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Jessica Van Halteren’s Dutch label Mulas Hybrid Haus, blends the fluidity and variety of life to create an altered awareness around stereotypes and the extremes that the exploration of personal identity can manufacture. Putting an emphasis on the stories, tragedies, and triumphs their clients’ experience in their pieces, Mulas Hybrid Haus designs their collections with their label’s philosophy spearheading the direction the clothing takes. Abandoning the concept of sourcing only new materials and fabrics, Mulas Hybrid Haus bridges the old, the new, and the extreme, forming the ultimate hybrid wear.

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Who is Mulas Hybrid Haus? How do you introduce the label to those who are unfamiliar?
MULAS HYBRID HAUS is a fashion label with hybrid intentions. We do not only design clothes, but we also design living stories, focussing on the people that wear our clothes. During every project, we present hybrid wear. Last June we launched our fight-wear collection made out of deadstock suits and we will present a bridal-wear project in 2020.

We also use sources in a similar way: combining overstock materials and people from different backgrounds to stimulate unexpected combinations and collaborations. We aspire to unite extremes, stereotypes and unknown territories and make people question and sometimes confuse them.

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Do you see value in art/fashion institutions? Do you attribute any of your success to attending the Amsterdam Fashion Institute?
Art and fashion institutions teach you the rules of the industry. Which you need to know in order to break them. I mainly learned how to work with a lot of discipline, focus and to stay true to yourself as a maker. So certainly, I valued my time at the academy. But on the other hand, whilst working with many self-taught creatives, I think you can absolutely be successful without a degree. As long as you are stubborn and determined.

You’ve talked about using what you already have as opposed to always looking for something new. Does this philosophy hold true in other aspects of your life as well?
It certainly inspired me to look differently at more aspects of life. Rather than perceiving something as “finished” or “due” it is very interesting to assume that stuff can be ever-changing. For example, I find it intriguing to think that I can be fluid and ever-changing myself. And about the use of sources in fashion: only exploiting new sources is basically a no-go, in my opinion, it’s outdated. Let’s be more curious and creative by using what we already have instead. To me, this also makes the design process way more dynamic.

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In the society we exist in today, do you believe it is truly possible to avoid stereotyping yourself and others you interact with?
I do not think it can be completely avoided. But we can unite them and create new, unconventional blends by uniting stereotypes. Chop them up and use the ingredients to develop new shapes and stories. By making hybrid outcomes, we will at least make people aware of stereotyping.

Who is the client of Mulas Hybrid Haus? Do you envision a certain person or type of individual in the clothing you create?
To me, it’s cool to just let the “client” choose us. I would never point out a certain group of people that would wear or use our designs because it would mean I exclude some. But we enjoy working for and with types that create their own hybrid combinations out of our clothes. This again would ensure we also do not produce end-products.

Where do you draw inspiration in life? Does it come innately or does the world around you influence your creative patterns?
Basically from daily encounters: inspiring people and their personal stories. I also enjoy making my own rules and get inspiration from fictional planets that I make up. We are currently working on a project about dark love. We use ingredients from traditional and “old-school” relationships and merge those with the current perception of love.

Are there any labels or artists you hope to collaborate with in the future? If so, what styles of work do you feel mesh well with Mulas Hybrid Haus?
Yes! Lots. We merge well with labels and artists that are outspoken and quirky and just rock the boat. So let’s start with a collaboration with music collective Brockhampton cause I am a very big fan of their work and philosophy.