CELEBRATING AUSTERITY
JOJIE LLOREN sticks to what he knows, producing a capsule collection for the ages
During the final parade of looks at this year’s Red Charity Gala fashion show, which celebrated the ten designers who had been invited to present in the last ten years, one man’s work stood out in its simplicity. Jojie Lloren stuck to the tailoring and detail-oriented aesthetic he made his name on. “My inspiration is the Filipina,” he says. “During my first show with the Gala, it was along that same thread because it was inspired by Filipino paintings.” For this year’s showing, he decided to modernize traditional elements in the national costume using materials like piña “I played with the barong tagalog, the Maria Clara, the concept of the mestizo and also the balintawak,” he shares. “So I kind of re-engineered the sleeves and the silhouettes.” The darkened palette may have read as austere to some, considering the other collections in the Gala, but it was that decision that made his eight looks different from most. The first time Jojie was invited to do the Gala, he remembers being excited, and then a feeling of trepidation swooped in. “I was coming after all these great designers,” he says, “so I thought, ‘ Teka sandali.’” He decided to take his chance and step up to the challenge. “I didn’t want to be undeserving of the chance.” Coming back to do it all over again, Jojie felt the same fear he once did, especially because there were more designers this time. However, the experience from the last time helped. “These are all great designers and I thought “Ok, this is the greatest challenge ever,” he says. “Among the group shows I’ve joined, this is the most challenging.”
When he was a younger designer, Jojie hadn’t thought that a show like the Red Charity Gala would be on the cards for him. “I just saw myself sharing what I know, perhaps by way of teaching. Anything to help,” he says. “The Red Cross was out of my mind, nor a big show like this.” He believes the future of the Red Charity Gala is strong, especially with the gamut of young designers chomping at the bit to be the next force in Philippine fashion. “The Red Charity Gala is very aspirational especially to young designers,” he says, pragmatically. “I know that in years to come there will be more designers who are very young, who will be better than us, who deserve to have their own stint at the Gala.”
To plan for a big show like this, Jojie first prays for inspiration. “Inspiration doesn’t come right away,” he says. “I prayed that I would be guided and enlightened, and once I get the inspiration, then it jumpstarts everything.” For Jojie, service and charity is a sign of selflessness. “I’m very fortunate to be able to share and give something to charity,” he says.
“This is the best way I can return my blessings, through my talent.”
He calls his relationship with Tessa and Kaye “friendly and nice,” noting that he shares a mutual respect with the two co-Chairs of the Gala. “I consider them my friends,” he says.
According to Jojie, a meaningful life is one where he is happy and confident with what he has, although he believes you should not only be happy with yourself. “You should be happy to share with people,” he says. “That to me is a wellmeaning life.” -SSR
“The Red Charity Gala is very aspirational especially to young designers,I know that in years to come there will be more designers who are very young, who will be better than us, who deserve to have their own stint at the Gala.”