In the heart of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Jenia Kim unveiled her debut runway show for J.Kim, celebrating a decade since the brand’s inception. Set against the backdrop of the historic Abul Kasim Madrasa, a male-orientated site renowned for its delicate artistry of local handicrafts, the show also marked J.Kim’s inaugural venture into men’s fashion.

The collection drew inspiration from the tightrope walkers of The Wandering Circus, figures who embody the delicate balance between strength and fragility. This theme, born from J.Kim’s encounters with a family of local funambulists, was woven throughout the show in billowing pants with sequin details, kaftan dresses paired with purple cigarette pants and textile-heavy bowling shirts.

Created in collaboration with Anton Belinsky, these pieces pay homage to traditional darbozi attire while incorporating elements from both designers’ archives. Highlights included the ‘Lazzat’ silhouette and the multi-coloured ‘bekasam’ fabric.

After the show’s debut, J.Kim explained the significance of Tashkent, how design chose her, and her vision for connecting Uzbekistan to the world.

Olivia Mond Jenia, you presented your debut show in Takshent, Uzbekistan, in May. Why did now feel like the right time for your runway debut, and what does this location mean to you?

Jenia Kim The brand is celebrating its 10th anniversary. I finally feel stability and a spark to develop in new directions. This runway represents my first attempt at interacting with men’s clothing. It was crucial to me to set up my first show in Tashkent, as it was my dream to witness people flying in from all the world and be inspired. It would make a lot more sense for the event to take place in Paris to further the brand name, but I wanted it to be in my hometown. The press came, and we invited our clientele, the majority of whom have been following the brand for several years.

OM The theme for the show was ‘tightrope walkers’. What inspired this idea?

JK During the times when I’m not actively working on developing the product, I travel around Uzbekistan in search of intriguing places and people that could inspire me. During one of those trips, I stumbled upon a family of funambulists (they are acrobats who do their tricks on tight ropes), whose elder is Yunus Ali Gadjiev. He equipped his yard by hand to be both a place of entertainment and a training ground for his grandchildren; he designed the swings and the training apparatuses to appear as though they’re up in the air. He showed me the old photos from his tours, told the story of how he saw the travelling circus and fell in love with his occupation. All this made a big impact on me and for a long time I wondered what project I should do with this person. Later, my friend Anton Belinsky and I were thinking of collaborating and I suggested developing the idea of tightrope walking as a metaphor for our lives.

OM What did you hope the clothes in the collection would communicate to your audience?

JK Viewers had the chance to take a look into our daydreaming souls and get a sense of our worldview, where adults dream as much as they want and are not afraid of being vulnerable. The collection begins with characters we meet in our daily lives and ends with prints made using heat-sensitivity cameras.

OM When did you first realise that you wanted to create and design clothes? Was there a specific moment or experience that sparked your interest?

JK Since childhood. My relatives say I started crafting at the age of two. In my later years, I fully understood that this was my mission and my destiny. I would even say this profession picked me, not the other way around. Over the last ten years, my job has brought me the ultimate happiness and joy, nothing makes me as happy as when I sit down and sketch.

OM The mission of J.Kim includes broadcasting an image of Uzbekistan beyond stereotypes. How does your brand challenge these stereotypes, and what impact do you hope this has on perceptions of Uzbek culture?

JK For me, it’s important to show that Uzbekistan isn’t just fancy chapans, great ancient architecture and Uzbeks. Uzbekistan is a multicultural country and I, as a representative of Koryo-saram, perceive it in my own way. I see it as a place where cultures collide, and people of different ethnic backgrounds can live together as neighbours in peace. I grew up in Russia and for the majority of my life, I witnessed how people from central Asia were often treated as working class. This used to frustrate me and for that, I wanted the world to open their eyes and see what these individuals really are and how wonderful their culture is.

OM The signature tying techniques and textile traditions of the Koryo-saram community are prominent in your collections. What meaning do these techniques hold for you and what continues to draw you to them?

JK The custom of packing stuff in bales attracted me in my childhood when I watched as my relatives packed my aunt’s dowry in sheets. It seems that even in my earliest years, this family custom had an impact on me and 20 years later, I reflected on these bales as a symbol of carrying the most precious history of the Koryo-saram, who were forced to relocate because of hunger and persecution.

OM Looking back at your journey with J.Kim since its founding in 2013, what achievements or moments are you most proud of, and what ambitions do you have for the future growth and impact of the brand?

JK The moment that made me feel the most pride and responsibility was when my tailor, who has been working with me for eight years, moved to Uzbekistan with her entire family to keep working with me. Later, other employees relocated to Uzbekistan solely to continue working with the brand. This was the most touching moment and felt much more important than any other achievement. Also, the fact that some of the clothes I developed are kept on permanent display in the Victoria and Albert Museum somewhere near the exhibits that inspire and motivate me brings me a lot of joy.

OM How do you perceive the current state of the fashion industry, and what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities facing young designers today?

JK Nowadays, the most characteristic property of the fashion industry is speed. For an upcoming brand, the most difficult thing is staying relevant for a long time. Today’s world is set up so that you’ll be noticed if you do something bright, memorable, but often times brands get stuck using the same catchy tricks and become washed up. That’s why I seek balance in using recognisable elements and new findings in my collections. The most challenging part for the brand is that it is evolving in a country with little to no fashion industry. Starting with the production challenges and ending with forming a filming crew, we face difficulties that are unfamiliar to brands based in the fashion capitals of the world. I consciously decided to develop this very industry in Uzbekistan. But every time, the pioneers have it the hardest.

OM How do you see your designs influencing broader conversations within the industry?

JK The petal cutouts and bales have become viral, and it influences the number of references we see from other brands. For me, it is more important to focus on pushing design boundaries and diving into things that really matter and can make a real change in community and talent representation, rather than only the industry landscape. I want to initiate conversations about what a traditional costume of Koryo-saram might look like. I want the small communities to have a clear understanding of their identity and be integrated and connected to the world.