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Something Old, Something New: Jocelyn Negron Dresses Athens

by Allison Carter
06/27/2007

Athens is generally known for its music scene, but lately there's a burgeoning fashion scene downtown. Anyone who spends an afternoon looking around will encounter a local designer whose labels simply say, 'Jocelyn.' Her name is Jocelyn Negron, and long before she began designing clothes, she watched her best friend's mom sew together their dance costumes. While she watched, she discovered that sewing was something she wanted to pursue. Through dancing Jocelyn also discovered she loved getting dressed up and what better way to dress up the way you wish than to make your own clothes.

In high school that is just what Jocelyn did; she began creating and wearing her own clothes. One of the first things she made was a shower curtain shirt. A shower curtain is a strange item to convert into clothing, but she made it work. As her skills improved, her friends began asking her to make clothes for them, the truest sort of compliment since appearances matter so much in high school.

Now, more advanced in her practice, Jocelyn is a 4th year student at UGA deciding between fabric and fashion design as a major. Her transfer to UGA could quite possibly be the best move she's ever made. When first arriving in Athens, Jocelyn was introduced to Agora, a local vintage shop. She started selling magnets and iPod covers through the store.

One night at Transmetropolitan, Jocelyn was sporting one of the dresses she had made. The owner of Agora saw the dress and fell in love with it. Jocelyn began marketing her clothes to Agora customers. They sold well. "I had little confidence at first," Jocelyn told me, "but as they sold, my confidence was built." A year has passed since Agora started carrying Jocelyn originals, and the results have allowed the designer to play with vintage stiles, fabrics and lines.

Jocelyn's clothes aren't just about design, though. She likes to work with unique fabrics, and vintage textiles offer the opportunity to use the most unique patterns and textures. Most of the vintage fabrics she gets are from thrift stores. Fabrics are recycled from vintage clothing, dresses mostly, and it is the designer's instinct that guides her purchasing. And it isn't enough that the fabric looks good. It also has to be reusable. "I know what feels good," she says, "and what is good to sew with."

Once the vintage fabric is taken home it is given a new life, usually a carefree, natural design. When Jocelyn is making her clothes she has to create the perfect environment to spark her creative thoughts. "When I make something, loud music is playing... it's kind of like when it's more fun to get ready to go out then actually going," she say, almost as if her pleasure is in creating her clothes rather than seeing them worn.

Jocelyn combines her own style with what she knows will translate to any woman. "No matter who wears it; it will look right for them," she insists. She remembers one specific skirt that in her mind was made for a younger woman, but she saw an older lady wearing it around town. Jocelyn felt that the skirt fit the older woman just as perfectly as it fit the young woman Jocelyn had in mind. The easy hang of her clothes on two completely different people has helped her clothes become so popular in Athens.

If you are in search of something original, Jocelyn's clothes can be found at Agora and Fortson's, both on Clayton Street. At each store you will find different clothing. Agora is the store to go to if you want clothes that Jocelyn calls "fun and laid back." As her description indicates, they are less expensive, daily wear clothes. At Fortson's you will find clothes that are "high end... want to go out and look nice." Wherever you choose to go, any of her clothes are worth the buy. And if you see something you like, buy it, because it will sell fast and there isn't another one like it.

You can find Jocelyn, and her designs, on the web at her MySpace page. Her website is currently under construction.

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