New Resources Guide: Maj

Native Californian Julie Jun used an acronym of her family’s names (Max, Aaron and Julie) for the name of her contemporary clothing brand, Maj.

A large portion of the collection is made from eco-friendly Tencel jersey. In the Holiday ’09 collection, Maj will also be introducing Tencel French terry. Jun said she enjoys working with the Tencel blends because “the fiber dyes and drapes beautifully.” “Supima [cotton] and silks are also favorites,” she added. “A soft hand is a must for our pieces.”

Jun describes the silhouettes in the new collection as having lots of drape, cowl necks, funky hemlines, and dramatic kimono sleeves in different shapes and lengths.“I added sexiness to basic shapes like squares and rectangles by adding dramatic sleeves and hemlines in order to let the body give the garments shape,” she said. “Many of our pieces might not have hanger appeal, but when you put them on, they transform.”

Top retailers include Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Intermix, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor and Harvey Nichols. In Southern California, the line is stocked at Planet Blue, Revolve Clothing, M.Fredric and Lisa Kline. “Everything, including the fabrics, is made in U.S.A, and the washes are done here in Los Angeles,” added Jun. —Dena Smolek

Contact: www.majcollection.com

Wholesale Price Points: $25–$85