When it comes to celebrity and brand collaborations, there are a clutch which stand out as stars. Boundary-breaking designer Harris Reed’s upcoming debut collection with cult jewellery brand Missoma was a no-brainer; Justin Bieber’s partnership with Crocs (the star said in a statement, “I wear Crocs all the time, so designing my own pair came naturally”) just made sense as did Fenty’s joined effort with buzzy footwear designer of the moment Amina Muaddi. These are duets which, when paired together, arrive pitch-perfect on virtual shelves and are an effortless culmination of both parties’ DNA.

And today, there’s a new partnership to add to the Cult Collaborations Hall of Fame, as Haim have joined forces with online marketplace Etsy to deck out their Los Angeles studio with achingly retro and vintage pieces lifted straight from the virtual e-tailer. 

While the trio is known for their love of vintage, the collaboration was preordained to happen. “Sometimes when I introduce myself to people, they’re like: ’Etsy, like the online marketplace?’” Este, one member of the trio, tells Stylist over Zoom from LA. “When I go to Starbucks, every single time that’s what they think my name is: Etsy. So, if that wasn’t a sign from the heavens that I needed to collaborate with them I don’t know what is.”

But jokes aside, here was a partnership that, straight out of the gate, made sense for both parties. Haim, the trio of Los Angeleno sisters, are revered on both sides of the pond for their potently dreamy music, which bleeds as much into their whimsically 70s-inspired style as it does their melodies; while Etsy, the e-tailer which first launched in 2005, has become a go-to platform for those seeking a one-off. 

“We all go down Etsy rabbit holes a lot. I just bought a pair of shoes on Etsy that were made by an artisan and they’re so amazingly made that it just made sense to team up with them,” Este adds. “We’ve had all this time to make music during the pandemic, so what a better time to put together our studio?” 

The result is a studio space for the sisters which is “warm, inviting and comfortable”, three characteristics which were important to the girls because of the collaborative nature of making music. They rummaged through Etsy’s virtual shelves to find 1970s leather chairs, speakers from the same era, which they later learned Neil Young’s cult classic Harvest Moon was mixed on, and a pair of vintage congas.

While Este – whose favourite interior designer is Los Angeles-based Basha Franklin – notes that Knwls, the London-based fashion label, is one of her favourites at the moment, the girls are quick to insist they are not enamoured by any brand in particular, more a feeling. “We love things that have a story, so there aren’t really necessarily brands that we look to, it’s more a feeling. This is the first time any of us have been designers of a space, so we’re dipping our toes into it for the first time,” Alana says.

The trio drew inspiration from 1970s Italy for the aesthetic, with Guzzini – an Italian store which stocks everything homeware-related – being the main focal point of their vision.

What’re they most obsessed with in their own and other people’s spaces? “Honestly, we’re obsessed with seating,” Alana laughs. “I think maybe we’re just lazy? But seriously, I couldn’t live without a really comfy couch. We love sitting down. But seriously, it’s important for people to come into our studio and feel warm and comfortable and creative, so the first thing we bought was three different types of seating.” Their Los Angeles home growing up was eclectic; they inherited their love of pre-loved from their dad, who relied upon a service called The Recycler, which was a print-out retro version of Etsy that existed before the internet. 

When it comes to hosting, the sisters share a love of warm and intimate lighting and using interiors as conversation starters. “When you work with new and different songwriters, it often feels like a first date, so it’s nice to have little trinkets around a space, or wear different pieces, which then spark an idea or a thought or a bit of inspiration. It all bleeds into your studio. “Our dad would go out and scour Los Angeles to find instruments for us to all play on. Ours was the fun house, the one which all of our friends wanted to come and hang out in,” Alana says. “It’s kind of very similar to our houses now.”

While the trio have found the pandemic difficult (“It’s getting to the point where I think I’m no fun anymore!” Este jokes, and the sisters agree that they similarly have connectivity problems “every day that ends with a y”), they’re excited for us to collectively crawl out from the locked down holes in which we’ve spent the pandemic and for life to return. “I am honestly just so excited to travel again, that’s what I’ve missed the most, and to finally tour,” Alana says. 

View the Haim x Etsy edit here.

Images: courtesy of Etsy.