Rediscovering Elegance

A Conversation about Renewal and Reinvention

About this video: This video is a 60-second photo montage from a recent photoshoot of the J.Mullin Apparel Spring/Summer line, which is set to debut at a LAUNCH EVENT this coming Thursday in Kansas City.

More information at Eventbrite.com:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jmullin-apparel-launch-event-distinctive-handmade-luxury-kimonos- tickets-264112978027)

In anticipation of our upcoming LAUNCH EVENT, I recently sat down with a writer who is very familiar with our line and shared some of the background information about our new collection:

The Theme:

Q: The overall theme of the new collection is “Rediscovering Elegance.” What do you mean by Rediscovering Elegance?

JM: It signifies a coming out of hiding; a hope for our future; a desire for renewal and reinvention; a craving for simplifying our lives, celebrating beauty and elevating our style. The new collection celebrates vibrancy and a sense of adventure, and embraces our love for luxury and sophisticated style.

Q: You say each kimono is one-of-a-kind. I love that each kimono has a name and even has a story. Can you tell us more about that?

JM: Our kimonos each feature some repurposed fabrics, and a lot of them incorporate vintage kimono fabric. Each piece tells a story that is as unique and multi-faceted as the story of the woman who wears it. I am fascinated by every woman’s story of how she has evolved. Every woman has a story, and we want to help her tell it.

The Fabrics:

Q: We’re seeing some warm, rosy colors, some graphic prints and botanicals in the line. What was your inspiration for choosing these fabrics? They’re all quite different, but somehow hang together. Can you tell us more about how you put these fabrics together?

JM: What you can expect from this collection is a bit of nostalgic luxury. My inspirations for the kimonos and scarves were the glamour of old Hollywood and the warm rosy colors of vintage travel posters. The fabrics I chose evoke the abstract art style of Matisse and the muted colors of block prints from the Mid Century. There are a lot of warm, rosy colors and contemporary Japanese prints. We trim our garments with fine Japanese linen bands and finish them off with curated vintage and repurposed fabrics. Part modern art, part vintage kimono, the fabric combinations are the true art of each piece. No two are alike.

The Relevance:

Q: How is the new line relevant for women at this moment in time, and considering the lifestyle changes that we have made over the last two years?

JM: I think women are so ready to get dressed up again. We’ve been in hiding for over two years, and we’re so ready for a change. We want a wardrobe that is less complicated, yet more sophisticated. We’re craving color and patterns, but we want fewer pieces and a more timeless, elegant look.

From everything I've read about what's trending in fashion this season, women are choosing quality over quantity, and are going for classic timeless looks that are relaxed but elevated, and are adaptable to a wide range of situations. We are zeroing in on what our personal style really is and want to wear garments that bring out our confidence and make us feel more alive. We want to wear things that are flattering, and that we can wear with pieces we already own.

Styling Tips:

Q: Let’s talk about styling. Just how do you wear a kimono?

JM: Consider it a layering piece, a topper for whatever you are wearing at the moment. The looks can vary from athleisure casual and sneakers or slides to jeans and sandals

to cropped pants and espadrilles to a simple cocktail dress or wide palazzo pants with heels. You can basically build a capsule wardrobe around one or two statement piece kimonos.

Q: That would simplify creating a travel wardrobe, right?

JM: Absolutely. A kimono can be a robe at breakfast, a light coat worn over joggers or jeans for sightseeing, a swimsuit coverup at the pool, and be a dramatic topper for cocktail dresses and evening attire like narrow silk ankle pants or long flowing palazzo pants. You’ll be wrapped in luxury and comfort from morning to night.

Paired with classic separates, a J.Mullin kimono can be styled to adapt to the many facets of a woman’s lifestyle. Slipping into one of our sleek, fully lined kimonos instantly elevates whatever a woman is wearing. She can be at ease in any situation, which brings out her confidence and panache. That’s not just relevance. That’s opening the door to new possibilities. That’s a woman giving herself permission to shine.

Our Commitment to Reinvention and Renewal:

Q: You talk a lot about reinvention. I know that’s what we’re seeing in each piece — the fact that each piece incorporates repurposed fabrics and even vintage kimono fabrics, but it’s more than that, isn’t it? Isn’t reinvention symbolic as well? Isn’t that what we all want?

