INTRODUCING: J'AKE STUDIOS

Introducing a new brand to The Shelter, J'AKE Studios. An independent menswear label that merges a soft tailoring approach with a deep reverence for the designer's New Zealand and Māori heritage. Drawing inspiration from indigenous cultures and embracing natural materials, J'AKE embodies a "passive utilitarian" aesthetic.

To mark the exciting launch, we snuck five minutes with designer Jacoub Coutie to ask a little more about the range and his inspiration for J'AKE.

Jacob Coutie
(Raukawa, Ngati Wairere, Ngati Hako)

J’AKE Studios is The Shelter’s first official menswear label. Talk to us about how you started the label, and why you landed on menswear.

I started my brand back in 2019 but had ideas for the brand as early as 2016. I solely chose menswear because it came from a personal reference to wanting clothes that weren't available in the market. I was designing for an elevated part of myself that enjoyed designing and styling clothes.

Including your Māori heritage is an important part of the brand. How does show through in your range?

Many of the pieces feel connected to a story or kupu (word) that symbolises something apart of tīkanga Māori. In a broader context, it’s important to have an understanding that in Te Ao Māori, valuing something that is adorned on the body is considered a taonga.

We would love to share more about your Maori heritage and what this means to you & your brand.

For me it’s about responsibility. As the eldest of our mokopuna (generation in our whānau), I have to set an example, as well as someone with a creative position. ‘How can I share my experience, as someone who is Māori, through my work?’ And in a way that is authentic and transparent.

What do you wish people knew more about Māori culture?

Manaakitanga

You work closely with fellow New Zealand designer Kiri Nathan. Tell us a little bit about that and how she has become part of your journey.

I invited Kiri to my brand launch in 2019; she approached me after and has put me under her wing ever since. Everything you hear about her is true. Superwoman

How would you describe your brand to someone who’s never seen it? Who is the dream J’AKE Studios wearer?

The biggest challenge is to describe the J’AKE aesthetic to someone who doesn’t know much about fashion or has never seen my work. I like the term “passive-utilitarian”, despite it sounding a bit ambiguous. It combines both the ongoing references to men's uniforms but with a softer undertone. Probably Willem Defoe if he was in some cool sci-fi film set in 1800s Istanbul.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Everywhere; people and experiences, history, music and film (stories that I appreciate) and of course from the fabrics I encounter.

What’s the most exciting thing about being a Kiwi designer?

The community. For the most part, the fashion industry is very precarious, but the collaborators and creatives I have worked with up until now have either been positive experiences or experiences I can learn from.

What’s your favourite piece from the collection, and how would you style it?

Probably the Origins Āke Shirt. I built two iterations. But the taupe/brown colourway has so much character and can be styled as is without any layers over top. It speaks for itself. Pair it with some wide-leg pants.

If we are visiting your neighbourhood, where are we eating, drinking and exploring?

Let’s be frank. Visiting Hamilton isn’t most people's priority. But if you are in Waikato, Zealong Tea Estate in Gordonton is exceptional; Raglan Roast on Te-Rapa Straight for the ultimate ‘garage cafe’ where you have coffee on your uncle's broken couch. Aotearoa has yet to offer up a better garden than Hamilton City Gardens, I’m surprised it’s still free.

Is there anything else you’d love The Shelter family to know about J’AKE Studios?

A new project is already in the works!

Discover J'AKE Studios, exclusive to The Shelter's Auckland location, where artistic expression, cultural readiness, and a sense of individuality converge. The garments, blending Māori influences, prompts reflection on the effects of colonialism on our culture. Experience the richness of heritage, the connection with nature, and the timeless appeal of our handcrafted pieces.