Ursus the Bear, is a unique brand with beginnings rooted in the Vancouver community. The name itself pays homage to North America as a whole, as Arthur, the creator of the brand, will tell you all about it, and why Ursus is really different.
Briefly describe yourself and background.
My name is Arthur; I am the creative director of Ursus the Bear. I was born in Hong Kong and came to Vancouver when I was 13. I graduated high school in 1997, and then I went to BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) for digital art and animation. A few months after my graduation, the 9/11 terrorist attack happened. I was jobless for a few months and started to panic. That year, I’ve actually tried a couple of things, from working in the bakery graveyard shift, to post office delivery guy. They were jobs that paid but I hated them because I didn’t feel like I belonged there. Jobs like those make you don’t want to live, you know?
Shortly afterwards, I knew my life had to change. I met up with a friend who worked in the film industry, and he hooked me up to work on film productions for a little bit. He was from Emily Carr and was great at theory; I was from BCIT so I was all technical. Our collaboration was a success which led to the spark of a design company. We worked on company identities, product packaging, magazine layouts and even stage designs.
After I left my company, I got a chance to work in a sportswear company, something similar to Lululemon. That’s how I stepped into the fashion industry. It was there where I learned the basics of pattern-making, printing, washing, etc. This company definitely opened my eyes. It made me go back to college to further my knowledge in fashion and merchandising. Afterwards, I moved to New York, and I was lucky to get into Z-Brand International as an intern. Z-Brand International is a jeans company that mainly focuses on destructive looks. A year later, they relocated me to Hong Kong, my home town, and that’s where the production team is at. That is also where I broaden my connection with the industry people.
Two years later, I started URSUS. Is that brief enough?
(Everyone laughs)
Why the name URUS and what’s the concept behind it?
My friends would always call me BEAR because even when I was young, I was already HUGE. (laughs) I enjoy the lifestyle of North America, and there’s nothing much about being what size you are. On the other hand, back in Hong Kong, it’s horrible for people that are HUGE because the city isn’t designed for them. Subway train seats don’t fit, you can barely close the doors in public toilets, and the list goes on. Furthermore, while working in Hong Kong, I felt that there was a stereotype on me because I was different. It was different in Vancouver, Canada because it’s all about the respect here. Growing up in Vancouver, I felt that sense of mutual respect and fairness.
Now back to the label, I wanted to start a label to reflect myself. URSUS is the family name of the North American bears. This name suites my ideologies.
What’s with the bear logo and lightning bolt?
Many people think street wear is linked to hip-hop. My brand is a street wear label but not just catered to one specific audience. For example, I am a rocker myself but would still wear hip hop or formal clothing. The lightning bolt represents rock and roll, it’s like a bear rocking the world and the logo is a hybrid of a bear and lion. To me, a bear represents strength and power because of their abilities to survive in the wild. On the other hand, a lion represents nobility and wisdom because they are the king and they take control in the jungle. In conclusion, the logo represents the perfect ideal combination of both strength and brains.
What sets your brand apart from others?
URSUS caters to all kinds of people in all sizes. It is very hard to shop for clothes in Hong Kong and some areas in Asia when you are a big and tall, and also even harder to choose good fits. It sucks when you can’t fit in a style that you like. For URSUS, we didn’t label our size as Small, Medium, and Large. Our small/medium sizes are called Regular, then it’s Large, Larger, and Largest. I don’t want to set a standard for sizes on people. People in modern society are too concerned of their weight and try to confine themselves to a certain size. I am a designer; I know and others would know too. People don’t need a certain size to look good or feel good. It’s all about being comfortable and being you!
URSUS is definitely unique, what brands would you compare it to?
This is not official, but people keep mistaking URSUS as BAPE and I have some designs where people said they looked like BBC. Well, I’ll take it as a compliment. If one day URSUS becomes as successful as BAPE or BBC, I’ll be really happy about it! (laughs) However, we have different directions and we are unique in our own ways.
What street artists or street brands inspire you?
Street brands I would wear the most is Rocawear. The size system is perfect and all items are made with care, from advertising to material; they put a lot of effort into the brand. I also greatly appreciate a lot of high fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs, they are freaking amazing. They inspired me with a lot of new ideas. I also wear Ice Creams too; it’s a fun and playful brand.
What was the biggest challenge in starting up URSUS?
Communication was definitely the biggest challenge; especially to the manufacturers. Most of them are located in China and we had some language barriers. We have to layout everything, write down all the details, fax it over and confirm a lot of times to get things the way we wanted which was very tiring.
Technology evolves quickly and it’s not hard to make a T-Shirt today. What comments do you have on that?
I believe it’s a good thing. The first T-Shirt I printed was in 1999. It only had one word on it. I read some books on screen printing and went through the DO-IT-YOURSELF process. Then there was the iron on transfer paper. I went crazy when I found it! I kept on doing photo prints on t-shirts. It was freaking fun!!
However, I still believe many things need to be started from the scratch. Get the knowledge to do stuff from the bottom first. People need to go through that experience and it is very valuable.
What product line up do you have coming up?
Many new products, such as polo shirts, bags, more stickers and more TEES of course!! Please stay tuned!
Street wear brands today tend to evolve to different aspects such as designs on high fashion, what views do you have on that?
It’s a wonderful thing; it elevates the reputation of the brand. Many teenagers today wear a lot of street wear. The ability to throw some aspects of high fashion into the brand early on allows them to experience and experiment with fashion.
What’s the future for URSUS?
Besides all the experimental projects and products, I believe music and fashion are always related. One of the projects I have is my band. Yes! I’ve been in charge of my band, BearWithUs, since 2006. Recently we had our 3rd full concert and rocked 29 songs in Vancouver. Our band all wore URSUS on stage that night.
I am always involved with music. URSUS will also wardrobe sponsor an electronica band in their music video later. Involving music with fashion is something I will continue to do with URSUS in the future.
What advice would you give to starters stepping into the industry?
For advice in terms of concept, I have nothing to say. Art is free expression. For advice in terms of business, my advice is making sure that at the end of the day your products will sell. You will also need the guts to take all the pressures and you have to have thicker skin to face the reality. If you can do that, welcome to the industry. (laughs)
What is your view upon Vancouver’s Street Fashion Industry, present and future?
Last year I thought it was awesome. Now, it’s slowing down a bit; it’s a cycle. 2010 is the Olympics which means more exposure and excitement again. Vancouver is a city that definitely has space to grow. We are very multicultural so our acceptance level is very high. Vancouver is growing fast. Within the recent years, you can really feel a lot of changes happening.
What is HYPE?
HYPE is being true to yourself and accepting who you are as a unique individual.
More on Ursus the Bear at www.ursusthebear.com
Photography by Nico Mak