Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
To make her latest collection dubbed ‘Return to Essence,’ the Korean fashion designer looked back on her childhood days in the Philippines
Traveling is one of the things that enriches a designer’s talent. It allows them to see the world in a myriad of colors, meet people and learn their stories, and create wonderful memories that they will immortalize through sketches and draped fabric. It helps them make universal designs, blurring the lines between different genders, cultures, and even the ones that separate fantasy from reality.
All of those happened in Jimin Lee’s journey in the fashion industry. Being in the most vibrant places—Korea, China, and Italy—allowed her to build J. Cricket, a brand that offers seasonless garments that can be styled in infinite ways. Although her label is based in Milan, J. Cricket finds joy in bringing its pieces to stylish communities around the globe. For 2024, its first stop is the Philippines, where Jimin spent some of her younger years.
During a trunk show at Homme et Femme in 8 Rockwell, Makati City, Jimin unveiled the J. Cricket’s latest set for its Wardrobe 24 showcase. Dubbed “Return to Essence,” the bespoke line features garments made of deadstock fabrics, with hues that resonate with the spirit of Manila.
“We do things that are more suited to places [we go]. We try to infuse it with a local voice and colors,” Jimin says as she presents a fiery red skirt. “Manila is very spirited, vibrant, and [all about] light fabrics.”
To make the collection suited for Manila, Jimin looked back on her childhood days in the Philippines. She recalled memories of lush greens, the hues of the sea, and the picturesque horizons of the country. Each piece features three colors—a signature of the designers. Echoing the sense of universality, the designs have masculine and feminine elements. Among our favorite pieces on display during the trunk show were the Tent dress in magenta and the garden dress and cloud petticoat. Perfect everyday dressing is her Utilitarian ensembles and pieces in toile de jouy print.
“Over time, we developed a lot of shapes and they stay on. Because it is an imaginary wardrobe, we work with flexible pieces,” the Korean fashion designer notes. “Their variations are quite infinite and that is a key part of what we call an imaginary wardrobe. You can mix and match it in many ways.”
J. Cricket was established in 2018. But unlike other brands, Jimin wants it to break the mold. The retail and e-commerce game doesn’t apply to the brand. It only produces pieces based on what clients want and the available materials, which aligns with the designer’s sustainability and empowerment goals. There are no fashion shows, just intimate gatherings where clients can see her pieces up close and try them on. For her, the brand doesn’t have a single muse. Her clothes are designed to fit and celebrate every woman everywhere. — John Legaspi
“I mustered up the courage to take it out of the system. I decided that there will be no retail or e-commerce,” Jimin muses. “It should just be a traveling wardrobe, meeting communities in various places around the world.”
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
