LC: What inspired you to diverge from music to start your own fashion line?

JJ: Chances are if I wasn’t working in the music industry, you could have found me buried in textile samples. I was always intrigued by fashion, even as a little girl.

LC: How did the name BLANC & ECLARE come about?

JJ: Blanc meaning white coupled with Eclare deriving from the Latin root word Clara for clarity and brightness. Together these words depict the brand’s clean and classic aesthetic approach to fashion.

LC: Why did you choose to debut your collection with a series of eyewear?

JJ: Eyewear can be a very essential accessory to making an outfit work or not. I like to pay attention to details and eyewear is one that seemingly gets overlooked.

LC: How would you define the BLANC & ECLARE girl?

JJ: She’s fun yet elegant, likes to mix and match dressy and casual styles, likes to eat out and of course loves shopping.

LC: What ‘s in the pipeline for BLANC & ECLARE?

JJ: We are diligently working on a fragrance line, one-off sneak peak ready-to-wear items, collaboration projects and a philanthropic initiative that Blanc & Eclare deeply values. 

LC: How does Shanghai’s energy compare to Seoul?

JJ: I haven’t spent enough time in Shanghai, but from what I’ve seen thus far Shanghai is quite modern and vibrant, and very big! I would love to come back here and experience more of the details of Shanghai – I’ve heard too many great things.

LC: What are the parallels found in the music and fashion industry – how do the two come together?

JJ: Both require trendsetters and they certainly intertwine at many levels where both need each other to survive.

LC: Describe your personal style.

JJ: I would say classic minimalist with particular attention to little details.

LC: Who are some of your favourite designers and why?

JJ: The legendary Coco Chanel, Chitose Abe, Alexander Wang and Simone Rocha

LC: What’s the signature look you’ll be sporting this season?

JJ: This season I like leather, a chunky knit sweater and the perfect pair of jeans and an oversized coat.

LC: If you had a super power, what would it be?

JJ: Teleporting. I love traveling but don’t like the time it takes to get to places.