OJ is guilty

It’s safe to say that black is the new pink. The non-color has been reincarnated in prim feminine pieces, racy new romantic revivals to austere Edwardian/neo-gothic productions. After a Skittle revolution of stark colors and gradients of neon popping up like graffiti everywhere, maybe the somber tone that channels Edgar Allan Poe, Coco Chanel and Ricco Ocampo (who wears only black) serves as an almost refreshing change from the pop-till-you-drop era of color.

OJ Hoffer, the dark horse in fashion, who’s low-key and undeniably a genius, offers his interpretation for the new black – a little bit Newton, a little bit McQueen with a lot of his own Pandora’s box findings. "Black is the absence of color and, therefore, an energy in fashion. To make black interesting and dynamic, one has to be exceptionally skilled in cut and in combining textures. Black appeals to fashion intellectuals and is a powerful tool to make statements. When one makes something beautiful in black, it is truly and unquestionably beautiful," he shares.

OJ is known by his fans for his ability to create and tweak the bizarre into the realm of loveliness. "My style philosophy is simple, interesting and dynamic," OJ says. The result is a phantasmagoria of glamour, fantasy and, ironically, androgyny. In interpreting the new trends, OJ does it his way still. "In Essen and Dusseldorf, there are exclusive Goth stores that are interesting but the way they put the clothes together is too hardcore Goth for me, stuff that I could have worn myself in the mid ‘80s at UP Diliman. But, as I have said, aesthetic evolves – less makeup, sleeker shoes, the use of luxurious fabrics and intelligent cut would work in our time and climate." Also, his rather sophisticated approach can be attributed to his love affair with what he considers the golden era of fashion the ‘50s and the classical Roman period.

The laid-back wonder who has shied away from the Macbethish scene has, instead, delved into his true passion. "I haven’t been showing much of my clothes publicly this year because I’ve been refining and redefining my aesthetics since I did a solo gala show to celebrate my 15 years in fashion in 2003. I have plans to pursue a master’s degree in sculpture next year with a thesis to synthesize the craft of fashion with art via distorted anthropomorphic wire sculptures and toile. This year, I’ve shown my summer mini-collections in Metro magazine, and in October I will be participating in a group show with the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

There is much anticipation as to what OJ will come up with next, but it will surely not be black and white.

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OJ Hofer can be contacted at 0917-7207220.