Kate Hudson has been teasing her clothing line Happy x Nature and it has now launched. There are jeans, jackets, jumpsuits, tops, and dresses in sizes 0-18. Jeans run about $100, dresses are up to $150, tops about $80 – it is meant to be accessible. There’s also a nod to sustainability, with a mention of using recycled materials in manufacturing and packaging.
If it sounds like I’m checking boxes, it’s because I am. Affordable celebrity clothing lines are so common that it’s hard to differentiate between them. What is the essence here? Jeans and floral boho tops? It’s Coachella-lite. It’s like Penny Lane became an Instagram influencer.
Not that that feels off-brand for Kate, it’s fine. But it’s extremely done. Some of the pieces have an “extra” detail that is completely unnecessary – bootcut jeans with a split, or a jean jacket with a raw hem, or a tank that is both cropped and tied on the side. I think this came out of a need to distinguish pieces, to set them apart from all of the mid-price range boho stuff on the market (there is so much of it). That’s what makes all of this so meh. It’s in line with Kate’s style but it doesn’t answer the question of …who was asking for Kate’s style?
These are not pieces that you are emailing your friends like “I need to get this right now!” It’s more like the kind of purchase you make when you kind of need a new top but don’t feel like going shopping because you don’t have a clear idea of what you want. It’s not an investment purchase, it’s a this-might-work purchase.
Still, the business fits. She has experience in mid-market clothing (Fabletics is a mainstay success, and she was a pioneer in celebleisure lines), she has a fond fan base, and she launched with a shiny website (the hair/makeup/lighting is much higher budget than other mid-market clothing lines), a good selection of products and some size inclusivity.
This is not a pet project; it is already being sold on New York & Company’s website. NY&C usually has strong collaborations (with Eva Mendes and Gabrielle Union) but Happy x Nature belongs to Kate. The LLC tied to Happy x Nature also lists a Pretty Happy trademark. Pretty Happy was the name of Kate’s book, and the licensing is for fragrance, makeup, and body and hair care products. What does Kate’s “happy” smell like? We probably don’t have to wait long to find out.
Attached - Kate Hudson at Good Morning America yesterday in New York.
