Keeping it sharp

Joey is one designer that I can always depend on when I need something structured and tailored yet still fun to wear and look at.  At first glance, his designs are clean and subtle but then you notice the details, such as the lining of a jacket or the buttons; you’ll also discover a playful and very creative side in his pieces. When having something custom-made, Joey’s a great listener and he weaves in his own special touch through accents and little details.  

YSTYLE: Describe the two suits you created.

JOEY SAMSON: One in black (lined in bold paisley print), another one in navy pinstripes (lined in dainty floral, more like a prairie print in navy, white and maroon). Both are lightweight wool suit fabrics. The silhouette/shape is slim, more close to the body. Proportions are shorter. Details are pleats and darts, with misplaced pockets (e.g. breast pockets lower, almost aligned to the figure, and a diagonal French pocket on trousers, positioned like a coat breast pocket).

What are your design inspirations?

Art, particularly paintings; visits to galleries, museums, even furniture shops. Culture (at the moment, Indian culture). Mental pictures or scenarios of what I want to happen and where I want to go, places I want to explore. This is particularly helpful if I can’t be in a particular place. 

Describe your creations.

Sharply-tailored fashion with striking disjunctions between feminine appeal and androgynous cool.

Favorite designers? Local or international?

Local: Inno Sotto and Jesus Lloren. International: Brioni, Westwood, Japanese designers.

Your favorite look now? 

I’m forever in mismatched pieces — tux shirts and gym-inspired pants or tux pants with trainers. Preppy jackets with wool trousers. I like layering lightweight pieces (knits, cotton, twills). Monotone ensembles, vivid shades as an accent color to my everyday uniform of all-navy or khakis, and black, white or gray.

Fashion forecast for the season?

Womenswear: Various interpretations of the tuxedo, wide-legged trousers, lean pants, pantsuits in vivid colors — think orange, yellow. Body-skimming dresses. Textured or texturized pieces. Menswear: Shirt jackets, solid or plaid, on its own or layered over another shirt. Try tucking it into pants for a more updated look. Slim short pants paired with matching relaxed jacket. Checks in cotton fabrics, most often in shades of gray; jodphurs and drop-crotch pants.

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Contact Joey Samson at 0918-9592541.