Interview with Devonne of MATTER Prints

Hey, friends! Today in the questionnaire/interview series, I switch it up a bit. So far we've heard from the founders of a brand (Saalt Cup) and a fellow blogger/influencer, Ethically Kate.  Today we have a hybrid - I sent the interview to Devonne, who works for MATTER Prints, a brand I've proudly represented here on the blog. I love the pants I have from MATTER (wore them over the weekend to meet a girlfriend for coffee!) and thought it would be fitting to get to know someone who works there on a bit more of a personal level, as well as give everyone a taste of the brand. Of course, if you want to know more about MATTER, you can check out their website, or read my blog post. So everyone, meet Devonne, and Matter On!

Please introduce yourself and tell me a bit about the brand you work for.

Hello! I’m Devonne and I’m the Digital Marketing Manager at MATTER. We work with a curative philosophy inspired by tradition, and what this means is that MATTER sources heritage prints and styles while reinterpreting them in a modern manner. Our purpose is to impact change beyond textiles — to make rural artisan production sustainable, shift designers’ approach to their process, and inspire customers to value provenance.

In 15 words or less, what is the main mission or ethos of your brand?

Change beyond textiles.

How did you become involved with the business?

I joined MATTER a little over two years ago. I felt drawn towards the heart of the mission because of value placed on provenance and knew I wanted to be a part of a brand whose core was so rooted in telling stories of the where and why in craft, artisanship, and prints.

In an ideal situation where you had every resource at your disposal, where would your brand be in the next 5 years?

To have more product types beyond apparel, more fabric stories, more artisan techniques in more countries, better impact tracking, more livelihood enhancement for the artisans. More of everything is in our future and part of our plans, and we are always getting closer, and we work towards creating goals that represent that momentum.

What or who inspires you the most?

My dad.

What do you think about the future of conscious consumerism?

Conscious consumerism is growing, undeniably so, and we’re definitely leading by health and wellness. But we forget that when we produce the clothes, a part of that full cycle process also includes the wear, wash, and (inevitable) waste of our products. All of those eventually go back to the environment: chemicals and all, and it’s important to take them into consideration as well. Beyond what we wear, we should take a step further and think about their materials and intended life cycle. 

Have you received any wise words lately?

"There's something to learn from everyone." - Renyung Ho (Co-Founder of MATTER)

What is one thing you've done that you're really proud of?

I’m Singaporean but grew up in Suzhou and lived in Hong Kong for a couple of years before moving here (Singapore) for work. With a habit of moving around, putting down roots has become an unfamiliar and intimidating concept. But it’s been over two years since my move to Singapore, and I’m really proud of the life I’ve built for myself here. 

Now to get to know you a little better!

If your brand/business/blog were an Ice Cream flavour, what flavour would it be?

Hmm. Something locally sourced and grown. Maybe Kaffir lime, since it’s a fruit native to Asia ;)

What or where is your happy place?

With the ones I love.

Puns or knock-knock jokes?

Puns. 

Dogs or cats?

Dogs! 

Birds or fish?

To eat? Both. 

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate, all the way. 

Books or movies or TV?

TV - The more seasons, the better. 

If you could move anywhere else in the world to live for one year, where would it be?

A remote island where nobody else is around except for a few of my favorite people (of course), it's nice to take a little break from the hustle.