MAYU
& LUCK

WHO ARE YOU?

My name is Amaya Jayde Villahermosa. I am the creator and founder of Mayu Jayde. I have lived all over the West Coast, but I grew up in the Bay Area. When I was younger, I was raised in Hawaii, before moving to Las Vegas, then settling in the Bay.


HOW DID MAYU JAYDE COME ABOUT?

In high school I was surrounded by a lot of creative individuals. High school was a time where I was trying to find myself, finding my own niche. I always knew I wanted to go into the fashion industry but I wasn’t sure what it was. I originally started with just screen printing before moving onto cut and sew.


HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME ?

Mayu is actually a combination of my  name and the word “You”. So “you” meaning the customer, or someone purchasing Mayu Jayde. It actually used to be called Mayu Luck because I used to resonate with the meaning of luck. However, I wanted a more personal connection to the brand so I decided to include my name in it. It has become a
part of my own identity.


WHAT IS THE MAYU JAYDE STYLE?

I have always stuck with textures. Whenever I go fabric shopping, the first thing I look for is textures. Right now, I am playing around with new silhouettes and implementing ties into my clothing. I definitely want to be sustainable and ethical in the long run, so I want to make pieces that can be styled in many different ways.

E: So you brought up ties, and recently this motif has been showing up a lot in your clothing. Would you consider this your branding? Would you want the ties to become a trademark of Mayu Jayde?

Yeah definitely. I think that is a concept that I want to keep consistent in my designs so people remember my style in that form. It’s similar to the Japanese style of bondage called “shibari”. I want to incorporate that concept into clothes, tying pieces in various ways.


WHO OR WHAT ARE YOUR INSPIRATIONS?

I love looking at flowers. They have beautiful textures, and I find lots of inspiration in nature. I feel most at peace in nature. I recently started to get into flower arrangement making. It’s called “ikebana”, which is a form of flower making which plays a lot with depth and asymmetry. I would also love to integrate ikebana into my fashion design.

C: So are there no specific artists or designers you would say are inspirations?

I do get lots of inspiration from Issey Miyake because he has a lot of textures in his clothes. The way he makes his pieces is super inspiring.

E: I think that’s a great observation to make, because Issey’s branding is all in the texture. He took pleats and made that his thing. People see pleats and know it’s Issey. You don’t need any logos or branding. Compared to your ties, I am sure if you did enough with ties eventually people will see them and start to make the connection to your brand.



WHY DID YOU REBRAND?

I feel like when I made Mayu Luck I was a totally different person from who I am now. Mayu Luck just felt like “high school me”, so I didn’t really resonate with the name anymore. As I said earlier, the brand is a central part of my identity so I want it to change as I discover more about myself.

DO YOU NOT LIKE CALLING MAYU JAYDE A BRAND?

I do not, but in the beginning I didn’t see it as one. When I first started Mayu Jayde, it was more of a fun project and just a fun thing to do. I’m figuring out how to not turn something I love into something I hate.


HOW DO YOU BALANCE WORK, SCHOOL, AND RUNNING A BRAND?

It is really difficult to balance everything in life. But I do feel like if you really like something, you’ll make time for it. Recently my life has been super hectic. I just started a new job at Issey Miyake, which has been super beneficial as I get to learn more about the products of a designer I admire. I try to set apart at least two hours a day to dedicate to designing. In addition, I release in seasons which helps me get down time in between each drop. There are definitely times where I have to take a break because of creative block, or I feel like I cannot create a product I want. Sometimes it’s hard to just sit back and not work on your passion because you go on social media and see everyone doing these amazing things. However, it is your work and you shouldn’t put out things you aren’t proud of.


IS IT LIMITING OR ADVANTAGEOUS TO ONLY MAKE HANDMADE PROJECTS?

I definitely feel like it is limiting because most of the items I make are made out of deadstock fabric. So when someone asks if a certain item will come back, I literally cannot sell it anymore. However, it can also be a good thing because it creates a sense of scarcity. People should try to buy the pieces as soon as they come out because they won’t ever restock. It is also kind of hard to make everything by myself without a team, which is something I do want in the near future.



DO YOU EVER HAVE IDEAS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CANNOT EXECUTE WITHOUT A TEAM?

Yea, actually I do. I have been thinking about that a lot recently. However, I am not exactly in a rush to create a team because right now I am just having fun with it. But I do want to set a goal to at least start a team by next year. It is just difficult to find people who I can share my vision with.

C: So when you imagine a team, what does that look like for you?

I think for now I just want someone to help me out with sewing because sewing is extremely time consuming. Yet, I still want all of my products to stay handmade.


