How Mighty Jaxx's founder Jackson Aw turned his hobby into a globally successful business

Jackson Aw got his first taste of the thrill of collecting when he was a student. As a child, he would collect toy soldiers before progressing to amass small art pieces and hip Lomo cameras in his teenage years.

With a wry laugh, he recalled how his parents simply could not understand his youthful obsession. “My family generally thought it was a waste of money and that I was out of my mind to be buying toys at my age. I tried to reason it out with them, but they did not quite get it,” he said.

Undeterred by their scepticism, Aw continued to pursue his passion by seeking out unique figurines and other collectibles that captured his imagination.

“We are all collectors and there are different stages that a collector grows into. I am at the very worst end of it because I am deeply inflicted with this passion – when I buy something, I need to have the full collection,” he said.

It is this process of assembling a complete collection that spurs him on. He said: “That is part of the journey (of collecting). When I complete a full set and realise I am one of only 10 or 20 people in the world who have actually achieved an entire collection, that brings me joy.”

His collecting journey reached a turning point in 2012. Inspired by his uncle who was a creative entrepreneur, Aw decided to start his own business, designing his own collectibles and toy figurines. Hence, Might Jaxx, a pop culture collectible brand, was born. His parents were initially unsure about this business idea but were nevertheless supportive of his efforts.

His first product was the Hell Lotus skeleton figurine sitting atop a lotus flower, which was created in collaboration with urban artist and illustrator Clogtwo. With limited resources in those early days of the business, he had no choice but to store the 200 units he had produced in his parents’ HDB flat.

“One thing I am very grateful for is that when I started the business, even though they did not quite understand it, it was all hands on deck. From packing the products to shipping them, even my extended family got involved,” said Aw.

The Hell Lotus skeleton figurine went on to become a hit at the 2012 San Diego Comic Convention and the rest, as they say, is history – Mighty Jaxx was soon on its way to global recognition.

These days, Aw no longer has to worry about running out of space for his collectibles. His current office space in Singapore has a beautifully designed display room to showcase the various collectibles and figurines the brand has produced over the years.

Today, Mighty Jaxx is widely regarded as one of the most influential producers of collectibles and lifestyle products – many of its designs are sold out in a flash.

From a personal perspective, Aw has also experienced a paradigm shift as a collector. “When I moved from being a collector to a creator, it allowed me to really understand what it takes to create a world class collectible. I began to notice things like the material of the item and the techniques required to create it. So, I have begun to collect less and to collect things which I find are technically hard to achieve,” he said.

These days, he prefers items with more “inherent value” such as original artworks, limited edition prints and sculptures. As of now, he reveals that he is most obsessive over cars, especially vintage models.

He lets on that one of his key motivations for breaking into this niche business was the desire to work with his creative idols like Taiwanese-American visual artist James Jean, New York City-based streetwear designer Jeff Staple and Singaporean design and art collective Phunk Studio. “These are people that I look up to and to realise my dream in a physical collaboration – that sense of fulfilment is very hard to put a value on,” he said.

One notable collaboration for Mighty Jaxx was with French artist Goin, resulting in the Bad Apple art piece featuring Snow White holding up a grenade. This creation held additional symbolism as it was launched during a period of rioting in Paris, hence imbuing the piece with additional meaning and relevance.

Mighty Jaxx has also tied-up with top brands such as Adidas and Disney and worked with streaming giant Netflix on unique projects such as Stranger Things ––The Encounter: Singapore, an interactive retail experience held in Singapore in 2023.

One collaboration he holds dear is a partnership with local design collective Phunk Studio, which he has been a big fan of since his youth. He worked with them to create Love Bomb, a resin figure of a bomb inspired by the concept that “love is the most powerful force in the world”.

Aw especially relishes having the opportunity to showcase Singaporean talent on a global stage. “For the longest time, Singapore creatives have not been acknowledged in the way that they should be. That said, in the last few years, we have had more local creatives making it big overseas,” he said.

In 2022, Mighty Jaxx acquired Kinetiquettes, a local brand popular for creating manga characters. Its premium collectibles, which are made in clay, are well known for their intricate designs.

“Nobody makes sculptures in clay nowadays. Everything is digital now, but I enjoy the process of making characters that I love in clay using my hands,” said Kinetiquettes co-founder and creative director, Adeeb Md.

“It is great to have Jackson as a colleague and friend to grow the business together. So, we do not only see Kinetiquettes as Kinetiquettes, and Mighty Jaxx as Mighty Jaxx. We see them together as an umbrella and a family.”

As Aw looks back on his journey from a misunderstood toy collector to the founder of a company with international clout, he said with pride, “The brand is really an extension of all of us over – the music we listen to, the art we collect and the different pop culture elements that influenced us as we grew up.”

He added: “Coming from Singapore and seeing how we have translated our passions globally and became successful in different regions is also affirmation for us. At least I can go back to my parents and tell them my idea was not so crazy after all.”