As you can see, I've always been stylish and refined (that's me on the left).
Always the twain shall meet
My name is Jen.
I was born in the Philippines and at four years old, my parents made the brave decision to leave family behind to forge a better life for themselves and their young children in a prosperous country we call Australia.
This had a very profound effect in me in as much as, from a very young age, it made me aware of the differences in cultures, upbringing and style. The aesthetics of my new surroundings, a very colourful 70's Australia, clashed with the memory of my aesthetics of 1970's provincial Philippines. Solid, dark wood, polished in the traditional Filipino coconut manner, neutral colours and organic material is what I remember. Strangely, the garish colours on 70s plastic furniture really resonated with me. I grew to love it and cherish it. The brighter the colour, the more I was drawn in.
And thus, began my life long inner battle with finding my own personal style. I loved the classic look. I love all things wood. Neutral colours soothed and calmed my life. But the boldness of colour, the clashes of pattern brightened up my day. My younger self could never reconcile that you could have both in your life.
But as I grew older, matured (?), settled into myself, I let go of that "never the twain shall meet" style attitude and started to mix it up. And lo and behold, I found my own personal style. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, a tweak of colour and a block of pattern, a fusion of eras, something commonly called "eclectic". It is my design mantra and the core of Eclectic Boogaloo.
Fast forward, a generation past. Technology has thrust the world together, but at a cost of de-valued relationships and the environmental impact of throw-away fast trends.
I found myself at a time undergoing major emotional, lifestyle and economic changes; transitions that in today's world are common and impactful. My very own identity crisis.
Eclectic Boogaloo was born out of necessity, my creative outlet, a revival of my self-expression and a desire to hopefully, make a positive impact on others.
By solely working with vintage or hand-made products, and fostering relationships and collaborations directly with artists, we can remain true to our values; sustainability, artistry and connectivity.