Richard Haines

Richard Haines has spent a lifetime looking at stuff. At clothes, people and posture. He clocks those small daily decisions we all make that reveal something bigger about ourselves. This observational prowess gives his drawings a very specific kind of documentary authority. When he talks about sitting down with a blank sheet of paper and an ink pen, there’s no mythology attached. “I have a pretty deep, primal relationship with drawing. When I’m doing it, I’m not thinking – it’s more of a meditation. If I end up with something I love I’m a bit surprised.”

On Capturing

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After decades working in fashion, he was fired from his final creative director post. He laughs, "I was miserable with a big bank balance. I had a small kid and big overheads but couldn't help thinking that this was probably the richest part of my life." In 2008, Haines started a blog called What I Saw Today, and regularly uploaded his sketches of everyday people. Recalling the decision he says, "I was so happy to draw again. There's something extraordinary in almost everyone – we're all drawable. The key for me is no erasers. Keep the line. Don't rub it out. You have to maintain the consistency of the energy and never backtrack. I think perfectionism is deadly – it makes you lose the gesture and the spontaneity. With the blog I was finally able to draw freely without looking for approval."

It paid off. In 2012 came a commission from Prada. Cited as a breakthrough moment, he's careful to dismantle the idea of inevitability. "When I was a clothing designer, companies like Prada and Dries van Noten wouldn't pick up the phone to me. When I started drawing they did, so it confirmed that the 'universe' was behind me and I was doing the right thing by becoming an artist." Seems the formula of patience + talent meant his work had finally found its proper channel. That shift altered how the industry saw him, but also, how he positioned himself within it. "Yes, it did change the way I looked at the fashion world," he says. "I realised I could occupy a very unique space. I could really appreciate it and be around it without being bogged down by all the minutiae of design. A kind of best-of-both-worlds."

Recognition has never been the fuel and Richard admits he's wary of it. "When I was younger I would make work for praise and it was a disaster," he says bluntly. "There was no authenticity or honesty in the work. Once I made the drawings for myself, people responded because the work comes from a real place." When asked how he feels about the global recognition, he shrugs it off with a grin and replies, "It sounds like a strategy for Apple or Pepsi."

Speaking about the eternal (some might say predictable) rotations of what's 'fashionable', he expresses how, "Cycles repeat, but they never come back in exactly the same way. What remains constant is contradiction. People will always want function and ease, and they want the total opposite too – fantasy and impracticality. There's room for both." His own rule is more pragmatic. "I was walking past a vintage shop filled with clothes from the 70s and 80s and I thought, 'If you've worn it the first go around, don't go for the second.' That's my latest rule of thumb."

The art of getting dressed has always been significant for Richard, even in childhood. In his 20s and 30s, it became more exploratory. "I'd go from a West Village gay in a motorcycle jacket and Levi's, to a wannabe bougie French bon vivant in Charvet shirts and Etro ties. It was all over the place because I was all over the place! Fun and expensive." Fast forward to today and it's all about ease. "I finally know who I am and I'd like to think that's reflected in what I wear. French work jackets with tons of pockets, jeans and T-shirts – and of course my new Marfa jacket to update the look. I like to challenge myself with an occasional nod to what's happening, like the cut of the jeans, and New Balance sneakers in cool colours."

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yourself, honour your work” yourself, honour your work”

“Stay true to

yourself, honour your work”

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In a youth-obsessed industry, Richard has managed to remain engaged without becoming embittered. "I've always been curious and I think that curiosity has served me well." Recounting mentioning a new musician to a friend he shared, "He seemed startled that I knew who he was. I was startled that he was startled! After all, why wouldn't I know? The more I stay true to myself the more confident I feel, then the less shade will be tossed my way. It's working to GOAT level!"

Editing is definitely one of Richard's superpowers. Making his illustrations look casual is a skill he's honed over time. Uncovering the expertise he comments, "Within that simplicity are hundreds of choices about what to take away and what to keep. Each drawing is a challenge – what will I take away, keep, embellish? And then for the viewer, how they interpret and fill in the blanks is their choice. Marfa has that same kind of deceptive simplicity and engagement."

His tools have evolved alongside his means. "When I started to draw again about eighteen years ago, I was broke and using copy paper and ballpoint pens." Now, there's pleasure in quality. "I have a weakness for French art supplies," he admits. "Maison du Pastel, Charvin, Sennelier, Melodie Graphiques. Not only is the shopping experience lovely, but the quality is fantastic." Asked what "cool" means to him, Richard answers immediately, "Anyone who lives outside of trends. Anyone who's happily and securely in their own lane." For younger creatives, his advice is disarmingly clear, "Stay true to yourself, honour your work and the client – and smile!"

Welcome to The Stance. A natural extension of the conversations, places and most importantly, the people who have long shaped the brand. This printed record celebrates our community – and takes a closer look at how the connections we've made have played a part in defining the shape and unique spirit of Marfa Stance.

Across its pages, are stories from our global collective. Long-form interviews with humans whose lives, practices and points of view reflect a shared sensibility, rather than one single aesthetic. United by the way they move through the world with curiosity, creativity, and conviction, these conversations lean into the value of slowing down.

A publication is the original anti-scroll – something permanent you can live with and return to, time after time. Forever evolving with enduring, timeless appeal, The Stance mirrors our approach to clothing. It's an invitation into the Marfa Stance world, their voices, values, and the rhythm of their universe.

[1] ON CARE: Mickalene Thomas

A Stance On: Care

American artist Mickalene Thomas has just returned from Paris. She's been busy with her latest exhibition at the city's Grand Palais. After eleven days away from home she's relieved to be back in New York – it's a contradiction we're all familiar with. Travelling is so liberating; it's great to get away, but always good to be reunited with your own bed, your own pillows, and your own space.

