Known for the whimsical works he creates with his twin brother, Simon, Niki Haas never planned on working in high-end design. Nevertheless, the duo have become distinctive trailblazers across a range of creative disciplines including fashion, film, art and design. Adding to his list of accomplishments is being a father. We sit down with Niki and learn why he is optimistic in seeing how his son views the world.
Everyday Tee in White
Elijah in Cosmos
Can you think of the moment that inspired you to start your career?
It was a moment where we were just sort of doing carpentry, fabrication, and stuff, and then one trip to New York we started meeting people and were introduced to Donatella Versace...two months later, we’d signed a contract to do this huge project with Versace and we sold out our first group show, then been offered our first solo show. So, it was like going from zero to 100, which was kind of cool. And by the way, didn't really have any ambitions to do fashion or like, high-end design really, at all, but we just kind of ended up there, and then we got to follow our tails, which was cool.
What is one thing you wish you would have known before becoming an artist?
Oh, man. Honestly, it’s just business stuff, which is sort of boring, but it’s the truth. That would've been really nice to know, because it’s played such a big role in what we do now, and I basically had to learn all of it by making mistakes, and it’s...you know, it was a weird position to be in when you’re in your early 20s trying to negotiate that kind of shit. I wish I’d known that stuff.
What label in your life are you most proud of? Why?
Father. I mean, for sure. You know what I’m saying? And husband. And twin brother. I’d say those are my three, but father’s pretty up there, and I’ve always wanted to be a dad. I’ve also wanted to be a husband. I’ve always been a twin brother...but I’d say father, for sure.
Everyday Tee in White
Elijah in Cosmos
What is the best advice you have ever received?
My friend Greg, I think he saw when we first had our son Fox, I was putting in 100%, which I still am now, but I was, like, killing myself over being the perfect dad, or what I thought was, and he was like, dude, the best way for your kids to learn how to be happy is to be happy in front of them. It was a small perspective shift that completely flipped the way...I mean, look, I still parent the same way. It’s just to be sustained...basically, you could extrapolate that across life completely, which is just if you want something to grow and do well, you have to make it sustainable and give it room to grow.
What is the best advice you have to give?
Just the best way to teach your kids to be happy is to be happy in front of them.
When in life do you feel the most at peace?
Our son comes in our bed and cuddles with us. We did that this morning. He woke up so fucking early, like five in the morning, which...he should be waking up at 6:30 but he was excited because his mom was out of town, and yeah, that’s really nice, every morning, just him getting in bed with us and, sort of, just hanging out and being mellow when it’s still sort of dark outside and we’re waking up. It’s a really nice moment, for sure.
Vintage Crewneck Sweatshirt in Cider
London Velvet in Future Blue
What is the best advice you have ever received?
My friend Greg, I think he saw when we first had our son Fox, I was putting in 100%, which I still am now, but I was, like, killing myself over being the perfect dad, or what I thought was, and he was like, dude, the best way for your kids to learn how to be happy is to be happy in front of them. It was a small perspective shift that completely flipped the way...I mean, look, I still parent the same way. It’s just to be sustained...basically, you could extrapolate that across life completely, which is just if you want something to grow and do well, you have to make it sustainable and give it room to grow.
What is the best advice you have to give?
Just the best way to teach your kids to be happy is to be happy in front of them.
When in life do you feel the most at peace?
Our son comes in our bed and cuddles with us. We did that this morning. He woke up so fucking early, like five in the morning, which...he should be waking up at 6:30 but he was excited because his mom was out of town, and yeah, that’s really nice, every morning, just him getting in bed with us and, sort of, just hanging out and being mellow when it’s still sort of dark outside and we’re waking up. It’s a really nice moment, for sure.
Vintage Crewneck Sweatshirt in Cider
London Velvet in Future Blue
Vintage Crewneck Sweatshirt in Open Air
Adler in Abbot
"...if you want something to grow and do well, you have to make it sustainable and give it room to grow."
Vintage Crewneck Sweatshirt in Open Air
Adler in Abbot
When do you feel the most alive?
The most alive. Sort of the same moments I guess? That early morning or when the three of us are doing something, or watching my family, like, my brother-in-law or my twin or my mom and dad or my mother-in-law with Fox when Djuna and I are watching him do something. That’s pretty cool, too, I’d say.
What is something you want to do, but haven’t done yet?
So, my brother and I had these three sort of lofty goals in a career sense. We really wanted to design an award, which we got to do. We designed an Academy Award. The second one, we got to do it, so I forgot about it already. The third goal was, we want to design a church, but in my mind, that’s actually just like, we want to design useless architecture, which means that it doesn't really serve any actual purpose, which I don’t mean to say that a church doesn't serve a purpose, but it serves, like, an abstract, higher value. I’d love to design a space around that.
Something in the world you hope to see change in your lifetime?
Oh, man. I’d really like to see the center return again. Like, the middle class and the political center. That would be nice, because I feel like I have a lot in common with people on the other side, and it’s like, nowadays, it’s difficult to find the center, you know? I was in Austin, where I’m from, and our next-door neighbor had a Greg Abbott sign in the yard, and I was just like, what the fuck, man? I felt such repulsion, and...I had to check myself.
I hold this one Jesuit statement really close to my heart, which is, morals over ideals, and I felt very idealistic in that moment where I was just like, okay, I’m making a huge judgment about this person based on a sign that they have in their yard, and that’s not fair. But then also just the current times sort of dictate that sort of reaction and behavior right now. So, I’d love to see that change. I don't know...I hope our son doesn't have to deal with that.
Something that makes you optimistic for the future?
Our kid. For sure. I mean, and by the way, all his classmates, they’re all so cool and smart and so far beyond what we ever were at that age, and it’s just like, that’s pretty cool to watch his generation grow up and how few hang-ups they have compared to what I remember at that age. It’s pretty rad.