Florence, Italy

I have had a very busy 5 weeks, but to keep it short, I have relocated to Florence, Italy and was selected by Fashion Future to intern for Salvatore Ferragamo and will be part of their Menswear design team. I spent the last few days in Hong Kong and have just arrived in Florence today.  

This is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen.  I got off the train from Milan and had a stroll through the city to my new apartment and everywhere I looked was beautiful beautiful architecture.  It's the first time I've come to Europe and my goodness what a city to start off at.

I'm going to be spending the next 12 months here and I'm hopeful that in that 12 months I will not only learn a lot about European fashion, but also get the opportunity to travel through Europe.

More pics and more other stuff to follow...

If it's meant to be... it Will be.

I'm feeling a bit down tonight, but I found these words, and like with all things in life - it has its' ups and its' downs.

These words, in a spiritual/karmic sort of way, is the only way i know how to keep myself calm/sane/happy and know that I have made the right choices in my life.

I don't live in a world of doubt, I can't afford to, not with what I want to achieve - but what I can afford is Hope, but when you believe in something so much and you fall over, again and again, hope takes just a little longer to pick you up.

I will stand again, I know I will.

"If it's meant to be, It WILL be."

An Autumn Mourning.

So on this Autumn morning, I have started my research toward my Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. I found myself going through pictures of what I already knew to be a "general" theme throughout the collection. - The chinese funeral - I believe it is the first path one takes to their own rebirth. I started thinking what this means to me, what it means in 'general'.

As I was flicking through the pictures and listening to the above song on Youtube, I started crying. The more I saw the pictures the more I felt & the sadder I became. I said to myself, this is it, things like this, designing collections, having a message, doing something you believe in, will ALWAYS BRING YOU BACK TO THE RAWEST OF EMOTIONS. Whether people understand it or not / like it or not / interested or not - it's there, you're there - open for judgement.

It may have morphed to a completely new thing or become such an abstract of the fundamental 'concept' in six months time when it hits the runway, but it's there - and here's proof.

I find it interesting when people/friends/family ask - what is this collection about? and I know I am supposed to be able to succinctly answer and define what I am doing in ONE sentence and make it look easy, but the truth is, I can't.

I sometimes feel lost from this point of concept research, to concept sketch, to then toiling, sampling, fabric choices, manufacturing, photoshooting, and anything else that I have missed out to the final product "open for judgement" - It's the process that not many people get to see, and it's the process that I love.

My first collection Kings die like other men - my "go-to" sentence was: "It's about horses with heavy equestrian influences" - It becomes so filtered and watered down to the point that it almost makes me look stupid, but at the same time people don't want to hear: It's about death and that whoever you idolise will die, Kings die, you will die, we all die and it's a very personal tribute to my father... and what they ACTUALLY hear when I say that is:

"Like, I'm totes emo, and like I like death coz like I have issues and Like I'm just like a totes narcissistic prick that like cares so much about... like.. death.." of course with upward inflections all the way through it.

Whereas my "go-to" sentence works a treat and I usually get responses like:

"WOW yehh, I get it... it's so RALPH LAUREN - omg I love it."

I was told "Fashion is a very narcissistic industry" and fashion "people" are narcissistic people and in response I'd like to say, thank you, you're welcome.

Bondi Markets

So I was browsing the net and came across this and thought I'd share it. A quick update on the Bondi Markets a few weeks ago - I felt a bit under prepared, but it was ok! I had a great response and I'll be heading back this weekend for more and definitely will be more organised!

The above image has nothing to do with bondi markets and I would just like to say that I DID NOT go through any racism there, it was just a pic I came across while I was browsing!

VALHALLA SPRING/SUMMER 2012-13 RTW COLLECTION

Collection sneak-peek. If you are a retailer and would like to see the full look-book please email me at: jeromy@jeromylim.com.

At this point in time, I am only circulating the look-book for retailers and media and public distribution will begin in a few months for our Facebook fans who have requested for it. What does that mean? It means our Facebook fans have the opportunity to PRE-ORDER this collection at 40% off retail prices.

