Tag: Jolibe

Jolibe Sets A Course For Uncharted Waters

Here there be dragons…maybe. Jolibe designers Joel Diaz and Christina LaPens have seen everything that fashion industry can throw at them. From being a struggling independent designer to having your clothes sold at Henri Bendel and becoming a right hand to Helmut Lang, for Mr. Diaz, and a successful career as a marketing and creative director for industry titans Victoria’s Secret, J. Crew, and many others for Mrs. LaPens. Then culminating with their label Jolibe being awarded a spot in the very first class of the CFDA’s Incubator, there’s no way they can be surprised by this business any more, right?

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
hair and makeup by Claire Marshall
model is Lara from Fenton Moon

Here there be dragons…maybe. Jolibe designers Joel Diaz and Christina LaPens have seen everything that the fashion industry can throw at them. From being a struggling independent designer to having your clothes sold at Henri Bendel and becoming a right hand to Helmut Lang, for Mr. Diaz, and a successful career as a marketing and creative director for industry titans Victoria’s Secret, J. Crew, and many others for Mrs. LaPens. Then culminating with their label Jolibe being awarded a spot in the very first class of the CFDA’s Incubator, there’s no way they can be surprised by this business any more, right? Continue reading “Jolibe Sets A Course For Uncharted Waters”

Jolibe – Fall 2011

The First Lady wore a Jolibe piece on her Christmas vacation and it created a nice buzz for the brand. However, it is the couple’s imagination, talent and savvy that will most certainly carry Jolibe into the future of American fashion.

Writer: Seth Friedermann
Photographer: Adrianna Favero

Joel Diaz and Christina La Pens’ Fall 2011 collection continued the striking new direction they forged last season. While they continue to maintain their trademark of manipulating fabric through imaginative construction and technique into unique and stunning shapes, they now do so in garments that are very easy to wear and integrate into your existing wardrobe. The challenge of the marketplace is sometimes very good for designers. It doesn’t always force them into some sort of hackneyed compromise, designers can use their imagination to re-envision how they express their own core design principles while still maintaining integrity and finding expressions that are retail-friendly, yet still very much their own. Continue reading “Jolibe – Fall 2011”

Jolibe – Spring 2011

It is tempting to describe Jolibe as a minimalist label, but the description is not wholly accurate.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

There are multiple paths to success as a fashion designer. Some attend schools and gain employment with established designers or design houses. Others sew at home and sell their collections at flea markets, online, and make appointments with boutiques to present their work. Still others mix those business models together. Then there is the curious case of  the label Jolibe. Jolibe is comprised of designer Joel Diaz and designer/creative director Christina La Pens. Mr. Diaz first attended design school in his native country of the Dominican Republic before moving on to Parsons here in New York City. He worked for Helmut Lang for five years and freelanced for major labels before launching Jolibe in 2007. To visit the label’s website is to be sent to a sparse Blogspot page. There are pictures of current and past collections, minimal biographical information, and sales and press contact addresses… that’s it. No press clippings, no lists of stores where you can find the brand, no flashy videos or shots of celebrities (Natalie Portman is a major fan, but you’d never know it from the site). This “Margielaistic” approach to promotion and marketing can be risky, but with the label’s recent inclusion in the C.F.D.A Incubator, exposure should no longer be a problem. It might appear as if the duo are anti-publicity, but they’re not. Nor is it some sort of cool affectation calculated to attract by appearing devil may care. Ultimately it’s just not what they’re focused on. What they’re focused on is creating some of the most unique and beautiful clothing you’ve ever seen. Continue reading “Jolibe – Spring 2011”