An Interview by Leah Z./ Sherry Ayres

Training in classical ballet.
A business degree.
Schooling and a career in high-fashion design.
A passion for protecting the environment.

What do you see when you look at this picture? Most people would see a person who was, at best, well-rounded or, at worst, scattered. Jenny Hwa looked at this picture and saw something else: her calling. And she should know best, because, after all, the picture is her own.

Attributes, which may have seemed 'all over the map' to the less imaginative, were in Jenny's hands the lone strands of an intricate tapestry. Her masterpiece: loyale

loyale is the clothing line Jenny founded and designs. Her debut line of organic activewear is colorful, feminine, and stylish. In Jenny's designs, women can feel good about themselves and good about the planet.

On a blistering December evening in New York City, I finally got a chance to sit down and chat with Jenny. The streets were covered in sheets of a chilling downpour. We were a far cry from the idyllic Northern Californian landscapes which serve as the inspiration for her designs. You wouldn't have known it from the way she speaks of loyale, with an uncanny mixture of grace and zeal. Listening, you can almost imagine her standing in front of the mirror. One hand resting upon the bar. The other lifted overhead as her eyes glance out over a stunning view of the Sierra Nevadas. I was intrigued.

Intrigued, I leaned in to learn more about Jenny and how she was able to make her dream of loyale, a reality.

Leah Z.: Congratulations on the fabulous article on loyale in Women's Wear Daily last week! And you were in JANE!

Jenny Hwa: Thanks. Yes, it's been very exciting. We are trying to take eco-conscious clothing to the next level. Hopefully, this kind of publicity will help us do just that, and help dispel some of the misconceptions. When most people think of organic clothes, they think Grateful Dead concert. It's not like that anymore. There have been amazing advancements in the quality and versatility of these fabrics. Anything you can dream of wearing, can be made sustainably.

LZ: What do you ultimately want to accomplish with loyale?

JW: I began to notice the trend of women sporting activewear on a daily basis for errands, shopping etc. and thought, how many companies are really offering style and sustainability in activewear, which had obviously become a wardrobe staple? The answer to my own question was that the industry is not embracing the idea that appealing design and conscious production can coexist. So, after significant market research, I started loyale to fill a need I saw in providing people clothes that were both sustainable AND fashionable. I am very opposed to the current business philosophy that the earth and society have to be compromised in order to make money and keep the economy going. I think it's an archaic ideology that is putting the world in a very precarious position. I wanted loyale to help create a model of sustainable business practice, to be ahead of the curve. I think the shift to sustainability is something all businesses will eventually need to make to preserve our resources and economy - the entire well-being of our society.

LZ: I love that personal sense of responsibility to honor the gift of our planet...

JW: Yes, nature was always been a source of inspiration for me. In fact, most of my styles are named after gorgeous areas that I reflect on day after day (being in the nature deprived big city after all) -- I decided to associate my designs with the natural beauty that is out there to be cherished. When I envisioned starting my own clothing line, I couldn't see operating it any other way. I was determined that it be environmentally-responsible from ground up. So, not only are my clothes made from organic fabrics, but I use tree-free paper in the office and donate a portion of sale proceeds to an environmental organization, like Green Corps. It's more of a way of doing things - than say a one-off charitable contribution. Modernizing the current business paradigm. That's my ultimate goal and driving force.

LZ: What kinds of challenges have you encountered in bringing loyale to life?

JW: Because focusing on sustainability is a relatively new angle, I am not always able to go the direct route, you know, just pulling out the fabric directory and finding an organic mill. There just aren't very many sustainable vendors in the industry right now. As a result, my options for working materials have been limited. But now, after a ton of research, I have established a relationship with a great mill in South Carolina, and I'm always on the look out for others...But beyond this, my largest challenge has been achieving deadlines and coordinating with vendors, which takes time for any business to work out. And starting out like I have, there is a real battle for industry credibility-it is just something you have to work towards so that vendors and peers take you seriously.

 

LZ: Would you say belief is the foundation for this steam you've got, the essential initial essence of how you get from A to B?

JW: I feel that inspiration stems from going after your dream no matter what. No matter the hardships or the naysayers. This is an feeling that I would hope all people get in touch with. Once you do that, the 'going for it' is inevitable and so rewarding.

LZ: So two years ago when you started going after this amazing inspiration of an idea, what resources enabled you to actually create loyale Clothing from the ground up?

JW: Of course, my university studies and work experience were of enormous help to me. But beyond those, the first key element was the internet. I must have spent a thousand hours on Google searching the globe for fabrics, dyers, hang tags and label vendors. I uncovered a lot of excellent leads that moved me onto cold calling companies to get more background and see if we were on the same wave length. There were a lot of dead ends, but all in all I have connected with some great vendors who respect loyale's vision.

The second essential elements were optimism and commitment. I always believed that I could find what I was looking for, even if it took me, for example, six months to find the right fabric. I never stopped believing that it existed. Turns out I was right. Beyond that, I think being authentic to what you set out to do and following your instincts are crucial.

LZ: Tell me a little bit about your background? How has it been an influence?

JW: Well, active wear is something I'm very familiar with having started dancing at a very young age. A thirteen, I started spending my entire summers at the San Francisco Ballet School. At the age of sixteen, I started attending the school year round and performing with the Company a few times a year. I went to high school from 7am - 1pm and danced the rest of the day till 9pm. I lived in the USF dorms and was on my own. It was up to me what I ate and if I did my homework-I really excelled in that challenging environment and took it seriously. So basically I was in an adult world at a very young age, having to be responsible for myself. The city was so exciting. I loved it's beauty and energy. I think it was then my interest in both fashion and nature began to emerge.

For College, I ended up studying business at Domican University,a small liberal arts school. I also took some environmental and developing nations courses. It was those classes and professors that helped me realize that everything is connected and that our current systems of both business and government are set up in opposition to that interconnectedness - particularly in terms of economic development being based upon the destruction of the resources that we need to survive. I also thought it was essential to get really familiar with the fashion realm, so studied fashion design at FIT and worked at Chaiken, Jill Stuart and Catherine Maladrino. All of this was inestimable to launching loyale.

LZ: Where would you like to see loyale going?

JW: I plan to grow the collection and include more contemporary market pieces like dresses and wovens that will really be "everyday" wear, not just gym or lounge clothes. Ultimately, I aim to have kids, men's and maternity lines. I really would love to make loyale a lifestyle brand that fits in with every family member and aspect of life.

LZ: Tell me how loyale is presented by you to be displayed?

JW: I designed our hang tags to express loyale's belief that an individual can truly make a diference. I also note on them that 3% of all loyale's profits are donated to GreenCorps, an environmental leadership training program.

LZ: What other exciting things are going on in your busy life? How about other companies who are making eco-friendly-and-chic clothes I can pick up?

JW: My long-term boyfriend is a constant source of enlightenment, support and love, and has always made it possible for me to keep forging ahead. Right now, I am helping to coordinate a Green Corps fundraiser and reception in New York City, mainly to increase awareness of this great environmental nonprofit.

I love what "Loomstate" is doing with their chic and witty organic denim line. And I am very excited about the new eco-stores opening in NY, like 3R Living and 2KH; they, too are making strides with chic eco-products.