Sassa Jimenez

Sassa Jimenez
Born	(1987-12-17) December 17, 1987 Manila, Philippines
Nationality	The Philippines
Education	Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles
Parent	Abby & Monet Jimenez
Relatives	Ramon T. Jimenez (grandfather)

Sassa Jimenez (born December 17, 1987) is a fashion designer from the Philippines. Her designs have been described as "frothy", "fun", "polished", "sleek", "sexy", sometimes "too busy", and inspired by "women of the '40s". She was selected as one of the presenters at the twice yearly Philippine Fashion Week. In 2009, she focused her "club glam" style towards "partyphiles" by using snakeskin and metallics to emphasize "glitz, glamour, and sparkle," according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. A report in Status Magazine suggested that in 2012 she is moving away from her "signature pretty and sweet designs" and playing with leather, dark colors, and different silhouettes.

Early life

Jimenez was born in 1987. Her parents are Philippine advertising agents Abby and Monet Jimenez. Her father serves as tourism secretary. Her aunt is Philippine Daily Inquirer’s editor-in-chief, Letty Jimenez Magsanoc. She studied creative writing at the Ateneo de Manila University. Later, she studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California. She finished the course in a year and a half and graduated cum laude. She worked as an intern at "Miss Sixty" doing celebrity styling and public relations. She has a design studio and atelier in Makati, a suburb of Manila in the Philippines.

Reviews

In 2008 Jimenez began showcasing her designs at the Philippine Fashion Week. The event is a twice-yearly week-long event which showcases design talent to display the "distinct Filipino creativity to the rest of the world", according to Style Manila, a fashion website. A reporter described her collection as "refreshing and feminine, with classic, clean lines and surprising twists. Her long gowns evoke easy sophistication with a delicate balance of streamlined hems and voluminous details." Another wrote: "Very few established designers would create such a frothy, excessive confection, but in the occasionally bland local fashion industry, Sassa Jimenez is a breath of fresh air." The styles were described as "fun and frothy, with bright pops combined with dark hues—bubblegum pink, aqua, mustard yellow, hot pink and plum mixed with black, gray, bronze and ivory." Some designs were described as "too busy" and others looked like they "could have been purchased off the rack from local retail stores." One outfit was a "black-and-pink dress the model wore featured a balloon skirt and puffed sleeves in a dubious combination of wool and organza". Another liked Jimenez's Tulle skirt. Another described a Jimenez dress as "a great Merry Christmas dress: perfect for drinking yourself silly and having your picture taken getting kissed under the mistletoe."

A reporter wrote "every moment is reciprocated by the swishing of a skirt or a sudden gleam of light from a satin surface", and that the overall look was "polished, sleek, and sexy." Her styles were described as "polished" and "sleek" with a 1940s look.

Jimenez described her approach:

My vision is to create pieces that have global relevance. I see myself designing outfits that can be worn by anyone, no matter where they are in the world.

— Sassa Jimenez, 2009.