How to make it in fashion from Miss J
J. Alexander, or Miss J, as he is lovingly called, is a fashion fairy godmother. As America’s Next Top Model’s official “runway coach and diva extraordinaire,” he is known for his amazing, on-point runway advice (the most famous being “Walk like it’s for sale and the rent is due tonight.”) that transforms awkward wannabes into fierce supermodels. But aside from being a judge on ANTM, he’s actually had a colorful and extensive career in fashion. He’s walked on the runways of New York and Tokyo (most notably for John Paul Gaultier), coached fellow models—like, oh, you know, Naomi Campbell—on their runway walks, and even designed his own shoe line for women. Other people may be content to revel in their own success, but like a true-blue fairy godmother, Miss J is only too happy to give others their glass slippers and teach them how to walk in those fragile heels on the runways of the fashion world.
And this fashion fairy godmother was sprinkling his fabulous dust in Asia: he was in Hong Kong recently to help with the Savannah College of Art and Design’s first-ever Fashion Showcase in the campus, where the school’s fashion students from its different campuses on three different continents (Savannah and Atlanta in the US, Lacoste in France, China, and in Hong Kong) showed off their original designs. SCAD is one of the most distinguished art and design universities in the world, and in 2012, they launched their fashion, fashion marketing and management, and luxury and fashion management programs in their Hong Kong campus.
Before sitting down with Miss J, I was in SCAD Hong Kong, a modern and artsy campus housed in a beautifully preserved (and UNESCO award-winning) old court house. Surrounded by students, fashionistas, designers, retailers and industry insiders from the Hong Kong community, we watched as the different looks were showcased, an interesting range inspired by a myriad of things, from graffiti to Chinese foot binding. But aside from the beautiful clothes, it was impossible not to notice Miss J, trying to stay in the background but still towering over all of us in his 6’4” glory, in a beautiful gold suit and a big, proud smile. He had helped the students in showcasing their garments and flown in straight from the Golden Globes to attend the event. “I’m so proud of these students who I know from Savannah,” he said. Miss J has been involved with SCAD for almost 15 years, a relationship that started when Vogue’s iconic former editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley invited him to train the models for SCAD’s Fashion Showcase in Savannah. “The students that I’ve worked with have been from all over the world,” he said. And as he settled down with us the next day, he seemed even more ready to share his secrets of success. Spoiler alert: it takes a little more than fairy dust.
The future of fashion is on Asia’s streets
It’s our time to shine. When asked about Asia, Miss J declared it as a “whole different world” that is absolutely ripe for the picking and plucking. “Why do you think we have Chinese models on the runway?” he asked. “People want some of what you guys have here in Hong Kong!” While he feels that China is still conservative in many ways, he appreciates that the younger generation is starting to be more adventurous and forward when it comes to dressing and design. “I’ve loved what I’ve seen in (Hong Kong’s) streets,” he said. “People on the street inspire me. That’s where ideas in fashion come from!” While he appreciates the idea of classic study, he feels it’s important to learn to observe, learn, and get ideas from the streets. “I call it listening with your eyes,” he said. “I had an old boss say to me before, ‘You can learn a lot by listening.’ Well, you can learn a lot by looking, too. There’s so much beauty out there, even if it’s the most ratched (old and busted) beauty out there.” He’s started to take a lot of photos when he travels, and from these images he gets fresh ideas on how to create prints, layering new fabrics, and make new silhouettes. “Fashion is about breaking rules,” he said, smiling coquettishly. “If I didn’t break any rules, I wouldn’t be sitting here now.”
