Korean-born. Moved to New York at an early age, where she attended Parsons School of Design and later the same school in Paris. In 1988, she moved to Barcelona, worked with Purificación García and David Valls, and has been designing her own collection for the past nine years. She has had various stores in Barcelona, 120 customers for multi-brands stores in Spain, periodically participates in the Salons Atmosphere Prêt a Porter in Paris, Pure Womenswear in London and Barcelona Estilo, as well as consistently presents her collections in the Pasarelas Cibeles and Gaudi.

Julie Shon is definitely is doing something right. Her new store, located in the heart of the Eixample, only a few blocks away from Paseo de Gracia and stores such as Adolfo Dominguez, Purificación García, and Max Mara immediately invites customers in with the minimalistic façade of exposed natural color stone and a water bridge to the front glass door: definitely Zen, definitely chic. Once inside, minimalism continues: concrete floors, open spaces, and a white geometrical false ceiling that reflects light beautifully. Clothes line the walls: feminine styles in tans, browns, whites, pinks, light blues, green, grey, and red stripes, flowy materials, cottons, and linens and an assortment of fashion accessories, bags, belts, and jewelry.

I met Julie as she got off her scooter. She was dressed in her standard attire: white cotton t-shirt, grey cardigan, jeans, and white Converse hi-tops… no makeup and a ponytail. After chatting with her for only a few minutes, you realize she’s nothing like what you’d expect in a successful fashion designer. She’s casual, down-to-earth, without any “attitude” whatsoever and easy to talk to: like a friend.

Why did you choose to open your store in Barcelona and do you think it was a good time?
My career started here. I studied in New York but never worked there. This is my home. I’ve put down my second roots; I married a Catalan and I have an eleven-year-old daughter. I don’t know. The fashion business is going through lots of changes… with Chinese globalization, Inditex, Mango… But it was time to do something really different. I’m 39 now and if I didn’t do it now, I wouldn’t do it. It has cost me a lot of headaches and sacrifices, but I hope it’s worth it.

What’s been the most difficult challenge in this venture?
Fortunately I’ve been very lucky from the beginning; I’ve always had work. When I started my first store at 24 it was more like a “game.” I had a partner, we got bigger and things were easy. But for seven years I’ve been torn. I couldn’t dedicate 100% of my time to my collections because I was also designing my partner’s; it was a back and forth thing.

About a year and a half ago I changed my business strategy and made a 180% change. I had a falling out with my partner and we separated; it was a mutual decision. I left with nothing. But one day driving by on my scooter I saw the space, the price was reasonable – cheap rent, and I took it. It’s taken six months of renovations though, three more than expected. And then I had to find another producer and now all the decisions are on my shoulders… that’s very tough. I’m learning to be a businesswoman and I don’t like it at all! I feel like I’m doing a Masters in Economics. I’ve never had to go through invoices. I’m still learning and hoping that I have enough time and calm to do my next collection. I’ve had no vacation. I’ve seen two movies in a year. Before I went to galleries, read books, and attended cultural events… now I don’t even know what’s going on in the world.

What business expectations do you have and do you think the store’s a safe bet or a gamble?
I’ve been open for less than a month and it’s been good. After the opening I did my numbers and it’s above what I wrote down; that comforts me. The effort that I did, people appreciate me. It will help me sell to my other customers. But fashion is always a gamble. It depends on my collection every 6 months. I feel like with each one I “give birth.” I’m always pessimistic and always have doubts… but I also know that I can win. 

Have you received any help from local authorities or other organizations?
All the money came from me and my agent. I took out a second mortgage on my apartment and all of the savings we had went into this. Everything is here.

What sort of support staff do you have?
In the store I have two full-time and one part-time staff. In my studio I have two pattern makers, two sample makers, one assistant, and one accountant. All of the production goes through another company. We’re very small and I like it that way. The maximum I want is a group of ten; they’re like my family.

What plans do you have for the future?
My next step is to organize my production so that we deliver to customers on time. Once that’s set, I’d like to expand and export to Japan and the United States. After that, I’d like to open a store in Madrid. But things need to be perfect before I take a next step.

In the nine years of designing, what has been your most significant style change?
It’s more of a natural evolution. My collections are based on something in the past; it’s a personal thing. I’m sort of building my own closet. I get my ideas from day-to-day things, seeing old movies, paintings in galleries, sensations go into me and some how come out. I don’t know how it happens. If I did, it would be much easier. My collections change with me. But you need to be really sincere with yourself. I never copy anyone. With every collection I doubt myself. I think to myself, “It’s wrong… next time I have to do it better.”

We ended our interview with Julie saying this: “Customers today don’t only come to buy clothes. It’s psychological therapy. They talk. You build relationships with your customers. You remember what they bought last season and suggest something that will go with what they have. I want to be here. That’s why I’ve created a small studio upstairs, where I’ll work with my pattern makers in the morning and come down to the store in the afternoon to help with customers. I want to have personal contact with my clients. It’s a business, but it’s not only about money. It’s about human relationships. I want to keep my clients happy and coming back.”

I was able to observe this. Before starting the interview, as I walked through the store, I saw Julie in her natural environment: helping customers decide on outfits and personally taking their choices to the fitting room: definitely not something a “typical” designer would do.

For more information:

Julie Sohn
Calle Diputación 299
08009 Barcelona
Telephone: 93 309 06 53