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Pull up a seat at our table, where badass women from all walks of life—fashion, beauty, design, music, philanthropy, art, and more—come together to share honest stories, serve truths, and dig into the realities of modern womanhood.
Johanna Almstead:
Hello, everyone. As you know, if you are a regular listener, this podcast is really an invitation from me to you to join us in conversation, in nourishment and inspiration and connection. So as I prepare to sit down with each of my guests, I like to think about what I would be serving them if they were coming to my house for dinner and conversation.
So my next guest is just delightful, and I know she cooks a lot, so I feel a little bit of pressure and I know she cooks a lot of things that I don't know how to cook. So I'm just going to lean back into something I know how to do. And so we're going to start with just a little cheese platter. I'm going to do a couple hard cheeses with some good, crusty bread and a couple of just little olives and maybe a little bit of fig jam and apricot preserves. So a little sweet and savory jam, bready, cheesy situation to start.
I think I'm going to go back. I made this for friends once and I got really inspired because I was watching that Julia Child series that was so good and I got really inspired and decided to make beef bourguignon. So I'm going to make beef bourguignon today. I don't think I've made it on this podcast, maybe I have. You guys will tell me in social media, you'll tell me in the comments.
Anyway, I'm going to do beautiful beef bourguignon. I'm going to serve it over buttery egg noodles. And I'm just going to do a really simple French dressed green salad on the side because the egg in the noodles is pretty heavy. And then I'm going to serve a gorgeous bottle of Bordeaux. I'm going to go back to ... Actually we should do Burgundy because it's bourguignon, but maybe we'll do Burgundy. We'll do a red Burgundy. That's what we're going to do for dinner. It's just cozy and it's warm and it's delicious and it's multi-layered flavors. I think it'll be great.
My next guest is super lively and so much fun and a really, really, really good dancer. And so I feel like this might be ... Even though we're going to have this cozy meal, I feel like the night might turn after a couple glasses of wine to a little bit more of a dance party. So I'm going to do a little Bebel Gilberto. I'm going to do a little Daft Punk. I'm going to do a little Gypsy Kings for music. She is hilarious and kind. She has the hugest heart and the hugest smile and the most beautiful, bright, buoyant energy. And so I'm super excited for you guys to get to know her. Let's dig in.
Hello, everyone. And welcome to Eat My Words. I'm super excited today. I'm so excited that I even wore a structured blazer with shoulder pads because we are going to talk about fashion design. My guest today is a brilliant emerging fashion designer, whose work has been featured at New York Fashion Week for several seasons. Since the inception of her namesake brand in 2019. She has been named a finalist for Fashion Group International's Fashion Apparel Rising Star of 2025. She was a designer in residence for the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator at Macy's and was a finalist on the 2022 season of Amazon Prime's show, Making the Cut with Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum.
She's known for her evening wear looks that feature exquisite draping and mega glamour. She is also a wife, a dog mom, a gardener, a daughter, and a motorcycle enthusiast. She is wise, she is driven, and she is kind. She loves old world glamour and finds the romance in all that she does. She truly makes the world a more beautiful place, and I am so grateful to her for sharing her story with us today. So Jeanette Limas, welcome to Eat My Words.
Jeanette Limas:
Hi, Johanna. Thank you so much for having me.
Johanna Almstead:
Thank you for being here. This is fun.
Jeanette Limas:
Amazing. I was looking forward to it.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, good. I was looking forward to it too. And like I say to lots of people, you and I haven't had a proper catch up in a while. And so the ulterior motive of this podcast is that I get to catch up with fabulous women in my life. So I'm super happy to do that with you today.
I always like to tell our listeners sort of how we know each other, and you and I met through a former colleague of mine and yours that you had worked with at Donna Karan, and then you hired me to do some foundational brand work for your brand.
Jeanette Limas:
Which I loved.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, I'm so glad. That was so fun, wasn't it?
Jeanette Limas:
That was a lot of fun.
