"That's kind of why I wanted to make clothes to you know, make clothes and stories that other people can relate to. So whether they buy the shirt or not like at least they can relate to the story if that makes sense. I wanted to make it more than just a clothing brand."
Martin San Juan is brand owner and creative director for San Juan, a clothing brand whose pieces are inspired by his own personal life stories such as his "Stuck in The Suburbs" Collection, inspired by Martin's own upbring in the suburbs of San Juan, California.
Along with operating San Juan, Martin is also the brand owner of Rume Studios, an upcoming home decor brand and at the time is currently working towards next releases for both San Juan and Rume Studios respectively.
San Juan was originally founded in 2019, but after the brands first release, Martin took time away from the brand to focus more on other purusuits, returning to the brand in May of 2020 with a new focus on narrative storytelling. With the pandemic already underway Martin stepped back into an already difficult industry with new challanges, but a new visision with which to grow the brand's community. To learn more about Martin's pursuits a year after his return, the importance of patience when starting a brand, and how to create substance, continue reading for our interview below:
Right now you're doing San Juan fulltime so what would you say an average day looks like for you?
I could do a gauge of a week instead of a day. If that works? So yeah, Monday, Tuesday are my school days. So I had class. I was supposed to have class at one but it got cancelled, but Monday, Tuesday I have class so that's strictly for school. I tried to you know, really dedicate time for school those two days. And then Wednesday through Saturday is really just open to anything in regards to San Juan and then the other business RUME. I don't know if you know about that, but it's a home goods business.
So I sell and design interior goods, all that stuff. But um, yeah, I think when regards to Wednesday through Saturday, my day to day is really varies and it could range from going to LA to handle production. My production manager is there so I meet up with him a lot. Then I tend to plan my meetings with like, anyone from those days as well. Like I have a collaboration with Basket Case Gallery, the brand. So I have a meeting with him this coming week on Thursday. So like, that's really how my days are.
And the pros and cons are obviously like, I get to work around with my schedule. If my friends are like, "Hey, are you free Friday?" And I'm if I'm not, I could always just change it around. I have time to, you know, time for myself. So yeah, it's a lot of different parts, a lot of moving parts, if that makes sense. So it's nothing super particular. And then Sunday's obviously, just strictly Family Day, go to church. That's the week.
What would you say first got you interested in fashion? Obviously, before you get to that step of saying, “I want to start a brand,” there’s build up. What did that look like for you?
If I were to really like, try to lock in, like the first couple, like, my first interest in fashion would definitely be hip hop culture. I was born in the Philippines. I moved here when I was five. So I have two older siblings. So when we moved here, obviously, everything's new. And then obviously, you soak up everything you see.
And then my two older siblings, were in high school and middle school, and I was just in elementary school. And then we grew up just watching like 106 in park and like, MTV. So all these music videos, all these you know, that that that culture is really where I was like, Oh, that's a that's just a jacket. that's those are sick shoes and stuff like that. So when like when soldier boy came out with his, like, his outfits and everything, I was like, dude, like, That's crazy!
So I think it all started with music first. And then with that, and obviously grew to obviously me, expressing myself in whatever I wear, whether it's like those three, those extra extra large tees. That was popped in back in like 2000 in the early 2000s. So that's really where it started for me.
Did you have a good year pre-pandemic in regards to everything running with the brand?
We officially started January 2019, we dropped like two hoodies. And then I took like a year break of just like, honestly, just like living my life, I wasn't even thinking about it. And then I came back to it May of last year, may 2020. And then I just came in with that, with that new approach that I just explained about, you know, making more relatable stories and making more genuine connections.
Since you started coming back as the pandemic had already started, how would you say that impacted the process for you? What were some of the roadblocks that got in the way, or had you thinking, “Oh, okay, well, things are different now.”
So, more focusing on like, the hardships of the pandemic? Um, definitely would be the, staying at home part. There's pros and cons to that, obviously, like, I have more free time staying at home. But at the same time running a business. Like, there's a lot of moving parts. Like I said, and you have to meet with a lot of people, so I wasn't able to do that. If I wanted to do a shoot, I had to do it at home, or like in a park with like, only two people, and make sure they get COVID tested.
So that was like, one of the main struggles was really just, you know, doing it all, mostly by myself. And that's kind of like, that was one of the hardest parts about starting it was really like super, super, super hands on compared to now. And then also one thing I thought about during the pandemic was the moral standpoint.
"I felt like as a business, like, we flourished, but at the same in contrast, like, you know, people are getting sick, there's a lot of like just a lot of bad stuff going on at the time. So I felt conflicted does that make sense? Like, I felt bad in a way that this business was flourishing, but at the same time, there's, like, there's the whole world is goning through a pandemic.
Almost a year onward from that point, how would you say things have either gone back to normal? Do you think there are any lasting things that you have to consider or impacts of that last year?
