The Confessional: Jules Kim

This week’s Confessional has all eyes on Jules Kim, the founder and creative mind behind the rapidly growing hip chick jewelry line, Bijules. Jules shares some insight on her hustling for other people’s successes and how it inspired her to branch out with her own business.

Between her party promoting, jewelry marketing, and some modeling side jobs, Jules is hard to miss and definitely one to keep an eye on!

Make sure to check out her latest collection online at www.bijulesnyc.com.

Name and Age, please:
Jules Kim, 28

Marital status:
stupidly in love

Where are you originally from?
Richmond, Virgina

How long have you lived in New York?
5 years

What neighborhood in NY do you live in?
east village baby!

What are your favorite memories of New York since living here?
Favorite? Well, 2 nites ago some drunk kid grabbed my ass and long story short, that was the 3rd time in two weeks I had been touched in public so he wound up in cuffs and crying. On a more positive note, my favorite memories number high…from sunbathing with my bestfriend in the hamptons, partying with owner of dean & deluca til 8 in the morning, watching my friends share stages with music icons, to creating my own lifestyle brand.

Give us a brief rundown of your past work experience.
I have never been one for  a 9-5. I cringe at the thought of being contained in one place and working towards someone else’s goals. It’s a matter of taste and I never wanted it in my mouth, so I started bijules nyc. Nothing of value ever comes quickly so sidework is a must here to survive in nyc. I worked the door at a wine bar, threw parties, dj’d, anything to make a buck…I also worked for eugenia kim, who taught me the importance of separating personal and professional lives. Being an independent designer is a huge undertaking and everyday is a risk, but if you trust yourself and others around you, the risks can be converted into fruitful endeavors.

Do you have a formal design education background?
Nah, not at all. I’m a firm believer in following one’s dreams and that in and of itself is art background enough. If you have the motivation to execute than you should do it. Find a way!

We heard you used to design for other people, what were you designing, and for whom?
I never designed for anyone else, i did PR for them. There is a certain finesse to hyping shit up. I realized I had the gift of gab and began using it to my company’s advantage. 

You launched your jewelry line Bijules four years ago with your popular “graffiti” style name plate necklaces. How did you start and what inspired your first designs?
I was working for a hat designer and did everything from sales, PR, marketing, production etc. I decided to stop working my ass off for someone else and took a beginner’s jewelry class at Studio 174 in Willyburg. I wanted to fuel the artist inside instead of working like a mule. I had taken an intro jewelry course in college and one of our proejcts was to make a wax model. I designed and cut the wax in the shape of a graffiti tag of my name since my boys were all graffiti artists…that idea stuck and i made a few in silver from my basement living room table; gave em to a few friends; met with the buyers at atrium; made one for an editor at lucky mag; and bamwhamthankyoumaam…

Do you handmake it all yourself or have production people?
I began making everything myself. Now I have a factory in midtown but we still assemble everything by hand.

The bar ring is one of our favorite pieces and we noticed Rihanna is wearing it in her new video, with Jay-Z, Umbrella, congrats!  How did that come about?
That bar ring is my shit. Sometimes I forget to take it off, like fall asleep with it on or realize I’m lifting weights with it …dork. Mariel from Epiphany hooked up the Rihanna deal! I saw her wearing it in the view on Monday! I think it suits her bad girl comeback aesthetic perfectly!

Tell us about your high end line “Family Julz,” whats the idea behind this and who have you collaborated with lately?
The high end line came about to expand into new markets with Bijules. The wider the scope the more opportunity presents itself! I am about to launch the new Serpentine collection that’ll make peeps cry…and also i have new additions to the bitejules line, which is my midpriced line. My Aunt Winnie passed away a few years ago and my family left me her set of false teeth, knowing I’d do something with them. Hehe, so hot.

Any idea who you’d like to collaborate with next?
Idea? Oh hell yeah. I’ve got a long list, but to mention them would be unwise. I don’t like to talk before I can follow through. Talking preemptively can open doors but you must be able to follow through completely.

