Ampersand As Apostrophe

Seattle-based designer Jessica Park got into the biz organically – “as chance would have it”, she stumbled upon a once-in-a-lifetime creative opportunity that awoke the designer in her. And so, Ampersand As Apostrophe was born.

Park, 27, started her career as a business major, but sidestepped into interior architecutre as an outlet for that hungry creativity. This formal, structured background laid the groundwork for her role as entrepreneur and artistic visionary. These dualities are almost the essence of Park. Merging two seemingly separate aspects into one. In the birth of her 100-year-old mail bags turned clutches turned anything you want them to do, she employs this feeling of the paradoxical, of form and function. Although the “wow-factor” comes from the multiplicity and easiness, it can also be attributed to the duality of her rich aesthetic. Part rustic, part design-conscious glossy chic – she takes you on a ride to both ends of the spectrum and brings you back again.

The goal of Amerpsand As Apostrophe, to solve design challenges by refining what’s there instead of focusing on what’s not.

As for the designer herself, I don’t think it’s possible to put her purpose into words much better than this line from her own bio:

“Park’s creative minimalism coupled with her timely sense of humor and her space-casey savantiness is most definitely the last piece in a3′s puzzle. Her upside-down, inside-out view of the world makes for some interesting discoveries indeed.”

Just as she is encouraged to explore the corners of her world, we invite you to make your own discoveries about the quirky designer and the stunning collections from Ampersand As Apostrophe.

From business and interiors, how did you find your calling as a hand bag designer?

After my quick stint [1 semester] as a Business major, my design career really began. I was admitted into the Architecture dept for Interior Architecture. It was there that I fully developed my love for minimalism, clean lines, concept, utility, and construction methods. Once I graduated I was recruited to work at an architecture firm here in Seattle, where I was designing retail stores all over the globe- ex. Nordstrom [check out the new look for 2010 stores Cosmetics Department - thats me], Harvey Nichols, Harrods in London etc. There was actually a day I asked myself: Do I love designing these stores? Or do I love designing these stores because it feels like I’m making little homes for my true love, fashion?

Fashion + Design has always been my love and passion, something that has been a huge part of my life and seems to just make sense to me. It wasn’t something I worked on, it just was.

But my mailbag discovery was the full inspiration behind the handbags and actually the start of the fashion line itself.

Can you explain your mantra?

One that I have always stood by: transforming the conventional, unconventionally. By transforming it into something refined, something unrecognizable, but when told what the original piece was: the reaction is almost always bright eyes and a look of, “Ohhhh…I see it now.” I love watching people discover this. People Surprising Themselves. Understanding, seeing something they once could not see. That point of realization that is enveloped in each and every one of my concepts is what I live for! That is the challenge: CONCEPT. Function. To achieve Good design. Everything must have a reason, a use, a function. Nothing is just for looks. Adornment is the pits. Every move I make with my designs comes from the original concept. I constantly ask myself why? It can all be related back to the original concept.

What’s the story behind the mail bags?

While walking around a local market here in Seattle, an old beat up mailbag caught my eye for one real reason – the leather. It had such a unique, beautiful character – soft in touch, worn and beat into its stunning colours and texture, with the perfect “edge” for my style: rough but similarly soft, refined, unique and feminine.

I bought the mailbag from the street vendor, asking if for some reason I was to get even more inspired, if he had any more. He sighed, grunted: he had “100 more if I wanted to take them off his hands.” Not knowing what I would do with it- but knew it was dying to be transformed… my long standing design mantra being: transforming the conventional in an unconventional way.

The design of the bag was the concept to its fullest potential. The concept: the envelopes that were once carried in these bags. Their v-shape, simple, functional, timeless, has been working for how long without complaints? Now that is good design…. I began daydreaming of the length of time, the who: carried/ wrote/ recieved, and what was information: love letters/ contracts/ the list goes on, carried by mailmen for 100 years?! So much history and the endless number of people who had their part in the bag or its contents. This story is what inspires me in the whole idea of “up-cycling” – there is so much more behind things, if they have already been “things”. It poses a design challenge of concept instead of the mundane idea of aesthetics only.

The long and the short of it: all 100 year old English Mailbags – 1 mailbag = 1 handbag. To help visualize my design process and manufacturing process of the actual handbags from them. The lining is made from the canvas, so each bag has a unique graphic number that is revealed on the inside flap of the “envelope”- from which the design was inspired from. The bigger bags- called the “A4 envelope” is made with the canvas on the exterior, which is more raw with a surprise of luxury on the interior.

We love how earthy and raw your aesthetic is – where does that come from?

I would have to say it comes from my architectural background. The construction methods I learned and used in architecture and the same that I use in fashion. I really didn’t know the “typical way” to make a handbag or clothing for that matter. But I loved how things went together, emphasizing the points of connection. I’ve never been one to like to hide how things are made. I like to expose and celebrate those connections. To me, that is where the detail and the beauty lies.

How did you come by the name Ampersand AS Apostrophe?

I have found many items that inspire me… and that is what the next collection will be born from. I do not like to limit myself in terms of “what” I am designing. But finding things that inspire… Ampersand As Apostrophe is just that. A series of simple transformation symbols [found on your keyboard] – but almost always over looked. I have transformed them, slightly, just by spelling the words out. Their visual becomes elegant, difficult to read/understand. But once the reader takes the extra second to read out loud, they are able to recognize these symbols…. and again a spark of “Ohhh, I get it!” It is this Sense of Discovery that not only inspires and motivates me, but lets the reader or handbag wearer, in on the secret. In this case, it’s the secret of the mailbag, the history that made its character and flaws, the things that make each handbag beautiful… and still surprises me!

I am also in the process of using the Mailbag design without the original Mailbag materials. It is too comfortable and unique to only let 100 people have! [which there are only 6 left total as of today...]

Who are you designing for?

Honestly, I design for myself. I am very picky with my fashion style and I hold myself to the same standards. If I wouldn’t wear it and love it and need it – then it’s not it. I keep designing and refining until it’s there. I would say that in my own personal life, I hate the idea of settling… and this applies to my designs as well.

What is “Coming Soon”?

Coming Soon is a concept shop of sorts that I recently launched. The first “show” or “installation” was March 29th, 2010. So, it is still a baby – one of the two. I’ve termed it a “retail pop-up installation gallery”, a space dedicated to my theories/concepts and science of how people shop/interact with certain spaces/feeling comfortable with “art”/and the merging of art and retail shopping as a whole. It’s more like an experimental gallery. Luckily for me, the challenge is to transform the space for each new artist or designer, making people feel as though it’s an entire different shop each time. I choose my artist/designer/product and work with them in their medium, whatever that may be. I like to challenge them by thinking of how the concept of Coming Soon inspires them, and how they can manipulate their usual mode of display into something they have never done before. Then we work together to create an experience. Lots of times, we also create a product together, as a collaboration piece that is exclusive to Coming Soon, for the show. I could probably go on forever about the concept and what I have planned for it…. to read the full concept statement, click here.