Joyce to the (Fashion) World

"I think there’s a good moment for everything."–Carine Roitfeld, editor-in-chief, French Vogue; muse to Tom Ford

"I rely on my instinct, but I have a very educated instinct."–Josh Patner, fashion designer, Tuleh; darling to today’s bright young things

Joyce Oreña has always been a diva with a difference. Inno Sotto once declared, "Give me 10 Joyce Oreñas and I’ll be happy. She has an intelligence that comes through in her modeling."

I myself shall never forget my first sighting of Joyce Oreña. I was in the parking lot of Palma Hall in UP Diliman and she was by the sidewalk, in a vivid apple green shorts suit with a swing jacket and a matching hat. I had presumed that she was part of some sorority initiation, but my cousin, who was her sorority sister explained, "No, that’s Jen-jen Oreña, and she really dresses like that." I was mesmerized by her fearlessness and though I spoke not a word in her defense when the frat boys made fun of her outfits, I wished that I had even an iota of her bravura.

Fast forward a few years later, and almost every show I covered ended with the most fabulous outfit modeled by, yes, Joyce herself. She had very wisely reverted to her real name, and chucked the "Jen-jen" but the hynotic fearlessness was still there.

There are women with good taste. There are women with nice clothes. But Joyce Oreña takes dressing up to the nth level. She’s got a Ph.D in style. Through all her identities – campus standout, models’ model, contributing editor to the late lamented Folio magazine, marketing director for the creative agency Not Enough Circuses – and her present incarnations as official trend reporter for the STAR and jewelry designer and merchandiser for JO, she has managed to look current without being comical, edgy but still elegant.

From Shopper To Shopkeeper

Whereas she used to travel the globe for fashion assignments and personal vacations, she now forays into the world’s capitals in search of goodies for her accessories nirvana, JO. Enter JO in Greenbelt 3, Makati and you feel as if you have traveled yourself. The eclectic mix of merchandise is reminiscent of specialty shops abroad: Pill boxes side by side with charm bracelets, canvas military belts studded with Swarovski crystals side by side with mock croc mailman bags. The architecture is bold and industrial. Air ducts, wires and outlets are not just electrical and mechanical necessities but aesthetic punctuation marks. Joyce says, "It couldn’t look like a typical jewelry store, because we don’t sell typical jewelry." She understood that the idea of buying jewels could be construed as intimidating so she wanted to destroy that idea. "I didn’t want that usual escaparate kind of display. The colors of the stones are warm, and I really wanted it to feel warm and comfortable." So instead of the usual Harry Winston or Tiffany-wannabe effect, JO feels more like a funky bar. Their sales people confess that sometimes people come in and ask, "Is this a gallery? Or a bar?"

To be surrounded by such sophistication, it is a bit surprising that the seed of all this fabulousness was born in much more humble surroundings. The Baguio public market, to be exact. Joyce reveals, "I was born in Baguio and I grew up there. Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by accessories. I loved to look at them. And even then I would layer. I also already liked chunky pieces."

As Joyce became more well-versed in fashion, her love of accessories became more constant. She became a regular client of award-winning Jul Dizon but she would always be very involved in the design of her jewelry. "I would have my jewelry custom-made and people would ask me, ‘Where did you get that?’ Slowly, I began to have the confidence that people would buy things I designed."

She, like many Pinoy entrepreneurs, got her start in bazaars. "I joined the American Women’s Bazaar, because that’s not only held during Christmas." The good sales in bazaars encouraged her, and she upgraded her selling venue, and her wares, and sold her pieces at MIX, where they also sold out.

She then realized that she could have her own shop. The opening of Greenbelt 3 was perfect. She knew that she would be in the company of other specialty shops and that the new mall would attract a more discriminating buyer. But she needed a collaborator, to make her vision a reality. She met Fabio Ceccarelli in Italy and he got her. He knew how to translate her need for a polished but still raw space. But she had her battle scars. "The contractor couldn’t get that I wanted that old, almost rotten look to the wood, and they kept on polishing it, and filling in the ridges when I really wanted it rough!"

