Undoubtedly one of the biggest local clothing label around, Pestle & Mortar has come a long way in a pretty short amount of time. Started up by three good friends, Arnold and Arthur (who just happens to be brothers) and Hugh (who just happens to be Arthur’s best friend), they all started this with one goal in mind, which is to do something which is ‘theirs’, something which is Malaysian, something which relates to them and hopefully relates to anyone that picks up their t-shirts. We recently sat down with Hugh, who is the Creative Director of Pestle & Mortar, to talk about how it all started, and where do they plan to go and everything else in between.

So there is you, Arnold and Arthur, can you tell us what is everyone’s role in the company?

Basically Arthur is our production guy, but he use to be handling our operations. As for Arnold, he is in charge of our PR side of things, and for me I’m in charge of the creative side of things. But the three of us will always meet up to have discussions about everything, and we make sure we run through our ideas with each other and also with everyone in our team of staff.

So how did you guys start up Pestle & Mortar?

The three of us pulled our savings together, I think it was around RM5000, and we printed 7-8 different t-shirts, and sold it during Urbanscapes. We were truly blessed by the response that we got, and we sold about 85% of our stock on that very day itself. And because of that overwhelming response that we got from people, that is what kept us going and gave us the boost to take Pestle & mortar to where it is today.

Along the way, what challenges did you guys face?

First off, none of us have any experience at all in the fashion line. We did not know a lot of things about what we were doing and there was a lot of trial and error along the way. For example, knowledge of the different kind of printing methods for t-shirts would really come in handy if you are planning to get into the t-shirt business. Because of that inexperience, we were faced with many challenges. It has been an exciting learning curve for all of us. 

Also another problem we faced was the direction of the brand. Everyone had their own idea on where they wanted to take Pestle & Mortar. This is where we had to spend the time to brainstorm and get everyone on the same page. My idea’s and inspirations are generated from things I have seen, or even sometimes from experiences. I get motivated by many international brands, we must be very careful not to copy, but to get inspired instead.

Time was also another issue. When we first started, all 3 of us were juggling 2 jobs. It was very difficult to find the time for all of us to get together. In the beginning it was easier because it was something new and exciting, and everyone was extremely psyched to get things rolling. Running a clothing line can be as crazy as any other business, there has to be a lot of sacrifices, for example your social life, holidays etc, you have to forgo many of these things and focus on the business.

A lot of Malaysians have the mentality that a local made product, or a local brand is more inferior compared to an overseas brand, how do you guys tackle that issue and also change that mentality?

We strongly believe in staying true to what our brand embodies. Pestle & Mortar has a unique selling point and we believe that is what sets us apart from any other brand out there. It’s only a matter of time that the local scene receives more respect (no doubt we can all see this happening already). Pestle & Mortar aligns and positions itself alongside other well renown overseas brands. We currently sell to over 15 countries around the globe and this already says something about what we have managed to achieve in such a short span of time. As the years pass on we can only expect Pestle & Mortar’s image and reputation to be taken to a whole new level with a greater presence both in Malaysia and internationally. 

 So to come back to your question, we realize that we need to set ourselves apart, and we need to market and brand ourselves differently from the other brands. We don’t just sell the end products, we sell a lifestyle. That’s why you see us getting involved in events and also parties. Also another thing I may add, when Steve Aoki was down in KL we just passed him some gear. Little did we know he actually put on one of our singlets at one of his gigs in China. These sorta things really help with branding. In a way, we are very lucky and blessed to be connected and to be at the right place at the right time.

What is the best advice you have received from anyone? And what would be your best advice to someone?

Recently when I was in Melbourne, Eddie Huang was there to give a talk, and in that talk he mentioned that having a brand is just one thing, but in order for that brand to work, it has to start from you. You have to be able to sell yourself, before selling your own brand. 

Another advice would be, me and Arnold have been friends since I was 13 years old, and I’m 28 this year, the amount of arguments we have had is uncountable. At the end of the day, this is a business, if you don’t bring it up among your partners, in terms of what you’re feeling, it’s gonna be a problem down the track. Especially in businesses like this, a team is very important, and in that team, everybody’s opinion is important. Just let it all out and get it off your chest. Everyone has a different outlook on things and it’s always good to voice out your opinions.

I also live by a phrase “In everything you do, you have to have a reason for doing it”.

Stay true to who you are and believe in yourself and the work that you do. 

Last question, networking or hardworking?

Networking. Its important to get out. You are your brands number one ambassador. The wider your network the easier it is to spread the word.