Yusuf’s passion for making started whilst reading law at The London School of Economics where he thrived in the extracurricular. He continued to explore his creative side whilst training to be a solicitor. An avid workshop taker, he tried the gamut of crafts and discovered a passion for premium natural materials and a flair for working with his hands
A chance weekend workshop in The Cotswolds introduced Yusuf to the world of traditional British leather craftsmanship and began a quest that has taken Yusuf all over the world to learn from the best and returning home to obsessively hone his skills in his home studio
An all-consuming hobby turned into a career and you can learn all about it and a lot more in this episode:
Listen to this episode and discover:
- How Yusuf turned a passion into a hobby into a profession and why he is proud to be a craftsman;
- What are the mistakes he made and continues to make that he would like other creatives to know about;
- The importance of not falling for the current culture glorifying the idea of “hustling” [12:00]
- The importance of having different streams of income [18:00]
- How to protect your designs from being copied [33:00]
- What it means to be “sustainable” as a brand and why he believes Craft is Sanity [38:00]
Key Takeaways:
- Leatherwork is a beautiful marriage of beautiful material and the craftsmanship process.
- Craft is about connecting. Connecting with the materials and then transmitting that connection.
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For me, there is no choice but to work on my own.
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Making is therapy. It is a way to process things, a way to turn whatever feelings I have inside into something beautiful.
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When most people start out they want to overprice the value of their art.
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Why are you setting up a brand if you care for the planet?
Making more products is not saving anyone! The solution is not making more stuff! Craft is Sanity.
Resources:
Connect with Yusuf via:
Instagram: @yussico
Fall in love with leather under Yusuf’s watchful eye – book a workshop HERE
> Learn more about how to start a handbag line HERE <
About the Podcast Host:
Dessy is the author of Become a Fashion Insider book and the founder of Fashion Insiders & Co – an online platform supporting fashion and creative entrepreneurs who are in the process of launching and growing purpose-driven brands. (Buy the book here: https://amzn.to/35wo2y9 )
*** If you would like to book a powerful Breakthrough Power Hour and work through a challenge or strategize how to launch or grow your fashion business, book an hour with Dessy here***