I read a story about how you were inspired by your roommates fake tooth retainer.  Has any work materialized from that idea yet?
Yes maam! Brooke Nipar (www.brookenipar.com) is my roomie and when she was little her tooth fell out and never grew back in, so she wears this retainer with a false tooth. Drunkenly one night we went through all of them from over the years and chose one to cast. It’s black gold and the solitary tooth is yellow gold. Everyone always asks me if i do fronts, now I can say I do!

What is your concept of “disarming weaponry” and what does it mean to you personally?
The “disarming weaponry” theme communicates the breaking down of social/political sparring abroad and domestically. In addition it means that we must find an alternative way to arm ourselves. I am not one for physical aggression because it means a loss of self control and a lack of inner peace. I have come to many points where I visualized hurting people til they well- couldnt get up anymore…lets just say that. That is so scary to recognize the dark potential of one person so to have that on a mass scale in war, means chaos. Humanity should not be built on such an insecure foundation. The disarming weaponry theme is a very pertinent and poignant one and i feel it is my responsiblity as a citizen and member of society to voice it.

We saw the young influencers spread in URB, shot by your friend Kareem Black. How did you become involved in organizing the shoot?
That shoot was the shit. There is a blossoming group of young entrepenuers who have worked their way to success. Granted success is an everlasting endeavor and to reach success may never even be an option for some…but our success is based on interpretation. That group has collectively interpreted an overall success at launching companies and executing brilliant strategies…I am honored to have been a part of the shoot.

Tell us about your involvement with Fiona Bloom and Mixtape Riot.
Fiona is a great woman. A fellow lady hustler she has worked in the underground music industry for over 15 years, walking Outkast to fame and many many others… The Mixtape Riot was an amazing concept blending DJ remixes and live performances together. It helped develop a firm following for my goods.

You model your own jewelry beautifully, have you done any other modeling?
I’m the face of my brand and modelling my work is uplifting. I have modelled plenty but not for any agency or anything…when a woman (or man in that case) sees another displaying their work with confidence and not bravado, I’d like to think it empowering… I want my customers to be empowered and influential.

In your interview with Inked magazine you describe a tattoo you have that says ‘Il faut se preter aux autres et se donner a soi-meme,’ Which translates to ‘It is necessary to give to others in order to gain for yourself.’ This seems to be your motto as it is on your my-space title and in your email signature. Any real life antidotes on how this quote has manifested for you recently?
When I returned from studying abroad in France for a year, I felt the language and culture had to stay with me forever. It was the first time in my life that I had set out to do something with no safety net and realized during the year long freefall that taking that initial jump had lanced me into true self confidence. That because I was in a foreign land with no ties to anyone I had to begin on my own but found that sharing myself with others was the most enriching and steady safety net ever. That no fall would ever be alone. I think its extremely important to help others because we cannot succeed alone. It is a collective effort. Life is a give and take and if you give, you will receive so much more.

We read somewhere that you also DJ. What kind of music do you spin and are there any upcoming gigs we should know about?
Haha, that was along time ago. At one point I was djing, promoting, styling, jeweling, etc but i had to focus on one thing… 

You’re a familiar face in the NYC nightlife scene, how did you get involved and what role do you play?
It is a role. But its fun. And i like to be a role model. My brand is based on a lifestyle and my lifestyle is not just mine, its a whole world with other people in it. New York has its own flavor and we create it…I wanted it to taste different…I am involved because it is in my blood to have fun and throwing parties is a marketing tool for Bijules. Raffle a lil of this, have this musician wearing that, bling a lil here, bling a lil there…the more presence the more awareness is brought to your product.

You have an identical twin who also lives in New york, got any good stories about people confusing you for her or vice versa?
Haha, my sister is hilarious. My girl Sylvia thinks she will make millions as a comedian. Being a twin is amazing and I love it when people are like “Sam?” and Im like “nope, but nice try!” Sometimes we explain ourselves, other times we don’t… People are like “How’s it like being a twin?” and my response is usually “I don’t know, what’s it like not being one?”

