Studio JUX

Posted On February 5, 2012

Minimalistic Dutch design house, Studio JUX, winner of the first category at the January 2012 Amsterdam Green Fashion Competition, is renowned for their use of organic materials as well as their simple, clean and intriguing styling. The competition-judging panel was impressed by their thoughtful business plan, as well as their history of working with sustainable practices. Playing with bright colors and unexpected shapes, Studio JUX works with organic cotton and hemp, and is always searching for innovative sustainable materials. With a workshop in Nepal, JUX insures that the collection is produced under fair labor conditions.

Partners Jitske Lundgren and Carlien Helmink have a varied background, between them, studying in the UK, Paris and Amsterdam, and traveling to India and South East Asia. Designer Jitske Lundgren graduated with a Masters in Fashion and Textile Design from the Institute Francais de la Mode, Paris, where a study trip to India, and an encounter with a purple dyed man changed her ideas about fashion. Standing in a bath full of purple dye, this Indian man was condemned to live his life the same color as the clothes he was employed to dye. After graduation, Lundgren Jitske worked as a fashion designer for established brands, fueling her disillusionment with mainstream fashion industry practices, building on her memory of that purple dyed man in India, and so with a commitment to make a difference, Studio JUX was born. Now living in Kathmandu, Lundgren manages a small factory where Studio JUX produces their collection in partnership with Nepali women.

Carlien Helmink comes from a Communication Science background in Amsterdam, and developed a strong social conscience from her early travels in Asia, the experience of which caused her to modify her goals of a commercial career, to one that was more in alignment with her ideals, and combined her love of fashion. Aware that the fashion industry was responsible for a great deal of human suffering as well as pollution, Helmink was happy to volunteer for Studio JUX, supporting them with her sales and PR knowledge, and joining the company full time after graduation, helping to turn Studio JUX into a global brand.

Working with sustainable materials for items such as fish leather bags, draped and silky dresses made from wood pulp, and shrunken, fitted cardigans from seaweed and soy, Studio JUX search out unconventional eco friendly materials. Their minimalist aesthetic is based on the classics with a twist, reinventing classical designs with small detail changes, altering the perspective. Light, muted and cool color palettes play with the interaction of varying tone on tone shades and textures, interspersed with splashes of muted pastel pales, space dyed knits and understated color woven’s. Silhouettes are soft and flattering with a youthful, playful flavor. While casual organic cotton dresses and tank tops are summer necessities, all accented by exotic wood and chunky glass beads jewelry.

JUX believes that fashion should be fun, for the consumer, the designer and the tailor, something that Lundgren felt patently lacking in her encounter with the purple man, and now the name behind the company; JUX means fun in German.

Website: www.studiojux.com

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