ABOUT / CURRENT CREATIVE WORK
Toni Hacker is a New York based maker and designer with a background in the studio arts and industrial design.
Before launching her first collection for Hayden-Harnett in 2005 with husband Benjamin Harnett, Toni worked at Liz Claiborne as Senior Handbag Designer. In 2014 she collaborated with legendary NYC sample maker Roy Campos to launch American design project CAMPOS– a zero waste line of leather totes and accessories made-to-order in the Brooklyn Navy Yard from 100% American sourced materials. In Fall of 2015 she launched THACKER NYC, a collection of fine leather goods and RTW, sold online and via major retailers such as Anthropologie, Bloomingdale’s, and Nordstrom.
After leaving NYC and the fashion industry in 2017, she decided to pursue her passion for fragrance, home goods, and natural skincare…and let her hands get back to work. She launched her made-to-order apothecary and home goods project Beacon Mercantile in June of 2018 out of her home studio in Beacon, NY. As Beacon Mercantile’s projects, orders, and customer list grew, she moved her studio into Beacon, NY’s historic Matteawan station in May 2019 and opened a small shop where she happily kept her hands busy making for others.
In fall of 2022, post-pandemic, Toni made a conscious decision to keep her growing apothecary business small, meaningful, and very hands-on. She decided to take Beacon Mercantile online only and moved operations to a new home studio in upstate NY. She now resides in historic Cherry Valley, NY with her husband Benjamin Harnett, two pairs of sibling cats, one demanding Boston terrier, and a very large array of plants and books.
In early 2024, Toni launched Sublingualmusic as audio project that explores the limbic, meditative, and healing space within music.
TIMELINE
1999-2003: Design Director for Innovo Group, Inc.
2003-2004: Director of Accessories for Nesi Apparel
2004-2005: Senior Handbag Designer for Liz Claiborne, Inc.
April 2005- July 2015: Founder/Designer/Creative Director for Hayden-Harnett
December 2008-March 2009: Hayden-Harnett for TARGET collection
December 2010-April 2011: Hayden-Harnett for Walt Disney Signature 'Fantasia', 'Tron', and 'Pirates of the Caribbean' collections
January 2014-September 2015: Founded American design project CAMPOS bags with industry veteran Roy Campos in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
November 2015: Founded Thacker NYC, a collection of accessible-luxe RTW, handbags, shoes, jewelry, and accessories
June 2018: Founder & Maker at Beacon Mercantile
May 2019: Opened Beacon Mercantile’s store + studio in the historic Matteawan train station in Beacon, NY
Fall 2022: Relocated Beacon Mercantile to Cherry Valley, NY
Spring 2024: Launched Sublingualmusic audio project