Here’s an exclusive interview with Kapok co-founder Baptiste
G. We had a nice chat over lunch and some of the things really got me thinking
about my own blog Cut & Copy. Find out the inside scoop behind the cool
concept store below!
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How long has Kapok been open for?
We celebrated our 7th anniversary on Feb 15. The
first Kapok store was in Tin Hau for 2 years and we moved to St Francis Yard after
that.
Where were you before?
I worked at The Gap in the Bastille area of Paris. Before
that, I was working in the music industry selecting music for TV shows.
Opening up in St Francis Yard must have been a great
experience. How do you like the area?
We were the only ones for the first year. Sonia [Norman] and
Chen Mi Ji Furniture joined us soon after and it was all still very
underground. But recently, it's been getting crazier what with
Monocle and Carven opening up.
Fortunately, we’ve maintained this very neighborhood attitude which in
France we call “bobo” (bourgeois bohême). Those who want the big brands won’t
be interested in us.
So how did you end up starting Kapok?
It just so happened that I was looking for a job and saw the
opportunity. Everything is possible in Hong Kong because of its efficiency. We
started Kapok here because it wouldn’t have been possible in France. I always
tell my friends, if you have an idea, start it here. If you don’t but you’re in
Hong Kong, you’re just plain stupid. [Laughs] Of
course, it’s quite intimidating at first because we were the only 2 Frenchmen
on the street. Some customers have told me that Kapok tends to only carry
French products because of who we are but that isn’t true.
Have you collaborated with anyone locally?
Absolutely! So... Soap! was one of the local collaborations we
did where we got to create a set of bath products specifically for Kapok. We’ve
also done international collaborations with companies like French watchmaker
Lip, local bag maker Michelle Lai from MISCHA and also a more recent
collaboration with Thai swimwear brand TIMO. Whether it’s local or
international, the big picture isn’t really where the product is from, but
whether it has an interesting concept and good craftsmanship. You can’t
possibly say everything from Sweden is good whereas the opposite is also true
in China where not everything is bad. It’s about knowing where to look and
which products you select.
Speaking of concept, what’s the story behind the name Kapok?
It’s a very simple story [laughs]. In front of the first store
in Tin Hau was a tree called a Kapok tree so we named the store after it. I
find that the tree itself is a warm reminder that we are a neighborhood store
and that we are always influenced by our environment. The interior of the shop,
for example, uses a lot of wood and it resembles a sort of tree house so that
we get a warm atmosphere.
Name 3 inspiring people.
It might have been because of my previous experience in the
music industry so I’m a very music oriented person. I guess the 3 people I admire
is an electronic group called Fourtet. Then there’s also James Blake and the American musician Sixto Rodriguez in the
movie Searching for Sugarman.
So what’s next for Kapok?
Well we recently opened kapok TOOLS in Tangs
Orchard in Singapore but I’m sure we’ll be opening up more shops here in HK.
For me, I'll also be working on our own brand of products. We created a wooden pocket watch more than a year ago with the first batch released in last February that sold out instantly so hopefully you'll get to see more of it in the future!
Be sure to check out their online store here!
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Baptiste has dreamy eyes.
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