As I set up for our interview, I watched Hunter Claire Rogers make her rounds across Soho House‘s main hall; I was ogling her outfit, as usual. She warmly greeted a few members by name. She tactfully shut down a disallowed photo shoot happening in the corner. After ordering her usual quad (espresso) shot with oat milk, we began chatting. Hunter Claire has always been a people person, and she’s always loved clothes. But her debonair ensembles and intrinsic ability to connect people are just a pair of qualities this Nashville leader exudes. I soon learned that Hunter Claire’s endeavors and curiosities are as eclectic and prolific as her wardrobe.
Tell me what younger HC was like.
I’m from Nashville, born and raised. I haven’t changed much, according to my mother. I was consistently late for Kindergarten because I could never figure out exactly what to wear. Eventually, she made me pick and set up my outfit the night before, and once it was chosen, I couldn’t change my mind.
I have to ask you about your wardrobe. Where did the collection (obsession?) begin?
I will never forget the day my mom’s friend Leila Eaton took me vintage shopping when I was maybe 12. I still have a pair of boots from that shopping trip. I’m not kidding … my feet haven’t grown. Even at that age, I felt this almost magical power of clothing as a creative expression. It was always something in my control when other things seemed out of it. I have everything from a purple silk corded dress from the 1910s to a new piece from my current favorite designer. My fiancé is probably wondering when I’ll start getting rid of things.
How did you end up back in Nashville?
When I left Nashville after high school, I had no intentions of ever coming back. I moved to Paris for a year and taught English at a girls’ school before studying French and Politics at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I attended L’Institut d’Études Politiques in Lyon for a year and in London after college, but when the visa laws changed, I had no choice but to move back. I realized Nashville was undergoing a cultural transformation into this creative hub. It was exciting, and I just had to stay.
What did you do before landing at Soho House?
When I moved back, I reconnected with and met some really inspiring women — now my friends — doing all sorts of exciting things around the city. I just started going out and experiencing as much as I could. If there was an art show, a restaurant opening, or a gallery event, I was there. Six nights a week. Being around people and hearing their stories fills my cup.
I did all sorts of work around this time. I worked in retail and did creative work for some nonprofits. I styled various shoots and events and helped brands come to Nashville. I ended up starting my own full-service event company, HCR Events, and began working with Soho House shortly after. When they were set to open the house here, they asked to come on full-time.
What’s a day like working at Soho House Nashville?
Everyone probably says this, but no two days are the same. People have lots of different names for me here. One is Madame of the House, and that’s apropos in some ways [laughs]. But I’m in charge of all-things members and membership. So, from the time someone applies until their welcome orientation and beyond, I ensure they’re heard and happy. Communications and events also fall under my purview. We host more than 40 events a month here, and I have a team of five, including me. There are not 40 days in a month.
Editor’s Note: You don’t have to be a member to experience Soho House Nashville. Anyone can book a room in the hotel. And adjacent to the members’ side, May’s All Day is open to the public for coffee, drinks, and snacks.
It seems other newly opened Soho Houses worldwide are modeled, in some regards, after Nashville’s house. How have you set our house apart?
I think it’s less about setting us apart and more about making us an integral thread in the global Soho House fabric. Every Soho House is designed to reflect the community it’s within, and I think that’s why people resonate so much with our house. It mirrors Nashville’s unique characteristics beautifully. Every piece of art you see was made by someone who lives or has trained in Nashville. To my knowledge, we have the city’s largest public display of local art.
Given Nashville’s ever-growing number of cranes, transplants, and Airbnbs, how do you want to steer Soho House to fit into our city’s changing landscape?
Our focus is being a home away from home for anyone visiting and an extension of our Nashville members’ homes. The city’s growth in many creative industries is bringing in people from all corners of the world. I love it when someone checks in and seems surprised by all that’s going on here, in this neighborhood, and in the city as a whole. It makes them rethink their perception of Nashville. Maybe Nashville becomes a place they want to explore more of or potentially move to. It’s a privilege to be able to show off our town and its people.
How else do you champion Nashville in your free time?
I started the Instagram account RSVP Nashville in 2019 as a way to catalog everything going on each week that I would want to go to if I could clone myself a dozen times. I keep a finger on the pulse of Nashville culture and share that with our now 15,000 followers, who also want to know what’s happening around town.
What’s something that people are often surprised to learn about you?
I speak fluent French. I was born three months premature — shout out to all the preemies out there. I did modern dance for 20 years. And I think everyone knows by now that I’m a natural brunette.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received, and from whom?
My mentor and friend Donna Glassford told me it was only up to me to know my worth and that I’m worthy. She told me to take up space. I think that’s especially important for women in creative fields.
Name three things you couldn’t live without.
My dogs Mosco and Lindy. Communication (including snail mail) that keeps me connected with the friends I’ve made around the world. And art. One of my favorite things to do in any city is to go to a gallery and soak everything in.
And a quick “lightning round”:
- Can’t-miss menu item at Soho Hause Nashville: Crispy Chicken, aka Lemon Pepper Chicken, aka LPC. Someone wrote on their application that they wanted to be able to eat the chicken every day, and I felt that.
- Favorite hidden gem in the South: While I refuse to do karaoke, I love a dive karaoke bar. Kajun’s in New Orleans is unassuming but so much fun. And The Lipstick Lounge here in Nashville.
- Last vacation: Edinburgh, Scotland, to plan my wedding.
- What’s on your bedside table: SkinPharm Youth Serum. Lemon Laine Botanical Bounce Face Oil. Les Fumées No. 11 candle. And my signature scent, Isola Rosa by Capsule Perfumerie. They’re a first-generation perfumery in LA’s Chinatown. I’m the weirdo in Tennessee who’s been buying a few bottles at a time.
- Go-to birthday present (to give): I love to give scents. It’s tricky and personal, but if you get them right, it’s magical. I typically give something cozy like Ranger Station or Les Fumées.
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