Marin Hopper, the daughter of the legendary icon and artist Dennis Hopper, let us get a glimpse
of her life and her relationship with her father, and gave us the inside scoop on the Hopper X
Vans limited edition collection sold only at Urban Outfitters.
Can you give us a little background on yourself?
Many years ago, I started working in fashion as a fashion editor at a few different fashion
magazines, including Elle Magazine where I was also the Fashion Director. After I left Elle in
2000, I edited a book of photographs my father had taken during my childhood growing up in
Los Angeles during the 1960s, 1712 N. CRESCENT HEIGHTS. It was with my two friends Roman
Alonso and Lisa Eisner who had started Greybull Press, a very stylish and extremely influential
publishing company, specializing in photographic books. At the same time, I was consulting
with an accessories brand based in Europe, where I had the great fortune of working on both
the women and men's collections. I have continued to consult with them to this day, and have
also been working on my own accessories collection of women’s handbags, called Hayward,
which I am hoping to formally launch in Spring 2012.
Tell us about the Dennis Hopper Trust.
The Dennis Hopper Trust is meant to preserve the legacy of Dennis Hopper and to continue to
support the causes that meant so much to him. We hope to educate people about his work in
film and art, present exhibitions of his work and support the causes and organizations he
worked with and supported during his lifetime. He was quietly very charitable and very involved
in the community.
What are some other projects the Trust has worked on?
Well, The Trust is still relatively young and we work everyday to be involved with projects we
feel Dennis himself would want to be apart of. We know we represent him and want to make
him proud and honor his memory. Most recently we have been involved in exhibitions with
Dennis’ art and some charity events.
How did the Vans X Hopper Collaboration come about?
Vans came to us looking to put together a line of clothing and accessories that would feature
both artwork by Dennis and clothing that exemplified his style—from a pair of sneakers in
distressed linen to a jacket with a custom Hopper lining to a modern take on the tweed cap he
always wore.
Why did you think Vans was a good fit with Hopper's art?
He loved L.A. He made his home in Venice and what brand better represents that then Vans?
So cool, stylish, and so uniquely California, capturing both the street and surf culture which is
such a vibrant part of life here. My dad always had his camera with him and one of his favorite
afternoons would be to spend many hours walking the streets of Venice and the boardwalk next
to the beach taking pictures of all that was happening around him. Like my dad, Vans has
always been a brand that fully embraces both the lifestyle and the visual nature of Los Angeles.
Who else was involved in this project?
After working with my dad, I always consulted with my brother Henry because he was the best
barometer, knowing dad’s work and being the target audience. He also has the greatest style of
all of us. I find myself wanting to photograph most of the things he’s wearing. He mixes
fabulous vintage jackets with other items, sometimes with a pair of white jeans I covet, all
distressed with holes and paint and newsprint and markers. I have to remember to ask him
where those white jeans are the next time I see him! He is not only a great artist, but also an
extremely talented actor. Just like our father, but of course, with his own flair. Needless to say,
I was extremely relieved and very proud when he said he fully approved of the inspiration
boards I was working on for the Vans project!
Because of your background in fashion, did you want to be closely involved with
developing the collection?
My father asked me to put together inspiration boards for a collection of clothing and
accessories that would bring his art to light, along with marrying it to the Vans customer. It was
a dream project. I grew up wearing Vans. I had my friend Natalie, who is Australian and also a
fan of Vans, co-collaborate to put Dennis’ work on various products for a presentation. We had
such a great time and once my father and Henry gave me the Hopper seal of approval, we
knew we had a winner. The craziest part of the whole thing though was when my father and I
met with the people at Vans to show them where we were creatively and what our vision was,
our designs and theirs were almost identical and then we really knew this collaboration was
meant to be. It couldn’t have been a better fit and I am so proud of where Vans took the
collection.
Can you talk a little bit about Hopper's significance as and artist and an icon?
While I’m always touched to have him referred to as an icon, to me he was always my dad and
always an artist.
What do you think is his legacy?
His children and his grandchildren.
How did Dennis' approach to photography differ from his approach to filmmaking or
acting?
His approach to photography and filmmaking were very similar. He started taking photos when
he couldn’t get work in movies. In fact, my mother bought him his first camera and if you look
at his photographs they are shot with a real filmmaker’s eye. He always shot his photos full
frame and never cropped anything, just like what you get looking through a movie camera. He
used to say that since a movie camera didn’t give you the luxury of cropping images he
wouldn’t do it to his photographs either—and he never allowed anyone else to crop his photos.
And conversely, he directed films with a photographer’s eye. You could take a still frame of
almost any of his films and it reads like a photograph.
Who were some of his favorite artists?
He loved and collected so many-but starting from the 60’s on, there was Andy Warhol, Marcel
Duchamp, Robert Rauschenberg, Bruce Conner, Wallace Berman, Ed Ruscha, Jean-Michel
Basquiat, Kenny Scharf, Julian Schnabel, Robert Graham, John Baldessari, David Salle…
How did his public persona differ from the person he was when he wasn't
performing?
He was always himself. He was a method actor who drew from experience.
What was it like growing up with Dennis Hopper as your father?
He had the best eye ever and he showed me how to not be afraid to look at things.
What was the best advice your father ever gave you?
When buying art only buy what you love not what someone advises you is a good investment.