Fashion PR Podcast: Interview with Ben Harnett of Hayden Harnett

PR Couture has entered audio-land with a new feature, a fashion PR radio show. For our most recent segment, we chatted it up with Ben Harnett, who along with girlfriend and designer Toni,  owns Brookyn-based Hayden Harnett, a very crush-worthy (there are currently four bags and one dress in the PR Couture arsenal) leather handbags, footwear, apparel and accessories company.

Hayden Harnett started selling online and has since expanded to department stores, boutiques, their own retail space, and a Hayden Harnett collection for Target. In addition to an excellent and consistent track record for print product placement by PR agency, Bradbury Lewis, HH has continued to develop relationships with fashion bloggers and customers through the internal use of social media tools – the company is active on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr in addition to having their own blog. Brand obsessives are encouraged to post fan photos with their HH, even design their own HH gift guides using Polyvore.

In this interview, we discuss the immense PR value of just having a really great product, the importance of being available, one-on-one, for your customers online and through customer service, the enduring value of authentic engagement and, of course, the Spring 2009 collection and plans for the future.

Next up: Fashion PR Interview: Kristen Calavas, Cofounder of Online Fashion PR Directory, LookBook

(Image: Hayden Harnett Spring 2009 Lookbook)