JM: That’s exactly right. It’s about using what we have to reinvent our lives. Embracing our strengths and finding ways to make the world a better place. The J.Mullin brand is all about reinvention. We honor the ever-evolving journey every woman experiences as she discovers her true essence. We believe women should not hide behind clothing that simply covers them up, but, rather wear pieces that not only flatter, but also transform how we feel about ourselves. A confident woman lives with passion and puts herself out into the world and finds creative ways to make the world a better place.

Q: Is this why J.Mullin Apparel is donating its proceeds to organizations that help women get a new start in life?

JM: My husband, Bill, and I have decided to donate all of our proceeds, not just from our upcoming Launch Event, but as an ongoing commitment, to non-profit organizations that work to uplift women and help them get a new start in life. We are particularly interested in the organizations who provide housing, education and counseling to women who are recovering from substance abuse disorders.

The proceeds from this Thursday's Launch Event will be donated to the Healing House in Kansas City. We also support the House of Ruth Recovery Home in Bill's hometown of Connersville, Indiana.

If you live near Kansas City, it's not too late to reserve your free tickets to our Launch Event. Just click on this image for the link.

Those of you who are followers and friends from outside the Kansas City area, we invite you to see what's new here on our website:

Our new Scarves and Obi belts are on our site now, and are available for immediate (and free in the U.S.) shipping for Mother's Day gifts.

The new Kimonos will be on our site around May 1st.

The many faces of my new audience.

Sometimes gratifying, sometimes humbling, always surprising.

The many faces of my new audience and what I'm learning along the way.

In recent weeks, as I have been creating display ads and talking with magazine sales reps and planning promotion calendars to promote my upcoming launch event, I have been surprised at my own reactions to having an audience. So far, my audience has mostly been people who want to see me succeed because it's how they make their money. So, they've all been over-the-top encouraging and complimentary, just swooning over the new kimonos and the fabulous photographs of the models wearing them in soft, perfect lighting. For me, it's kind of a shock because I work alone. For hours and hours I plug away trying to steer this slow boat to wherever it is that I'm going. I'm not used to all of the attention, and am somewhat skeptical of it all. I can't take all of this adulation too seriously.

A couple of weeks ago, IN Kansas City Magazine sent a writer over to my home studio to interview me for a feature article. Never mind that it was sponsored content that I paid dearly for. I soaked it all in, and pretended that they actually sought me out and that I had something to say that they thought their audience would want to hear. It was really gratifying to have such a captive listener who seemed so fascinated by everything I had to say. By the time the interview was over, she was trying on kimonos, and I have to say she was surprised at how good she looked wearing one. But I knew that would happen. Because it always does.

I always love to see someone react to how they look in the mirror when they try on one of my kimonos. Whether this writer was interested or not in what I had to say, she was certainly interested in how she looked and felt about herself when she saw herself in a new way. That is why I do what I do. I love to see the transformation, the surprise, the "Oh, wow!" moment when they look in the mirror. That's what this is all about: showing women how beautiful they are, by dressing them in something that brings out their best qualities.

This week the MC for my upcoming launch event came to my home studio to meet with me about the program content and event details. I don't know how it happened, but I think she is one of my biggest fans. I love how much she loves what I do, and everything I'm about. Who wouldn't love that kind of admiration? We really had a blast. Of course, she's a really fun person. She, being the good sport that she is, also succumbed to a kimono trying-on session. The same thing happened. She looked absolutely amazing in anything she put on.

We started playing with different ways to wear them, and pairing some of the new Obi belts with the kimonos, wearing them inside the kimono and letting the kimono hang free of being belted. That was a magical experience, even for me. Who knew that a somewhat illusive waist could be so defined? And who knew that particular Obi belt would go so well with that kimono? They shouldn't go together, but they do. We were like two school girls having a dress-up party.

If these two encounters were a preview of what's going to happen at my launch event, I will be thrilled. Seeing the transformations and sharing in the fun of putting a great outfit together is at the core of what makes me happy and feel fulfilled.

