Tim and Dan Joo, the brothers behind Haerfest, are making the backpack cool for the over-21 crowd. Their line, Haerfest (pronounced like “harvest”), is based around a two-pronged focus of quality materials and clean proportions with an attention to detail that takes the campus staple into more luxe territory. And deservedly so: As Tim Joo say below, “If clothing is the outward physical expression of yourself, then the bag is a peek into your psyche.” The duo has created an exclusive collection for LN-CC and is currently carried by Opening Ceremony. Surface caught up with Tim a couple of weeks ago after the presentation of Haerfest's newest work, influenced by 1960s minimalism.

Haerfest spring/summer 2012 collection.

How did the LN-CC collection come about?
We met LN-CC when we were featuring our “B Collection” in Paris this past October. They noticed a few of our more experimental bags that we made for ourselves, and the different colors and materials prompted them to request an exclusive collection. So we selected a range of materials in various color combinations and applied them to our staple styles.  

How did the pony skin bag come about?
There was something about the pony skin that was minimal, yet special. We kept touching the hair and skin and just couldn’t resist the urge to test it out. We were immediately hooked.

Haerfest x LN-CC, Creme backpack.

What part of the bag would you say is the most difficult to get right, but worth it in the end?
Manufacturers have been encouraging us to use standard zippers because it would help us lower our costs. But a zipper is the part of the bag that is used most often. Like our products, they should be high quality and last as long as possible. Unfortunately, most customers don’t notice the difference in zipper quality—it’s hard to tell at first glance. They only realize it once it actually catches or breaks. We take pride in using YKK Excella zippers from Japan which are of the highest grade quality. Even if all these details come at a price, in the end, we would like our customers to know that everything is seriously considered.

How do you make such a common object a little bit surprising?
We believe that reinterpreting the way a bag can be carried is just one way to open opportunities for innovation. Our single strap concept stemmed from our principles of reduction. We found a strap can be reduced to a single form but still have dual functionality. The backpacks can be worn with a single strap over one shoulder or with straps on both, and our totes can be carried by hand or over the shoulder with the long strap. It’s a signature Hærfest detail that we apply consistently throughout all our bags.

Black B7 bag, from the Haerfest spring/summer 2012 collection.

What does a bag say about a person?
It should naturally become an extension of yourself. If clothing is the outward physical expression of yourself, then the bag is a peek into your psyche. Your notebook, wallet, phone, computer, camera, pens and pencils, just to name a few, are all allegorical things that represent you as an individual. That said, why not have a bag that ages well, is aesthetically pleasing, made with quality materials, does not look like its meant for hiking or the apocalypse, and allows you to tell your personal story? These are things that we should demand in all products.

Haerfest
LN-CC
Title image: Black pony skin duffel, from the Haerfest x LN-CC exclusive collection.