"I hope in the future people will buy less, but higher quality products, knowing that they will last a lot longer and they are made with love instead of greed."

small-shops: Originally you studied architecture. Why did you decide to change profession?

Ashley Jones: After I finished my Bachelor’s degree in 2010, I decided to travel Australia and Asia for over a year. There I got to know the person with whom I now also have a daughter and this whole experience changed my entire view of the world.

small-shops: During this trip you had the idea of becoming a fashion designer. Why?

Ashley Jones: It was kind of destiny. When I was in Australia, I applied for the Architecture Master study, but did not get accepted. So, since I haven’t had anything else to do, I just went to Berlin. Here everything just happened without being planned: A friend of mine showed me how to use a sewing machine. First, I just did some small things for myself. Then for friends and at some point, they even offered to pay for the products. In 2012, I made my first experiences on Markets, which first went quit slow, but for me as a low budget lover it was enough to cover my expenses. From year to year the foundation of my little label found stability and in 2016 my daughter Kaya and also my Label KAYA was born.

small-shops: What does the name Kaya mean?

Ashley Jones: Kaya has many different meanings and I love the fact that people from all over the world keep telling me what it means in their language. One for example, is derived from the word “gaya”, which means earth. It means also girlfriend, rock and enlightenment. The latest meaning, I discovered, was “all good”.

small-shops: You only produce Unisex, One Size Fits All Fashion. For What reason do you do that?

Ashley Jones: Originally, I did that because I haven’t had any clue about what I am doing. In the beginning I only produced fashion for myself. Then other people put it on and realized that it fits them too. It did not matter, weather they were smaller or bigger, man or woman. I decided to keep on making One Size fits all Fashion for logistical reasons. But most importantly I believe that we as a people are all the same. So my question was and is: Why are we always comparing each other and on this path finding reasons to not feel good about our selves. It does not matter if you are small, tall, thin, thick, old or young. My fashion will always fit everyone and everyday.

small-shops: Where do you purchase your materials and how do you choose them?

Ashley Jones: Mostly at Maybach Ufer in Berlin where I found some great vendors over the time. By now, they already know what I need and deliver it straight to my atelier. When asked, they told me that they themselves get the fabrics from industrial waste, that still has a great quality. I am upcycling these products in a big way, because I am buying rolls. This way I can produce many items out of the same material. Nonetheless they are all unique, because every single piece is going through my hands.

small-shops: Can you tell us some stories of problems you had to solve in the founding period?

Ashley Jones: At first, I sold some products on markets. I managed to live off of it, but in that period, I could only buy necessities. When my business grew, I faced the problem of working too much. Every day I worked 14 hours for half a year. Apart from sleeping and eating I only worked, worked, worked. This was great for business and it planted the seed for the ongoing activities, but I harmed myself and my body. My back and hand started to hurt a lot. I had to change my way of working, by developing some structure. Work can’t be everything and slowly but surely, I managed to become less addicted to it and more organised in the way I am running my business. The birth of my daughter also helped me focus on other things. Now I became responsible for another living being and my work life balance became better.

small-shops: In which way did you become more organised?

Ashley Jones: I decided to work only a certain number of hours. I forced myself to do breaks and stopped working even when I knew my goal of the day was not finished yet. Now with the corona crises I fear to fall back in the old workaholic’s pattern, but I am doing my very best to stay balanced and it is working.

small-shops: You mentioned the corona crises. How did you experience so far this very special times?

Ashley Jones: During the first wave I escaped the location I was staying at, to find a calmer place. I managed to rediscover myself and cut down the regular workflow related to the label. Instead, I just jump into the lake or spend more time with my daughter, which was really important to me. In the second lockdown it was similar. I just got used to the old pattern of organising the store and now I had to reclose everything. Honestly though, this hard lock down gives me clarity, because at least I know that I cannot open neither my store nor a stand on a market. Emotionally I am going up and down. I try to see everything positive though. For example, I am developing a second size for smaller adults and teenagers. Also, I find the time to do more photography and other passions of mine, like writing, painting, renovating my apartment and constructing a tree house for my daughter.

This crisis is a big change to reimagine the world. Mother earth is telling us something and we should listen to her.

small-shops: How do you imagine fashion to be in 20 years?

Ashley Jones: Many factories produce a lot of waste, because the quality of their products is astonishing low. Sometimes items arrive already broken to the stores, only because companies want to earn money by producing in masses. I hope in the future people will buy less, but higher quality products, knowing that they will last a lot longer and they are made with love instead of greed. We all should consume more consciously.

Let’s do it for our future, climate, earth and us people!