The evolution of Honeycassie

Building a brand with Quin-Leigh

A proud alumni of the University of Namibia (UNAM) fashion department, Quin-Leigh Hammond is the quintessential fashion girl living her dream.

Since she stepped into her role as a professional fashion designer, QuinLeigh’s work has been featured at the Kent State University Museum in the USA, she has showcased at Windhoek Fashion Week, and she has dressed some of Namibia’s most prominent personalities.

Her graduation offering as a UNAM textile major in 2025 was a capsule collection made with calico and characterised by clean lines and an androgynous silhouette.

Since then, Quin-Leigh stayed true to her early design philosophy, a unique feat that has made her stand out in an increasingly monotonous industry.

The Birth Of Honeycassie

When she debuted her work as a fashion student, Quin-Leigh chose a minimalist design aesthetic with elements that redefine traditional shapes. She did this to create modern ready-to-wear pieces while adding a little bit of quirkiness to the designs. “Adding design elements that have unique characteristics is how I try to elevate my minimalistic design style,” she says.

Her choice to use calico was inspired by the fact that it is an undyed and unprocessed fabric. This was in direct response to the requirement of her thesis to create a body of work that lessened the impact of the fashion industry on the planet. She admits that sustainability in fashion was not as big a deal then as it is today, so her main reason for using calico was because there were limited options for sustainable fabric in Namibia. She adds, “I also wanted to design a timeless collection that people could still wear years later.”

Embracing Evolution

After almost a decade in the business, the talented designer can now proudly say that her brand has evolved while staying true to its foundations. “I think I have a better understanding of what I want to design and what I want to represent as a designer, which is slow fashion.

This is why I design garments that can be worn at any point in your life, which is still very much rooted in what I did in my

She says of her time at the two studios, “I wanted to learn how a design house works before I started my brand, which is why I worked at Leap. I learnt what it’s like working with a team of people and getting policies that I could one day implement in my own design studio. Working at L E D taught me skills that I now use in my own business, like designing and producing handmade leather bags. It’s extremely important to me to keep improving my skills.”

Collaboration And Continuous Learning

As part of the Honeycassie x Da Broad Wear collaboration, Quin-Leigh adds her design ethos to this streetwear brand. The collaboration features bold streetwear that has traditional shapes with a bit of flair and more edge. This collaboration is yet another way in which the designer lends herself to learning from fellow designers and brand founders. Earlier in her career, Quin-Leigh worked as part of the design team at Leap Holdings for their now-defunct My Republik clothing shop. More recently, she honed her skills as part of Leon Engelbrecht’s talented design team at L E D.

Stepping Into The Next Chapter

As she prepares to take on the next era of her fashion brand, Quin-Leigh hopes for an industry that will become more established, with the eventual incorporation of local stores and factories. She remains open to learning and improving her craft but equally wishes to help develop upcoming talent. “I am always open to helping any designer who needs help and sharing my knowledge and experience with them. We need to come together and create a robust fashion industry,” she says. Her number one advice to these rising fashion stars is to embrace creativity to stay relevant. “We don’t have a lot of resources and materials to always be able to do or create what we would like to, so you have to find ways around that. You should never stop learning and practising your craft.”

Rukee Kaakunga