)
Besides
the exclusive factor, what do you think makes your brand unique?
First, this is just what I hope I can continue to do, but I honestly don’t know if I can. I’m there throughout the whole production process. I design, I draw, I design. Then I go to the market to buy more materials, hire sewers, and direct how they put it altogether. Also, I’m marketing and promoting the products at the same time. I’m involved in everything, from the concepts to selling the actual products. And because everything’s handmade, everything’s one of a kind. So far, we’ve been making bags, T-shirts, and books. We’ll probably be making other kinds of clothing in the future as well. We’ll see!
Who’s your target audience for these bags?
I’d say college students these days or anyone who wants to have a cool bag. The bag has lots of cushions so that people can put in a laptop and not worry about it getting damaged. It’s for anybody who wants be like a hipster. [Laughs.]
)
Right.
So here’s your customer. What does he or she look like?
Someone wearing some hip-style sneakers. And maybe attending college or someone who’s just graduated, like an entry-level salary man. [Laughs.] When they’re going out for a date or for work, or even shopping, they can match it with the casual style. That’s what I can imagine for the guy. Maybe for the girl… probably a lot more fashionable because my bag is quite big. She’d probably be tall too. That’s what I’m seeing now.
)
I
can’t wait to see the bags.
Yeah. You’ve seen only part of my bags because on the website, the images of the bags show only the basic structure. 30 young and emerging artists are going to paint on the 30 bags I've designed. That’s the thing that’s making it much harder for me to be involved in every process.
Have you encountered any obstacles in doing all this?
Yeah, everything that I’m doing is challenging actually -- nothing’s easy. Everything has taken a lot of my time, hours and hours. It takes money and a lot of effort. Plus there’s no guarantee on whether it’ll do well or not. Everything is pretty challenging, but I just try my best to deal with it.
)
What
brands out there inspire you?
One of them is JB Classics. He was my alumnus for almost six years before I got married. [Laughs.] We were buddies, and he’s doing a really great job making his one-of-a-kind sneakers. It’s very inspiring to see what he’s doing.
You know, at first glance your passion for the homeless and for developing your own brand seem contradictory. How do you connect them together?
I’m not connecting the two together. Like I said, I don’t want to tell anyone anything about homelessness. People look at me like I’m interested in the “human needs” style because I’m painting the homeless, but I’m not. I’m not trying to address any social issues. I don’t feel that painting the homeless and having my own production company are related at all.
)
Before
we wrap up, you’ve said that after self-publishing God Made Dirt,
And Dirt Don’t Hurt, you learned lots from your mistakes. What’s
your advice for artists entering the industry?
I learned from DJing and what DJs do. They mix, they play footage, they make a mixtape, and they sell it in the streets. That’s how they promote themselves. That’s how they get their name out there and start to push themselves. So I did the same thing for my art. I drew and then made a book, like when DJs make their mixtape, and then I sold it on the streets and to stores. The first time I approached a store, they didn’t even want to talk to me. [Imitating.] “One of the street guys just came over here to sell books. I’ve never seen them before.” I approached stores many times; I kept going, I kept asking them and letting them see my works. So yeah, that’s my advice -- to just keep trying.
Guu Magazine at GuuPress.com
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Related Links:
> David Choong Lee's website
> Sori Kim's website
> 2nd Round Productions website
> JB Classics website
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