Johanna Almstead:
We had such a good time.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
That was so fun. And now we've been friends since, so it's been a few years. I like to start off with a question that I always find interesting to see what people answer because everyone chooses a different point in their life. But where would you say your journey began?
Jeanette Limas:
In fashion, I would say ... Well, I would say at home with mom and dad. They were always very into dressing clean and always be presentable. No matter if you're going to the supermarket, to the grocery store, close to the house. You had to be the best version of you. So I would say it started with mom and dad. And-
Johanna Almstead:
And that was in the Dominican Republic?
Jeanette Limas:
That was in the Dominican Republic.
Johanna Almstead:
Yes.
Jeanette Limas:
But yeah, very like that. No focus on fashion, but always wanted to show your best version. Yeah, I would say that.
Johanna Almstead:
A lot of attention was paid to that.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, it was important for them.
Johanna Almstead:
And so when did you know that you actually wanted to work in fashion?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, that happened as an accident. No, but it was a beautiful accident because I went from high school to a fashion designing Altos de Chavon. And when I got in there, I didn't really know what I was doing there because for me it was like, "No, I'm doing these classes first and then I'm going to figure it out what I want to do for my life and my professional life." But the moment I got into that school, it was no joke. And that first year was hard and I was the worst student in the whole ... I should have been or something closed. Because I know how competitive I was, it didn't feel good that first year and-
Johanna Almstead:
It didn't feel good to not be good at what you were trying to do?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. And I love to be good. Even cooking, cleaning, I love to be the best version. And I remember that I said, "No, no, no. I don't like this. I need to be the best." And I grew up with my dad telling me, that in a classroom, if there are three great students, you need to be one of them. And I hated being one of those three.
Johanna Almstead:
You wanted to be the only one.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. I wanted to be one of the best, one of the three. And then I knew that I had to work hard, so I fell in love with fashion, Johanna, because I wanted to be excellent in what I was doing at that moment. That's how I fell in love with fashion
Johanna Almstead:
It's so interesting that you didn't say, "Oh, this is too hard for me. I want to try something else." You said, "This is so hard for me, I'm going to be the best at it."
Jeanette Limas:
I got obsessed because everybody was really good in Altos de Chavon. In Chavon, the school, everybody was great. And then here you had this girl from La Romana that ... Everybody have been to Europe, this and that. I basically just knew La Romana in the Dominican Republic.
Johanna Almstead:
You were like a country bumpkin?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay.
Jeanette Limas:
They were talking about all of this in art, and I didn't have those reference, so I worked very hard. And when I graduated, I graduated straight Ass. I won the Young Designer of the Year Award and then 50% of a scholarship to move to New York and go to Parsons.
Johanna Almstead:
Amazing.
Jeanette Limas:
So I fell in love with fashion. I just wanted to be good.
Johanna Almstead:
By getting good at it. That's so interesting. And was your dad proud? Were you one of the top three, you think in that class?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, let's say that it was ... Let me share this with you because I think it was something beautiful. When you graduate, you have to present a thesis as a fashion designer. And I remember going ... When I was about to graduate, it was my last year, I went to that graduation and when they got to announce the person that won the Young Designer of the Year Award, of that year. I said in my head, "Oh, my gosh. I want next year, I want this to be me." Going up the stairs and getting the thing and the big check because you get a cash prize too. And I visualized it. I said, "I want that for me." And it happened. So for my dad was like a beautiful moment.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, that's amazing. So you seem to work well with a goal in mind, huh?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. I need to have a goal. Definitely. That's how I work, function.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. And when you were young, growing up in not the big city, but in the countryside at the Dominican Republic, did you have a picture in your mind of what a successful life would look like?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, of course.
Johanna Almstead:
And what was it? Tell me.
