1. What first led you in the direction of fashion design?
As a teen, I was obsessed with collecting Vogue Korea. I was attracted to flipping through photos of Dior by Galliano and tall shoes from Olivier Theyskens.
One day when I was in middle school, I started sketching dresses while I was bored during class, and I’ve never stopped sketching. As I grew older, I’ve grown to love the idea of my influences and experiences being melted down and forming wearables. Working with my hands, sitting down and standing up and feeling the materials were such exciting sensory experiences for a young me.
Jeakyong Founder, and designer at Acceptance Letter
1. What first led you in the direction of fashion design?
As a teen, I was obsessed with collecting Vogue Korea. I was attracted to flipping through photos of Dior by Galliano and tall shoes from Olivier Theyskens.
One day when I was in middle school, I started sketching dresses while I was bored during class, and I’ve never stopped sketching. As I grew older, I’ve grown to love the idea of my influences and experiences being melted down and forming wearables. Working with my hands, sitting down and standing up and feeling the materials were such exciting sensory experiences for a young me.
2. Who have been your mentors in this industry, and What advice would you have for aspiring fashion designers?
I’ve had wonderful mentors through my academic times and professional years. I would advise that it is okay to be honest about not knowing certain things. It is okay to approach people for a question. Whether they respond positively or not shouldn’t deter you from asking necessary questions.
3. Tell me about the creative inspiration for the collection
Creatives I’ve met, Berlin, Seoul, being a queer individual, sex and desire, and, a strong and loving mother who is the most familiar version of womanhood for me.
4. Tell us about your collaboration. How did the process work?
I almost always work with creative freelance work settings and then developed a friendship with.
There is a pre-existing work relationship and friendship in place. While we have an ultimate category goal of “garments” or “Fashion” in mind, it is much more organic to come to the final result because the pre-existing relationship facilitates a room for freedom and open communication.
5. Who did you have in mind when designing the line?
It is for the wearer who would look for desire, functionality, and authenticity. A person who decides for themselves how they want to present themselves.I intend my garments to still be identifiable as a certain type of garment, yet be worn as the wearer wishes. As opposed to the brand or the designer, (Acceptance Letter being one in this case) that tells them how it ought to be worn.
6. What's next? What's your vision for the future of your brand?
Local yet global. I want to bring local inspiration and show the value and beauty of it to a wider audience/Market.
The inspiration and influences must remain authentic to our team’s environment/lived experience. Ultimately, creating a warm, inclusive community of creatives that is core to the value of Acceptance Letter.I am excited about the next collection, where and how it will be presented and how I will go about concreting our signature.
7. How do you approach sustainability in your work?
At our studio, we try our best to reduce material waste as much as possible. All leftover materials are sorted in different boxes to be recycled after. In terms of workers and collaborators, we are doing our best to ensure that collaborators and workers are getting compensated fairly and transparently.
In Collaboration with Avantika founder of Sun Syrup Jewellery Brand
1. When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a jewellery designer?
I studied sculpture at the school of the art institute of Chicago, and have always been very focused on my art practice, but jewellery was always in the back of my mind. I knew I would get to jewellery when the time was right, I have loved and collected it my entire life. When I moved to Berlin, I was looking for metal shops to work in and found volksluxus studio, which is primarily a jewellery studio. The first ring I designed started as a smaller piece for a sculpture I had in mind, but once I had finished making it, it felt so small and precious, I just wanted to wear it. It feels like making jewellery is something that happened to me, not something that I one day decided to do.
2. What is your favourite material to work with?
Glass is captivating me the most lately. When working with it, it demands all of your attention and focus, you are working with heat and time and need to be in tune with its sensitivities. It is a very forgiving, reactionary, and playful material.
3. What qualities do you look for in the perfect piece of jewellery?
I always say making jewellery is challenging because the perfect jewellery already exists, and it’s all in India. I think jewellery, like art, is perfect when it brings a new or unexpected image to your mind. I am more drawn to organic and whimsical forms in jewellery, because it is seen on the human body. The forms of both harmonize by mimicking each other’s qualities.
4. Who is your jewellery for and What do you want them to feel when wearing it?
My jewellery is for absolutely everyone. I want them to feel empowered, intentional, and in tune with themselves.
5. What inspires your creativity when making a new piece of jewellery?
I like to try to forget everything I have seen before and think of the body as a shape to add to. For example, an ear-piercing is a space to fill that can be viewed from both sides. From there, I play with the possible ways to fill that space with glass and silver.
6. Tell us about your collaboration with Jake Young. What was the inspiration? How did the process work?
It felt natural and easy to work with Jake. Wearing jewellery, elevates your look because you are adding details to your outfit. At our first meeting, we were picking a colour that could extend Caique’s oyster print, and we both saw lime green. I knew we were on the same page from the start.
7. How do you approach sustainability in your work?
You can always re-use glass and silver by re-melting them over and over and over again. There is no waste when using these materials.
Other than this, when I started shipping orders regularly, it was extremely important to me that all my packaging materials were compostable and reusable. It costs a bit more but goes a long way. If I am shipping a particularly fragile piece, I wrap it in scrap fabric rather than bubble wrap. I am constantly searching for more ways to bring sustainability into my practice.