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Mickalene Thomas

A Stance On: Care

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[2] ON LEGACY: The Elgorts

A Stance On: Legacy

There are some families where creativity runs through the genes. For the Elgorts, this inheritance is something they practise and finesse with commitment, forever sharpening their skills. Image-making, movement, and performance might sound like a bunch of separate disciplines, but for Sophie, her father Arthur and mother Grethe, they are overlapping ways of engaging with the world.

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The Elgorts

A Stance On: Legacy

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[3] ON RESTORATION: Titouan Bernicot

A Stance On: Restoration

There are some families where creativity runs through the genes. For the Elgorts, this inheritance is something they practise and finesse with commitment, forever sharpening their skills. Image-making, movement, and performance might sound like a bunch of separate disciplines, but for Sophie, her father Arthur and mother Grethe, they are overlapping ways of engaging with the world.

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Titouan Bernicot

A Stance On: Restoration

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[Feature] ON BEING READY

On Being Ready

On Being Ready

Words by Katherine Bucknell

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[4] ON VALUES: Mike Anders

A Stance On: Values

For a man who manages the wealth of some of the world's most influential individuals, Mike Anders doesn't speak like a traditional finance expert. Laidback, warm and super charismatic, he seems remarkably uninterested in money as an end goal. His enthusiasm centres around people instead – on the notion of trust, listening, and the idea that good conversations and true connections are where life's real value lies.

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Mike Anders

A Stance On: Values

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[5] ON SISTERHOOD: Sandy Tabatznik

A Stance On: Sisterhood

There’s a warmth to Sandy Tabatznik’s voice, which makes it easy to get a real sense of her lived experience when she talks. We start the conversation by considering the notion of women supporting women, which Sandy doesn’t frame as a trend or a strategy – it’s simply a fact of life. “In our Lalela Female Empowerment programmes, we encourage our girls to look to each other for community instead of competition,” she says. “I think this is a lesson that also stands in the world of business. There is room for everyone at the table.” It’s a quiet, but radical statement that feels practical and rooted in decades of experience (and a deep belief) in shared success. “At Lalela, we’re constantly seeking to empower not only the young women in our programmes, but also our female teachers, community leaders and staff. Our leadership team at Lalela has a female majority and together, these women have created an environment of care, creativity and respect that we are deeply proud of.”

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Sandy Tabatznik

A Stance On: Sisterhood

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[6] ON COMMUNITY: Phil Winser

A Stance On: Community

“They’re like children. I don’t have a favourite!”. A diplomatic response from Public House Group co-founder, Phil Winser. As someone who originally wanted to be a farmer, his career pivot towards hospitality was “a calling”. After twenty years shaking up the food scene in New York with The Fat Radish, Phil turned his attention back to his homeland in 2020. A conversation over a pint with friend James Gummer gave the duo an idea to put some serious love back into the classic British pub. A combination of beautifully restored historic buildings, brilliant atmosphere, domestically brewed beers on tap and spectacular menus that celebrate local produce have meant their establishments consistently sit in London’s ‘best of’ lists. Olivier van Themschse joined the business in 2023 to officially launch Public House Group as a business following the success of The Pelican.

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Phil Winser

A Stance On: Community

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[7] ON JOURNEYING: David Prior

A Stance On: Journeying

Some people have an air of always being mid-journey, even when they’re sitting still. David Prior fits that bill. He is wanderlust, personified. Born in Australia, he left early, propelled by what Australians often refer to as ‘the tyranny of distance’, moving to Italy in 2006 to study Gastronomic Science in Piedmont, then to California in 2009 and finally, to New York in 2014. Clearly, geography matters to the founder of esteemed travel company Prior, although taste and cultural literacy matter more.

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David Prior

A Stance On: Journeying

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[8] ON CONNECTION: Georgie Greville

A Stance On: Connection

Reinvention has never been the aim for Georgie Greville. With a successful career threaded through the realms of music, film, beauty, culture and entrepreneurship, what sounds at first like a dream résumé has morphed into more of a life philosophy. At the core, she personifies deeply embodied creativity, but when she speaks, there’s a force of clarity that flows – announcing with candour that these skills are now being used for the good. The lure of corporate pizza has lost its appeal and Georgie’s expertise is no longer for sale. Her defiance is inspirational.

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Georgie Greville

A Stance On: Connection

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[9] ON COMPATIBILITY: Legacy + Andreas

A Stance On: Compatibility

The shared world of New York-based Legacy Russell and Andreas Laszlo Konrath is shaped by language, images and history. Curator, writer and author Legacy grew up in the East Village, with Andreas arriving from London after a long, meandering education through skate culture, art school, and the early-2000s visual economy of magazines and music. Together, they model a way of living with work, rather than inside it. Their respective practices are distinct, but in constant conversation.

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Legacy Russell Andreas L. Konrath

A Stance On: Compatibility

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[10] ON CAPTURING: Richard Haines

A Stance On: Capturing

Richard Haines has spent a lifetime looking at stuff. At clothes, people and posture. He clocks those small daily decisions we all make that reveal something bigger about ourselves. This observational prowess gives his drawings a very specific kind of documentary authority. When he talks about sitting down with a blank sheet of paper and an ink pen, there’s no mythology attached. “I have a pretty deep, primal relationship with drawing. When I’m doing it, I’m not thinking – it’s more of a meditation. If I end up with something I love I’m a bit surprised.”

Read Article

Richard Haines

A Stance On: Capturing

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