Jeanette Limas:
When I was 10 years old, I knew I wanted to be some businesswoman. Of course, I didn't know it would be in fashion, but I knew I wanted to have my own business, and I knew I wanted it all. I wanted to be the businesswoman, I wanted the family. I wanted to be a wife, I wanted to have kids, and I wanted to be driving a white convertible with my scarf and my sunglasses. And it's funny because that's what I do now. That's why I have the white convertible, and I feel like my ten-year-old me when I'm driving that convertible.
Johanna Almstead:
I love that.
Jeanette Limas:
That's what I wanted. And I wanted to live in the United States too, which is funny.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay, so let's talk about that move. So you got this scholarship from your school in Dominican Republic to come to New York City and to study at Parsons.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
And so you made the big move. Was that your first time to New York, or had you been to New York before?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, my first time out of the Dominican Republic, first time to New York City. First of all, when I graduated, I didn't have a green card. So I graduated, let's say in May. I got a green card a month later, even though my dad had years trying to get the green card for us. So it just worked out. And then before moving to New York City, I had to save money. So I start contact everybody, whoever bought anything from me, and I sold tunics. And then I put together maybe like 5, $6,000 cash and that's all-
Johanna Almstead:
So you sold tunics. You made tunics yourself, and you called all your friends and all your former customers that have ever bought anything from you. And you said, "Please buy a tunic to help me pay to go to New York."
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. I need to go to New York City, and I mean an expensive city. And you have to understand a job was not waiting for me. I didn't have any family, any job, any English. My English was very basic and it was scary. And I just have like $6,000 and that's it.
Johanna Almstead:
Wow. So what did you do when you got off the plane? Where'd you go? How did you start to make a life for yourself?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, before moving here, I just rented a room. So that's the only thing that I had for sure, waiting for me. And I came here on July 4th, which it was ... In 2011, which it was such a beautiful time to arrive. And then I met Caggie's mom.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, okay. So this is Caroline Simonelli, right?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, Caroline Simonelli.
Johanna Almstead:
That's where you met her. So you met her because she was a professor at Parsons at the time, right?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. So before I starting Parson, I took this course called Introduction to Fashion, and she was the teacher. And when she saw me draping, Caroline Simonelli, Donna Karan is-
Johanna Almstead:
So guys who are listening, Caroline Simonelli, who recently just passed away actually last year, is a legend in the fashion industry for her draping skills and her teaching skills. She was a professor at Parsons. She worked very, very closely with lots of designers and so many students who became huge designers came through her, of course, right?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. So she sees that you are good at draping or not good at draping?
Jeanette Limas:
No. She saw the work and she was like, "You know what? The designer in charge of Urban Zen at Donna Karan, she's coming next week to talk to you guys, and I would like to do an introduction because I think you should go and work there." And I told her like, "Listen, I'm planning on starting Parsons, that's why I came here for."
Johanna Almstead:
Right. I've got my $5,000 worth of tunic sales, and I'm going to just study. And she's saying, "I want to introduce you to the legendary Donna Karan, and I think you should work for her."
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, with the head of design. And then she said to me, "Listen, if this work out, I want you to not do Parsons. I don't want you to do Parsons. I want you to go and work for Donna Karan, because whatever ..." I'll never forget her words. "Whatever you need to learn, you're going to finish learning there."
Johanna Almstead:
Really? I did not know this part of your life. This is crazy.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, yes, yes. She did that for me. But I am a square person. I love starting and finishing things. I am not a quitter of, "Oh, I'm not going to do Parsons. I'm going to go with this." So for me, it was a big decision and it was the best decision that I took because three weeks later, after arriving in the United States, I start a Donna Karan.
Johanna Almstead:
You had a job with Donna Karan at Urban Zen with the head of design.
Jeanette Limas:
It was an internship at first, and then it moved as assistant, the head of design, then assistant production.
Johanna Almstead:
And you couldn't do both? You couldn't go to Parsons at night or anything like that. You had to just choose one or the other?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, they said that they wanted me for two days, and then from two days it became, "Can you come four?" And then I was leaving there Monday to Sunday. It was amazing. I loved it. I loved it. I always said to everybody that I felt that I was the one that was supposed to pay them because I was learning so much. I learned English there.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Wow, wow. That really is the American dream story. You literally landed here on the 4th of July and had a job with one of the best American designers to ever have existed three weeks later. That's wild.
