The new industrie according to Carl Jan Cruz

MANILA, Philippines - Having coined the term #industrie as an inside joke, a close friend shares how Carl Jan Cruz, then working at the Céline fashion house in London, coined the hashtag that pops up on many Instagram photos from the Manila fashion scene’s movers and shakers. “CJ told us about the time that one of his bosses at Céline assigned him to produce a skirt from scratch in 20 minutes. Pressed for time and in a panic, he went to work straightaway. As he was working, another designer at the fashion house came up to him saying, ‘Do you love it? It’s the industry, honey boo boo child! You gotta love it.’”

At 21 years old, Carl Jan Cruz has been flying in and out (literally) of fashion’s radar for the past few years. From starting as an assistant for stylist Melvin Mojica as a teen, followed by a stint as a menswear designer for Eairth, then a highly coveted internship at Céline (all in between classes at The London College of Fashion), to occasional styling stints for Rogue magazine and the House of Laurel, it’s safe to say many in the industry have been keeping an eye on him for quite some time.  With such an impressive résumé at such a young age, it’s no wonder “6/15 Carl Jan Cruz,“ his eponymous collection, has everyone all abuzz. With a talent recognized by fashion’s elite, and a bevy of mentors that only have praise for his budding talent, CJ (as he’s known to his friends) launches his very first collection as a story tied to deep and very personal roots.

YSTYLE: How does one end up with a job at Céline? Is Phoebe Philo nice?

CARL JAN CRUZ: My time at Céline was unexpected… It started in my sophomore year, through referrals from people who’ve been in the house and a series of trials. I worked at the 3D atelier, so making samples was very demanding -— toiles on top of toiles (to make a skirt from scratch in 20 minutes, it doesn’t matter if it’s wool, leather, silk)!

Phoebe lives up to her image; she is maternal and nurturing. She’s physical around the studio, in and out of her office, present in the weekly fittings. She really does live up to the “us” of Céline because she makes everyone feel that they do matter. 

What made you decide it was time to create your first collection? Does this mean you will cease working for other designers?

I have been exposed to and have been active in the industry for about eight years now. I started young, I am just lucky to have met the people I needed to develop the confidence to set my own path. Melissa (Dizon-Ramsay of Eairth) is one of those people who molded me into who I am now, from the very first day we met to our most recent Skype session for her show in NY; the relationship just got deeper and that’s what ties me to Eairth.

I don’t want to cut off my growth. And the way I am starting Carl Jan Cruz is as a continuous manifesto while I continue to grow, maybe as a consultant, maybe as a designer again. 

How do you think your collection reflects your point of view as a designer and the training you've received under different brands?

Being trained under brands made my individuality stronger. It just got to the point where I wanted to do shorts, jeans, or tees, thinking, “I wish I could push it further in this direction.” 

You mentioned that emotion, memory and an inward eye were starting points for creating different pieces. Is there a particular piece that holds a significant feeling or philosophy for you?

Emotions and abstraction are everything. It has been a challenge, especially in my earlier years trying to do something physical with them. I didn’t need to look far — it's just about pieces I do wear or want to wear on a daily basis. Maybe the brand's formula is handling perfected silhouettes and giving a sense of emotional newness through subtle and innovative fabrications.

Who do you see buying or wearing your clothes? Who would be the ideal spokesperson for the brand?

I don’t wish for anyone specific but I know that I have set an honest code for Carl Jan Cruz. I am the spokesperson for now until it grows to be fully understood and until I find people who see what I see in it. It isn’t by choice, but it's very personal, with a lot of internal questioning that needs to be identified and answered again for the second half of this collection, “9/15.”

Where are your designs available?

In 2014, the pieces will be introduced and realized as "15/15.“ I intend to extend the pieces as further simplified and revised versions of themselves. 

Are the pieces seen in your lookbook made-to-order or are they limited-edition?

I intend to produce this first set with numbered pieces, not only as a business decision, but I do feel that there is just the right number to stop until the RTW comes by the next time after the collection is over. 

Fashion by CARL JAN CRUZ, Photos by BJ PASCUAL, Produced by DAVID MILAN, Assisted by DAMIEN ALDEGUER and LEI ANGELIQUE CRUZ, Makeup by JIGS MAYUGA using MAC, Assisted by JUSTINE NAVATO, Hair by JAIME SY for L’Oreal Professionnel, Modeled by NICOLETTE BELL