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Patrick MAASE
Creative Director | G-STAR
At the age of 16, Patrick started as an apprentice at a print company, hungry and ready to learn. Not only did he build a solid technical foundation, but his creative skills also started to ascend. From there, he ventured into the world of entrepreneurship and freelance art direction. Looking for a new challenge, he started working at G-Star RAW in 2012. During his tenure, he’s helped shape the brand into a global powerhouse, winning several awards along the way, including a Cannes Lion and two D&AD pencils. Patrick is a diehard Ajax fan and a new father to his daughter, Liv.
questionnaire
1. What was your very first job? What does it feel like to look back at it now?
My first job was working in a jeans store on Saturdays. Looking back at it now it might have something to do with me working for a jeans brand today, since denim became one of my great passions.
2. Please describe, in your own words, what your current job is and what work it entails.
My current job is being an Art Director for a leading denim brand based in Amsterdam. Together with specialists and other creatives we create content and concepts around our products and brand.
3. How did you discover that the creative world is right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? Which train of events did bring you to where you are today?
What led me to be a creative it is the urge to create, from a young age on I felt a strong need to make things for people to see. Like most creatives I will get depressed if I cannot create in that sense creating became a necessity for me to be happy.
4. In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how and where do you usually find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
I try to stay in touch with young people, one of my biggest fears is to get out of touch. It's this fear that leads me to have a wide network of people in all walks of live. I talk to many people with different backgrounds and passions, Inspiration comes from everything and anything so in my view it’s best to put yourself in as many situations and experiences as possible. Keep an open eye.
5. If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, especially for the creative work and innovation it required rather than its recognition or industry success, what would it be?
There are a few. I think the best project is still to come. Most of the work relies heavily on how hard you push to get it to the finish line, so in that sense all projects founded from a strong idea are something worthwhile in my opinion. If I have to name one it would be a campaign we did for our sustainable denim together with a team we had to create a lot of denim leaves this was a nice process where several specialists came together to make it work.
