There are fashion founders, and then there is JJ Martin. The La DoubleJ founder and creative director joined Nicole Phelps for this Tuesday’s episode of The Run-Through to discuss the opening of The Lighthouse, her new five-story Upper East Side flagship, which houses not only fashion and homewares but also a dedicated “Light Temple” for meditation, sound healing, and community gatherings. The mission for the space, Martin explains, is to create “raise-your-vibration stations,” where people can connect with something beyond commerce.
That philosophy has become inseparable from La DoubleJ itself. After moving to Milan for love in 2001, Martin found herself reporting on fashion shows from what she jokingly describes as the “55th row standing,” eventually catching the attention of Suzy Menkes and building a successful journalism career. Years later, however, she found herself searching for something more.
When it came to starting her company, “I was just kind of following the joy rocket,” Martin says. Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is equally straightforward: “Follow the joy crumbs. Anything that you would do for free at night and on the weekends has value.”
Martin also explains how she transformed her hobby of collecting vintage clothing into one of fashion’s most recognizable print-driven brands, beginning with a single silk swing dress made with historic Lake Como manufacturer Mantero. Along the way, she became an enthusiastic ambassador for Italian craftsmanship and culture. “The Italians know how to live,” she says. “They know how to laugh. They know how to eat. They know how to rest.”
Even after last year’s wildfires thwarted her plans to open a La DoubleJ store in Pacific Palisades—besides also destroying her childhood home and her grandmother’s house—Martin remains focused on what’s ahead, including what she sees as a necessary shift within the world of fashion. “Beauty has power,” she says, calling for an industry with less greed, greater respect for craftsmanship, and a stronger sense of collective purpose.
For anyone considering a career pivot, dreaming of starting a business, or simply looking for a reminder that fashion can still be joyful, the conversation offers plenty to meditate on.