Filipinos can make it big in fashion
Yes, Miss J knows all about Filipinos. “I love the Philippines,” he declared. “One of my favorite, favorite, favorite models is Anna Bayle. When she walked, it was like she never touched the ground, and I thought she was moving greatness, and sooo fabulous.” And even if we don’t live in New York or Paris, Miss J believes that there can be more Filipinos, like Monique Lhuillier. “Let me tell you a little bit about the Filipino people,” Miss J said, leaning forward with a knowing smile. “I think they are some of the most forgiving people, some of them the nicest people in the world.” He launched into a story on how he spent some time with the Zobels a few years back, and no hotel he visited would accept his credit card. “And I don’t know what it is in the water or the orange juice in the Philippines, but they are gifted with singing voices,” he laughed. “People who don’t live in fashion capitals see things differently; I think you have to work harder,” he said thoughtfully. “But you can be just as talented. And just because you don’t live in one of the big fashion capitals doesn’t mean you can’t set a trend. Your vision and fantasy takes you to a journey around the world.” Vision, fantasy—and the Internet, of course. “You can learn a lot from the Internet,” he affirmed. “If you have access to the Internet, you can create anything or whatever you want.”
Get ready to work hard and feel insecure
Fashion is not all fame, fortune, and fabulousness, so get ready to work. After several years of working in fashion, Miss J is familiar with the perks of being in that industry, traveling the world and meeting great people being among them. The downside? It can be physically exhausting, especially for some models. “You’re doing 20 shows in New York, 27 shows in Milan, 18 shows in Paris,” he illustrated. “Sometimes you just don’t feel like getting up at six o’clock in the morning, and you have 10 shows to do that day,” he explained. “There are times you can’t be with your friends and your family, and you get pushed to do these things, to keep your body in shape.” And being a model means seeing other girls with better bodies than you. “You become a little insecure because you may become great for Milan, but horrible for Paris. The rejection that you get, like all things in fashion, you take personally, because it’s about your physical beauty,” he says. Even those in design take risks in putting themselves out there. “Not everyone is going to like what you do; not everyone is going to have the same taste that you have,” he declared. “So you have to work a little bit harder on a creative front.”
He encourages you to build a strong sense of self, and reveals life lessons he learned from — of all people — the infamous Imelda Marcos (I guess he really does know Filipinos!) when they met, who told him, “You remind me so much of me!” Miss J was skeptical, but then Mrs. Marcos explained: “People like you have a lot of personality, a lot of character.” People tend to feel envious of people who do, and it’s much harder to be envied than to be hated, she told him. “Because when you’re envied, people just want to tear you down as much as they can.” So be ready to open yourself up and make mistakes in the industry, but know who you are. “If you’re not strong and you don’t have that character, sometimes you tend to let people knock you down. If you have a product and you stand behind your product, you could be the next Alexander Wang, or even Balenciaga.” He winked knowingly. “And sometimes, if people don’t like what you’re selling, just sell them what they don’t want to buy.”
Right timing, right support
No one becomes successful on their own. Fashion can be about your character, self-expression and personality, which Miss J says are very important, but it’s also a business and an industry. “You need the support of the people, stores, magazines, journalists, bloggers,” said Miss J. “If they like your product, they’ll support your product.” That’s why he loves how SCAD allows people to develop their personal art, taste and ideas while collaborating with similar people. “SCAD is a school that allows the students to be creative on all points,” he said. But success never happens overnight; he reminds people to be patient. “Sometimes, I swear to God, it’s all about the damn timing. Some people give up a little too soon,” he said. “We want everything now; there’s no hard work! Some people walk into a situation thinking, ‘The world owes me.’ Well, the world doesn’t owe you a thing. It just gave you a place to play in, to be creative, and if you can’t walk up there and take advantage of what the world has to offer, that’s on you. Your bad.”
Everything you do should have a purpose
One of the most surprising things about Miss J is that he wanted to be an accountant. “TV? Never, never in my wildest dreams!” he laughed. When Tyra Banks asked him to be on the show, he thought it was just another job, but he was always the type of guy who wanted to be a part of everything, and to go along with things as they happened. So he gamely went with it, and after becoming famous as a judge, coach, and all-around fabulous person on ANTM, he’s very grateful for being part of Tyra’s plan and vision. “Sometimes, your career changes,” he said. “What you wanted five or 10 years ago may not be important now!” So he encourages you to be open-minded and try different things, but to make sure that you learn something from every experience in life. “Whatever (the world is) trying to sell or toss at you, you should walk away with something, at least about yourself.”
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For more information about Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), visit their blog SCAD.edu/blog or SCAD.edu.hk.