HOW DO YOU DETERMINE YOUR PRICE POINTS?

Honestly, like most of the time, a lot of people are like, “Damn, why is it so expensive?” Which I get from an outside point of view, but there is a lot of time that goes into design and construction. I am still learning a lot, and pricing is really hard for me because each piece takes so much. But I also sometimes have this feeling of impostor syndrome, where I feel like my work isn’t good enough and not worth the price. Yet whenever I show a friend they are always like, “Woah, you should be charging more.” I do believe I try to price my items as fairly as possible though, for the amount of work I put into each garment. To me, the prices don’t feel crazy expensive.


WOULD YOU SAY THE BRAND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR?

The brand isn't huge, I am still growing and developing it. However, my last drop, I received my first ever international orders. Someone from Paris bought one of the pieces, which felt amazing knowing that my work was reaching different countries.

E: You also hit one thousand followers recently. How did that feel?

It was really motivating to know that there are lots of people outside of my support system that want to support the brand.

C: So to summarize it, do you think Mayu Jayde is successful?

Yes! I would say it is.


TALK ABOUT LAST YEAR’S FALL/WINTER DROP

Last year’s fall/winter drop was actually the first drop I had after moving to New York. I was in a huge depressive rut before I moved, and I was just researching asymmetrical design and other influences. I had four looks that all kept the same color palette. I tend to stick to gray tones and earth tones because that is what is seen most in my closet, and I love styling those colors. It was actually my first time creating bottoms, such as skirts and pants.


WHAT ABOUT THIS YEAR’S SPRING/SUMMER?

For spring/summer, I actually made these white leg warmers. I really liked them because they could be worn and styled in a bunch of different ways. You could use them as arm warmers or leg warmers, and tie them however you want. I also made lace shorts, which were inspired by nature. The lace had flower detailing, and the fabric I used was inspired by tree bark.


WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THE UPCOMING DROP?

For this current collection, which I am about to release, I wanted to bring in the concept of comfort and safety. I kind of pulled away from the outdoors for this collection, but some of the color palettes for this drop are still nature inspired. This drop will be focusing on accessories, because I feel like accessories stay in your closet for a long time. That’s my goal for this drop, to create pieces that you want to keep for a while.


HAS NEW YORK HELPED YOU GROW CREATIVELY?

Definitely. It has helped me meet a lot of creative people, which has inspired me to keep doing what I want to do. There’s so many different people in the city, and it’s super comforting to know that everyone comes from different backgrounds. Everyone just has their own thing. Personally for me, Mayu Jayde is an outlet. It keeps me on my feet, having something to call mine. I look forward to working on it.

E: So did you not feel that way back in California?

Honestly, I think back in California I just wanted to be different.

C: That’s real.

It wasn't really like I was super inspired by the people around me. Rather, I just wanted to be different, to kind of separate myself from the people in my town.


WHAT WILL YOU PRICE THE NEXT DROP AT?

I still want to figure it out, but I know for sure I want to keep all the pieces under $100. It took me almost half a year to come up with this collection, so I feel like the prices are fair. My design process is super unorganized since I don’t want things to feel forced. I just create whenever it comes to me.

E: You mentioned that under $100 feels fair. Where do you draw the line? When does a price become not fair for your work?

I think this is something all artists struggle with. Like I see my friends charge for their work, and I feel like they undercharge. Yet whenever I am in that position, I tend to charge low. I think it’s just knowing your worth. I do not think it is fair to charge too little for things you put a lot of work into, but also unfair to charge too high for something you barely put effort in.


Shot by @im.zenin for Mayu Jayde Fall/Winter 2022

DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU ARE CREATING SOMETHING NICHE? WHEN SOMEONE BUYS A PRODUCT FROM YOU, IS THE PRICE PART OF THE BRAND NAME?

I do believe since moving to New York, I have built a specific niche. Whenever someone buys a piece, I feel like they can view it as an investment since they want to support both me and the brand.

C: Do you have any repeat customers?

Yea, I actually do have a lot of repeat customers. A lot of them are actually from the Bay Area. It’s nice having support from the community of creatives I worked with back then. One of them is my good friend Airis, who assisted me a lot in the beginning of Mayu Jayde. She really helped me bring my earlier visions to real life.


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MAGAZINE?

E: What magazine?

C: The Mayu magazine!

Damn, you digged. Wow, that's crazy. Yeah, I actually made it during quarantine. I felt like I just needed something to do. It was called Mayu Zine. I would interview Bay Area artists and talk to them about their design process and struggles as a creator. It was helpful for me as an artist because I learned about how other creatives went about their work. I stopped working on it though because I wanted to focus on design. Before going to FIT, I attended University of Hawai’i at Mānoa as a fashion design major. I honestly would like to bring it back in the future because I love collecting magazines, and I see it as a way of bringing all my interests together.