Jeanette Limas:
It was amazing.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay, so how long did you stay at Urban Zen?
Jeanette Limas:
Almost three years, until they closed.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, wow.
Jeanette Limas:
You know that way more than me. They closed for a little bit and they moved it to Italy, and then I was like, "I want to start doing my own thing."
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. And you never took any more classes at Parsons?
Jeanette Limas:
No, I didn't. No. I did FIT. I wanted to learn more about the construction because draping, the technique and do it right. You definitely need the skills. Then I went to FIT, and I did some courses there. But listen, my best course was Urban Zen, Donna, Karen, Bessie, Oliver. Caggie, that was my best class.
Johanna Almstead:
That was the place you learned the most.
Jeanette Limas:
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Did you give the scholarship back to your school, did someone else get to go?
Jeanette Limas:
No, when you get it ... I mean, the way you get the help is if you start, and I didn't even do that because I took the course way before I started. So Caroline Simonelli really ... I mean, sometimes I think how it would have been for me without that introduction.
Johanna Almstead:
It would've been a totally different life.
Jeanette Limas:
I don't know.
Johanna Almstead:
It's crazy. Isn't it funny when you think about those moments, you think about, "If that hadn't happened, what would my life be?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, because I used to live in the office, so it became a family. You know how that goes. It becomes your family there.
Johanna Almstead:
Well, you actually lived in the office, not just like-
Jeanette Limas:
No, I didn't live there, but you know what I mean. I was all the time there, all the time. I loved it. I loved it.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Okay. So Urban Zen closed for a little bit, but they're back in business, they're open again. Yeah. Okay. And you left, and that was when you decided that you wanted to start your own collection?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
So what'd you do next?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, I started working for other companies, but nothing was like Donna Karan, because it was in a small space. So the design team with the production team and the pattern making, the sewing, everything was happening in one floor.
Johanna Almstead:
In the same place.
Jeanette Limas:
Other places, they were not like that ... I think I got spoiled.
Johanna Almstead:
Yes. And then you're like, "Why is nothing else this magical?"
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. And I wasn't as happy. I was either designing, designing, designing, just sitting from the morning to the afternoon, just designing. It wasn't my thing. So I started just two small pieces, meeting people and selling my stuff. Until I just said, "I want to dedicate it fully." And I was saving some money, while I was working at Donna Karan because I knew I wanted to do the job.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. So what were the first pieces you were started designing on the side? Were they still tunics or were you moving on to something else?
Jeanette Limas:
No, I was taking French lessons. So I saw this lady using this beautiful white shirts, and I was like, "Oh, my gosh. I'm going to make white shirts and I'm going to show it to this lady and see if she wants to buy some." Which she did.
Johanna Almstead:
She did?
Jeanette Limas:
She did. And she was my-
Johanna Almstead:
Your French tutor?
Jeanette Limas:
She was another student, but she was ... Oh, my gosh. Well, the most elegant lady. So she's a beautiful woman. And I remember showing it to her. She loved it. She bought four of them, and then she introduced me to her friends. And then her friend, Beverly, she has been a great support for the brand. She became a client and she started ordering. Then she introduced me to more people, and then I started doing shirts. And then I moved to what I love making that is cocktail dresses and even in gowns.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. You had made people shirts, and then they became your customers, and then you were like, "Hey, you need a dress for an event?" Or whatever. And so you just built up your private clientele that way.
Jeanette Limas:
And I was doing it in my small apartment in Manhattan, and I had a plastic machine. Not even the industrial machine, I was doing it in my plastic little machine.
Johanna Almstead:
So you were hand machine sewing, but in your own little tiny sewing machine in your apartment?
Jeanette Limas:
In my apartment.
Johanna Almstead:
This is really couture.
