our mission
HTHR provides exclusive designs created to make styling effortless through pre-styled capsules. Each garment is carefully made with the intent to be loved and worn for years to come! While making a conscious effort to support the livelihood of those who handmade our designs, we value the ethical practice of slow fashion and sustainability.
our values
FOUNDED IN 2021 | INDIANA
HELLO
My name is Heather Gerber, I’m the designer and owner of HTHR. I graduated from Purdue University in 2017, where I received a bachelor's in Apparel Design and Retail Management, with a minor in Art Studio Design, and gained a certificate of Entrepreneurship. After graduating I took some time off, traveling to three different countries, and ten other states. I then moved to New York City and began my first job working as an Assistant Designer at Macy’s. A few years later I moved back to Indiana, worked remotely for Macy’s, and then eventually transitioned into building my own clothing line in 2021.
Being surrounded by a world filled with mass production and low-quality products; I soon grew to have a heart for the underpaid workers who spend long hours making products that would soon end up at the landfill after a single season. Inspired, I wanted to create a clothing brand with ethical values, high-quality products, and implementing slow-fashion practices, and sustainability throughout my design process.
I’ll be honest, it took me so much longer than expected, but I am so excited to share this journey with you and keep growing along the way! Please connect and reach out any time!
And to all my dear friends and family who have cheered me on, hyped me up, and invested in me ~ THANK YOU ~ I couldn’t have made it this far without you ❤
The Design Process
BRAINSTORM: I take several days or even weeks to gather research, pin ideas, find inspirational photos, write down notes, thoughts, or ideas I have. I'll pull it all together into a mood board to showcase the details and quality I want to incorporate into my design. Once I establish the elements and silhouette, I’ll sketch some designs.
CONCEPT: I create a technical packet that includes: reference photos, a detailed sketch, technical notes, fabric quality, trims, and measurements. Manufacturers will then review them and send out a quote for development.
MATERIALS: I start reaching out to trim suppliers and yarn factories to source the raw fabric materials and trims to produce the first product.
MANUFACTURE DEVELOPMENT: A pattern is created by the factory’s patternmakers, based on the technical drawing, construction, and measurements listed within the technical packet sent.
PROTOTYPE: The sample will be made then sent to me for product approval. Comments will be made for revisions, and a fitting will be held to ensure the proper fit and comfort. An updated technical packet will be sent to the manufacturer to develop the 2nd sample.
samples and revisions will go back and forth from the manufacturer to me until the fit and style are fully approved.
FIT SAMPLES: A size small, medium, and large are sent to be reviewed in a fitting, and measurements are either approved or slightly modified to get the perfect fit.
PRODUCTION: A mass-production order is finalized after fit samples are approved and meet the requirements. Quality control is checked. Pressing, adding labels, and folding will be performed for final distribution.
SHIPPING: Most small bulk orders are shipped internationally by air, but it adds an extremely high shipping cost + taxes + duties fees compared to freight cost.
Photos captured by Vanessa Stoller