Monday 14 May 2012

update






Where do i begin ? so much has happend , sadley the most recent news is my grandma passed away. major bummer to the family!


I have been flat out since i got home from the US organizing all the projects with my new company SWAY COLLECTIVE! from the clothes to the events and athletes we have representing the company.

i stopped into DSC in Queenstown  to get some new ink done



Anyway home has been flat out , i brought a new truck which i can't wait to get into the snow!!! till winter begins i have been running my dog tigger out at muriwai beach, so fun!!!



















in other news im stoked to say CAL has decided to come and shred nz for this winter so me and him will be back into mischiffe in no time !!!

cant belive our Torquay times were almost a year ago now!



more news to come winter is only 10days away !!!!!!!! yewwwwww

Wednesday 21 March 2012

MY INTERVIEW ON SWAY


Tomas Jacques is the friendliest guy, the kind that will talk your ear off, the kind that always remembers a name after meeting someone and bothers to say hello the next time. This guy always has a story to tell, and a penchant for indulging in tangents, something you will experience first hand in the transcript of this interview. Talking to him you get the feeling he knows a lot of people, and there’s a reason why, he’s just that nice. Plus he loves a bit of a name drop. He’s not afraid to speak his mind. He’s even been kind enough to throw me a few threads from his new label, Sway Collective, who’s introduction is the purpose of this interview. Beneath this happy go lucky exterior there’s a bit of an entrepreneurial mind that it seems you wouldn’t want to cross. He’s not just a globe trotting snowboard bum like the rest of ‘em…
Name: Tomas Jacques or TJ
Age: 23
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand but really I’m still looking for one.
Ok TJ, so tell us about yourself, sum yourself up in a few words. Go.
Well, I love action sports and the the snow. I snowboard. And I love this scene because you can call anyone pretty much any day of the week, anywhere in the world, no matter where you’re at, and have a crew. Everyone knows everyone and that’s sick.
Yeah for sure, the snow is world is definitely a small one. For the record I understand you’re heritage is Brazilian but you’re family’s in Auckland now?
Yeah that’s right.
Cool. Ok, so moving on to Sway… The purpose of the interview is to introduce your second line which you’ve called the Sway Collective. Tell us about it. What made you decide to bring out a new line?
The whole idea behind the Sway Collective line was to basically try and bring to New Zealand and other countries some like, smaller, newer, more niche brand stuff which I think has an impact on the action sports community. I wanted the Sway stuff to be a lot more technical. Most companies crank out cotton but we’re going to bring out soft shells, do marino wool thermal stuff, and really up our game with technical performance wear. But it will be stuff you can wear every day too.
So it’s predominantly snow wear but with a street feel? Ever planning on branching out in to fashion beyond the snow field?
Yeah, I’ve started working on more everyday stuff. One of our team riders Tim Herbert is super pushing [sic] on the flannel shirt side of things and more dress wear, and I can definitely see me making a line that you can wear off the hill to the bar without changing.
In comparison to the Stomp NZ line, this line seems less brightly coloured, more tailored and mature, more high end perhaps? Was that a deliberate decision for the line or an evolution in your own taste?
Yeah that’s definitely the case. I wanted something that you can wear on down days and around generally, not just have to be on the hill for.
Patterns for Sway Hoods
What made you get in to snow fashion?
Umm, I just love winter and follow everything snow stuff, and I found it easy to see what the influences were in North America that showed up down in New Zealand and Australia… it was easy for me to see what other companies were cranking out and to try to produce more innovative stuff myself to fill in the gaps and help the people. I just wanted to make more street like everyday stuff with this one.  
Did you ever have any business or fashion experience prior to this? How did you learn everything?
I just decided I wanted to get in to it and went down to my local shop Cheapskates and Frazer Johnson put me on to Guy Bellerby who I can’t thank enough. He was a huge help and support. At the time he ran a clothing company called Bellerby. He managed to bring my ideas to life. He referred me to places I could source my fabrics or wherever I needed to go to get it done.
Actually I’d like to thank Frazer Johnson, Guy Bellerby and Ivan Nagel… and also my Dad who’s been a big motivation and support.
Wow, that’s pretty rad. You just sought advice off people you knew and went for it?
Yep. My Dad’s been a big help. He’s a bit of a boss. I’ve seen [from him] how working hard and sticking at what you start yourself can definitely pay off at the end of the day [sic]. Definitely want to follow in his foot steps.
Sweet. Well seeing as you’ve figured most of this out on your own, any notable mistakes or funny stories along the way?
(Laughs) Yeah. I had another New Zealand based clothing company approach me and say, ‘would I be interested in sitting down and giving them advice on where to get fabrics from’ and stuff like that. They told me they wanted to start a street wear company. And I was like ‘yeah, cool I’ll help you guys as long as you don’t anything similar’, and sure enough next fuckin’ season they pop out with their snow shit and I’m like, ‘fuck you guys’. I bought them out of all their remaining colourboltsThey couldn’t reproduce anything.
