The last time Jessica Jung was in Singapore, she was still a part of K-pop super group Girls’ Generation (SNSD).
Who would’ve thought that less than two years later, the 26-year-old would be back in town not just as a former member of the massively popular nonet (now an octet, of course), but also as a former SM Entertainment artiste. Earlier this month, she and the company, which also houses other Hallyu heavyweights like Super Junior and EXO, amicably parted ways after ending her contract.
However, her popularity remains as high as ever, despite the fact that she has traded her idol status for the role of creative director of fashion label Blanc & Eclare. Proof of the unwavering support for her was apparent during the brand’s launch at Marina Bay Sands’ Salon by Surrender last night: 120 fans willingly spent at least $350 on her pieces in order to score an invitation to her autograph session, and many more showed up just to get a glimpse of the starlet from outside the store.
Jessica is also revelling in her newfound independence, as she declared to local and regional media during a brief press conference prior to the meet-and-greet.
“I can make my own decisions and it’s easier to communicate and work things out; I have a great team of staff around me,” the California native gushed in fluent English. And the downside of flying solo? “I don’t know about the cons (of being independent), I haven’t seen any lately.”
The fact that she’s involved in something she enjoys makes things even better. “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved fashion and wanted to do something related to fashion,” she said. “I launched this denim line because I wanted to share my sense of style with the world (which is) less is more – I don’t like to overdo things and I like to keep things classic.”
She went on to share that she gets inspiration from her worldwide travels, which is especially apparent in her collection of eyewear. “They’re inspired by the cities that I love and been to: for example, Paris is an elegant cat-eye, while Shanghai is round,” she explained. “There isn’t one for Singapore yet but it’s coming soon! (laughs) We’re working on new designs so I hope everybody is looking forward to it.”
Jessica also looks to somewhere – or rather, someone – much closer to home: her mother. “She’s very classy and elegant and I’ve always wanted to be like her when I grew up.”
Mama Jung isn’t the only fashion muse in her life – her younger sister, f(x)’s Krystal, plays a huge part too. When we asked if a collaboration with her equally beloved sibling is in the pipeline, Jessica’s face lit up as she revealed that she often turns to Krystal for tips and ideas on what she should create next.
“I’d ask her what kind of jeans and T-shirts she likes, and she’ll tell me, ‘Oh, I want to wear something like this’, so we communicate a lot to produce new designs,” she said. “Maybe some time in the future there will be Blanc & Eclare x Krystal!”
We’re sure their followers are praying for that day to come soon.