Let's talk about Sas & Yosh. These ladies are just so cool! We met via instagram and before I met them in real life, I knew they were my kind of girls. And I was so right! Sarah and Yoshie, have their own distinct style. It's not like anything you've seen before. From beautiful wallpapers, to t-shirts, to illustrating books, the design duo works effortlessly to bring their imaginative designs to life for all of us to enjoy! As they say, they are a beautiful mix of Japanese and British imaginative eccentricity and I couldn't agree more.
I had the pleasure of visiting Sarah and Yoshie at their studio in Hitchin and we chatted about how they work together, work-life balance, style and what they are up to next. Please have a watch and a read!
kelly xx
1. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND?
Sas and Yosh are two working mums, with backgrounds in fashion, art, media and teaching.
2. WHAT SPARKED THE IDEA FOR SAS AND YOSH?
Yoshie and I are both illustrators and were looking to find more work after having our kids. It was Yoshie’s idea for us to combine our talents and go into business together.
3. HOW DID THE TWO OF YOU MEET?
We met through a mutual friend on the school run! Connections come from the strangest places!
4. YOU BOTH ARE ILLUSTRATORS, HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN ILLUSTRATORS?
I guess we have always been artists, and have both worked with a variety of art media over the years. This is good because we are open to lots of different ways of working. But for the time being we would mainly call ourselves illustrators.
5. WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FROM, WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
We are inspired by pattern and design from different cultures, lots of vibrant colour, illustration from around the world and our own crazy imaginations.
6. DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE WORK WISE.
Our work is a fusion of Japanese and European influences. We love using lots of different media in our work including collage, inks, fine lines, and manga screen tones.
7. DESCRIBE THE SAS AND YOSH CUSTOMER/WOMAN/MAN.
The ‘Sas and Yosh’ customer wants excellent quality, with a focus on totally unique design. Whilst also enjoying environmental and ethical garment and product manufacture.
8. IF YOU COULD COLLOBARATE WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD THIS BE? WHY?
There are lots of people we would like to collaborate with, and lots of amazing people we have been lucky enough to work with already. However given the total freedom to choose we would love to work with KENZO or create wall art for a fab boutique hotel chain.
9. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO US?
Don’t sweat the small stuff! and get an accountant!
10. IF YOU WEREN’T DOING SAS AND YOSH, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR SECOND DREAM JOB?
Ooh thats a good question..... Sas: I would be a movie makeup artist or an archaeologist.
Yosh: I am obsessed with house floorplans so I would be an architect. Also I would be a fashion designer or manga cartoonist!
11. WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT SAS AND YOSH WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER BRANDS?
The fact that we work together on all of our designs, combining our work to create each outcome is one of the biggest things that makes our brand different.
Also the fact that we create illustration both for our own brand and also for commissions for other businesses and bespoke projects.
12. FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO TO IN LONDON BY YOURSELF AND WITH KIDS
Sas: The ‘House of Illustration’ at Kings cross and the ‘Wellcome Collection’.
Yosh: On my own and with kids, always V&A is my favorite place to spend whole day.
13. ANYTHING YOU ARE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? ANY EXCITING NEWS?
We have just launched our first collaboration in Japan with ‘Sanrio’ creating pattern designs for ‘Hello Kitty’ and “My Melody’. Thats was pretty much a dream job!
