Jas M.B.

Interview with Jas M.B.

- What did you do before starting your brand, Jas M.B.?

J: I have been designing bags since I was 21. A long time ago. But before starting designing bags themselves, I used to paint portraits. I was an artist from late 13.

- Is Art what you studied at school?

J: Yeah, I studied art and design at school. And when I went to an art college, I was doing interior product designing, but I was only at the art college for just over 2 months, because it was too boring for me. So, I left. I started my small business, selling bags in street markets and slowly designing bags. That’s how I started.

- What made you get into designing bags?

J: I felt that with clothing, you have to work out the shapes, the designs, and also it’s difficult to sell clothing because of the fit and the colouring. But with bags, it’s just the shape and the colour. And bags can be worn for a longer time than clothing- I wore this t-shirt today, but tomorrow I'm not wearing it, for instance, because it's smelly....Ha-ha, NO! I don't smell, but we have to change clothes every day, really. With bags, you don't have to. Also bags are practical. When I design bags, I think first of people, how they are going to carry them, how they will walk and move with them. So some of the shapes relate to movement and how you wear them. How practical the shape is, how functional the shape is. Then I think of the colors. First is always people, second is shape and third is colouring and materials.

- How do you usually come up with the ideas for design?

J: The idea for design is generally about the mood that I am in every season. It is how I feel, and if I feel very aggressive, or disturbed, then the designs will not have such intricacy, such creativity. If I feel more relaxed, and I’m listening to my music, because my energy comes through music, I listen to music a lot. Then there is a lot more creativity, a lot more detail. Each season that is how I move forward. This season I’m trying to give a concept. This season was about how we used to carry our food to work. You know when you have your "bentou" box or food and you wrap it up in cloth, so you take the corners and tie it up. The men's collection was designed like that. Each season, there is something.

- How do you describe your bags?

J: Practical and functional. In simple shapes. It is the materials and textures which make them more interesting. Each season we bring out new materials, new leathers, new textures which make them more interesting. And also I have my classic line, classic few bags, which we have been making from the first collection. And they are still the best selling bags, we've been selling them for the last eight years.

- Have you experienced any difficulties breaking into the market for bags?

J: I have some shapes, some designs, they are all for different occasions. In England nowadays, a lot of English men are carrying bags.

My main reason for designing was that I wanted to design bags for men. And as soon as the English men accepted the bag on their shoulder, it was easier to sell to the women. I wanted to break into an industry where it is difficult, because I feel that nothing is difficult, nothing is impossible. So if there is an area that I pursue and I think it is difficult, I pursue it even harder to succeed. That is how you create hunger inside you to go forward.

- What is new at Jas M.B. this season?

J: I'm about to launch a new brand. This is only for bags, this is totally new. Which is going to start in October. The name is The Cause.

The Cause meaning, like if there is a disaster, like the flooding this time in England. So many people were disturbed and uprooted, not by their own fault. But because they were mixed up in disaster. Some people did not have insurance and had to pay for everything themselves. So my first cause, or first issue, is England flooding. I have already contacted some people who will support and sponsor with the profit from this collection. So ten percent of the profit will go towards, one senior citizen, and three people I will distribute the money with, who couldn't get insurance because they were in the area where there was a chance of flooding. They did not have insurance, it was so bad. My slogan for this brand is "Learning how to give." We all must learn how to give, unconditionally. We should not expect anything back for it.

So this brand is based on giving something to the people in need, people who need something. So at the end of the season, 10% of the profit will go to people who need money. But what I’m going to do is, in case they need the money quickly, I will give them some money first, and then start the brand. In the end I will see what the profit is and pay it. We almost learn how to give because we have everything, really. It is just being in the fashion industry, we look for something new and fresh, but we don't actually need it, although we feel that we must have it because each season, each period changes, so because by being in the fashion industry you feel you must have it. We should learn how to give. We must give without expecting anything back.

- What are your career plans, do you have any future goals?

J: Future goals...mmm, that is a difficult one. I don't really want to expand so much. Possibly just have another brand, and stick to what I know best and make this stronger. I don't want to expand it so much that it starts looking cheap and nasty, I want to carry on making them here, keep designing them here. I want to take it easy. It's no good having such high goals where you can not get to, but goals at a level that you can foresee yourself achieving.

- Do you have any messages for young designers and our readers?

J: Don't let the creativity go out of your mind. If you do not succeed once, try and try again. You must create the hunger inside you. The creativity should always be there.

Website : http://www.doorsbyjasmb.com/

Written by Mai Matsuoka