Meet Mark Stansell

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Stansell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, how do you define success?
Success to me has a fluid and transient meaning. It can take on many forms for whoever and whatever. Some may see it as a monetary achievement or a commercial one. One may measure it by the amount of followers they have on social media, while another would say success comes from how others perceive you and the direction of your growth. Personally, success means being able to say “I did this.” That doesn’t mean I did it alone, but rather my goal was accomplished is some shape or form through various avenues of trial and error. I look at it as an ongoing race against myself. To constantly improve, not just personally, but creatively, business wise and artistically. People tend to think, “Once I reach ‘X’ then that means I’ll be successful”, they tend to forget that to plateau is to flatline. Yes, there may be lows that set you back, but to truly be successful you must keep climbing and try to break the ceilings set upon you by society or even yourself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My craft has evolved and grown with me over the years. starting out by making box logos on blank Supreme shirts with bootleg designer fabric to now creating bags, dog collars, keychains, and even a bike and a weight bench has been an incredible journey. The one thing that sets me apart from others, at least I think so, is my customer service. With me you know exactly what you’re getting and I’m completely transparent about my work. I by no means am the only person who does what I do- repurposing designer bags and upcyling them into various pieces of art -but I can say I’m one of the few people who does so honestly. I like to use the tagline “Made for Everyone” because I don’t ever want people to think that they aren’t good enough or can’t afford my work. I’d prefer take a cut on pay and be able to give a client what they want because my end goal is to just get my product out there. The more people that carry my brand with them means the more it gets seen, which in turn means more eyes on what I do, which translates not only into sales, but more people seeking out my work. If the client is happy, I’m happy. I wont lie to you and say that this endeavor has been easy because it hasn’t. I didn’t know a thing about leather craft or designing bags when I first started and a lot of it was trial and error. So much money and product was wasted on learning to get the things right that I would find myself wanting to smash my sewing machine with sledgehammer. I once worked on a bag for 10 hours straight to only end up taking it apart at the seams because I wasn’t satisfied with my work. The next day though, I was able to complete the same bag in half the time and was happy with how it turned out. that’s basically been my whole process, try something and then improve on it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d tell them to go eat at Diakokuya in Little Tokyo, by far my favorite ramen spot in LA. To visit the Silverlake Flea Market Melrose Trading Post on Saturday and Sunday respectively, for a great outdoor shopping experience which also has great food trucks available to get your grub on. Go to The Pop Up Shop LA for unique vintage and custom clothing store. Get some Happy Ice on Melrose Ave if they wand a delicious new twist on shaved ice. Angel City Brew Company has an incredible assortment of craft beers. Definitely hinking out in Runyon Canyon or Griffith Park up to the Hollywood sign for an amazing overlook of the city. and if they’re in town on the right weekend (second Sunday of the month) go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market! Probably the largest collection of vintage and antique dealers from all around the globe with something for everyone. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Man, I don’t know if there’s enough space to shout out everyone and everything that has helped shape me and my growth. I’d want to start by thanking my parents first and foremost for being the supportive and understanding people they are. From letting me turn the garage into a studio to physically helping me with projects, they’ve been there for me through it all. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the people who’ve given me mentorship and inspiration throughout my years work: Jordan for always being able to talk creatively and intellectually about business and friendship. James for having conversations that leave me inspired to elevate not only my craft, but also spirit. Dweld and Anthony for schooling me on how to identify real and fake materials and giving me an in doth history on those pieces. Comma for challenging my perspective on things making look at problems in a different light to find a new solution. George, for being one fo the first people to believe in my work and giving me projects that challenge the limits of my craft. I’d also like to thank each and every one of my customers, no matter how big or small the purchase was, you’re the ones I do this for.

Website: qublicfigure.com

Instagram: @qublicfigure