INTERVIEW: Denver fashion designer Juan Jimenez — a name to watch

I first encountered Juan Jimenez and his design company, Barrera International, at a sultry summer night in Denver’s Santa Fe Art District — at the kind of event where the fashion-devoted will come regardless of the location or comfort because they’re promised such a good show. We weren’t disappointed.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with him for an interview this fall. Juan told me his story and talked about what inspires him, what it means to produce couture in Denver and working with iconic designer Tom Ford, all while preparing for his first solo show.

Robyn Vie-Carpenter: Your collection is so beautiful!  What’s inspiring you?

JUAN JIMENEZ: I’ve been working with jewel tones — all of the blouses are pleated by hand — and working within the symmetry of the lines. I’ve always loved purple so I’m using that. We’re going for a very Asian and French Couture feel — I import everything. I chose all of the colors, which is why I chose the Space Gallery [to host my show]; I wanted a completely white background. This is Autumn/Winter 2014 and covers two collections, and we’ll be strong going into Spring [2015].

It sounds incredible — with sponsors, VIP attendees and appetizers designed to reflect the collection — so how did it happen? Let’s start with Tom Ford.

Tom Ford honestly seemed almost unreachable to me. I had to do an internship with [my program at] Johnson & Wales. I had big aspirations; I’ve said one day I want to see my stuff at Paris Fashion Week. But for me, it was unbelievable. I wasn’t even born in the States — I was born in Mexico. I came up here when I was nine, didn’t know a word of English. It was a whole different world for me.

Did you always know you wanted to be in fashion?

Fashion wasn’t even in the picture until I graduated high school. I went to Johnson and Wales and signed up for their Fashion Merchandising Program. At the time I was lost; I was just going to college and I didn’t know what I was doing. I just knew I wanted to go, and figure out what I wanted to do.

Figuring out your path is what college is for! How did you go from that to where you are now? 

I fell in love with this line I saw in Neiman Marcus, and it was Tom Ford. I looked them up and there was only one name in the New York office, so I ended up calling them saying I want to do my internship there. At the time I didn’t know who Tom Ford was.

I started reading up on him, and when I broke it to my professor she said ‘oh my God you’re crazy. You have to move to New York. And you’ll have to do this. And it’s so competitive,’ Which it was. There were people from all over the place interviewing for the exact same position, and here I was with just retail experience, no fashion experience whatsoever, from Denver.

Sure enough I got the call saying ‘we’d like to interview you.’ That week I dropped everything, I booked a flight to New York, not knowing where I was going, and interviewed. I thought they wouldn’t select me — there were so many other people, some of them even lived in New York. But I kept following up with them, and she finally emailed me back, I’d like to congratulate you. You got the internship. And I was like, oh my God, I’m going to be moving to New York.

How exciting. What a big deal.

I broke it to my parents. They were like, you are just crazy. New York is so different. I dropped everything, gave my notice at work — I was like, listen, I’m going to be gone for three months. Which actually got extended to being six months.  At that time I had no idea what I was walking into. I mean, I met the investors of Tom Ford. I delivered Anna Wintour’s wardrobe for the season. We styled Brad Pitt for the Cannes Film Festival. We styled Jay Z for the Met[ropolitan Museum, Costume Institute] Gala.

For me, it was such an eye-opener on so many levels — high fashion, celebrities, all of this media — we ended up styling [Justin Timberlake] for Saturday Night Live. I delivered his wardrobe for that night. I met him. I met his stylist. You know [now] I still have all of these contacts with stylists in New York City.

That a big deal for a new fashion house.

Once I’m able to launch, my main goal is to launch here. I want it to be something that I’m proud of, and this is where I come from, where I grew up. I want to grow it to an international level, but from Denver.

You’re young and you’ve experienced a lot already, so you seem poised to be able to make a real fashion statement here.

That’s exactly what I want.

Learn more about Juan Jimenez and Barrera International here.