InsideBJJ.com Interviews Luciana Machado Simon (April 2011)
Inside BJJ had the chance to interview MKimonos co-founder and current owner, Luciana Machado Simon. MKimonos is a sponsor and we greatly appreciate it. However, we think you¡¯ll find the interview interesting. Luciana has a rich history with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and provides unique insight into what you should consider when purchasing a new gi. Thanks for reading.
Inside BJJ: Tell us about your background? How did you get introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and how did MKimonos get started?
Luciana Machado Simon: First of all, Inside BJJ, thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed.
Well, I have a long history with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. My father, being a doctor, was never into martial arts until he saw and heard many times on TV and in the newspaper, about a very light, petite man, that could destroy "giants". He got very curious about it, of course. After all, what kind of martial arts can do such a thing? He needed to see that with his own eyes (like all doctors) to believe. So, he went to watch one of Helio's very famous Vale Tudo performances in Rio de Janeiro, where he won against a much bigger guy; a really fantastic thing for that time.
My dad, watching everything very closely, realized how intelligent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was in using the mechanism of leverage in most of the movements and using the weight of the opponent, not against himself, but with himself. That was the base of the old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu those days. Beautiful! My father thought! He became a fan of the art.
When my dad finally had his own son, Marcelo, and he was old enough to be able to comprehend a little bit of the "physics" of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, of course, my father had no doubt in choosing which martial art to put my brother in. My brother started practicing when he was 5 years old (I was 6) and loved it since the beginning. Although at that time it was not expected that girls trained martial arts, I loved it and loved to watch every class and learn about the movements. I was raised in academies and tournaments, knowing and meeting the famous people from the mat.
Time passed and we grew up. Marcelo, my brother, became partners with Royler Gracie, having the largest mat in Rio de Janeiro. When he received his black belt from Royler in 1995, when he was still a kid, he and I decided to start slow and manufacture gis for Marcelo's Gracie academy. We started small, but we had some problems with the fabric ripping, cut not being the way it should be, etc. It was much tougher than we imagined, being two young kids and trying to develop something that we had absolutely no background in. All we had was our dream. So, we went to a famous university and after meeting many people, we finally got to the one who sent us to a factory that did tests on fabric and manufactured fabric (busy people, though)! Wow, we discovered the gold mine! After many tests and comparisons with other fabrics for many months to come, we were able to get the strong fabrics we have nowadays. That was when, finally, our beloved MKimonos was born and it's still my pride and joy.
Inside BJJ: There are many gi manufacturers in the market today. What makes MKimonos standout versus the other gis?
Luciana Machado Simon: Have you noticed that so much about the gi industry today is about being new and different? What sets us apart is that we are not doing that; we focus on the traditional basics. For over 15 years now, when my brother was my partner and now, that Josh helps me, we have been producing designs that are traditional. We give importance to the final product itself and we don't want to distract people with unnecessary designs and many details we don't consider essential. We spend more money and time on quality fabrics, construction, and inspection than any other company I know.
Inside BJJ: What should a person look for when purchasing a new gi?
Luciana Machado Simon: That's a very important question. I see dozens of discussion threads on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu forums each year, always asking what the best gi is. They always get fifty different responses with fifty different answers.
Besides high level quality fabrics and constructions, there are a few other things to take into consideration when buying a new gi.
- Budget
- Training frequency
- Climate
- Competition plans
- Body type
- Personal style
- How long you would like that gi to last
The list could go on forever. I believe that people really need to look at the above factors and not what other people say when purchasing a gi. The only other thing I would say, is to understand where your money is going. A gi will cost X dollars, but customers need to understand that the price is a result of multiple factors:
- Fabric cost
- Rent of the factory
- Utilities
- Local taxes
- Employee salaries
- Maintenance on sewing machines and cutting devices
- Embroidery and dying
- Packaging
- Shipping charges and taxes
- Customs and duties
- Storage
The above prices are obvious, but people do not always think about other factors that add to gi costs:
- Advertising
- Sponsorship
- Development of new products
- Promotions or giveaways
- Trademark, copyright or other legal expenses
- Website, e-commerce, credit card and bank processing fees
These factors, and a million others are all taken into account when a company prices a gi. Each company will spend more or less in each category.
