Christina Ferrara, kweejibo employee 1993, modeling kweejibo black silk jumpsuit,
first kweejibo store in background
"velvet and satin club membership"
october 1, 1998
the story of Cho's kweejibo clothing co., a men's shirtmaker and shop in San Francisco, all locally manufactured across the bay in Oakland, copyright March 2012
(Return to kweejibo stories, May 2012, for First part of the Series, published every month)
kweejibo leaf corded petal-collar coat with matching covered buttons (1940's retro)
articles author art journal museum gallery exhibit Book Murakami south east Asia Bangkok crafts ceramics clothing designer film review movie director actress
kweejibo black silk suit, petal-collar jacket, trumpet skirt (1940's retro)
i am out one evening with friends, and this fellow Carlos says, "Cindy, what is UP with your store? i was in there the other day and it was all shirts in velvet,
satin, velour and lace ... !!"
i say "you exaggerate, that's not true...anyhoo,
whatever we have, they buy..." this is true.
understandable, his surprise.
i walk in the next day and i realize that he is correct, or only two-thirds correct. we are holding still at sixty-six percent glam wear.
it is easy to understand his
assumption as the glam wear somehow seems to take up more space than it actually inhabits.
kweejibo tapestry vest
glam in every color; red, pale blue, silver are especially
popular. everything sells except the puky golden tie-dye satin. strangely, they don't seem to get with that.
kweejibo gray jacquard thirties retro dress
it is october, 1998, and i have paid off my debts. someone who lives on tofu and fried rice, who is accustomed to having no salary and who pays the
rent on a slummy apartment sometimes with cash advances from a credit card.
suddenly, I see a chunk of money in my bank account. and the next month, november, sales are promising much more ...
kweejibo cream textured rayon shirt, autumn trumpet skirt
my bank account and I have developed such a particular relationship over the years, struggling to pay the bills almost to the last dollar. I feel like it is almost another living entity, who shares in the same sense of shock as myself. we want to just look at each other for a while, even hug each other for reassurance. it is thrilling yet scary. sudden cash is bewildering in place of years of penury and debt.
kweejibo rose brocade vest, black burnt velvet skirt
the debt and I have been together so long, I don't know what to do now that it is gone. and when is this unpredictable supply of cash going to disappear, just as
suddenly as the debt departed?
