INSPIRED BY…
Joeffer Caoc’s Spring 2011 Collection
There are very few Canadian fashion designers who can say that they taught supermodel Daria Werbowy how to walk in heels, yet Filipino-Canadian designer Joeffer Caoc has done that, and accomplished much more, in the 15 years that he’s been designing stunning gowns and power suits in downtown Toronto. As the designer prepares to present his eponymous Spring 2011 collection at LG Fashion Week in October, we stopped by the studio to get a sneak peek at his vision for the upcoming season.
FRM: What have you been up to?
JC: I have been focusing on the business end of the company the past few seasons, but I will have a presentation for the Spring 2011 collection. I’ve also been designing a line for Winners under the Misura label. It is separate from my signature Joeffer Caoc line and mainly consists of simplified versions of the “greatest hits” from my design archive.
FRM: Where do you find inspiration?
JC: For inspiration, I love traveling to New York. My brother lives there and so I visit him often. I’ve also been watching Mad Men and Gossip Girl when I have the time, and listening to M83, Tiesto, and Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits non-stop in the studio!
I’ve also been doing a lot of trunk shows. You learn a lot from people’s realities – how they wear the clothes and where they need to go. That plays a huge part in my design process now. I have a signature look, but I definitely take the customers’ comments into consideration.
FRM: Do you start with a theme? By sketching?
JC: Each season, I start by sketching and looking at our fabrics, while keeping in mind what has worked for us in the past. It’s not exactly formulaic, but the reality is that after designing for over a decade I know that certain prints and suitings will work well for our customer.
FRM: Can you tell us your design philosophy?
JC: I’m very interested in great simple pieces – there’s a lot of work in making something simple! The collection is very much about investment dressing. I like to have pieces that can be mixed and matched easily, and the pieces (even across seasons) are always tied together somehow through the use of texture and color.
FRM: What can we expect to see from Joeffer Caoc presentation at LG Fashion Week?
JC: For Spring 2011 I’m very much inspired by the1970’s and a sense of nostalgia—classic silhouettes, long jackets, stripes, fitted t-shirts, and a focus on dresses. Dresses are something that’s always in demand for us, especially for spring.
FRM: What is the color palette?
JC: There are three deliveries for Spring 2011, and there is a lot of black and neutrals such as taupe, khakis, and navy. But, I’ve also included some stripes, and there are a lot of bright primary colors in my prints. There are also touches of green, pink and yellow in the line—happy colors that are uplifting.
