ABOUT ANGRY JUICE

As a teenager I got bullied a lot for “being different”.
My interests, taste in music and looks were not in line with the ones of my classmates, which resulted in me feeling like a black sheep in a herd where I didn’t belong in.

I started my creative journey from the comfort of the living room in my parental home in the summer of 2012, where I started to design my own clothing and merchandise. Shortly after I also started to sell my creativity locally, which allowed me to professionalize the art I enjoy making the most: the creation of amazing and unique items. This eventually led to the creation of “ANGRY JUICE” as a brand.

One of my dreams is to be able to open my own little shop with a working space in the future. But at the same time I like so many things, and it’s very difficult to choose just one of them. My ideas and wishes change constantly, which makes me wonder: “why only choose one?”.

 

The Name

When you look up the term “angry juice” you will be met with the definition of “a certain alcoholic drink that makes a person aggressive”. Not a very positive definition now is it? With this in mind it would have made more sense for me to have named my project “HAPPY JUICE” instead, since I want you to be happy!

But… The way I see “angry juice”, both as a definition and a brand, is a sort of “protest” against the plain and dull (colors of) society. It’s also a way for me to reach out to others who might feel the same way as I did back then by saying: “Don’t let anyone discourage you from being anything different than yourself”.

 

Influences & Encouragement

ANGRY JUICE takes a lot of inspiration from two sub-cultures in modern Japanese pop culture: “Kawaii” and “Visual Kei”.

“Kawaii” means “Cute” in English, and this sub-culture is all about cuteness with adorable characters and bright colors, and is a big part of modern Japanese culture as a whole.

“Visual Kei” is a sub-genre within the Japanese music scene where the theatrical appearance of the musicians is just as important as the music they play themselves. I discovered this genre around 2010 and was immediately enchanted by the looks of the artists I saw. But one artist stood out above all others, and this was Hideto Matsumoto, who is mostly known as his stage name “hide”, which he used for both his solo works and his time as a member in the band “X JAPAN”.

“When people called me a freak, I closed my eyes and laughed, because they were blind to happiness.”
– hide

 

Handmade products

Throughout the years handmade items have gotten more and more of a bad image. But in the end every single product is made by hand somehow. The only difference with small creators who make and offer handmade products is that you can see where the product comes from.

Since every product by ANGRY JUICE is made by hand you have a brighter insight in how the product is made, and thus more control about the quality and fairness of the product, and how the price you pay is constructed.
All of this allows you to enjoy your item to the fullest with a clear conscience and a warm feeling.

As you may have noticed by now, the products I offer are quite diverse. Because I like so many things myself, it’s impossible for me to choose one specific product to specialize in.
I love to learn more and more, and this reflects in the products I create.