So you’re not on good terms with those guys?
Not really no.
That actually leads me to my to my next question,which is that, the NZ snow clothing scene seems pretty small, do you think that’s an advantage or does it make doing business harder?
Yeah you’re right. It’s super small and everyone’s super influenced by what goes on in North America so I’m just trying to make something a little different… I wanted to taper in my cuts and make the clothes cool, functional, and I guess, well, if you check out my line this year you’ll see what other features are added!
How long has this idea taken from conception to fruition?
A few years.
So a long process?
Umm it wasn’t so much of a long process…ok no, it was a long process! It was just hard finding the fabrics I wanted to use. I actually ended up engineering a completely new fabric that I’m calling Plage. It’s five thousand waterproof by five thousand waterproof and it’s engineered out of Taiwan. It was one of those projects where I started out with a factory based in New Zealand and then I moved factories and went to China. And China was great. Then China ends up mucking up the samples which losses the reliability and faith, so I ended up having to find a new factory, which put me back to NZ. These new guys, my new crew, are phenomenal. Plus they have their own factory in China so eventually when I crack North America and outside of New Zealand everything will be coming out of their other factory [sic].
Well depending on who you talk to too, Taiwan is part of China right? That was confusing. I don’t really understand, but I understand you’ve patented the fabric? Was creating your own type of fabric a calculated component in developing a more technical apparel line?
Plage was really a coincidental discovery out of my fabric research and not all the hoodies I’m making are done in it. For 2013 it will definitely be in the line, and I think a lot of people are going to be stoked on it. It looks like leather but isn’t,  and feels completely different… it’s not for everyone.
Plage Technical Hoods
I see. What is your grand plan for Sway if everything goes the way you want it too? Sounds like expanding the market internationally is on the agenda?
Taking the world by storm one country at a time is definitely the plan! ESS Board Stores in Australia have taken on Sway so you can find it in Aus and NZ which I’m stoked about! Both lines, Stomp NZ and Sway, will continue, but I’m definitely going to be focussing on Sway more. It will be interesting to see how it does on the Australian market but I think it will be good as I’m getting interest from other countries as well.
And is it hard to make the distinction between being a professional company and hooking up your mates?
Definitely. My first year was big learning curve. People would always come up and ask if they could get this or that and I guess coz [sic], I mean, everyone that’s met me and everyone that comes to New Zealand this season will find that I love to party, and it’s usually when I’m out drinking that I’m all like, ‘yeah man we can hook you up’. Coming in to last year was a big wake up call. I wanted to come off a lot more professional so I had to cut back on the freebies and hooking people up.  If you’re hooking up your close friends it’s cool that’s at cost, or for a girlfriend that’s ok.
So any girlfriend of yours will be well dressed?
Let’s just say no girlfriend of mine will ever be cold!
And how do you go about choosing what riders are on your team? Is it just your bros? Is it hard to get the better riders when you’re a new label just starting out or do you have a plethora of hungry unknowns vying for their fifteen minutes?
Yeah with Stomp the first year I did it I think I had a team of twenty two groms strong and it was good in a sense because it got the name out there, but with Sway now, I want it to be much more professional so I’m looking at more up there athletes. I look for people that carry themselves great.  I’m proud of my riders such as Tim Herbert, Luke Sinclair, and Anna Wilcox. I look for people that are more level minded instead of just thinking that they have a sick riding status and thinking they’re too cool to hang out with people.
Sounds reasonable. OK on to the deeper stuff, what’s next for you in life?
Ummm, I’m sure if my Dad’s reading this he’s gonna have a big heart attack, same with Mum. I’m going to put in big capitals, I STILL DONT KNOW. All I know is that I want to stay in this winter life, stay chasing the snow, stay in this industry. It’s like a family. I mean I took off to Australia for some product showings and caught up with an old friend from the days when I used to work at the Board Room in Canada… and next thing you know we’re in this industry tent at the Australian Surf Open hanging out with Craig Anderson and Bruce Irons and you’re just like, ‘Wow I can’t believe three years ago I was just learning the ropes and now I know all these people and get to do all these things’. It’s like when I went to Mammoth, you know, I went for a holiday and find myself getting introduced to the owner of Ninthward Skis, one of the founders of X-games, a dude who runs Monster Energy, and another guy that’s now running PBR beer, which by the way is delicious.
