I’ve been paying a lot of attention to the
growing artisanal movement here in the US. There seems to be a heightened
appreciation for the work of the artisan in so many areas—from small purveyors
of artisanal bread, cheese and beverages to the creation of luxury items like
furniture, clothing and jewelry.
Perhaps it’s a backlash
against mass production or our desire for a simple, thoughtful existence.
Whatever it is, we want more than cheap junk. We want to connect to an experience,
to be a part of a story.
For Jacques Flynn, it
was born out of pure necessity. He left disappointed after searching every
department store and boutique for the perfect wallet. So he made one himself.
Impressed with his craftsmanship, friends and family encouraged Jacques to sell
them. So he founded JAQET, an online boutique offering his signature,
one-of-a-kind leather wallets.
Jacques’ 100% handmade
products are the antithesis to the disposable. It’s anti-Walmart, if you will.
No planned obsolescence here, but elegance and intentionality. I first found
out about JAQET when my husband, who worked alongside Jacques at Mazda, brought
home a JAQET wallet. I was struck by how simple yet beautiful it was.
Jacques makes all of
his wallets out of his home in Southern California. He’s turned a corner of his
living room into a makeshift atelier. He picks only domestically sourced
leather, dyes them by hand, individually cuts each piece of leather, hand
punches, stitches and burnishes them, and finally brands each wallet with the
JAQET logo. Because he makes each one by hand, no two JAQET wallets are alike.
I had the privilege of talking to the
32-year-old designer about his new venture and what inspires him to create:
Jennifer
Cho Salaff: Where did
you get the idea for JAQET?
Jacques
Flynn: It started maybe two years ago. I had a wallet
and it just fell apart. So I went out to find a new one. I didn’t want a zipper
on it; I didn’t want crummy leather. I wasn’t looking for a logo on it and I
didn’t want it made in China. I just wanted a simple, handmade wallet. But I
looked everywhere and I couldn’t find it. I thought, “Man this sucks, this should
be the easiest thing to find!” So I decided I was going to make it myself.
JCS:
Did you know anything about making
wallets before you started this venture?
JF:
Ha, no! In the beginning it was just trial and error. I went through a lot of
prototypes. The best thing is that I have this skill now, which I didn’t have
six months ago.
JCS:
Tell me about the JAQET brand. What makes
your product unique?
JF:
When I think about the brand, I think it reflects me. I was
born in Europe and raised in America, so even from a young age I had a strong
cultural pride about where I was from. It’s super cool to have both of these
cultures. I’ve always loved the American cowboy aesthetic and European tailored
looks. To me, JAQET embodies both of these. That European elegance rooted in
cowboy ruggedness.
JCS:
There seems to be a backlash against
things that are cheap, poorly-made and mass-produced. As a designer, do you see
that, too?
JF:
There’s definitely a place for mass produced products. Like
if you need to go to Target to buy a mop or something. But there’s a huge
opportunity for products where it’s more than just something you chuck in the
closet. People want to learn where (the product) came from. There’s so much of
a story in that item you’re holding in your hand.
JCS:
What’s the best part about working with
your hands?
JF:
I love working with leather. I love the way it looks, the smell, the texture. I
love the way leather breaks in, the way it comes to life. And that it will look
so different 10 years from now.
JCS:
You launched JAQET just a few weeks ago
and you’re already getting amazing feedback. Where do you want to take this?
Right now it’s wallets. But do you see branching out into different products?
JF:
In the beginning, it was about a product that I thought should exist. It just
grew organically. But my brain doesn’t stop and I definitely think about
possibilities and what I would do. Maybe men’s clothing. I’ve always been into
fashion. I remember telling my high school teacher that I wanted to be a
fashion designer, even before I found out about car design. But right now,
JAQET is something that I enjoy. I don’t have dollar signs in front of my eyes.
It’s not about becoming a millionaire.
JCS:
What’s the dream?
JF:
The dream is to have a small team of people working with me. We would work on
one brand. We know every aspect of the brand and have everything under one
roof. It would be awesome to have it all in-house. It would be a different
model—a sustainable model—of how things are done. Nothing would be outsourced.
It’s definitely a little fantasy of mine.