Jeanette Limas:
But it was the best time of my life, Johanna. It was the best time.
Johanna Almstead:
Because you were living out your passion and you were being scrappy.
Jeanette Limas:
And people were paying for it.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. That's great. That's amazing. So then professionally, what happened next? You just continued to build your private clientele. What year is this now, at that point.
Jeanette Limas:
Two-thousand-fourteen, 2015, '16. That's when that was happening. And then I remember my sister learning about taxes, and she was like, "Do you know that if you do an NLC, all of the things that you're doing with your brand ..." And that's how I was like, "Oh, so I have to-
Johanna Almstead:
You had to formalize it?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, because I didn't know anything. Come on. I didn't know anything about that.
Johanna Almstead:
You're like, "Just making sure it's here. Go, selling it for cash."
Jeanette Limas:
I was doing it like that. But then I organized everything, and then I said to myself, "You know what? I went to present for New York Fashion Week." And I start asking for ... I went to a lot of galleries and I was like, "Hi, my name is Jeanette. I'm a fashion designer. I'm looking for a place where I can showcase my spring, blah, blah, blah. Maybe 2018." I don't remember, collection, if I can present here. And then I got in the space for free.
Johanna Almstead:
Amazing.
Jeanette Limas:
Got it for free. But I didn't know a lot of people. So the first show that I did, maybe 20 people show up. It was very like that. And then the second one-
Johanna Almstead:
And it was shirts and dresses, or was it all dresses?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. Shirts and dresses. Yes. I learned a lot from it. And then the second one, it was like 50 people, then 75 people, then 100 and something. And then the shows were getting so loud, and I was getting help from friends, just from people that wanted to get involved. The clients, of course, helping financially with the show. Photographers, you need the photographer, videographer, the chairs. It was very like that. Very scrappy but the best time, everybody wanted to get involved.
Johanna Almstead:
That's so nice.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
It's a testament to who you are though. Don't you think? This many angels in your life come around and help you, push you along, right?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
Yes.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
So when did Making the Cut come into your life because that was a big jump, huh?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. No, that was the best thing ever. Everything in my life. I got an email and I thought it was a scam, and I didn't pay attention. One day I woke up and I was, "You know what? Go back to that email." And I didn't know, that day that I checked was my last day to respond. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, my gosh. And they had heard about you how, how did they know about you?
Jeanette Limas:
Because of Instagram. That's why they sent the email.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. So you were posting all this beautiful stuff, these collections that you were doing and that you were showing at Fashion Week. Sewing and draping in your little apartment.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, with my phone recording.
Johanna Almstead:
And you were posting it on Instagram. And so the producers of Making the Cut, which is the offshoot from the Project Runway thing, with Tim Gunn, who I used to work with all the time. I used to travel with him all the time. We loved Tim. Shout out to Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum. So this was the Amazon Prime franchise of it or whatever.
Jeanette Limas:
Big deal. Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
Big deal. Very big deal. And so you get an email, you almost don't answer it, you answer it on the last day because you thought it was a scam, and what happens next?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, I freaked out because they were asking for a lot of stuff, a full video talking about your brand and showing your office. And do this and make that. And we didn't have that time. So my husband didn't go to work. He called sick because he needed to help me.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, my God. I love this.
Jeanette Limas:
We started putting together a portfolio for them, and we recorded everything. We did everything. And then we submitted at 11:59.
Johanna Almstead:
No way. On the last day that you were able to submit your application with all your video and your photographs and your portfolio and your drawings and everything, 11:59.
Jeanette Limas:
We clicked submit. And then the next day at 11:30 in the morning, they said "Congratulations, you're moving forward." We couldn't believe it.
Johanna Almstead:
That fast?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, it was the next day. It was the next day. My husband and I was like, "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God." It was so exciting. And then after that, I think it was these interviews with them, and then the assignment, the at home assignment started. And then I moved to LA, like that. It was crazy.
Johanna Almstead:
Only a few weeks later, right?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. Yes. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
So you pick up your life, you move to LA, your husband stays back on the East Coast?
