Two brands with a shared history that are renowned for supporting makers, creators and outsiders, have joined forces to finish what they started over Twenty years ago.
With Clown making a mighty comeback after an extended Fifteen year power nap and Hiut continuing to break boundaries in the world of Denim, this meeting of minds reflects the core value they both adhere to – creating with a passion.
David and Claire Hieatt are bringing jobs back to Britain making raw jeans in a beautiful corner of Wales, with HIUT DENIM CO. This area previously lost out to lower production and labour costs of distant lands. The skill base remained however. It just took the vision of a couple who wanted to make great quality jeans in the UK to harness them and set up their small workshop in Cardigan Bay.
At Hiut, manufacturing is coming home. Their mission is to “do one thing well”, making the best jeans that time and skill allow.
Whereas, CLOWN SKATEBOARDS was born in AUGUST 2000, launching with the inaugural release of the ‘CLOWN BANKSY TEST PRESS’ series, two skateboard designs and their legendary logo. They had one of the UK’s leading skateboard teams, with Simon Skipp heading up the crew and bringing onboard Chris Oliver, Benny Fairfax, Woody, Mattias Nylen, Bryan Jones and some amazing up and coming talent.
Operating from their East London headquarters, Clown were punching well above their weight. In 2005 however, it was consciously decided to put the brand on ice with the aim of restarting at some point in the future. That future is now.
The foundations of this project goes back to the late Nineties when Jeff Boardman was running the howies skate team, a brand founded by Dave and Clare, of HIUT. Jeff left howies to form Clown Skateboards, but the connection, the friendship and the idea to all work together was always discussed.
So the wheel has turned full circle and they are working together again.
Older, maybe wiser BUT definitely better.
