{"id":1963,"date":"2022-03-25T10:15:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-25T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tokoba-magazine.net\/?p=1963"},"modified":"2024-04-26T02:12:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T02:12:19","slug":"stasia-matsumoto-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tokoba-magazine.net\/en\/stasia-matsumoto-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"STASIA MATSUMOTO: FINDING FREEDOM IN KIMONO AND PHOTOGRAPHY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stasia Matsumoto. A licensed kimono stylist, photographer and founder of the Tokyo based business; inKIMONO. Not only does she create unique Kimono looks based on the personalities of her clients but she also goes above and beyond to makes sure people of all sizes, shapes and styles feel comfortable showing their true selves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We talked with Stasia about her journey, what self employment means to her as well as learning about her surprising advice for anyone interested in starting their own business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2500\u2500 Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today. I'm really excited to hear about your journey, because you've experienced quite a lot in your career: from your photography projects to the kimono business. For the readers who don't know yet, would you mind introducing yourself by telling something about yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, sure! Well, shortly: My name is Stasia, I am originally from Poland. I've been living in Japan since 2012, so it's going to be 10 years. At the moment I'm running my own business. I do kimono styling and photography\u2026yeah, that\u2019s about it (laughs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 Now that you have your own business, how did that come about? Did you always have the idea that someday you want to have something of your own?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I had a plan, I had an idea, I had this vision that I wanted to achieve and I worked towards achieving that.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Not really. I think it's kind of difficult to start with the idea that one day I'm going to have my own business. It's not something that you think about too much, I think. Especially since no one around me had their own business, they were always working for someone. So that seemed natural to me. In my case, it was a process. What I know for sure is that I don't want to work for someone. I don\u2019t like having a boss, I don't like having a manager, I don't like having someone telling me what to do and how to do it. Let\u2019s say there are disagreements where I think that this way is better and it\u2019s going to work well, but someone would tell me \u201cwell no, you don't know anything! That's not going to work\u201d. Then for me it's kind of like \u201chmm. Okay. You just wait! You\u2019ll see that my idea was better\u201c (laughs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It happened so many times when I used to work at a regular company with a boss or a manager. So I was always thinking that I am not enjoying this, so the longest I ever stayed at a regular company was three years. That\u2019s it. That's my longest experience. But it was a process, those things don't happen just overnight. You need to set up a lot of things, you need to have an idea. I mean, it also depends on what kind of person you are! Everyone has a different personality and when it comes to me, I like having a plan. I need to have everything planned. Let's say I have a plan for this year: this is what I want to achieve, this is how I\u2019m going to do it. Step-by-step. Nothing is spontaneous. So this is how I am and this is how I do things and this is how it happened. I had a plan, I had an idea, I had this vision that I wanted to achieve and I worked towards achieving that. It took many years and it\u2019s not only my kimono business or photography. It\u2019s also studying Japanese, to be fluent; it\u2019s many many things. Also paperwork and all the boring things, which are important. You know, people need to remember that business is also about doing all those things that are not really exciting. Yeah, like I said: I had a plan, I had a vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 What was your vision?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I had an idea about what I wanted to do, I wanted to combine kimono and photography, so I would write down a lot of ideas. I had to know how everything works. But you won't know unless you try it, right? So once I figured it out I knew for sure I had to quit my full-time job. I wanted to do this full-time and then naturally I started thinking about having a proper place to do that. Of course I needed a studio and such. So it was a long process, but this is more or less how it happened and how I got to where I am right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2500\u2500 That\u2019s really cool! I think not many people our age have their own business, it\u2019s a lot of responsibility. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes! Although I\u2019m not sure if you know how old I am (laugh). I\u2019m 32.