Jeanette Limas:
He has stayed here. Well, let me tell you. I packed my whole fabulous closet to go to shoot the show. I left it. I don't know what happened. We were packing. We left all my clothes. So whatever I was using in the first episode was until my husband was able to ship it and I was able to receive it. It was a mess.
Johanna Almstead:
He found it eventually?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
He found the suitcase. Oh, okay.
Jeanette Limas:
The moment I got there, I was like, "Where are my clothes?" And it was folded on the side of the room that we didn't see it because we were packing. Everything was so fast. So I didn't have much clothes. It was bad. It was bad.
Johanna Almstead:
So the first episode, you were not turning out one of your fabulous looks?
Jeanette Limas:
No, I had one dress, which I was very proud of, but then after that I had jeans and sweater, and I'm not a jean and sweater person.
Johanna Almstead:
No, not when you're going to be on TV, for sure.
Jeanette Limas:
No. With Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn and everybody. Oh, my God. It was funny.
Johanna Almstead:
It's all part of the journey, huh?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. So you got your suitcase, you end up shooting the season, which is wild, I'm sure. It's just like a total crazy Twilight Zone. I've been involved in a couple of reality TV shows, and I was never a major player in any of them. And it is wild. It is like a wild ride. So how long did you stay in LA and how long did you shoot?
Jeanette Limas:
Five months.
Johanna Almstead:
Wow.
Jeanette Limas:
Maybe five months, around that. You're right. It was crazy. But I loved it. They took care of us. Come on. The place that we were staying, I was staying in the ... I think it was 32nd floor in downtown LA. It was amazing. It was great. I mean, meeting Heidi Klum, receiving all the amazing advice from Tim Gunn and also winning two assignments that took me to make two collections for Amazon Prime.
Johanna Almstead:
So you would get an assignment every week or every episode, and you won two of those challenges, and the prize was that you would design a collection that would be sold on Amazon Prime, right?
Jeanette Limas:
Exactly.
Johanna Almstead:
And what was that like? How was that?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, the thing is that you don't have a lot of time to design this collection. You have 30 minutes, maybe an hour, because after they said, "Oh, you won." You have an hour or so. So you have to sit and sketch and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then, "Are you ready? Ready? Yeah. Here you go." I even forgot what I designed, because everything was so fast. And on top of that, they're already telling you what the next episode is about and what are we going to be creating? So you don't have really time to digest everything. But I also think that is the magic about doing TV, because you need to think quick. It was what I was worried when I was applying. I was like, "What about if they ..." Because you need to switch your creativity. I'm creative now, and now I have to come out with the most amazing dress.
Johanna Almstead:
Right. You literally have to just be on your toes the whole time.
Jeanette Limas:
The whole time.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Yeah. That's the challenge.
Jeanette Limas:
That's how you know.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
And so you won two challenges, you ended up being a finalist on the show. What happens after the show was ... I mean, when the show aired, was that crazy? Were people just like-
Jeanette Limas:
It was crazy.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
I have to say, people went to the website and bought a lot of the pieces that we had, and then we got sold out. That never had happened in my life. We never have been sold out.
Johanna Almstead:
You sold out of your inventory right away.
Jeanette Limas:
Everything was sold out in the website. And we got so many supports from the press. I mean, in my country, which they were very proud, but also New York. So many places, LA, Miami, Chicago. I never have been there either. Philadelphia, of course. It was amazing. It was a before and after. Because you know what those shows do for your brand? One, people feel, I know her because I know her story and I want to support the brand, and I want a piece of that brand. They feel comfortable going to the website and purchasing something from you because they feel that they know everything. They know you.
Johanna Almstead:
They're invested in you now. They've seen your story and they've fallen in love with you on the show, and they want to be a part of your world.
Jeanette Limas:
And they say hi, when you're shopping for fabrics. They said, "I was rooting for you." That's the holy story. It's just nice. It definitely was a before and after, best decision ever.
