With a passion for menswear the trio wanted to incorporate their own expertise to produce a line that reflected their own personal style and ideologies. Cheikh has a great background in manufacturing and sourcing, therefore taking on the role as President to oversee the entire production side of the line. Sophie is the Head Designer and gifted artist who is able to make the entire line come to fruition with a stroke of a pen. Justin, a stylist by trade oversees the image and design process of the line as the Creative Director. Lynn Furge opens the new year with the talented trio.
Lynn Furge: What is one piece every man needs to have in his wardrobe?
Cheikh: A well made blazer in navy blue or charcoal grey are good basic colours for any occasion. You can dress these up or down depending on the situation. Even if you don’t work in an environment that demands you wear dress shirts and a suit, it’s essential to have one.
LF: How has your current Spring 2010 collection evolved into Fall 2010 which you are planning to unveil at the end of the month?
Justin: For spring we decided to go for a very light palette of whites and khakis that was very fresh and inflected with hidden prints and colors in the cuffs and collars. Aesthetically, we wanted to go for a relaxed look so we made unlined jackets that had a more relaxed look. For fall we decided to look at black and white photographs of Rudolph Valentino and Cary Grant as well as World War I uniforms. There’s such a rich history in menswear and we wanted to respect that for our Fall 2010 collection. The colors will be darker and more austere for fall and structure is going to play a huge part.
LF: When it comes to marketing for men, what do you think is an important point to get across?
Cheikh: Confidence ,wit , elegance, with a touch of whimsy.
Justin: The most important thing is that men purchase our clothes and wear them with a sense of ownership.
LF: Menswear is a hard genre to break into, because being too safe makes you boring, but being to edgy makes you unwearable. What do you feel makes J.Cheikh different?
Justin: I definitely love to style extravagantly, but when it comes to dressing the J.Cheikh customer, and myself, looking unique is just as important as dressing with a sense of purpose. When I shop for clothes, I love looking for that one piece that can be worn frequently but also doesn’t look basic or boring. Editing your look is definitely something we think about when designing. Men can try new things in their looks, just not everything all at once. We are always looking at contemporary shapes and silhouettes when designing, but we always keep in mind that trends tend to be fleeting.
LF: What do you consider first, fit, fabric or function and why?
Justin: While all three are important, we always look at fit first. A great fit can boost your confidence and really make a garment come to life. Great fabrics and function are definitely a part of the equation, but we find that it all falls into place when the garment fits right.
LF: What are 3 consistent design aesthetics you put in every piece?
Sophie: The designs are meant to be classics. They are pieces that men always looked good in and will always appreciate. J.Cheikh is designed to be timeless and classically in style.
LF: Who is your muse?
Cheikh: The Villains in movies and the leading man in love stories. Dressing is like putting on a mood or a personality for the day, it's living in the moment. Villians and Leading Men have the power to inspire the passion we have in ourselves.
Sophie: Cheikh
View the collection: www.jcheikh.com
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