She admits, "I didn’t study (jewelry design or fashion merchandising) so I’m doing everything by instinct. So far, so good!" Hearty laughter then ensues. There is, though, a method to her madness. She looks through what she calls "industry books" and studies the trends. And when she says trends, it’s not just vague concepts like "military" or "hippie bohemian." The reports are very detailed. She reveals, "I study which finish of leather and color stories will be dominant and I make my choices, but still based on what I like. And it’s working because the things that I like the most, or really enjoyed designing, those will be pieces that get sold first. And sometimes, I get inis. Because everything is one of a kind, and (secretly) I wish I could keep some pieces to myself."

The stone is often the springboard for her designs. "Usually, the stone will dictate the design. I really look at the stone, to know if it should be combined with other stones, or just stand alone. And I really study the colors, to know what metals it will work with the most, to really bring it out." But she admits, "It can also be the colors of a painting that will make me think to combine certain stones. Or it can be a plant or a flower. If you look closely at a plant, it’s not just one color, and the same is true of stones. Or it can even be just a piece of crumpled paper. You just have to keep yourself open."

In fact, Joyce’s current window display came from a most childlike inspiration, the sock puppet. She says with obvious glee, "I saw this art workshop for kids, and I saw these socks drawn with faces. And I thought, if I stuff stockings with paper, it will look good." So she and Fabio collaborated on an abstract expressionist celebration of black and white stockings stuffed with brown paper and knotted from floor to ceiling of JO’s window, interspersed with their latest collection, the marine collection – handknotted cords united by chunky rings and semi-precious stones.

Mama Was A Rolling Stone

But more than nature or art, Joyce’s true inspiration is the modern woman. She says, "In the past, women waited for men to give them jewelry, like maybe the engagement ring. And it had to be some kind of investment. But now, women buy their own jewelry." This is the woman Joyce designs for. She elaborates, "She’s confident. She knows herself, and she is not afraid to be an individual. She can interpret the pieces on her own. She has no age."

She then adds, "That’s why semi-precious stones are perfect for her. It is more affordable so she can use it for fun, to update her wardrobe. It doesn’t have to be as expensive as diamonds."

Just as everything in the world has become interactive, Joyce encourages her clients to be their own designers. "The biggest, biggest trend now is customization, personalization. So you have a charm bracelet, and you add a pendant that your grandmother gave you, so no one has the exact piece." She herself carries a myriad of charms, letters, crosses and hearts to encourage her clients to create pieces for themselves. She even bought black military pants that they can customize with chains and charms. She has items that can be necklaces, belts and bracelets, just keep on knotting them or wind them around your wrist. She demonstrated this kind of inventiveness during the shoot. She had forgotten her cufflinks so she used her heart charms strung on black leather cords to keep her cuffs together. See what I mean about that Ph.D in style? It’s a kind of genius imagination that can make individual pieces part of a seamless whole. And now, she provides the Manila fashionista with those very components.

She reports that accessories are now key with all the major fashion trends. "For the ubiquitious military look, the right belts and dog tags finish it off. The masculine look is softened by real jewelry. And to wear with all these, I cannot say it enough, heels, heels, heels. Even if you are in military, if you wear stilettos, it throws things off."

Eventually, Joyce wants to stage a show to let people see what her work is all about. She delineates, "It has to be an intimate show, definitely, so the stones can really be seen up close. The best would be a champagne and caviar party, in a suite." And as she says this, her eyes glow. I realize that this capacity for childlike wonder is a continuing part of Joyce’s evolution. Though her overall look is fierce, she still can say with girlish glee, "Look at this vintage Alaia I found. And this World War I jumpsuit. Isn’t it cute?" She then sounds just like a little girl saying, "Kitkat now comes in orange flavor!"

Joyce is obviously a picture of fulfillment. And yet, and yet, I can’t help but wonder. Do you miss modeling? She gets wistful, is silent for a minute and says, "Yes, the runway shows. Because when it’s you, on that stage, you can really create a moment."

Now, her moments are captured in stone. And they last far longer than a fashion show, or a bow at the end of the runway.