Just make sure you understand what you are buying. Are you buying a $200 gi where the company spends 10% of the cost on actually making the gi and 90% of the cost in advertising and sponsorships?
Or the reverse? I am sure you can see I am a little biased, but that is a big difference that people need to take into account prior to a purchase.
Inside BJJ: What are some simple things someone can do to extend the life of their MKimono?
Luciana Machado Simon: It is actually quite simple. My husband, Josh, has MKimonos in his rotation that are 10-12 years old. Some of his newer ones are "only" 5-6 years old. An MKimono will last an extremely long time, if you take care of it. Remember to ALWAYS: cold water wash, use regular detergent and hang dry. Never use hot water, bleach or machine dry. All of those processes will weaken the fabric over time and lead to tears (not to mention also over-shrink your gi).
Inside BJJ: MKimonos recently sponsored Xande Ribeiro. Xande is an international superstar in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Many tournaments do not pay or offer cash prizes for tournament winners. What are you thoughts on this matter?
Luciana Machado Simon: Wow, controversial question! I do not want to seem like I am going against Carlinhos [Gracie], but I do think the major tournaments are bringing in profits. Between competitor fees, spectator fees, advertising fees, concessions, merchandising and DVD sales, I feel there is money that can be given back to the top tier athletes.
If we as fans desire to see the best athletes compete at the Black Belt level, we should not be against compensating them for placing. I think it is all part of continuing to encourage, develop, and promote BJJ.
Inside BJJ: What can a company such as MKimonos do to better the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Luciana Machado Simon: I think any one company is limited in what it can do. I try to ensure that we represent people who I feel are good ambassadors of not only my brand, but Gracie Jiu-Jitsu/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a whole. Through our support of them, we are influencing the direction of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We sponsor very few people and sometimes go years without sponsoring anyone. So it is not a decision we take lightly. Sometimes, Josh and I are watching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and say, "Wow, that guy is really good!" But then when we see their behavior, sportsmanship, how they run their academy, etc., we decide not to approach them. Even the people that we used to sponsor, but no longer do such as: Marcio Feitosa, Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, Robson Moura, Leticia Ribeiro, Fabricio "Morango" Camoes, Jared Weiner, Mike Fowler, etc. All are great people and great for the art. I highly recommend you train with them, if you get a chance.
Inside BJJ: Is there anything in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu you would like to see changed?
Luciana Machado Simon: I am part of the traditional school. I have been part of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community for over 30 years now. I really feel that I have grown up right alongside Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When I was a kid, I was in the academies watching the closed door training sessions with Rickson and Royler. When I became an adult, I spent many days in the closed door training sessions at Carlson Gracie Team/Brazilian Top Team with Carlson Gracie Senior, Ricardo Liborio, Murilo Bustamante, Mario Sperry and the Nogueira brothers. All of these individuals successfully competed in sport tournaments, but also felt a strong belief in training the roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (the self defense/street fighting curriculum). I am concerned now that with the number and types of sport tournaments that people are no longer emphasizing the street training.
When I was young, I witnessed the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu vs Luta Livre and other challenge matches. Part of what makes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu special and potent is the reality aspect. This is what many of the Traditional Martial Arts lost along the way. I do not want to see Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu go the same way.
So, while I encourage sport competition, people need to maintain their training for the street as well. You can see that in our list of people we have sponsored over the years: Royler, Saulo, Xande, Shaolin, Liborio, Bustamante, Minotauro, Feitosa, etc. They all were successful sport competitors, but they also are firm believers in the traditional self defense techniques and strategies. While their students do very well in competitions, they still teach self defense in their classes.
Inside BJJ: What is next for MKimonos?
Luciana Machado Simon: Our goal (Josh and myself) is to set the standards for the industry. My brother, Marcelo, created the hybrid weave. It continues to be our most popular gi and is now our only middleweight offering. Josh and I just developed the Palladium weave to reenergize the double weave market. We have been amazed at the response we have gotten from customers on it. We pioneered the summer weave 15 years ago and will be working on reintroducing that over next few months.
Inside BJJ, thanks again for the opportunity to talk with you. It was a pleasure sharing a little bit about myself and my MKimonos. If anyone has any other questions, they can email me at Luciana@MKimonos.com. Take Care!
Inside BJJ: Tell us about your background? How did you get introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and how did MKimonos get started?
Luciana Machado Simon: First of all, Inside BJJ, thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed.
Well, I have a long history with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. My father, being a doctor, was never into martial arts until he saw and heard many times on TV and in the newspaper, about a very light, petite man, that could destroy "giants". He got very curious about it, of course. After all, what kind of martial arts can do such a thing? He needed to see that with his own eyes (like all doctors) to believe. So, he went to watch one of Helio's very famous Vale Tudo performances in Rio de Janeiro, where he won against a much bigger guy; a really fantastic thing for that time.
My dad, watching everything very closely, realized how intelligent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was in using the mechanism of leverage in most of the movements and using the weight of the opponent, not against himself, but with himself. That was the base of the old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu those days. Beautiful! My father thought! He became a fan of the art.
When my dad finally had his own son, Marcelo, and he was old enough to be able to comprehend a little bit of the "physics" of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, of course, my father had no doubt in choosing which martial art to put my brother in. My brother started practicing when he was 5 years old (I was 6) and loved it since the beginning. Although at that time it was not expected that girls trained martial arts, I loved it and loved to watch every class and learn about the movements. I was raised in academies and tournaments, knowing and meeting the famous people from the mat.
Time passed and we grew up. Marcelo, my brother, became partners with Royler Gracie, having the largest mat in Rio de Janeiro. When he received his black belt from Royler in 1995, when he was still a kid, he and I decided to start slow and manufacture gis for Marcelo's Gracie academy. We started small, but we had some problems with the fabric ripping, cut not being the way it should be, etc. It was much tougher than we imagined, being two young kids and trying to develop something that we had absolutely no background in. All we had was our dream. So, we went to a famous university and after meeting many people, we finally got to the one who sent us to a factory that did tests on fabric and manufactured fabric (busy people, though)! Wow, we discovered the gold mine! After many tests and comparisons with other fabrics for many months to come, we were able to get the strong fabrics we have nowadays. That was when, finally, our beloved MKimonos was born and it's still my pride and joy.
Inside BJJ: There are many gi manufacturers in the market today. What makes MKimonos standout versus the other gis?
Luciana Machado Simon: Have you noticed that so much about the gi industry today is about being new and different? What sets us apart is that we are not doing that; we focus on the traditional basics. For over 15 years now, when my brother was my partner and now, that Josh helps me, we have been producing designs that are traditional. We give importance to the final product itself and we don't want to distract people with unnecessary designs and many details we don't consider essential. We spend more money and time on quality fabrics, construction, and inspection than any other company I know.
Inside BJJ: What should a person look for when purchasing a new gi?
Luciana Machado Simon: That's a very important question. I see dozens of discussion threads on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu forums each year, always asking what the best gi is. They always get fifty different responses with fifty different answers.
Besides high level quality fabrics and constructions, there are a few other things to take into consideration when buying a new gi.
- Budget
- Training frequency
- Climate
- Competition plans
- Body type
- Personal style
- How long you would like that gi to last
The list could go on forever. I believe that people really need to look at the above factors and not what other people say when purchasing a gi. The only other thing I would say, is to understand where your money is going. A gi will cost X dollars, but customers need to understand that the price is a result of multiple factors:
- Fabric cost
- Rent of the factory
- Utilities
- Local taxes
- Employee salaries
- Maintenance on sewing machines and cutting devices
- Embroidery and dying
- Packaging
- Shipping charges and taxes
- Customs and duties
- Storage
The above prices are obvious, but people do not always think about other factors that add to gi costs:
- Advertising
- Sponsorship
- Development of new products
- Promotions or giveaways
- Trademark, copyright or other legal expenses
- Website, e-commerce, credit card and bank processing fees
These factors, and a million others are all taken into account when a company prices a gi. Each company will spend more or less in each category.
Just make sure you understand what you are buying. Are you buying a $200 gi where the company spends 10% of the cost on actually making the gi and 90% of the cost in advertising and sponsorships?