So, bring it on. I can take it. After almost three years of putting these designs together and envisioning women wearing them and loving them, I am getting a little taste of the frosting on the cake. Hours of work, hours of planning and replanning, tons of mistakes and steep learning curves have led me to this place. Not to mention the financial investment. But how lucky can a person be? I get to do what I love, and share my passion for design and fabric combinations and for dressing well. And, on top of that, Bill and I have committed to donate the J.Mullin Apparel Company's proceeds to non-profit organizations that give women a second chance on life.

All proceeds from our business -- not just the launch event -- but from the beginning and for as long as we can afford it, are being donated to ministries that help women reinvent their lives. Proceeds from the launch event will go to The Healing House in Kansas City, which provides housing, counseling and education to women who are recovering from substance abuse. We also support the House of Ruth in Bill's hometown of Connersville, Indiana, which provides a comprehensive recovery program for women overcoming Opioid addiction.

Both of these organizations are saving and transforming lives. For us to be able to have some part in the work that they do is humbling and gratifying. I have also been honored to be a part of the planning of the House of Ruth's resale shop, "Reinventions," The Healing House is also planning to open a similar shop, and has invited me to help them with the planning of their shop, as well. Can life get any more rewarding? We are truly blessed to be able to be involved in the work these organizations are doing.

Oh, and one more thing: Here is a link to the INKansas City Magazine Article that was published two weeks ago. I think the writer did a nice job. What do you think?

https://www.inkansascity.com/style-shopping/shopping/j-mullin-apparels-spring-summer-collection-perfect-for-the-sophisticated-woman-debuts-in-april/

Countdown to LAUNCH!

After two years of perfecting our product we are getting ready to have our official LAUNCH EVENT.

We are inviting all of our Kansas City friends and business associates and followers to come help us celebrate this milestone.

The event will be held at the 1900 Building, 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods, KS on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

The event will be held at the 1900 Building, 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods, KS on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

For those outside of the Kansas City area, we will be posting photos and a recap of the event.

Our guests will be able to try on our brand new line of kimonos that is still in production. Our event will be set up like a luxurious dressing room lounge with a wine & champagne bar and savory hors d'oeuvres.

Our two fabulous models shown in this display ad will be at our event in person, to give our guests some styling tips and show them different ways to wear the new pieces.

Our MC for the event will be Katie Van Luchene, who is well known in the Kansas City Fashion Community. We will also be welcoming Jennifer Lapka of Rightfully Sewn as one of our two Guests of Honor. Her not-for-profit company actually sews our kimonos to assure their professional quality. We will also be welcoming Bobbi Jo Reed as our second Guest of Honor. She is the founder of The Healing House for Women, a not-for-profit Christian-based ministry that provides services, housing and education to women in recovery from substance abuse disorders. We will be donating all proceeds from the event to her organization.

We also will be welcoming friends from other Kansas City businesses who have helped us with our photography, branding and promotion. The venue is a beautiful modern gallery-like space with a highly rated restaurant, which will be catering our event. We are very excited to see who comes out, and see how they like our new collection.

I can't believe this is finally going to happen. It's been over two years of building a team, a brand, creating three new patterns and working out a process to mass produce (50 pieces at a time) a one-of-a-kind product. We designed each kimono to incorporate vintage kimono fabric, which in strips only a few inches wide. We also use other repurposed fabrics, which we collect from a variety of sources. One of my favorite things to do is put the fabrics together. Some of the combinations are stunning.

Our new collection has three styles: A hip-length jacket style, a just-above-the-knee tunic style, and an ankle-length robe style. Each piece is fully lined and has roomy pockets. The two longer styles have deep side slits and detached sash belts. I am also making contrasting belts from vintage kimono fabric that can be mixed and matched with our kimonos. I have also been making some beautiful scarves and Obi belts from vintage kimono fabric. They'll be added to our website soon.

Our website home page has some of our first photos of the new collection. We will be adding the new pieces to our site as soon as we can. In the meantime, I'll try to get back on line with my Instagram posts and Facebook posts to keep you informed. It's been quite a journey, but I hope it is only the beginning.

Being able to do what I love, and meet the wonderful people I'm meeting, and be able to donate our proceeds to help organizations that work to give women a chance to reinvent their lives is so rewarding. I just know lives are going to be changed, and it is such a blessing to Bill and me to be a part of something that will make the world a better place. I appreciate all of your support and encouragement. Send your friends our way, keep us in your prayers and remember us when you need a special gift for yourself or someone that you love.