House Call with Hunter Morgan
Focusing less on logos and more on cuts, dimensions, and details, CLV Workroom is the brainchild of Louisville designer Hunter Morgan. We made a trip to the workroom to see some pieces in person and chat with Hunter about his cats, local legends, and putting Kentucky on the map.
Who are you?
Hunter Morgan. 30 years old. From Louisville, Kentucky, Shively more importantly.
I do a few things, but mostly people know me as a clothing designer.
What is CLV Workroom?
It started out as C'est La Vie goods and apparel. C’est la vie means that's life. That's something that people have always said to me after any bad relationship or when something bad ever happened to me. You know, “That's life, get over it.” Eventually, that got so annoying, hearing that over and over again throughout my whole life, that I just kind of made that my motivation. But then people in the Midwest, and in America in general, couldn't pronounce the name. So that became a problem, obviously, for branding. So then I changed it to CLV underscore, underscore, underscore, Workroom.
What’s the significance of “workroom” in CLV workroom?
When I first got started designing clothes, it was either out of a big garage, a bedroom, or now here, in a big open room. I love being surrounded by my work. If I have an idea, I can wake up in the middle of night and get started on it. I love waking up in the morning and being surrounded by things that I've made. It's a special thing, it doesn't matter what you make, when you have an idea and you bring it into the world and it's your own little thing it's like your kid, like, you love it.
Shit, honestly, old Avenue tees, old Premium Co products, Know Nothing stuff, or any Louisville pieces that are like seven to ten years old.
Like, Ear-X-Tacy, you know, just stuff like that means a lot to me.
First song you’re playing on aux?
I’ve been into 70s romance songs, like Marvin Gaye. Yeah, I’ve been playing a lot of Marvin Gaye lately.
Most overrated thing?
Kentucky Basketball.
Most underrated thing?
Louisville basketball. [Laughs] Nah I’m just kidding, we suck right now. Most underrated thing, artists in the Midwest.
Top artist this year on Spotify?
Midwest Postal Service, shout out to my dudes.
Favorite designer?
My favorite designer is dead, Alexander McQueen is probably my favorite. Alive, I'll say Martine, Martine Rose.
What do you do for fun?
I love to paint, I paint a lot. I don't sell my paintings or anything, it's just something I do. Therapy type shit.
Oh, man that's hard. I got a lot of friends who are artists… I mean Rosario, that's my boy, Shloob, The Homies, Hendo, Tez, Shy…
Anybody from Louisville or anybody who’s against the odds. That's what inspires me. I love a good underdog story.
Why do you use your friends as models?
I have anxiety, like social anxiety, bad. So it's easier to work with friends and people I'm more comfortable with, especially with photo shoots or when you're trying to get the best out of someone. Breaking the ice can be kind of hard sometimes with brand new people. Sometimes I'll use people I've never met before, like I've made friends through photo shoots and stuff, but I just like to use my friends especially if they're artists or creatives doing stuff in the city. I like for us to push each other.
So I noticed in your Instagram bio, it says, “I make things to pay my bills.” Do you work a day job or just run the company full time?
It's awesome because this is what I do and it's my only job. A lot of people might think my life is lavish, and I do have a nice apartment, but I'm broke 90% of the time because all of my money goes back into this. That's why I put it in my bio, because I’m proud of that. I don't have a lot of money to be spending on myself like I used to but I don't care as long as I got enough money to keep doing this. This is my oxygen, I gotta have this shit to live.
Inspired by the iconic Levi’s silhouette.
I've been doing this for 10 years. I started off with a brand called You Look Better Naked, or it wasn't even really a brand, just like an Instagram page. I would doodle on clothes, like T-shirts, I started with Hanes tees. That kinda popped off and got a big following and I made a lot of money off that. Then I got into a little trouble, I had some vices and kind of had to shy away from the whole thing. I screwed up a little bit. A few years later I made C'est La Vie goods and now I'm here. But like I said, I've been doing this for 10 years and it's one step at a time. You never know, you know I'm saying, all it takes is that one little hit and, bam, you get that spark and it just goes from there.
What do you think that little spark was for you?
Definitely these Blankie sweaters. It was really special to me because it was a whole collection inspired by my grandma. She's the one who taught me everything about design, or not everything, but she taught me how to sew and I wouldn't be who I am without my grandma, so shouts out to her. The collection was titled after her and everything and this was made because she used to crochet blankets for all her grandchildren. I made this right before crochet and that whole style was popping off, like to wear to festivals and everything. I wish I would have made more, I didn't even make a lot of them because I was like “This is kinda risky, I don't know how this will go.” But these sold out, like, instantly. So that kind of popped off and I guess just with certain people wearing it more people started to see it. A lot of people who I grew up with have moved out to California or New York or whatever. So walking billboards, you know, like more people are seeing it, and it just kind of starts adding up.