If you aren't a fan already find me here: www.facebook.com/jeromylim

Bondi Markets

Following on from the "I'm trying to LIVE" mentality(previous post), today I start at the Bondi Markets. I remember all those years ago when I was in Perth selling at the markets outside the State library, I met a lot of interesting people in the industry through that avenue. I'm a little nervous but I'm hoping that in time, I will get to know more of the Sydney fashion industry this way too, I'm not hoping to be "discovered" or anything like that, I just want to meet nice and interesting people doing the same sorta thing and trying to do what they believe in.

Sometimes, I have to remind myself to keep going...

You know, today there was a sudden realisation that, FASHION is tough! I mean, I've always known and it isn't a brand "new" revelation but omg. I've been applying for jobs here in Sydney, while trying to run my label and "live." It has become such a standard answer for me when I try and blow people off - yeh yeh yeh I'm doing my label.. and trying to live. *awkward silence*

Quotes

So for a while now on Facebook I have been posting my favourite quotes pics that I've found from here or there - Anywhere I come across and so I've decided every couple of days or so I should upload some here as well. They inspire me when I'm down and sometimes when I have nothing better to do, I like to read through them - I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Death||Existence||Rebirth

I thought I'd write this somewhere as a record of my process of work. My first collection that I designed- Kings Die Like Other Men A/W 2012 was based on the loss of something/someone dear to me. It speaks of the raw emotion that we feel and the realisation that we are all bound for something greater - Death. This occurred to me on a very personal level and I had no way of expressing or even coming to terms with this. I became very destructive//anti social and the only way I found myself coping was designing this collection.

My current collection I'm working on - V A L H A L L A ++ LIFE AFTER DEATH ++ S/S 2012 references my belief that after we leave Earth, our souls travel to a non physical realm. Again, this is something very personal to me as I believe that wherever "he" is, "he" has begun his journey to live another life away from the one we know. No one ever truly dies.

"People may think life is suffering. It is best to think that death is final and everything has concluded. Buddhism states that death is not final. It is the beginning of another life. We must learn to treasure each life, and not to waste it away. With rebirth, existences never end. There is always hope to build a brighter future. Without rebirth, death is the end. All our hopes and dreams will not be fulfilled."

My next collection titled: REBIRTH || discarded memories || A/W 2013, will close a chapter in my life encapsulating the 3 collections from start to finish - Death||Existence||Rebirth. This 3rd collection pays tribute to those who have been in our lives dear to us. It is a collection that tries to capture the essence of "hope" and renewed belief, a collection that tries to show that despite what we have been through and where we have come from - it will be ok. Life knows no limits.

"Yet, even the strictest law(life) has a loophole. Only in front of rebirth that all are equal. Kings and nobles, commoners and beggars, everyone must face the cycle of rebirth."

www.jeromylim.com

So we are undergoing some revamping of our old site, the new website will include an online store where you can buy the latest Jeromy Lim collections. It will be available through www.jeromylim.com in the next few days! but for now take a look at www.facebook.com/jeromylim as our facebook store is already up and running!

THE VIDEO doesn't seem to be playing properly here. To check out the video take a look at it
here: Jeromy Lim Fall/Winter 2012

We are currently taking pre-orders; and to celebrate our new website we are giving customers 40% off all pre-orders before 19-Jan-2012!

Bob Dylan - The times are a changin'

Beautiful song.

SOYA - Spirit of Youth Awards

If you're bored and want to have a read, I've entered SOYA!

http://www.soya.com.au/entrants/10157466 take a look at it and click LIKE. It's not a public vote system(I don't think so anyway) but I'm guessing it wouldn't hurt to have a lot of LIKES on my entry to help nudge the judges?????

I stumbled across this yesterday - 1 day before the entries close and thought, what the heck. If I don't enter, then I don't have a chance... so no harm trying!

Jeromy Lim Womenswear at the Recent Curtin Gradshow

Drum media press

Out in Perth - full article can be read here: http://www.outinperth.com/index.php/reviews/best-in-show

In case you missed my gradshow you can watch the video above. My gradshow is a dedicated to my father and is a womenswear response to my collection "Kings Die Like Other Men"

Also there are a few pics of press images lately in regards to the Curtin University gradshow.