E: Going back to your history, you briefly talked about your time in the Bay Area, but what about your time in Hawai’i?

My time in Hawai’i was super confusing. I felt lost. My designs were a lot more feminine and girly. I think it was a reflection of me trying to match the target market there. There is actually a really small, amazing community of artists in Hawai’i too. They have their own style. I still pull lots of inspiration from the people there.



WHICH LOCATION DO YOU FEEL THE STRONGEST SENSE OF HOME?

I struggle a lot with the idea of “home”. I think currently, New York feels the most like home, even though I don’t really have any family out here because my dad is in Seattle, and my mom is in Hawai’i. I spent most of my youth in the Bay though. Home is a feeling and not a place.

L: Am I allowed to ask questions…?

E: Uh, is that in our contract?

C: Go ahead. You can ask one, we don’t care.


DO YOU THINK IT IS HARDER TO FIND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK WITH YOU IN NEW YORK VS PEOPLE IN THE BAY AREA?

Actually, surprisingly enough, I find that there are a lot of people here that do want to collaborate with me. I do get what you mean though. Everyone has their own thing going.


HOW DO YOU GET SOMEONE INVESTED INTO A BRAND YOU ALREADY BUILT?

I do understand that it is intimidating to join something that is already built up, because it’s like you kind of hold yourself back. You don’t want to change too much when someone has worked so hard on it. Still, I do want another person to join the team eventually. I think it would be good to have someone else who will challenge me and my ideas.


HOW DID YOU MOVE INTO FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS FROM FASHION DESIGN?

I was kind of getting bored from fashion design. I always will love design, and Mayu will always revolve around it. However, flower arrangement was a fun break from it. It was refreshing to try something new while also incorporating what I knew from fashion design into a new medium.


Shot by @_tsaur for Mayu Jayde

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BRAND GOING IN THE FUTURE? DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS?

Yea! I want the brand to have a wider reach. I would love to have some customers in Asia by next year. Besides that, just growing on Instagram. Also, definitely adding another person to the team. Owning a brand by yourself can be super difficult. It’s nice to have another person to kind of keep you on your toes.

E: Do you feel comfortable giving someone partial ownership of the brand?

C: Do you want someone who works for you? Or do you want someone to really come on and bring their own identity into the brand?

For now, I would like someone who works for me. Because I already have such a personal connection to Mayu Jayde, it wouldn’t feel right having someone join and gain ownership. My good friend KC is a good example of someone I would want on the team. He gives me really good ideas and small concepts I can build off of.


THINK BACK TO YOUR FIRST SALE. HOW DID THAT FEEL?

Honestly, it felt amazing. It told me to keep going. Because when I first started creating art, I wasn’t in it for money.  In the past I have worked for people who were really money-driven. Working in an environment like that made me not want to follow in their footsteps. I want to create because I enjoy creating.


HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE EXCITED FOR WHAT MAYU JAYDE HAS TO DO NEXT?

I spent so much time on this collection. I am releasing a bunch of new things that I haven’t experimented with before. For example, I am releasing a bag this drop, and I’ve never done that before. It’s all brand new! New concepts!

E: Cool! How do you wanna sign this off?

C: Wanna shout anyone out?

Shout out to the support system that extends out my family. I couldn’t have done any of this without you guys.


AS OF THIS INTERVIEW GOING UP, MAYU JAYDE’S FALL / WINTER 2022 COLLECTION HAS RELEASED! IT CAN BE PURCHASED FROM THE BRAND WEBSITE, MAYUJAYDE.COM OR AT RETAIL PHARMACY NYC. MAKE SURE TO USE CODE “ACEDIA” FOR 10% OFF YOUR ORDER!


THIS WAS OUR FIRST ACEDIA SPOTLIGHT WITH OUR NEWEST TEAM MEMBER LAURA / GHOSTPIMP (@gh0stpic). SHE DID A GREAT JOB, TAKING PHOTOS AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE INTERVIEW. WE ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE HER JOIN US AT ACEDIA STUDIOS. <3

CREDITS

SUBJECT/BRAND : MAYU JAYDE @mayujayde

PHOTOGRAPHER : LAURA SONG @gh0stpimp, COCO TSAUR @tsaur_, ZENIN TRAN @im.zenin

MODEL : AMAYA JAYDE VILLAHERMOSA @amaayeaa, CAMRYN FLEISCHNER @funion69

TEXT : E&C* @acediastudios