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TALENTS: Mai Jacobsen – Faroese Accessory Designer
Mai Jacobsen
Designer/ Maker / Entrepreneur
FIND ME: @maijacobsencph
Secret Talent: I am my family’s hairdresser
What does your work mean to you?
My work is my playground. It gives me freedom to create and my mission is to help keep the local craftsmanship alive in the future. When I am at the workshop, I listen to music and enter my «bubble». It is like putting on noise-cancelling headphones – it shuts all other noise out 🙂
“My work is about creating another alternative in a fast paced industry and I am proud to be working on that.”
What makes your brand unique and important?
Having my own brand started as a dream during my BA in Fashion Design. My degree made me realise that things could be done differently, and convinced me that it was possible to make a change in the fashion industry. That’s why I joined the Slow Fashion Movement. What makes my brand unique, is that I do not underlay any «constraints» by the seasons of the fashion world. I take pride in creating unique pieces that will stay in the collection year after year.
What do you think of when you hear the word “sustainability”?
Sustainability to me is meeting our own needs, without compromising the needs of future generations. That includes both preserving the eco-system and self-efficiency. The fashion industry has been too fast paced for too long, and I’d like to challenge that view, starting with slow fashion.
It’s both up to people to downscale consumption, but it is also up to companies to slow down the pace of their production. Why should we buy stuff, just for the sake of buying? Say for instance, if something is so cheap, that it’s almost free – including free shipping… does that really benefit anyone? I would like people to think about pricing: if you buy a dress for 120 dkk/16 euros – how much did the fabric cost? And how much did the workers get paid while making it? Does it make sense? That’s why I decided to provide another alternative, another way of leading a fashion business.
What’s your favourite part of the creative process?
I am a «hands on» type of person, so my favourite part of the creative process is working on a sample: finding the right fabric that gives the right expression, finding the right hardware, maybe changing it a bit from the original drawing and making it work!
What inspires you?
Many things inspire me! Nature, its shapes and colours, art and its ability to make us see things from a different perspective, people and their personalities… even cars! Mostly it’s a mix of things and feelings, drawing connections and then culminating in what ends up being my product.
“Inspiration is really a mix of knowing where you want to go, and seeing all the connotations on your way there. Even just opening your head to the inputs of the world around you and then acting upon them, as soon as they connect with you.”
As I see it, if you get a spontaneous idea – it was probably building up to this moment, before bursting out in a very tangible way. At that point, you just need to realise the idea. My most beloved motto is: “just do it!” – your gut KNOWS, just act from there, and it will be great!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I do have an image in my mind about the far future, but in 5 years? I have no clue!
I like short-term goals much better than long- term goals. Like for instance: in one year, my goal is to have my first employee, to help me out making bags. I dream of having an office space big enough for 10 employees, working on samples with me. I have been working on this project for 3 years now, and if it takes me 5 or 10 years to get to that place, it’s ok. The most important thing is, to lay the groundwork properly and to enjoy the ride, as it continues.