Akira Isogawa

Day 3 - I walked around Sydney today with Akira Isogawa to one of his shops in Woollahra and then to go fabric shopping with him in Surry Hills. I am in awe of what he does and how he has done it, and as a designer just starting out, it's always fantastic to receive kind words and advice from an Australian fashion legend.

As we were walking to his Woollahra shop, I asked him how many other shops he has and where he finds time to manage them all: he laughed and said: "Well... I have this shop, one in Strand Arcade, one in Melbourne and one in Brisbane" and on top of that he told me he wholesales to David Jones and various boutiques in Australia, Paris and Japan and designs a few collections a year followed by a laugh and this statement: "I think that's enough for 1 person to handle.. I don't think I can handle anymore"

I instantly thought, My god, most people don't even do a QUARTER of what he does and here he is saying yeh.. I think that's enough... kind of puts all the stress I felt this year about graduating university into some sort of "perspective" - and also made me think; I SHOULD NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT HAVING TO WORK TOO MUCH(not that I do... but now if I ever feel like it.. then I'll think back to today and my conversation with Akira!)

So apart from that, I am in the process of designing my VALHALLA S/S2012 collection and have just placed orders for my SWING TAGS, SIZE TAGS AND CLOTHING LABEL TAGS! from Melbourne. TAGS TAGS TAGS!!

Also, if you haven't already, check out my Facebook page to stay tuned on collection updates http://www.facebook.com/jeromylim

It's time.

Jeromy Lim on Fashion TV

Student Runway Show - PFF 2011, Australia | FTV by Fashion_TV

Graduated.

I have officially now graduated. First of all, Thank you everyone who has followed my 3 year university journey here on my blog. I have moved to Sydney to start my internship with Akira Isogawa. I am still working on my label "Jeromy Lim" which will be in-stores Feb/Mar 2012.

So what now? Well I don't know. I am grateful for all the opportunities that 3 years of study has given me. On my grad night I won "Most Promising Designer/Emerging Talent" Sheila magazine award which involves a mentorship, cash toward my new collection, on-going articles in the magazine, and a day later I won Fashion Exposed debut award to showcase in Sydney in February 2012.

This year has been an extremely busy 3rd year for me. I have launched my manufacturing business/studio in Malaysia where all Jeromy Lim manufacture of garments will take place and on top of doing my Carton - Perth Fashion Festival collection, I also had to do my Womenswear graduation collection. Busy Busy!

So to answer the question that everyone asks after they graduate... What now? It seems for me, this week before my internship in Sydney is the only break I'll have until mid next year. I never thought that 6 months would be filled so quickly!

So if everything goes to plan this is the plan:

Dec - Internship with Akira Isogawa

Jan - Media tour in Melbourne (TBC)
Jan/Feb - Malaysia(manufacture)
Feb - Debut show in Sydney(S/S COLLECTION) // Deliver of A/W stock
Mar - L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (TBC) - S/S 2012
April - Malaysia(Manufacture)
May - Deliver of S/S 2012 stock // Launch of New A/W 2013 collection

and finally here are some of my photos of my gradshow.

image courtesy of Stylediscovery - read the article here.

image above courtesy of Ragdoll Photography.

above and below image courtesy of Style Voyeur - read the article here.

MUSIC USED FOR MY GRADSHOW RUNWAY

PLEASE NOTE that this womenswear collection IS NOT going into production. Sorry people and thank you for your requests, but "Kings Die Like Other Men" will be available as a menswear collection only. Please stay posted for my S/S 2012 collection titled: V A L H A L L A which will include womenswear.

NEW LOGO DESIGN, EMAIL and SITE

www.jeromylim.com

general inquiries: info@jeromylim.com

stockist info : jeromy@jeromylim.com

Kings die like other men - Jeromy Lim Debut Collection

So there it is.. my debut collection titled: Kings die like other men. Shown at Perth Fashion Festival 2011. Collection will be in stores March 2012.

I am currently working on a womenswear collection to be shown at my grad show on November 16th 2011.

Two weeks to SHOWTIME

My Carton collection will be showing soon.

25th of September.

Unfortunately tickets are sold out.
Pics posted as soon as I get them.

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=267902963235890

Events page:
http://www.perthfashionfestival.com.au/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=13336