Just waking up and trying to be better every day. I mean, I got stuff in the works but that's all smoke and mirrors. The hardest thing anyone can do is always wanting to get better and always wanting to grow. Like I always say, “If you're not growing, you're dying.”
What gets you stoked?
When I hear a new song I've never heard before and it's just like, “Yo. What is this? I need to add this.” Little things like that, or a new cooking recipe or if I pick up a new skill, design wise, or if I make a piece, something I've never made before and it actually turns out nice.
What keeps you inspired?
I watch a lot of movies and old sitcoms. And just [seeing] colors and shapes. I've always said that's all fashion is. Oh, and The Shining, that was a movie that inspired me a lot just because of all the different scenes and the way the colors pop. I can walk into an old person's house that still has that 70s style bathroom and a color pops out at me. I don't know, just random aesthetically pleasing things with color inspire me. It brings something out of me.
What does success mean to you?
Being able to do what I love, not having to listen to anybody or take shit from anyone, you know, to be able to do whatever I want to do. And by doing that, being able to provide for my family and my friends, and being able to inspire other people. Money is money, but that doesn't make success…What are people gonna remember you for when you're gone? Did you impact the world? Do you make the world better or are you just dust in the wind? If whatever you did in your lifetime, inspired the next person or lives on after you, that's success.
Who do you look up to?
My grandpa. My grandpa's everything to me. His birthday is in three days, and he'll be 89. And still like, every morning he does push ups and his little workout routine. He still works. He still lives in the same place he's always lived, in Shively. He just doesn't change his ways and he doesn't take shit from anyone. But he's a good person. And he's a hard worker.
Dream scenario in five years?
To open a flagship store... I don't know where it’ll eventually be but I would love to open it in Louisville… I also want to do something like a half deli, half boutique. I love cooking, and I love making sandwiches. I'm really good at it. I think.
What would you call the deli?
I don't know, I haven't even gotten there yet. I have a buddy who loves cooking who got me into it. Shout out to my buddy Cole, he's been my best friend for a long time. I would probably have him help me make the menu and stuff. It would probably only be like three or four things each month. Like, it'd be special, you know what I'm saying, like the top of the line ingredients, we would go all out for it. So it's like, if you want to come get it, you're gonna be blown away by it.
How are you going to get there?
One step at a time. Just focusing on me, getting better. If someone would've told me 10 years ago that I'd be here, that I’d have the apartment I've always wanted and that it would all be from me just making shit, I would probably be like, “That sounds awesome, but I don't know…” But here I am. So I'm not gonna doubt myself now.
How do you get into the zone when you’re trying to make something?
Like I said earlier, I'll watch a lot of movies. But after I already have the idea and kind of what I want to do, I blast music, have a drink or two maybe, whatever gets me flowing. I like to get amped up and really psyched and excited about the idea. Once I get to that point, I can kind of chill out and really focus on whatever is the task at the time. I'll even watch that Muhammad Ali speech, you know, “I believe it'll be another champ from Louisville because Louisville is the greatest.” Stuff like that, and fight walkouts.
What is it about Louisville that makes it special?
There's something about the fight in us. Sure, we don't have all the resources like people up North, or down South, or out West, but we make a dollar out of fifteen cents. And whatever it is, we make it damn good. Wait til’ we get that dollar just like everybody else. You don't want to see us on an even playing field because we make something out of fucking nothing.
I mean, it's true. I feel like it's a little harder to get started here, but that means you're going to be working harder and you're making things that will actually last.
When I first started doing fashion I was shipping stuff out to different countries and when I would talk to people over in France or the Netherlands I was scared to tell people I was from here. They would ask, like, “Where are you from?” and I would tell people California at first. The first time that I was like, “Oh, I'm from Louisville, Kentucky,” people were like, “What the fuck?” But then I started getting over that and now I own it fully. Like, it's on every tag. It's all started, made, whatever, in Louisville, Kentucky. That's home. That's everything.
What’s next for you?
There's three colorways of hoodies, there's some denim coming out, and a few sweaters that I'll have for wintertime. I wish I had more products coming out right now. With some things that have happened in the past few months, money's kind of tight, but I'm getting things going. I have a few articles that are supposed to be in British GQ in the following months, so that's exciting. I have some homies that are doing some projects that they've asked me to consult on. I don't know if you've noticed all these canvases, but I want to do art show that’s tied in with my fashion brand. I don't sell my paintings or anything like that but I just want to do like some sort of a pop up that's more about the aesthetics and not, “Hey, I'm trying to sell some clothes.”
Sentence of advice for the people?
Don't get overwhelmed with things like, “Alright, I gotta be this right now.” Just get a little better, little steps at a time…Take your time, but have your sights on the end of that tunnel and have that tunnel vision and it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you're getting better. As long as you're growing you'll eventually get there. The only thing stopping you is you, just don't give up.
@hunt.m___
@clv___workroom
clvworkroom.com
Recent favorites from the man behind CLV Workroom. 10 tracks below.
January 2024
Photography & Interview by Isaac Barnett
@iebcam