Jessica Molebatsi – fashion designer and founder of the JessicaJane label – is taking this winter by storm with her 2021 winter range. Her garments shine brightly in acid yellow and cerise pink and exude a much-needed message of positivity that amplifies the brightness of the women who wear them, expressing their true value and feminine beauty.
Carving a niche for herself in Feminine Couture, Jessica’s passion is helping women feel confident, beautiful, and valued; this ethos shines through every sequin in this energetic collection. Designed specifically with go-getting superwomen in mind, this collection was created to help women easily slip into a comfortable outfit and look meticulously put together, especially where they don’t have the time to fuss.
“The essence of this collection was about enabling women to express their individuality. I wanted to empower the femininity within each of us, not to impose my idea of femininity onto my clients, but for the woman who wears them to remain their beautiful selves – just with an extra confidence boost,” says Jessica.
Influenced by the romanticism of french aesthetics, this collection strikes the perfect balance between vivaciousness and vintage. Inspired primarily by her extraordinary clients and her own life as a working mom, this collection empowers women without having to make them fit a specific mould and be uncomfortable in the process.
This winter range jumped into being when Jessica’s was transfixed by an acid yellow roll of sequin fabric. Jessica’s love for sequins glistens all over her Instagram so it is no surprise she bought the whole roll immediately.
“I thought the colour was so interesting, specifically in a sequin and it all snowballed from there. I loved working with these bright energising colours versus the standard autumnal hues,” she explains.
Drawn instinctively to texture, Jessica loves winter fashion and finds it far more interesting and creative because of the textural combinations you can achieve with layers.
Jessica dreams of one day taking this collection internationally and feels like Spain would be a perfect fit.
“As South Africans, we tend to be more timid with our fashion choices. The Spanish on the other hand are wonderfully unafraid to take risks and try things out. And with this collection, I am proud of its boldness and practicality.”
In this range, the acid yellow sequin trench coat exudes happiness and is the item Jessica is most excited and grateful to have made. Its oversized structure and unmissable fabric provide a burst of happiness when you see it. Not to mention being quite warm since it is fully lined and sequins are a great insulator.
When she designs Jessica begins the conceptualising process by shutting everything out and focusing; then allowing all the different pieces of the puzzle to fit together. She is exhilarated by watching as the range comes into being. Really considering the fabric – not just about thinking about what you are going to make in isolation – is essential to her process.
Jessica warns though, that the challenge of balancing being a creative and a business owner is not for the faint of heart: “When you are the business owner you are often so busy working in the business that stepping outside of it, to be this creative for however long it takes, is not easy. With some ranges you can dedicate focus and others you need to work under pressure. And sometimes limitations on your time can actually feed your creativity just as much as taking the time to be meticulous.”
Jessica believes that designers put the initial energy to bring garments into existence from a concept and then the garments take on a life of their own. They change form according to what they interact with, like what stitch and what fabric is used.
Her combination of colour, classicism and clever cuts has JessicaJane really heating things up on the fashion scene this winter. Perfect for the polished professional supermom, it offers a much-needed reprieve from the labour of dressing so that they can go forth and conquer the world in fabulous comfort.
To view her collection visit www.jessicajane.co.za.
Press release and images supplied.