Beneath The Surface: (Our Inspiration)

photo by Maja Arteaga

Inspiration does not arrive all at once—it builds quietly, through fragments of daily life, through textures and shapes that stay with us. HOSEU is shaped by these fragments. Each piece is a reflection of moments, places, and ideas that transform into form, fabric, and detail.

Everyday Rituals

HOSEU is inspired by the ordinary. The way light filters through a window at noon, the repetition of footsteps on pavement, the act of tying a knot. Clothing is part of these rituals—it supports, accompanies, and adapts. Our pieces are created to exist within daily life, not apart from it. They are designed for repetition, for becoming part of the rhythm of the wearer.

Duality & Balance

HOSEU is also inspired by balance—by the meeting of opposites. Structure and softness, presence and absence, simplicity and detail. This interest in duality is deeply personal, shaped by the experience of being a twin. Developing identity within closeness, learning where reflection ends and individuality begins, continues to inform the way HOSEU evolves. Each piece exists in dialogue with this tension: strong yet subtle, minimal yet expressive.

Nature & the Ocean

Growing up near the ocean, nature has always been a starting point for me. The horizon line, the rhythm of waves, the way sand shifts underfoot—all of these elements carry a sense of permanence and change at once. This duality reflects in HOSEU: pieces that are grounded and timeless, yet open to movement and transformation. Neutral tones echo the earth and sea, while silhouettes carry the fluidity of water meeting structure.

Many of our designs draw directly from the language of the beach: bikini ties reinterpreted into closures, bikini-inspired shapes adapted into versatile tops, and sarong-like draping translated into pieces that move effortlessly through the city. These details bring fragments of coastal life into an urban context—honoring the ocean while existing beyond it.

Art & Culture

Books, films, and music are constant sources of inspiration for HOSEU, shaping both atmosphere and detail. They are not just references but companions in the design process—quietly influencing proportion, rhythm, and mood.

Books such as The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera or The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima explore the interplay between intimacy and vastness, reminding us how clothing can hold both weight and lightness. Henry Miller’s Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch and Merlin Stone’s When God Was a Woman offer reflections on nature, spirituality, and history, while Anni Albers: Selected Writings on Design grounds us in the discipline of form and material.

Films like Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire, Éric Rohmer’s Pauline at the Beach, Luca Guadagnino's Call Me By Your Name, and The Blue Lagoon by Randal Kleiser inspire a sense of place and atmosphere—sunlight on skin, the rhythm of dialogue, the tension between solitude and connection. These cinematic moments echo in the tones and silhouettes of our collections.

Music provides tempo. The dreamlike soundscapes of Beach House and Cocteau Twins, the softness of Yo La Tengo, the atmospheric pulse of Air, and the intimacy of Cigarettes After Sex all inform how a collection is shaped—whether through stillness, movement, or repetition.

Inspiration for HOSEU is layered—drawn from the ocean, from the balance of duality, from rituals, and from the words, images, and sounds that shape our inner world. Each piece carries fragments of these influences, translated into form and fabric. But inspiration only finds completion in the wearer. HOSEU exists as an open structure—grounded yet fluid—waiting to be inhabited, transformed, and made singular through the lives it becomes part of.