Ha ha sounds unbelievable. Well you’re meeting a lot of people through your work and rolling with the big guns. That’s cool. So is it fair to say you like the fame/networking element of the industry?
I don’t know about that but sometimes you just meet a lot of people. The fashion side of networking in the industry is small but definitely there. I hate to say it but at the end of the day your Facebook friends seem to grow. One minute it’s five hundred and the next it’s a thousand and you realise man you’ve free accommodation and couches to surf all over the world. It’s awesome.
Fair enough. So do you want to stay running your own company or move into other areas in the industry career-wise?
Umm I definitely want to stay in this game, but I definitely don’t want to be the forty five year old guy who’s a rep. At the end of the day want to be the boss or the director of my own company instead of the old guy that’s still trying to be young. I’d like to run a distribution, team management, and fashion company. I don’t know what you’d call one of those! 
So some kind of multinational snow fashion/athlete related conglomerate, undoubtedly with lots of PBR?
And Octopong!
What is the game of Octopong for the uneducated?
It’s like beer pong but more people can play. I dunno it’s complicated. You basically use cans of beer to divide up the table so more people can play beer.
I see and basically, it’s gets you wasted?
Yup.
(Laughs). If you could give any advice to the aspiring fashion designer or entrepreneur what would it be?
The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.
So hard work will bring you success?
Definitely. I think that staying on point to what you want and where you’re wanting to end up.. like if you think you’ve got an idea you want to work start telling yourself you can make it work and you can make it happen and just do it.
Well that appears to be good advice seeing as things are working and you haven’t gone to uni for fashion or business and didn’t have any previous experience in producing clothing…
Yeah I left school in Year Eleven and had no idea what I wanted to do. I don’t know, when I got back from my trip to Canada my work ethic was at a new level and I knew I needed to do something proactive. I’d spent too many days looking for jobs and everyone was saying I was either over qualified or under qualified and it seemed like you started needing university degrees just to work at a skate shop. I was like, ‘this is bullshit, I’m going to go do my own thing’. I knew that anything I put my mind to I could achieve work wise so I’m not too bothered. It all works out.
Biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Oh man can I dot point these?
Sure.
OK one, if  you’re working on something unique and you need advice make sure you ask questions without giving away your idea and the person giving you advice not stealing it!
Sounds like there’s some bad water there. Do you care to elaborate?
Not so much bad water but I feel there’s a lot of people who have coincidently had very similar styles of clothing pop up after they hear about your ideas.
So it’s happened to you more than once?
No. But we’ve come close on a couple of other things.
I think the other lesson is to remember that this industry’s small like a family so be careful who you piss off. Things don’t take long to get round. Be bold be confident with your ideas and be careful who you share your ideas with!
Hmmm a warning perhaps?
Naaa. Just saying. I’m just going to work directly with the people at my factory and not let as many people in on stuff is all. I’ve learned the hard way from having things almost there with design, posting a photo and then myself deciding it’s not what I want, and then having someone else come out with basically the draft idea that’s really similar.
OK I’m just gonna leave that then.  Any role models?
My Dad. He’s just been really successful and a really big role model in my life being such a good entrepreneur himself and now he’s retired he’s got the  time to help me on my projects and stop me from doing anything stupid. And also my family and friends are my role models.
Who would you like to thank? Any shout outs?
Board Room Canada crew, Dad, Guy Bellerby, Ivan Nagel, Kyle Cooper at Custom Stickers NZ for his work and photography, and also Leon Eru at Dirty Ol’ Knights. I sponsor his Welcome to Winter Parties and he’s a solid friend thats been helpful over the years. I look forward to backing his gigs for years to come. And last but not least, a mention to Roz at Mint Bar for letting us back to hang with them since year one.
And importantly, where can we view and get out hands on Sway goods?
Sway-winter.blogspot.com and we’ve got a website coming soon. Oh on websites, never trust website designers!
OK, why?
That is my biggest lesson! I had one take money and disappear off to Australia, and another make me a site that wasn’t what I wanted and nothing seemed to work. And whenever I wanted stuff changed he couldn’t. And third [sic] if they’re saying they’re running their own company but take on another big project and don’t have the time to work on what you hired them for, man that pisses me off!
Noted.
Yeah. You can also find Sway stuff in ESS Board stores in Australia which I’m really excited about. And in NZ in Alta in Queenstown, Base in Wanaka and Surf n Snow in Wellington. You will also be place orders online eventually so stay tuned.
Well that concludes the interview. Thanks for taking the time to speak to me. All the best for your future endeavours with both your clothing lines.
The End.

Annaliese Fitzgerald