iiJin, The Love Revolution

Writer – Justin Howard @jthnomad

Fashion – iiJin @iijinhk

“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” – Rachel Zoe

The word iiJin in Korean means ‘precious,’ and true to form as a fashion line, iiJin successfully merges a rocker attitude with a glam sensibility to create individual pieces that are truly works of art. Today iiJin has a celebrity fan base including Kelly Clarkson, Zooey Deschanel, and PINK thanks to their trademark Invisible Wedge Shoes that provide an extra 2-5 inches of height without anyone knowing.

iiJin, The Love Revolution

Justin Howard for Black Chalk – Why fashion? What appeals to you about it?

June of iiJin – I have always loved fashion! It is a way to communicate with people without words. It allows you to express your mood and celebrate your ideas.

Black Chalk – How did you first get into making a fashion collection?

June of iiJin – I started out working in fashion as a stylist for local celebrities. The stars always wanted something different. I was making very creative and unique pieces for the stars which inspired me to create my own full fashion line.

Black Chalk – What is the message of “iiJin”?

June of iiJin – IIJIN is about freedom. Dressing out of the norm. We are all able to express ourselves through fashion. The line is designed around comfort and freedom, no corsets, no perfect figure needed. No painful high heels. It is for the woman who wants to look beautiful and at the same time feel comfortable. We are showing women that you don’t have to be bound up by society and be suffocated by opinions and criticisms. Be yourself and be fabulous!

Black Chalk – Describe your philosophy about the art of wardrobe?

June of iiJin – The art of wardrobe – I think it is to collect simple items that you can keep for a long time like a gorgeous white shirt or a beautiful black turtle neck. Like a painter with a white canvas. Always work with the basics, then add on the colors, just like purchasing hot seasonal items, like a silver jacket, wear that with a black turtleneck. Seasonal hot items are like paints and beautiful simple good quality basics are like canvases.

Black Chalk – Are you influenced by any music or art movements?

June of iiJin – Yes, we are influenced by art a lot. We love Keith Haring with the black markers and Andy Warhol with the bright colors. We had incorporated a lot of this style as inspiration into our clothes and graphic design for the line. As for music, we are influenced by Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth and Courtney Love from the ’90s. We love being able to express our thoughts freely.

Black Chalk – Describe your first piece. What does it look like? What material’s did you use? How long did it take you to make it? What were your inspirations?

June of iiJin – My first piece was actually a Martin Margiela white cotton tank dress which I wrote on with black marker then hand stitched rows and rows of black lace around it and added a lot of safety pins everywhere on the dress. It took me 14 days to make it. It was for a local celebrity’s concert. The idea was punk rock and at that time I was really into Courtney Love’s look. It was in the ‘90s. This got my creative juices flowing and I knew I had to keep designing.

Black Chalk – How do you intend people to feel when wearing your pieces?

June of iiJin – I wish for people to feel attractive, confident and comfortable in IIJIN pieces.

Back Chalk – What one piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in fashion?

June of iiJin – If someone wants to start a career in fashion, one must be prepared for hard work. It is not an easy task and without hard work and determination, it is not possible to succeed.

Black Chalk – Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction? If so how did you deal with it?

June of iiJin – Yes, unfortunately. Once I did not remember to bring any cuff links so I used some paper clips and unwound them and tied them onto the cuffs instead of cuff links. It was actually quite successful and I got a lot of praise for it. People thought it was really trendy and edgy.

In terms of a fashion crisis, you must always stay calm and use what ever is available to you and make it work. If you’re always smiling and confident, you can make almost anything look good.