Kink-spondent and Cunning Linguist Lucky Lana recently had the distinct pleasure of interviewing JT’s Stockroom cutting edge leather designer, J. Mysterioso.
Lucky Lana: J Mysterioso, your designs are fantastic. They make every kind of body build look good. What is your secret?
J Mysterioso: I would have to say knowing what parts of the body to accentuate. We may all have different builds, but we all have a curve or line in our form that we can highlight. Once you determine this, you make the fit around that emphasis perfect.
Lucky Lana: Why did you choose to work with leather?
J Mysterioso: Ah, leather – It’s an amazing medium with a long history. Leather has sensual qualities like its feel and smell. And I’ve always appreciated the fact that leather construction is a specialty craft. From a designer’s perspective, it’s extremely versatile, it can last a lifetime, and always wears better with age.
Lucky Lana: You have such a great handle on making traditional leather scene pieces and very modern designs. How do you decide when to keep traditional and when to break out?
J Mysterioso: For me it’s all about the balance of the two. Many bondage and S&M leather pieces are very traditional in their form. I work on impulse to try and incorporate my view of a modern edge into those pieces where appropriate. Reinventing the traditional functionality of a piece with some contemporary twists in aesthetics is always a goal.
Lucky Lana: What are your influences?
J Mysterioso: Definitely music. For me music is a tool. While working on a project I strive to gain feeling out of my design the same way a song can stimulate all kinds of emotion. And as for an iconic designer – I know it sounds cliché, but I greatly respect John Galliano for pushing his creative boundaries in fashion and being successful in doing so.
Lucky Lana: How did you come to work with the Stockroom?
J Mysterioso: Ha! A good memory: I was a tapped out college student and responded to an ad posted by the Stockroom in the Career Development Center. I inquired over the phone, to later find out that was the first of many conversations I would have with Lloyd Tucker, a.k.a. Pops. I remember my interview to a tee, literally – I wore a “Big Fuck†T-shirt (totally appropriate for the Stockroom), and after meeting my interviewers I was beyond inspired. I knew right away the Stockroom was a team I wanted to join. Three years later here I am.
Lucky Lana: How do you decide what to make next?
J Mysterioso: It’s based on three elements: First of all, market demand – the customers’ needs and wants, secondly, personal ideas, and lastly, market gaps – product that’s missing in the marketplace.
Lucky Lana: What makes the Stockroom gear so irresistible?
J Mysterioso: The quality. The leather we use for our merchandise is high grade when compared with the competition. By far, our leather finishes take our pieces to a level visually that surpass any comparable product.
Lucky Lana: What is your favorite part of designing?
J Mysterioso: The ultimate for me in the creation process is the end result – bringing a flat sketch to life and seeing a model, or anyone for that matter, rock the piece.
Lucky Lana: Do you have any hints to give us about future leather designs?
J Mysterioso: Technical designs are on the current agenda – some involving head harnesses. And some fun and very feminine pieces for the ladies.
Lucky Lana: Do you have any last words for your leather fans?
J Mysterioso: Keep it real. Keep it Stockroom. Pe-ace.
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