From an unexpected first job in Japan to the landscapes that continue to shape her creativity, we sat down with our founder and designer, Mandkhai Jargalsaikhan, to discover more about the person behind MANDKHAI.
What was your first job?
My first job was actually as a child in Japan, working for Disneyland. I attached straps to popcorn containers and was paid according to how many I completed.
My first proper job came a few years later, when I was around 16 or 17 and working for a telemarketing company in Germany. I spent my days cold-calling people and trying to sell rock bands. It was certainly an interesting learning experience.
What do you look forward to most when you visit Mongolia?
The nature, the food and, most importantly, the people I love.
What is one place that never fails to inspire you?
I am an earth sign, so I have always felt especially connected to trees, forests and natural landscapes. They give me energy, but also a real sense of calm.
What keeps you motivated after all these years of building your brand?
I love creating. I love seeing a vision come to life, take on its own form and eventually exist in the world beyond me.
For Mandkhai, creativity is closely connected to place, memory and the natural world. From the forests that offer stillness to the return journeys to Mongolia, these influences continue to shape both her perspective and the evolving story of MANDKHAI.