J.J. Martin Brings Her Brand of Bright Colors and High Vibrations to London
Click here to read the full article.
LONDON — As well as selling you the most exuberant printed dresses and plates to match, J.J. Martin, the Milan-based founder of buzzy label La DoubleJ, wants to help you raise your vibration and find your inner goddess.
“We are a high-energy brand, when you are dealing with print and color, you’re dealing with energy. There’s a different color for each chakra and it really is a mood booster, it’s an uplifting thing. So I think that my company is not really a fashion company in the sense of trying to rule the runways. What I’m trying to do is create a world of happiness and great energy,” Martin said.
More from WWD
Ada Kokosar Opens Up Midnight 00's World of Fantasy Footwear
Matchesfashion.com Debuts First Campaign, Starring Christy Turlington
The designer was in London to launch an exclusive collection for Mathcesfashion.com, alongside a pop-up space at the retailer’s Mayfair town house, 5 Carlos Place.
To mark the launch, Martin wanted to give her guests a real taste of her bright, patterned world and so she hosted Qi Gong energy healing sessions for guests, alongside collection previews and an evening cocktail.
“The idea is how can we raise your vibration with the clothing, how can we raise it with the Qi Gong. I also started writing about my fertility journey for Goop and I really noticed how many women related to that and so I started realizing that I really need to bring more of that into the company,” Martin said.
Her capsule for Matchesfashion.com, her earliest brand supporter, channels the same attitude. Inspired by the book “Goddesses in Every Woman,” Martin illustrated modern versions of the Greek mythological Goddesses all across lush velvet pillows, brightly hued plates, oversize canvas totes, ponchos and her signature midi dresses.
“Greek goddesses actually represent female archetypes that are classic across the generations. So we can, by studying these stories, learn about our own habits, our strengths, our weaknesses. And since these Goddesses are represented in such a classical way, I thought let’s rejig them and represent them in a more modern, fun way,” said the designer, pointing to the matching patterns across the ready-to-wear, plates and linens.
“Everything goes from your table to your bedroom to your closet and you can mix it up.”
Martin was quick to notice the growth of fashion-driven, Instagram-friendly homeware, dubbing plates as the new “It” bags and translating her flair for striking patterns on everything from plates, to aprons, tablecloths and candles.
“People adore home, but they’re not going to buy as many plates as they do dresses. Maybe they have three sets of plates, but they’re gonna have more than three dresses. So I think in terms of business potential, clothing will always be stronger, but I think there’s a lot of emphasis on home and it’s important to show the way that it all works together,” she added. “These days women aren’t buying a hundred handbags like they used to, they just want one per year. So homeware just allows you to differentiate yourself and a lot more people are spending time at home — my friends that I know, especially in Italy, they would much rather invite you to their house than go to a restaurant.”
Next up for Martin, are the launches of a ski wear capsule and a footwear collaboration with Fabrizio Viti.
She is also looking to hire a full-time chief executive officer — her ultimate goal being to become her own chief spiritual officer.
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
