific purposes, and it’s our job to align with that purpose, for me, throughout my life, I gave a lot of my power away by letting others make creative decisions that should have been mine, in this process, it was important for me to take back that agency and to have everyone around me do the same, it’s important that we use the gifts we have to create exactly what we envision, there’s a reason people are inspired, we’re meant to make authentic things shaped by our lives, if I’m designing, my greatest gift is to make as many of the choices as I can in the best way I can, to produce something that means something to me and hopefully to others too.

Jacket: Obsidian
Sweater: Pierre Blanc
Pants: Talent’s own
Boots: Camper

FAULT Magazine: Was there a particular experience on your artistic journey that made you reframe how you work and take more agency over your creations?

Anwar Hadid: I think I’ve always wanted to help people, to change the world for the better through music or fashion, but I realised that dragging people along with you for your ride isn’t actually helpful for them, the best way I can serve others is by being my most authentic self, that inspires them to do the same, when we come together as ourselves, that’s when we can be of the greatest service to art and to people.

Jacket: Obsidian
Sweater: Pierre Blanc
Pants: Talent’s own
Boots: Camper

FAULT Magazine: When you’re creating, do you find yourself working best when inspiration strikes, or do you have a more regimented creative process?

Anwar Hadid: I have both sides in me, with fashion, I’m more regimented, I can create whenever I have the tools in front of me, it’s more mathematical and linear, music is different because it’s energetic, you’re tapping into a certain alchemy, every room has a different energy, so it takes patience, sometimes it calls for structure, sometimes it doesn’t, both approaches come into play when they need to, in general, I’m driven by passion, even when I don’t feel like creating, I’ll fight through it to keep going.

FAULT Magazine: One of my favourite pieces from your line is the leather jacket, it looks like it took a lot of development both creatively and in production.

Anwar Hadid: For sure, there were a lot of choices and details that went into every part of it, down to the lining, we made everything exactly how we wanted it.

Jacket: Obsidian
Pants: Talent’s own

FAULT Magazine: You work across so many different mediums, performing, designing, producing, is it difficult to manage all these creative outlets at once?

Anwar Hadid: It’s definitely a lot to handle, I don’t have a big team, so it’s a lot of work, but I feel more confident now doing things I didn’t enjoy before, because of the effort I’ve put into what I love, that grounding helps me handle everything else with more ease.

Jacket: Obsidian
Pants: Talent’s own
Boots: Camper

FAULT Magazine: Are you ever worried about burnout?

Anwar Hadid: For sure, I’m a little burnt out right now, but it’s part of life, it all gets easier, I have a small team, my best friends, and we all have a lot going on, I just want everything to become more streamlined for us so it all works for the good.

Top and pant: 8on8
Boots: Camper

FAULT Magazine: What helps you push through when you feel burnout approaching?

Anwar Hadid: Reminding myself of my purpose and staying in tune with my health, when I feel burnt out, it’s just my body reminding me to take care of myself, that’s another creative process, maintaining yourself, we’re all a work in progress.

Top and pant: 8on8

FAULT Magazine: Did it take you a long time to define your purpose, or was it always clear to you?

Anwar Hadid: Since I was about 15, I had this experience that made me realise why I’m here in some way, that’s shaped everything I do, I feel clear about what I want to do and what my soul’s purpose is, I’m happy and grateful for that clarity.

Set: Pierre Blanc
Shoes: Camper
Bag: Obsidian

FAULT Magazine: When you look back on your creative journey, what challenge has tried to hold you back, and how did you overcome it?

Anwar Hadid: I think I just love everything and everyone too much, maybe I’ve put too much hope and faith in others when I really needed to step up myself, I’ve also had a fear of being seen, looking back, I could’ve been more open with people and who I am, it’s important for creative people to be personable and open, for a long time in my early twenties, I felt closed off, but creativity is meant to be shared, that’s the whole point, your gift is here to be seen, not hidden.

FAULT Magazine: Do you think that fear of being seen applies more to your personal self or to your art?

Anwar Hadid: In general both, it would’ve been easier for me to do a lot of things if I’d been more open, as creative people, we sometimes retreat inward, but the reason we make art is to connect, even introverted people have so much to give because of that depth, everyone has something unique to offer.

Set: Pierre Blanc
Bag: Obsidian

FAULT Magazine: The creative industry can be tough to navigate, how do you deal with the politics and challenges of working in it?

Anwar Hadid: I think I’ve taken my own road, the entertainment world is interesting, but I always lean back into the creative side of things, I know what I love to do, and everything else is just part of it, traversing the landscape with grace is important, that’s how you keep expressing your art, I think I’ve done okay, though I’m a bit of a pirate and like doing my own thing.

FAULT Magazine: You do music, fashion, production, so many creative disciplines, have you found the outlet that best tells your story?

Anwar Hadid: For sure, I’ve done the work and found my voice, I spent a long time figuring out who I am and what I want to create, now I’m starting to share that, and it feels good.

Full look: The Row

FAULT Magazine: How have you been this year, the year’s coming to an end, how are you feeling with so much happening?

Anwar Hadid: I’ve been good and generally happy, I’m at a point where I’m letting go of a lot and making room for the next chapter, whatever comes, I’m trying to welcome it with love, I’m thankful for everything I’ve got going.

FAULT Magazine: What is your FAULT?

Anwar Hadid: I think my FAULT is that I care too much, I’m always the last one to give up, which can be annoying sometimes, or maybe it’s that I smoke too many cigarettes, that’s definitely a FAULT, I’ve stopped before, but I’m trying to stop again.