Do you have any assistants that help you keep on top of all your work that you would like to shout out?
Hell yeah, I have a Bijules crew! Khalym from www.sirhayes.com has helped me push through a series of growing pains and now I have a great dedicated intern named Lisa and also Denisse is my lil hustler! Pay her, bitches!

Where can we find Bijules?
I sell to several boutiques around the world. In NY I sell to Valley and if you are lucky, the Reed Space. Best to hit us up directly through the website…www.bijulesnyc.com or email at sales@bijulesnyc.com.

What can we expect from you next?
Expect golden prosthetic lips, diamond studded teeth, opal-filled cavities, blind snakes, and more body armor! 

Got a long term plan?

I have many goals. Some of them short and some of them long. I am setting Bijules up to be a long lasting brand with its hands stretched across the globe and in many pots… Once again I dont want to jinx any new developments but lets just say that I’m EXTREMELY blessed and honored to have come this far in such a short period of time with so many strong and ambitious people surrounding me.

Do you have much free time?  And what do you do when you’re not working?
I really don’t. I wish I did. I have chosen to work more than relax. I am young and this is my time to grind, I have the rest of my life to chill! When I am not working, I’m usually sleeping or thinking about going to the gym…I’m thinking about it right now dammit.

Who are your favorite musicians/artists of all time?
Sylvia from Kudu is my favorite singer, I love the Knife, Jennie Wilson, Husky Rescue, Wu-Tang, the Presets, and jesus the list can go on and on and on…

Who are your favorite accessory and clothing designers?
Ha, Bijules duh! I don’t wear anyone else’s jewelry even though I love a lot of it…I love Balenciaga, Pretty Shitty by Imba, Opening Ceremony, Mishka, and vintage!

How would you describe your personal style?
I mix vintage, streetwear, and haute. My style highlights my jewelry so i pair my black corset with a vintage strapless dress and wrap my Cops & Robbers piece around my shoulders like a holster. Fuckin hot. That is my piece for the summer.

What’s your favorite accessory you own?
Just answered! My Cops & Robbers piece is a 40 inch mini dookie chain with two handcuffs on the end, one of which you can take off to style in more than 8 ways. It’s important for my clients to have options bc who knows how you will feel from one day to the next!

Where do you like to shop?
Daha vintage, American Rag LA, OpeningCeremony. I don’t really go shopping very much, I like to be given shit that no one has…

Do you go out much?  Got any favorite bars, lounges, clubs?
Haha, do i go out much? Yes, ma’am. I go out to my twin’s bar called Palais Royal in Chinatown, Sway for my girl Roxy’s party, and anywhere that my friends or I throw parties at!

Name your top 3 fave restaurants in NY and your favorite dish(es) is there.
The Lil Owl, my boy Gabriel owns it- the pork chop is INSANE.
Pho bang in Chinatown has banging Vietnamese pho.
La Esquina for the fish tacos!

What music have you been listening to lately?
Lots of electronic and original remixes.

Whats your most recent discovery/exploration in New York?
That i could NEVER be anywhere else in the world. I feel like the city is in my blood and that its vibe has pulsated in me since i was born. It’s not a geographic place but more a state of mind and I take new york everywhere with me.

Do you plan on living in NY forever?
I plan on living “New York” for an undisclosed amount of time. I could move back to Europe though.

If you smoke, tell us your favorite rolling paper.  If you drink, tell us your cocktail/drink of choice.
I smoke whatever is put in my mouth, but I’m partial to the clear joints [Aledinhas] Disco D pushed (R.I.P). and when I drink I am a Makers on the rox kinda girl. Or when table service is around its vodka…

Name one New York woman that you would nominate to our Hail Mary! list.
Brooke Nipar. What what!

Shot by Jake Chessum for a Lincoln advertorial in Giant Magazine

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