BEHIND THE SEAMS – FABRICATED – JALU CLOTHING

The world seems to move at a steadily increasing pace as minds expand and ideas are created and born into fruition.

The ‘rise of the creative class’ has not only brought forth new and edgy designers and artists but also business savvy entrepreneurs with fresh perspectives.

In the industry of fashion, cutthroat and competitive as it may be, many creators are realizing the benefits of building communities rather than rivalries and partnerships rather than hierarchies.

This is the case for upcoming design team, Jalu, consisting of the creative director Luanne Ronquillo, and head of business development Jacile Peredo. Long time friends, this duo finds a mutual respect for each other creating a beneficial balance.

After living out of Calgary for a while, the two reunited back in 2009 to collaborate with another friend for a fashion/art party consisting of a fashion show with Ronquillo’s personal designs and Peredo’s graphic art. The show fell through but brought Peredo with the idea to join her forward thinking mind with Ronquillo’s undeniable creativity, thus the evolution of what is now Jalu began.

Cleverly teasing us with their blog full of dreamlike sneak peek videos and photos of their line along with a collective of art, food, culture, and music related posts; these ladies have grabbed our interest and we refuse to be let go.

This creative collaboration will be showing their debut collection at the highly anticipated Fabricated show on April 16th, 2011.

Our city is bursting with talent and with the light on community and collectives; we can expect beautiful things from the team at Jalu as they lead in example, the power in numbers.

CF: What is your idea of fashion?

L: Personal expression. Fashion can be anything. Some people express themselves through music, dance, food, writing, etc… Fashion is just an outlet for people to express themselves.

J: I like to think that fashion is an opportunity to create an impression of how we feel and how we want others to perceive us. It is the ultimate non-verbal way to communicate our self-image to the outside world.

CF: How do you define your personal style?

L: Ever evolving. For right now a little bit of punk, girly vintage ruffles, asymmetrical cuts, maxi anything, and a lot of layering and textures. I like to try new things all of the time, it’s fun playing dress up.

J: Feminine. I believe there’s a dress for every occasion and season. You will be hard pressed to catch me in flats unless I’m at the gym or grocery shopping.

CF: Do you think that your roots, whether through your heritage or from places you have lived or have been to, have helped to evolve your style?

L: Definitely! Every experience helps evolve my style. Living in different countries, absorbing cultures. The way my parents raised me, it all plays a role in not only my personal style but also the way I live my life.

J: I have two older sisters, and my whole childhood involved hand-me-down’s and closet thievery. I definitely learned how put things together at a young age just by sheer observation.

CF: How do you think your current creative environment influences your style?

L: Currently where I am most creative is at work and home. At work I see new fashion all day long, it’s extremely inspiring to see what the designers I look up to are coming out with. At home, I have the honor of being around my uber creative boyfriend, who not only teaches me tons but motivates me like no other.  It’s daily experiences like these that help push my style to another level.

J: I’ve always been a visual person and I consider my overall environment as a source of inspiration.

CF: Do you often find your designs reflect your own style and personality?

L: My designs mostly reflect my own style and personality.  I design clothes to express myself. Clothes that I would love to wear, or that I would like to see people wear.  It’s like cooking, I make food that I would like to eat and coincidentally other people tend to like that food as well.

CF: How do you approach designing a collection?

L: I just start sketching outfits that I would like to see for the season.  When I think of ideas that I like, that can be carried throughout the collection, I use continue to use those ideas.  It creates a theme for me. Sometimes even envisioning a vacation or dream world can spark an idea for a collection.

CF: As a collective, you must have to find the balance of sharing and mending your ideas together. How does this work for you two? Do you feel a benefit from working as a team?

L: Working as a team is definitely beneficial.  We are able to use each others different perspectives to create a balance in our business. Jacile helps a lot in the creative process, especially when it comes to marketing the line. She’s extremely knowledgeable when it comes to business, and without her we would have never started this venture.

J: It is very rare to find a 50/50 partnership that works in harmony simply because nothing moves forward without the other person. In our case, we are fortunate that we are able to remove emotions when making business decisions. By setting expectations from the very beginning and holding each other accountable to them, we can only benefit from our collaboration.

CF: What do you enjoy most about the fashion world?

L: Constant and tangible fruition.

J: The fact that there are no rules.

CF: If you have one, which designer is your current favorite?

L: Haider Ackermann

J: Hérve Léger by Max Azria

CF: What color or pattern do you find yourself magnetized to the most?

L: Dark olive greens and grays. I love gray.

J: Black isn’t a color but I love mixing different fabric & textures in the same shade. It’s either that or vibrant colors when I have my tan on.

CF: Where is your favorite place to shop?

L: In Calgary, Holt Renfrew and Cat’s Eye Vintage which is now gone. Online, Spanish Moss Vintage.

J: Holt Renfrew.

CF: Do you have a personal trend that you would love to ‘set’?

L: Yes… Personality!  Put some personality in your style. It’s better to look crazy and terrible then to look boring and plain.

J: Wear the size the fits, not the size that you think you are or want to be.

CF: Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, an era of experimental and radical outlooks on fashion trends and music, what trends or fads have you fallen victim to in your past that you may or may not regret now?

L:  Tie front shirts, acid wash jeans, fanny packs, leg warmers. There’s more than I can remember, but I don’t regret any, they were fun at the time.

J: I will never regret my neon everything, denim overalls, bang waves and red Nintendo brand eyeglasses.

CF: What is your signature piece or look, whether personally or in Jalu?

L: Signature look I’d say is comfort with style. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.

J: Personally, I love big earrings. Gold hoops specifically.

CF: What is the best fashion advice that you have been given and from whom?

L: “Anything you wear looks good, if you’re confident then I think it looks nice.” – my boyfriend

J: Wearing nude pumps to elongate your legs. I read it somewhere.

CF: What advice can you give people who are trying to break the barrier in finding their personal style and find the balance of trend and originality?

L: Always experiment until you find something you love. Don’t let anyone tell you it looks bad, if you love it, own it.

J: Wear what FEELS good. People don’t see the clothes – they see the confidence.

CF: Where do you see fashion going in terms of being used as a tool for those in the creative industry?

L: I see it growing. I think if there’s a person that is already creative in another field, then it’s only a matter of time before they begin to dabble in fashion as another creative outlet.  Fusing art forms.

J: The thing about fashion is that it’s so ambiguous. Most people who are naturally creative know how to tap into the visual representation of what they want to express. Fashion is going to continue to evolve and act as a muse for artists everywhere.

Introduction and Interview by Samantha Casuga