everything is architecture
ByJGK is the passionate production of Jacqueline Gotcheva-Keil. This is her story.
Everything is Architecture
With her formative educational years based in Berlin, Jacqueline studied both architecture and design. Inspired by the concept that “Everything is Architecture”, as Hans Hollein stated in 1968 and Charles and Ray Eames expressed throughout their career; Jacqueline has sought to reflect the world around her through her work, and is passionate about all aspects of architecture, culture, design, art and fashion.
Formative Career Years
After graduating as an architect and designer in Berlin, Jacqeline’s experience spanned first from architecture firms, to her roles at Conde Nast. Subsequently she moved to interior design, marketing, and editor in chief at design magazines. Jacqueline then transitioned to VP of design or marketing roles at different furniture, fashion, home design, and media companies.
These years: immersed in fashion, design, and architecture, ignited her inner passion for developing a fashion house.
The Motto
ByJGK’s motto: Never settle for less than the best & Invest in timelessness and quality. And this „best“ is coming to all of you likeminded women who appreciate and love quality and beauty just as much.
The Beginning
I simply love silk (together with all natural fibers) and the diversity that might be hiding in one piece of clothing – combinable pieces that live through time and are never out of fashion.
The Challenge
The quest for the perfect silk slip dress somehow seemed the hardest one I’ve been on in terms of clothing. I could either find a nice model, but then the silk was either very thin and not really suitable for a dress, but rather a night gown; or the seams and finishes were poor quality; or something on the model itself was just not fitting; or I found the perfect fit, but it was a synthetic fibre and not silk. So I took on the challenge. Not to make a business out of it, but mainly for all the ladies out there who were possibly struggling with the same issue, or simply want to invest in themselves and their wardrobe. And, of course, for the great satisfaction when holding a silk perfection in your hands.
The Journey
The majority of the satin silk clothes on the market are 16 mommes (mommes describe the density of the silk fibre), which is a very lightweight silk and although it is been sold as „normal clothes“ (as in dresses, shirts, skirts etc.), it is actually more appropriate for sleepwear. Also, when you see, that a silk is „Made in Italy“, you tend to believe it. Well, with a very small exception, the silk comes from China and is made there. Only when the finishing is done in Italy, it is automatically authorised to be called „Made in Italy“. As a person, whose pet peeve is dishonesty in all of its forms, I decided to take the hard road and find the best quality silk there is, which means more than 16, 19 mommes and one that is actually MADE in Italy (spun, woven, dyed… every process until the finished product) – and, if possible, in traditional production. I decided to look for silk in the Silk-Mekka of Europe – Como, Italy. This turned out to be harder that it seemed at first, but with stubbornness and decisiveness, maybe also madness, somehow managed to get the attention of one of the greatest traditional silk manufacturers in Como – the silk supplier of some of the biggest brands in the luxury sector.