Far East fashion accessories fit for the north-east

Style and style and design are everything for Yoko Angus.

Originally from Tokyo but now based in Aberdeen, since a youngster Yoko has often experienced a aptitude for fashion.

With her enterprise Yokoaber, she fuses essences of standard Japanese tradition into trendy, functional items match for the preferences of those in the north-east of Scotland.

From tote bags to hair add-ons to pouches and handbags, the element of Yokoaber’s handmade products is refined.

She may perhaps have only begun her company previous year. But given that then, Yoko has loved observing her passion expand while putting smiles on her customers’ faces.

“The most delightful issue is to see smiles on customers’ faces,” states Yoko.

“I’m actually satisfied to see individuals using my merchandise and returning back for more.

“It’s given me great encouragement to preserve on accomplishing what I’m executing.”

Passion for trend

Yoko was born in Tokyo and relocated to the British isles 11 a long time ago after marrying her spouse.

She feels that the Granite Town has welcomed her with open up arms and allowed her to pursue her childhood desire of doing the job in vogue.

“Since I was a little one, I understood that I needed to operate in the vogue market as a designer or stylist,” states Yoko.

“Life didn’t pretty perform as prepared straight away, even though. I examined background and worked in the tourism and hospitality sector for a while.

“It was not right up until right after I came to Aberdeen that I began earning manner products and solutions.”

Yoko quickly started getting up various positions like alterations, as nicely as building and generating dresses for special situations which includes weddings.

Selecting up a much larger, industrial sizing stitching machine and reconnecting with the nostalgic materials and layouts of her childhood later allowed Yoko to up her match, typically being up stitching into the afterwards hours and teaching herself new tricks in the method.

But she suggests that it was the men and women of Scotland that encouraged her to build Yokoaber.

Remaining original

“The inspiration I bought was from the fantastic men and women of Scotland,” says Yoko.

“Without most of us recognizing, we’re surrounded below by items that originate from Japan. Vehicles, computer system video games, food items, plants etcetera.

“But a person of the items I did not see as considerably of was Japanese manner.

“The kimono is one of the country’s most legendary classic items of manner. They are made of magnificent fabrics and are truly gorgeous, but they can in some cases be highly-priced.

“But I considered, if I could use a piece of this and apply it to some thing that we could use in our daily life at an very affordable price tag, folks below may possibly get an interest and get to know Japan and the culture a small greater without having really having to be there.”

Launching Yokoaber

Officially launching final October, Yoko set about producing a variety of products infused with Japanese materials and designs.

Almost everything she proceeds to make is handmade, marketing her merchandise each on the web and in-individual at many craft fairs and occasions all over the north-east.

She’s experienced to defeat problems alongside the way, but occur the finished end result, the work is normally worth it for Yoko.

“I use authentic Japanese elements, as properly as some that are locally sourced in this article also, so it is a mixed vary of goods that I make,” Yoko clarifies.

“My tote luggage are commonly extremely preferred and they arrive in a assortment of styles and colors.

“My solutions produced with kimono materials are also well-known. They’re in-depth with conventional gorgeous flowers, motifs and symbols like Japanese Crane birds, which symbolise peace, longevity and joy.

“But as nicely as the layouts, I set a great deal of exertion in the direction of what’s inside my products as effectively.

“They have to be realistic for consumers and generating them sense good when they use their items is so critical for me.”

Around the festive time period, Yoko has been planning specifically well prepared gift bins which have proven well known with clients.

She’s also been out and about at many functions as properly as operating with neighborhood charity AberNecessities to upcycle materials into beneficial merchandise for people in want.

Specific by yourself

Wanting forward, Yoko suggests that she’s complete of tips for shifting issues ahead with Yokoaber.

“By this time upcoming yr, I would like to have a more substantial variety of solutions obtainable for shoppers,” she states.

“I have tons of strategies and models in thoughts!”

Attaining a healthier perform-lifetime harmony is also a little something that Yoko would like to aim on in the in the vicinity of long run.

But for now, she is wholly humbled with the assistance of her consumers and is revelling in the imaginative freedom that running her very own organization makes it possible for her to explore.

“It has been fantastic to feel that I can convey myself,” suggests Yoko.

“Yokoaber is a area for me wherever I can focus and set my comprehensive hard work into completing and attaining my goals.”