\u2500\u2500 Okay, so we\u2019re quite the same age (laughs).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really young, but I guess\u2026 not old? (laughs) I started my business full-time at the end of 2018, so I was 28. Okay I see. If you think about it, that\u2019s fairly young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 When you decided that you want to do something on your own, what were your fears and hopes during that time? And thinking back, which of the hopes and fears did come true and which turned out quite differently from how you expected it to be?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest fear of course is that I would not get any bookings and everything was pointless. I quit my job and was risking a lot, right? Because to be in Japan we need a visa. So once you quit your job and you switch to a self-sponsorship or business visa - it's really stressful. So that was definitely the biggest fear. Well, as for hope\u2026obviously I was hoping that my business will grow, that I can continue, that I can do it full-time. I didn't jump straight into going full-time actually. I had to make a name for myself. I don't want to make it sound serious, because I mean obviously it's not like I'm a huge brand or anything, but I needed people to know what my idea was and what it was that I was doing. So for a few months, I think it was about half a year, I would do shoots twice a day on my days off. I would work five days a week and then I had two days off and on those two days off I had shoots. Twice a day. So for about half a year I didn't really have a day off, but those things are necessary, when you're trying to establish something for yourself. Like I said, I didn't jump straight into full-time, but once I decided that I wanted to, then obviously my biggest fear was that it wouldn't last. I just wanted it to last for a long time. I mean it's going okay, I guess? It\u2019s going fine (laughs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 I think it's quite amazing what you have established for yourself. You're also posting about kimono and you're educating people who don't know about it yet, so it's a really valuable thing you do.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I hope people find it interesting, so thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2500\u2500 And when you think back, how did your education help in your career? What did you have to learn for yourself from experience? I think, starting a business or doing creative work, you have to learn a lot by yourself, things that aren't taught in school. How was it for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By my education you mean at what level? Like university for example?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 Yes, university and maybe also when you studied how to style kimono. Everything!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh I see! When it comes to my university education it's not really connected. Yes and no. I mean, I studied Asia-Pacific studies and Asian Cultural studies, so my main focus was Japan, obviously. Let's say I have some background knowledge like the history of Japan, and I know more or less about the culture. I have that, but specifically to do this job, it\u2019s not really connected to university education that much. I did go to a kimono school and actually next month I'm going to graduate! Finally, after five years. It's time (laughs)! So I learned about kimono, where you start with basics like how to dress yourself. I have a professional license, so I have all the theory. We really studied a lot of technical details like types of weaving, the life-cycle of silkworms, different fabrics, different techniques, so I have that knowledge, I can explain it well. That's very obviously connected to what I'm doing right now because I don\u2019t only do kimono styling and photography. I also give a brief explanation. I can go into detail, but that would take hours. I can literally talk for hours. I try to keep it around 40 minutes usually, which is very compact, but after we finish the photo shoot, at the end of the day you are richer in knowledge, you understand how it works, you know what you were wearing, what kind of kimono it is and how it works. When it comes to photography though, I am completely self-taught. Completely! So I have no theory whatsoever. Nothing! I'm very honest about it. I don\u2019t know, it\u2019s just how I see things: I see something, I think it\u2019s good, I like it, that's it. I never studied any photography theory, so I had to learn all that by myself. Also obviously how to use my camera at first. That's also something that I had to practice. I had to master that, but once I did, I really knew what to do. There are also other things that I use for work, such as editing\u2026 Nobody teaches you how to operate Lightroom or Photoshop. I learned it by myself. I would say I'm pretty good at it at the moment, but nobody taught me that. And it's not something that you really learn at school, unless you choose a photography major. But you see, without having that formal education, I call myself a photographer. I have no problems with that.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u2500\u2500 That\u2019s amazing. Because I\u2019m sure many people have a problem saying that. They haven\u2019t been taught it at school, so they don't have a diploma for it, so people are afraid to use the term \u201cphotographer\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I used to be like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 How did it change?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know I'm good (laugh). I know how that sounds\u2026

\u2500\u2500 No, it sounds great! It\u2019s honest.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know I'm good. I\u2019m good at editing, I'm good at photography. I don't need to have super expensive equipment. I know how to use my equipment to the max. I enjoy what I do, I like what I do, I have a style. I think if you see a portrait photo of someone in a kimono, you know it was taken by me. And this is what I wanted for myself actually. But honestly, at the beginning I was like \u201coh well, I don't have a paper to prove my qualifications\u201c. I do have a paper to prove my kimono qualifications, so\u2026(laughs). But it's not always about that, it\u2019s about your skills. And I am pretty confident in my photography skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2500\u2500 That's amazing. I love that you said it, because it\u2019s important to be honest.
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I know how it sounds though\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u2500\u2500 I love it (laughs)! And now that you mention it, you've been successful, or at least it seems like you have been successful at everything you've done. Were there any projects that you had to abandon or give up?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's mostly because of the lack of time to do everything that I want to do. There are a lot of things that I want to do, I have those ideas. But time is the biggest problem. Because I'm only one person doing everything and people usually don't realize how much time I spend working. It's not only you coming into my studio, I dress you, take photos - and I finished. Even only that is about 5-6 hours, but there are also many hours of preparation prior. And there are many hours after. And especially since I'm just one person, it really takes a lot of time. So there are many things like my tattoo photography project that you mentioned at the beginning. I wish I could continue, but first things first. And my kimono work is my brand. I can not say it's my company, because I'm just one person, but it's the most important thing for me, so obviously this is what I want and have to focus on. But yes, there are many things I want to do. Like my personal photography projects or this idea I had last year; I want to start a plus-size kimono line. Because this is the reason why I went to a wasai school, a kimono-making school, to make a real authentic proper plus-size kimono. That was my goal and I know how to do it. I made it, I designed it - it's just the time that I need. There's so many things I want to do, but first things first.<\/p>\n\n\n