The entrepreneurial brains behind Guest of a Guest is back with another start-up, this time centered around a childhood hobby updated with a hip-hop vibe. Here wearing Tory’s Ramona maxi dress, Rachelle Hruska returns to Tory Daily to talk about the new venture, Lingua Franca.
My new line — right now it’s mostly hip-hop phrases hand-embroidered on vintage, 100% cashmere sweaters.
And the inspiration behind the launch…
I learned how to sew and embroider from my Grandma when I was in sixth grade and started picking up the hobby again this winter on my own sweaters. I posted a few to Instagram and had dozens of friends start asking for them.
And the inspiration behind the designs…
I loved the juxtaposition between hip-hop phrases and fine cashmere. My husband, Sean MacPherson, also got his start opening hip-hop clubs in the early Ninties in LA, so it was fun to collaborate on sayings. I also love the fact that each one is done by hand and is the opposite of mass produced.
The story behind the name Lingua Franca…
I was saying to someone that hip hop seems to be the “lingua franca” of our times. It sort of kept coming back to me and when I realized the name had never been taken, I was shocked. I love the meaning behind it, and absolutely adore the idea of a common language among people. I trademarked it immediately.
The different phrases are inspired by…
Mostly phrases that I truly do think are the lingua franca of our times, or at least ones that I find fun. I love that many of them have political undertones — very relevant to our times.
I have a couple of favorites. “Beat the System” and “Don’t Sweat the Technique” come to mind as two, but I truly love them all! And I will never forget my very first one: “Booyah!”
One entrepreneurial lesson I learned from Guest of a Guest that I applied here…
Sometimes the best businesses are ones that start off naturally, and not with the intention of building a business. Both of my companies share that ethos. They were both started off of something that I was naturally doing in my life, which means they don’t really feel like “work.”
And new challenges now…
Knowing what to say no to.
How I balance the two businesses…
I’m still figuring that out. I currently have a couple of friends sewing for me on the couches in the GofG offices — ha.
My secret to a work/life balance…
You really have to dig what you do. That seems to be the most important truth out there.
What’s next for Lingua Franca…
We are partnering with Vanessa Traina’s THE LINE and sewing on some amazing summer shirts for summer. This Fall/Winter we hope to get into blankets and babies!