Customer Designer Spotlight: Olivia Jun

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your fashion line, ILYO NYC.

I was born in Seoul, South Korea and from an early age I had a love for fashion.  I always dreamed of one day coming to New York, which for me was the capital of fashion.  After studying in Japan, I found my way to New York, but it took several years before I finally broke into the fashion industry.  I took an entry level position with a clothing manufacturer in the Fashion District and learned the fashion business from the ground up.  Later, I was able to become an apprentice and eventually a full-time pattern maker.  During that time, I had the opportunity to work with some big names in fashion and I am so grateful for all the people I’ve met and learned from.

The name ILYO (il·yo) stands for ‘I Love Yogi’.  “Yogi” is the name of the two most important loves of my life.  It is the nickname I gave my husband because he reminds me of the cartoon character, Yogi bear, who is always eating, napping, and getting into trouble.  We also named our adorable French bulldog Yogi because he is also always eating, napping, and getting into trouble.  I thank my big Yogi so much for supporting me through this whole adventure and my little Yogi for always making me smile despite all the challenges.

You started out as a pattern maker, how did you get into that and when did you decide you wanted to pursue a career as a fashion designer?

I always wanted to be a fashion designer, but I knew there was so much I needed to learn first.  One thing I learned very early was that to truly create a design from scratch, on your own, you first needed to learn how to make patterns.  Pattern makers are the architects of the fashion industry, they can take a 3D concept and deconstruct it into 2D patterns.  Pattern makers understand all the technical aspects needed to construct a garment.  Luckily, I was able to intern and learn from some very respected pattern makers in the NY fashion industry who worked with all the top name designers.  Those were some very grueling years, with very long hours but it really helped me hone my pattern making skills and inspire me with ideas for my own designs.

What are your favorite types of fabric to work with?

I really like working with high quality cottons and silks.  I really want to stress high quality materials, you can feel the difference immediately and it makes a huge difference when you are constructing clothes. I really dislike ‘fast fashion’– clothes that are poorly fabricated and made from cheap fabrics.  You can tell they won’t last for long.

What type of prints do you gravitate towards?

I like classic flower prints and animal prints are fun to play with.

Tell us about this wonderful coat!

I love an oversized coat. When you’re in the cold of winter you can wear as many layers are you want and just throw this coat on with a pair of boots and you are good to go. It’s also great because the silhouette is flattering for any body type.

Thank you so much Olivia! You're so talented, and we hope to see more of your work soon!

Some beautiful options for making your own coat: