Nice Collective is a San Francisco-based designer clothing brand founded in 1997. Dance music veterans Joe Haller and Ian Hannula took the silhouettes, energy and attitude of the streetwear they themselves wore and loved and combined these with better fabrics and quality construction. Though their focus is on menswear, the designers also produce collections for women as well.

Background

Joe Haller was raised in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 and into his 20s worked as a radiology tech. During his off hours, he produced dance music and organized parties in clubs around New York City. A professional bike racer, Ian Hannula was raised in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

 and studied combat photography in the Marine Corps

Marine corps

A marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...

. He created dance music events in Atlanta and was a resident DJ in two top clubs. Joe and Ian met on the dance floor in San Francisco in 1995. Their connection was instant, fueled by their common interests in art, music, and fashion. They initially started Nice Collective as loose amalgamation of talent that would launch parties and club nights, a record label, a DJ agency, and a clothing line. Though neither had any fashion training, Haller and Hannula began by producing experimental pieces such as deconstructed-then-reconstructed camouflage shirts, pullover sweaters made from electric blankets with the controls still attached, and shirts that transformed into kites.

Public profile

In February 2010, Haller and Hannula collaborated with environmentalist David de Rothschild's Plastiki launch – a boat made from discarded plastic water bottles that set sail from San Francisco to Australia – designing interiors and clothing for the crew from old military blankets and tents.

GQ Magazine featured Nice Collective in its roundup of 'The Best New Designers in America' in 2007.

Nice Collective has outfitted tours for Coldplay

Coldplay

Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...

, Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...

, Smashing Pumpkins and The Police

The Police

The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...

.The line's celebrity following includes Robert Pattinson

Robert Pattinson

Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is an English actor, model, musician, and producer. Born and raised in London, Pattinson started out his career by playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...

, Gavin Rossdale

Gavin Rossdale

Gavin McGregor Rossdale is an English musician, known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Bush as well as an actor. Following Bush's separation in 2002, which lasted for eight years, he was the lead singer and guitarist for Institute, and later began a solo career. He...

 and Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt

William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...

.

Nice Collective returned to New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week

The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...

– after a 13-year absence – in February 2009 with the "Time Machine" collections. "There was certainly something post apocalyptic--not to mention post-erotic--about the clothes," said New York fashion writer Josh Peskowitz of men.style.com.

Collection history

• Fall 2010 - "Voices"
• Spring 2010 - "The Gathering"
• Fall 2009 - "Time Machine"
• Spring 2009 - "Voix de Ville"
• Fall 2008 - "New Romantics"