Accepting Mr. Hardy's invitation to his showroom few days later was an even more pleasant experience. Barnabe welcomed us, wearing a top with embroidered wool details and a nice pair of jeans. When he speaks to you, he always looks at you straight in the eye with a stable, rythmic and gentle tone of voice.

M.M. : The way you speak reminds me so much of an Australian singer who is a friend of mine in Athens!

B.H.: Really? Maybe because I have Australian origins as well, who knows?

We spent a few minutes to give a look at his new collection before discussing about it. Barnabe Hardy collection is all about quality. The stitching is perfect and this is something you can tell from only a quick glance at his perfectly made coats and leather accessories.  

The clothing part of the collection represents Hardy's view over streetwear in big cities. So, we chose to focus on that at first.

M.M. : Where do you see a man and a woman wearing your garments?

B.H. : When I was designing this new Fall collection I had in mind the Parisian streetwear.Living and working here, I wanted to make clothes that represent my own view over Parisian style. However, I cannot really answer where I see a man or a woman wearing my coats. Actually everywhere!

M.M.: Do you really think that those coats are representative of the Parisian street style?

B.H.: Yes!

M.M. : I think not, I see them as clothes that work as an armour on the body and that have an international aesthetic.

B.H. : You think? It is interesting to hear that. Maybe you are right. You know, I am not stuck creatively to what French customers might prefer. I design for everyone who might want to have a piece or more from my collection.

M.M. : I see that you used again patchwork leather, sewn in many different ways. 

B.H.: Yes, I love patchwork, I used it in most of my collections since 2009 when I started by own brand. I love having it in my collection, I think the layering effect that it has on the coats is unique. This patchwork leather if you look closely is stitched in such a way that it decorates the coat without looking edgy or eccentric.

M.M.: You are right, it is beautiful and it cannot be compared to any other patchwork leather we have seen. Meanwhile I see you mixed army prints with plain black leather in another jacket. Is the Barnabe Hardy Man a warrior?

B.H.: Who's not a worrior nowadays? Minas, for me, what's important in my homonymous collection is to be able to sum up all my experience and aesthetic references from my experience collaborating with various fashion houses and brands for many of which I still work. Combining that with my own needs in clothing, my goal is to make stuff that can be disctinctive and have an aesthetic cohesion which is no other than urban chic timeless clothes made by quality materials that can easily match with your own wardrobe resulting in a fresh and interesting look.  

M.M. : You are mentioning a lot the quality. It is really important to you, right?

B.H. : Yes, I think quality at the moment is everything. We have seen pretty much everything as far as design is concerned, haven't we? I try to find a balance between classic cuts and innovative design but I always insist that my styles should be perfectly sewn and made of fine materials.  

For those who are not aware of it, Barnabe Hardy has a much recognized and widely appreciated styling experience. What's impressive about his own line though, is that he did not attempt to make it look profoundly stylish. It does have strong and up-to-date styling elements and yes, celebrities wear the Hardy garments all the time. Barnabe himself didn't mention anything about all that during our meeting. He only had a continuous eagerness to speak, listen, interact, explain, think and think over his work about which he is so very passionate and proud, remaining always humble. 

On his website's bio there's a phrase saying "he seduces modern men". Judging from what we saw and felt, Barnabe Hardy is a modern man himself and a true contemporary designer and that is what the world of fashion needs at the moment.

below myself trying on a Barnabe Hardy Fall 2012 jacket.