Jenny Fax (Q3205)
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Jenny Fax is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Jenny Fax |
Jenny Fax is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Jen-Fang Shueh’s ultra-girly perspective is informed by youth and all its sweetness, but her clothes have bite. Shueh’s collections are journeys that take her audiences into a world of weaponized whimsy. The JennyFax girl isn’t content to wear pink and look pretty; she would rather stomp around in ruffles with frosting smeared across her face.Spring found Shueh looking towards new ideals of cuteness. Part 1980s romantic heroine, part 1780s bon vivant, the vibe was surreal as ever. A-ha blared over the loudspeaker as models maneuvered past video games wearing a mix of the brand’s staples and fresh ideas. For purists, there were ruffles aplenty with a transparent lace section offering candy colors and delicate floral patterns. Paired with giant matching scrunchies and lace-up boxer boots detailed with tulle flowers, these pieces spoke to Shueh’s tenure at Japan’s master of print, Mikio Sakabe.Still, the standout pieces were Shueh’s reinterpretations of workwear. The power suit reimagined as a double-breasted blazer and diaper shorts combo won’t appeal to everyone, but it was a novel conceit. The influence of Lotta Volkova’s styling could be felt in the all-black version, but the wonderfully weird pastel floral version on model Marland Backus was all Shueh.
21 October 2019
Jen-Fang Shueh’s definition of cutesy may differ from yours. Her cult-favorite line Jenny Fax regularly subverts saccharine fashion clichés by doubling down on weirdness. Extreme proportions, oddball styling, and a Dadaist commitment to absurdity have kept Shueh ahead of the curve, delivering collections that have attracted likeminded collaborators like power stylist Lotta Volkova. Still, Shueh insists on sweetness as a starting point for each collection. “Normally I like to make it cute, but I always like to have a twist from the previous season. This time I wanted to focus on real, basic cute,” she said backstage, alluding to the experimental way young girls shop when they’re given the opportunity to do so on their own for the first time.The subject matter offered Shueh the chance to deliver a fractured fairytale, one she insisted didn’t have a darker double meaning, but the eerie mood she set told a different story. Models in Rapunzel-worthy extensions stomped through the Aldo Rossi-designed Jasmac Aoyama in ruffles and striped stockings as orchestral Radiohead covers and the sound of William H. Macy’s skittishFargomonologue played in the background. Fake scars and exposed underpinnings added to the off-kilter feel, as did layered styling that relied heavily on juxtapositions. Hypothetically someone could wear their pink lace blouse with a hooded red and white half jumper, and a bunched skirt that fit like bloomers, but fashion extremists are rare.Shueh may keep the audacity of old school Harajuku style in mind, but she’s designing for the masses. Broken down piece by piece there was plenty to wear, not in an Instagram post or editorial, but out in real life. Acid wash denim vests and jackets were darling, as were drop-waist skirts worn with glitter leggings. Even the puffed up latex fetish doll who provided the show’s second to last look could make its way onto the streets; minus the BDSM mask it was pretty cute.
19 March 2019
Forget influencers—the real talk of Tokyo was that Lotta Volkova had come to town. The superstar stylist, known for delivering post-Soviet cool at Vetements and Balenciaga, flew in nearly two weeks ago to collaborate with designer Jen-Fang Shueh, whose eight-year-old brand, Jenny Fax, has a cult following of its own. At a glance, Shueh’s work is most overtly linked to old Harajuku’s extreme fashion, but on closer examination, clever details elevate the clothes beyond their street counterparts. Shueh started out with designer Mikio Sakabe, and it shows in her eclectic use of print, color, and proportion; what distinguishes what she does is her gothic, very dry sense of humor.Each season, Shueh explained, she is inspired by one girl or another. This time, she conjured up an imaginary version of a young Middle American, growing up in a tiny town in the deep countryside. There were short and sweet prairie dresses, printed with tulips or cabbage roses, with lace collars and puff sleeves an ’80s rodeo queen might have worn. Some had padded hips, while others had two wire circles inset with a contrasting floral fabric to make a reverse bustle of sorts (Shueh is a big fan ofBig Love). Closer-cut collared minidresses made with twee microfloral and polka dot patchwork print were a nod to the waitress in uniform at the town’s only diner.As for the darkness, it manifested as murder, as so often captured in small-town fiction—think:Dexter, Fargo,andTwin Peaks.That oversize black pantsuit? Well, it’s that one funeral suit in the back of every suburban closet. Those were indeed plastic doll fingers tucked into models’ frizzy perms, and chokers made in the mold of human teeth. More than Volkova (who no doubt had a field day playing with Shueh’s creations), that whimsically macabre worldview is what sets Jenny Fax apart. So do little things like two contrasting buttons on a shirtdress to let its wearer step more directly into the life of that small-town girl, mending and rewearing her favorite frock. Such great fun, as fashion should be.
24 October 2018