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Contributed by Tristan Uhl Photography by Peter Gaan
Ennio Capasa of Costume National once said, “There is no distinction between who I am and what I do.” This idea, however simple it may be, still resonates with me. It affirms my belief that true artists are those who create not for the mere sake of creating, but for the lack of being able to do anything else. In a creative field, such as fashion design, it’s not difficult to blend into the background or disappear entirely. One's life is inextricably linked with the art one creates, and when one attempts to create from an insincere place, one ceases to produce—rather like that tee shirt company in 2005 from which you bought one of everything before it mysteriously disappeared, or that band you loved that fell off the face of the planet after their first album? They did that one thing really well the first go of it, but then couldn’t produce the second time around.
Thus, the testament of a good designer is their ability to grow with and through their craft. Design grads and students are a dime a dozen in this city, and it is increasingly common to find designers in Seattle with refreshing perspectives, and among this latter set one can find designers who stand apart by their demonstrated ability to cultivate their craft even in a short time. With a successful debut collection down, and a thoroughly original collaboration just completed, designer Tanya Min Jee is one of this new breed, piquing our interest with work that bears the craftsmanship and cohesiveness of a designer who should be well into the prime of her career.
Design is simply second nature when you grow up in a house full of hands-on designers. Tanya's sister is an interior designer who recently helped design the layout for the new Tulalip Casino. Her father, a successful residential architect and carpenter, instilled in her a high standard for design no matter what medium and provided honest feedback to her early forays into the design world—a process she insists has always encouraged her to strive to be a better artist. Tanya's limitless love of the design process led her to the Fiber Arts program at The University of Washington.
“Seeing the entire process that goes into fabric production gave me a high level of appreciation for it,” she says. Her thesis project—a customer order rug—involved every element in the made-to-order design process, from meeting with a client, designing, overseeing and finally, into the overall production that goes into a making such a custom order. “Working on the thesis project was great because it taught me how to work in a team. A good collaboration manifests itself in your work; you’re nothing without a good team. It’s advantageous in business to work with people who have experience in varied fields, you can adapt to a customer and cater services based on their needs.”
After graduating from The University of Washington, Tanya enrolled into the Fashion Design and Construction program at The New York Fashion Academy in Ballard and attributes most of her knowledge and success with her fashion design craft to her Professor, Terry Horlamus, and the schools Provost Dr. Robert Whaley who believed in her talent and encouraged her to try out for the Seamless in Seattle design contest in 2009; a contest in which she received honorable mention.
Traveling in the footsteps of many great designers, Tanya Min Jee has built a strong, multi-faceted background unusual among many fashion hopefuls. Tom Ford was an Architect grad long before he delved into the fashion world, and he recently tried his hand rather successfully at film direction. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you the volume of acclaim his artistic adroitness has landed him today. Even designers like Karl Lagerfeld are well-versed in a variety of backgrounds: Photography, music, interior design, etc. What doesn’t Karl do?
Beyond her schooling and her multidisciplinary approach, her days as a top-seller at Nordstrom in the t.b.d. department taught her how to follow her own strengths and passions. “Someone is always going to be faster, prettier and smarter than you and at the end of the day, you have to love what you do; always work with integrity and sell honestly. Retail teaches you what works and what doesn’t.”
Seeing her, or anything she’s designed for that matter, it rattles the brain to think that anyone could ever do what she does, not to mention faster, prettier or smarter—and I know for a fact British Columbia has my back on this. Tanya recently returned the triumphant victor of the first annual Vancouver International Fashion Design Competition. This competition drew designers from around the world, including Germany, Italy and Mexico.
Tanya’s self titled debut collection is a force to be reckoned with on the burgeoning Seattle fashion scene. The construction is reminiscent of—excuse the oxymoron—the complex simplicity of Helmut Lang with a dash of Japanese architecture added for good measure. Similar in aesthetic to Australian designer Jayson Brundson's 2009 Resort collection, it is a versatile blend of timeless pieces that work all year and that can adapt well to any wardrobe. As a stylist, Tanya has wasted no attention to detail in making her collection relevant—even indispensible—to the well-heeled modern woman.
The Min Jee aesthetic according to its creator: “Minimal, Modern and Timeless; it’s about the woman and not so much about the clothes. For me, it’s always been about the tailoring.” This tenet of design describes not only the essence of Min Jee's design, but also echoes the great works of Gabrielle Chanel.
Tanya’s recent collaboration with Electric Foxy also promises to be a fruitful one. Combining high fashion with dual functionality is the order of the day for this melding of design minds.
So what’s in the future for Tanya Min Jee? She is in the process of planning another collaboration with Electric Foxy but otherwise, the doors are wide open.
“I’m not certain what the future holds but I feel I’m at a great starting point. I’m being tugged in a bunch of different directions as far as retail, design and styling. I have a few private clients but I would love to work in a team atmosphere similar to Rodarte where the main goal is to produce an outstanding well-crafted product for your client. It’s important to find a team that gets your vision and compliments it and where you balance out each other’s weaknesses. You can’t butt heads.”
Much like Ennio Capasa, there is no distinction between who Tanya Min Jee is, and what she does. You can expect to see a lot more of Tanya Min Jee in the near future.
Alyssa Knowling wearing Min Jee's Reina Dress
Hair: Kaycie Baker
Makeup: Stace Quach
Karelea Mazzola Kalachic wearing the Electric Foxy Collaboration
Hair/Make-up: Karelea Mazzola Kalachic
Alyssa Knowling wears Min Jee's Aya Vest with black ensemble
