Jac&Jam .....New Beginnings.

Yep, it has been a year since I’ve posted a blog, I was busy with my new business partner preparing our business plan for our new footwear factory: Amici Footwear Industries. It took us three months to finalize everything, but it only took me a few minutes to convince Cha to join me so we can create shoes that we both will love. She only said yes without fully realizing what that yes entails & that was for the best :)

Setting up a footwear factory is not an easy business to dive into. My first try didn’t went well & so heartbreaking, so this is my second, much smaller than the first one, but well-thought of, well-planned. We started producing & supplying low wedge sandals around November last year for local brands & so far we’re good. We didn’t import workers from Marikina, instead we got apprentices with zero knowledge on footwear making & trained them the basics. At the same time helping in our own small way our community in Cainta Green Park.

I am thankful for my long time friend who has become the wind beneath my wings :), who allowed me to  realize my visions as well as my shoe obsessions.

Jumar, our Professional Footwear Pattern Maker, trained by Mr. Noel Box has agreed to join our small team.

For now, we’ve only launched our low end brand  I’ve called Jac&Jam, after two little girls who calls me “Ninang” J.

Everything is casual, yet sexy & chic. I categorize it as our low end brand because our price points is not expensive, but our materials are all standard so is the fit. We’ve made sure that it is also comfy, with good quality. So far, all the feedbacks from our clients are extremely good. They are all   #HappyJacnJamClients.

Geta Collection: Fiona Flat Sandals

These flat sandals have a unique footbed  that really resembles wood, even the surface texture.  Together with my supplier, we tried techniques how we can achieve the wooden effect for the footbed. It took us a couple of weeks before we were able to achieve the perfect look using treated PVC soles.

This collection was inspired by the Japanese thong wooden clogs known as Geta in 2009.  I added prints on the “wooden footbed” resembling  Japanese block prints. 

Japanese Geta sandals, photo by Google.

These were produced in Liliw, Laguna but were never sold in Liliw's Gat Tayaw fair. 

At that time, with Kuya Noel and Kuya Hermie's help we developed several suppliers from Liliw, Binan and Gapan areas to supply our increasing demand for Hoc Yan’s (a company under the Unitop Group) Fiona footwear line through our advocacy of teaching correct footwear processing & manufacturing.

It really sold well. At 1,200 pairs per design as our minimum quantity which was more than what most of the big players are ordering from footwear manufacturers.

I made sure that the patterns were made only by the pattern maker that we endorse to make sure that fitting & construction will be close to ideal. Since most of the manufacturers in these areas are not applying scientific principles in creating their patterns which logically results to bad construction and fitting. 

I cannot vouch that all the shoes sold in the Gat Tayaw Fair in Liliw are well constructed, hence with good fitting. I will only vouch for the products that I had ordered & my team has overseen its production.

Hopefully I could redo this collection sometime soon in a more ideal factory setting & competent workers.

Cruise Collection: Sexy Summer Sandals

I designed this sophisticated collection of flat sandals for Carmina Villaroel, a local celebrity for her online footwear store, Muniz which sold fast that she repeated the orders only a few weeks after we delivered the items. 

Although she didn’t like to use the leather materials as per original samples due to the fact that this will increase the selling price of these sandals ceiling high and will understandably be difficult to sell to her market. 

Which was fine because I found great synthetic materials from the Marikina open market that I matched to produce these georgeousness. I also used a more formal type of outsole to make them elegant and not casual, though the sole made the sandals just a tad heavier, which is a slight trade off if you ask me.

This number is a real show stealer.  I personally have this both in gold and cobalt colors, there's actually three colors, the third is the gray and silver combi. 

It's been more than a year since I've been wearing my pairs and they're still intact. Even now, I still catch women staring at my feet whenever I wear them. Which makes me feel so smug and flaunt my sandals more. I know, naughty me! But that is exactly the essence of the ecstasy that we feel when we know that we're wearing shoes that are sexy!

While this pair seems to be so flat, don't let it deceive you. They're very comfy and can make your ankle really sexy because of the wide ankle strap, not for ladies with thick ankles, though.

My pattern maker, Cindy had quite a challenge when she engineered the patterns because this pattern type is basically a boot and this was only her second time she derived the master for a boot pattern since her intensive training was still on-going under the expertise of footwear technical consultant, Mr. Noel Box. 

This one has an ultimate summer feel to it, with the multicolored striped fabric contrasting with the aqua blue synthetic material. Admittedly there's a lot of color in this design, but I pulled it off beautifully :).

This is another nautical inspired number, also very sexy due to its ankle strap, making it an almost gladiator type of sandals.

What are your thoughts on these designs? I'd like to know.

Celebrate Summer

This is a collection of sophisticated flat sandals in 2013 for Treadline’s summer look book to celebrate the summer months of either lounging in the pool or the beach in high style.

I designed these collection for a local brand Vedasto, the owner of whom is a cousin of Manels.

These sexy, elegant & comfortable sandals are made of luxurious cow & kid leather.  

You can definitely flaunt your sexy feet with these babies either on the poolside or on the beach.

For inquiries please feel free to leave me a message.

photos & layouts by Claimed.