I think it's a mix of both. That one year I took off from the first time we started saying one two year later when I really started saying one thing I definitely learned a lot about myself. I learned how to really like start a business like I'm still learning, I know, I'm probably still at the bottom. But like, compared to 2019 to 2020, I was able to learn a lot through life experiences and just have that, that growth as a person that allowed me to be able to handle that.
But at the same time I think the pandemic helped a lot with in regards of the business when also just because like, everyone was home, I was always home. So I was able to put a lot of energy into a lot of free time. So I was able to constantly work on that craft, I think now is kind of a struggle is like, not as much free time because things are starting to pick up, more things are starting to plan. So I got to, you know, really time manage.
For the next stages of San Juan, what are you aiming for? What new things would you like to do in the future?
We've been wanting to definitely tap into more of the, you know, physical stores get into physical stores. So we're not just strictly e Comm. So we were able to start that just this last month. So we got our first stockist over in Richmond, Virginia called Rebel. So that was like our first taste of you know, having stockof our pieces in the store.
So that's definitely one of our main goals is to just keep doing that. And also, definitely, with things starting to open up, and things to roll up. Definitely more like pop up events. Trying to have one this summer, just because my favorite part about this whole thing is just the amount of people you get to interact with. The amount of people that just gets your reach and spread your story learn about their story. And just, that's where you get more inspiration from from for anything, really.
So I think those pop up events are just beneficial for for everyone for people to meet the people behind San Juan, for me to meet the people that are, you know, supporting San Juan. So it's really just like a good way for us to grow as a company. So yeah, so just stores pop ups. And also just, I think the hardest part about or one of the hardest parts about having a brand is like staying true to yourself, it's easy to you know, sell out and do what's trending, and do what like those quick cash grabs, and just keep doing that. But I think one of our main goals is to just stay consistent, so they stay true to our values and our, our, you know, just San Juan as a whole. So just to keep doing that is probably our main main goal is to just keep pushing.
To touch on one thing you mentioned earlier, you talked about how one of the main things that when you started that you really wanted to push on was storytelling and narrative? Do you think that subsequently helped you foster that community that you want? Do you think that taking that stance has opened you up, especially, because of the pandemic, to being able to connect more with your audience?
For sure! Especially, I think that was most prominent in our fall Collection "Stuck in the Suburbs". And just because I got a lot of messages of people just saying they related, but I was the only one that felt that way growing up and stuff. Just hearing that, in it of itself was like, I'll take that over, what you've been buying 95% of the time.
Obviously, I gotta make money at the end of the day, but it's really not just about that, about sales. It's really about having the story so other people can be, I don't know. I just feel like there's so much materialistic stuff in the world, like we're just consuming a lot. That's why we're called consumers and I think people should buy with more intention.
So I feel like it would be it was it was a nice, refreshing standpoint for a story or like something relatable to be part of that consumption as well. So it's not just a hoodie. It's some substance there.
But is that something that you would want to see? You know, not so much smaller brands, but the larger corporations and brands to take notice of and sort of incorporate going forward? Or do you think, forward looking in the fashion space, that that's where more people are going to sort of gravitate to?
Me personally, I definitely think it'd be dope if those bigger brands start approach. And I think I've seen a couple big brands take that approach as well to where, you know, there's a story to these things.
It's not just like slapping something on a, on a, on a jacket, or pants or hat. And I think that's beneficial to everyone. But yeah, I'm not the type to be like, oh, keep it to small businesses, or I'm the only one doing this.
I feel like, there's enough room for all of us to do that. And like, the more the merrier in that case. If everyone's doing that, then like, cool, like, then everyone's just gonna have a good time just like, telling stories, like, I don't know. I think that'd be cool.
What piece of advice would you give to someone that wants to do what you do?
I think one is just to be patient. I feel like a lot of, especially with social media and Instagram nowadays, like, like, everything, everyone wants things fast, like instant graph gratification is really what most people are used to.
So especially with the whole comparing thing, everyone's doing something similar to you, you compare, like, Oh, they were able to do this, they were able to do that. And I'm here. So with that whole comparing thing and with the whole, like, instant gratification thing. I feel like, people just need to remind themselves to be patient.
It's not overnight, like this was not overnight, And it's still not going to be overnight. Like I still have a long way to go. So it's really just, I think that's one of the key things for me. Advice wise is to just be patient, keep pushing it.
And then two is really just don't be afraid to ask. I feel like there was a lot of times in the beginning where I was like, I don't like asking people for, not favorites, but for questions and stuff. Or just because like, you want to be in charge or stuff like that. But yeah, I feel like what's the worst thing that could happen when you ask someone? Is them saying no, but like, if they say yes, and even, that's what you wanted, right?
So I feel like that's one thing too is don't be afraid to ask like if you have someone to look up to you should don't like a message be like, "Hey, do you have any advice for this for this for this?" Or something like that.
And then I think last one is just stay genuine. I feel like it's hard to find nowadays people that truly are about it or like that are truly doing it for the right reasons. So yeah, just stay true to yourself.