Or the reverse? I am sure you can see I am a little biased, but that is a big difference that people need to take into account prior to a purchase.
Inside BJJ: What are some simple things someone can do to extend the life of their MKimono?
Luciana Machado Simon: It is actually quite simple. My husband, Josh, has MKimonos in his rotation that are 10-12 years old. Some of his newer ones are "only" 5-6 years old. An MKimono will last an extremely long time, if you take care of it. Remember to ALWAYS: cold water wash, use regular detergent and hang dry. Never use hot water, bleach or machine dry. All of those processes will weaken the fabric over time and lead to tears (not to mention also over-shrink your gi).
Inside BJJ: MKimonos recently sponsored Xande Ribeiro. Xande is an international superstar in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Many tournaments do not pay or offer cash prizes for tournament winners. What are you thoughts on this matter?
Luciana Machado Simon: Wow, controversial question! I do not want to seem like I am going against Carlinhos [Gracie], but I do think the major tournaments are bringing in profits. Between competitor fees, spectator fees, advertising fees, concessions, merchandising and DVD sales, I feel there is money that can be given back to the top tier athletes.
If we as fans desire to see the best athletes compete at the Black Belt level, we should not be against compensating them for placing. I think it is all part of continuing to encourage, develop, and promote BJJ.
Inside BJJ: What can a company such as MKimonos do to better the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Luciana Machado Simon: I think any one company is limited in what it can do. I try to ensure that we represent people who I feel are good ambassadors of not only my brand, but Gracie Jiu-Jitsu/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a whole. Through our support of them, we are influencing the direction of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We sponsor very few people and sometimes go years without sponsoring anyone. So it is not a decision we take lightly. Sometimes, Josh and I are watching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and say, "Wow, that guy is really good!" But then when we see their behavior, sportsmanship, how they run their academy, etc., we decide not to approach them. Even the people that we used to sponsor, but no longer do such as: Marcio Feitosa, Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, Robson Moura, Leticia Ribeiro, Fabricio "Morango" Camoes, Jared Weiner, Mike Fowler, etc. All are great people and great for the art. I highly recommend you train with them, if you get a chance.
Inside BJJ: Is there anything in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu you would like to see changed?
Luciana Machado Simon: I am part of the traditional school. I have been part of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community for over 30 years now. I really feel that I have grown up right alongside Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When I was a kid, I was in the academies watching the closed door training sessions with Rickson and Royler. When I became an adult, I spent many days in the closed door training sessions at Carlson Gracie Team/Brazilian Top Team with Carlson Gracie Senior, Ricardo Liborio, Murilo Bustamante, Mario Sperry and the Nogueira brothers. All of these individuals successfully competed in sport tournaments, but also felt a strong belief in training the roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (the self defense/street fighting curriculum). I am concerned now that with the number and types of sport tournaments that people are no longer emphasizing the street training.
When I was young, I witnessed the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu vs Luta Livre and other challenge matches. Part of what makes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu special and potent is the reality aspect. This is what many of the Traditional Martial Arts lost along the way. I do not want to see Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu go the same way.
So, while I encourage sport competition, people need to maintain their training for the street as well. You can see that in our list of people we have sponsored over the years: Royler, Saulo, Xande, Shaolin, Liborio, Bustamante, Minotauro, Feitosa, etc. They all were successful sport competitors, but they also are firm believers in the traditional self defense techniques and strategies. While their students do very well in competitions, they still teach self defense in their classes.
Inside BJJ: What is next for MKimonos?
Luciana Machado Simon: Our goal (Josh and myself) is to set the standards for the industry. My brother, Marcelo, created the hybrid weave. It continues to be our most popular gi and is now our only middleweight offering. Josh and I just developed the Palladium weave to reenergize the double weave market. We have been amazed at the response we have gotten from customers on it. We pioneered the summer weave 15 years ago and will be working on reintroducing that over next few months.
Inside BJJ, thanks again for the opportunity to talk with you. It was a pleasure sharing a little bit about myself and my MKimonos. If anyone has any other questions, they can email me at Luciana@MKimonos.com. Take Care!