Johanna Almstead:
Wow. Serendipity. If you hadn't gone back and checked that email, if you hadn't gotten your application in time. Again, there's so many of these moments. If those hadn't happened, your life would be very different.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Okay. So you eventually finished shooting that, by the time it aired, you were home. It hadn't started airing, or no, it started airing while you were still shooting?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. I think were done on February, and it came out August. August, September.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
And life was a little different. Your website was sold out.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. I didn't watch the show because I cannot ... I can't.
Johanna Almstead:
You didn't ever watch it?
Jeanette Limas:
No, I never did, but my husband did, my mom, my friends, and they told me I did well.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, my God. That's hilarious.
Jeanette Limas:
I already lived the show. It was very stressful. So I remember when it came out and I watched a second and I saw myself walking. I was like, "No." [inaudible 00:29:22]. Because all the nerves came out. And then I was like, "I don't have to relive this. I know exactly what happened."
Johanna Almstead:
I know the ending of this one.
Jeanette Limas:
I know how it's going to be, but it was the best thing ever. I was nervous. Yes. But I think that that's the point. It doesn't matter as long as the nerves don't stop you.
Johanna Almstead:
Do something even if you're scared, do something even if you're nervous.
Jeanette Limas:
Exactly.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. So what was the biggest thing you learned from that experience, do you think?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, this is something that Heidi Klum told me that I didn't know I had that gift. Let's call it like that. I always said, I am no good at selling. That's not my thing. I'm an artist. I love doing my designs and stuff. But then when I had to talk about my work, I didn't know that I was so passionate talking about it, that they felt that they wanted to buy it. I learned that apparently ... You will be your bestseller because-
Johanna Almstead:
You're your best salesperson.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. You know what you're talking about. You make these clothes. You love these clothes. You know how much time and energy you have put behind your brand. So that gave me a lot of confident because I didn't know that. I was just trying to sell my clothes, and I love it.
Johanna Almstead:
But I think that's interesting, that's something that you thought of as a fault, that you didn't think you were a good salesperson, when really it's one of your greatest gifts. And it's interesting, we talked about it when we were doing a bunch of the brand work with you, is that your passion, your actual passion for why you do this is completely infectious. It's completely contagious. So when you start talking about why you design something, everyone's all in. Everyone's all in. And that's when people buy into your brand and they buy into the piece and they buy into you.
Jeanette Limas:
But I thought that was a weakness. I thought it was.
Johanna Almstead:
And it's a actually not.
Jeanette Limas:
Until Making the Cut that I was like, "Oh, just being myself and being excited about what I do." That's all what you need. And I think that going back to what happened in the Dominican Republic with the ladies being so invested and wanted to buy, and then Caroline Simonelli wanted to introduce me to Donna Karan and then Making the Cut, meeting them and connecting with them. I'm happy to say that it has been very organically and it has been just me meeting people. Just be yourself.
Johanna Almstead:
Well, it's funny because we talk about this a lot in the fashion world and brand work and everything. You're always talking about authenticity and enthusiasm. Those are the two things that brands pay people lots of money to do for them. And I think when you can be just your truest self, and we talk a lot about this on this podcast too, because of showing up in the world wholly you and who you are and what drives you and fires you up is enough. That's enough. That's enough. It's more than enough.
Jeanette Limas:
You don't need the technique. There is no technique. The technique is you.
Johanna Almstead:
That is way more inspiring and exciting than some dorky marketing executive. I'm allowed to say this because I was one. But it's way more exciting to talk to a designer whose creative soul is on fire and is excited about her work, than it is some marketing team being like, "This is why you should buy this lovely yellow dress." And I think that that's such a good lesson in life. Figure out what fires you up and then just do it and be excited about it.
Jeanette Limas:
And then things are going to just happen. Let me just share this with you. Last year I had NBC, they interview me. Well, you went to that fashion exhibition. They interviewed me there. And then couple of months ago, I got a phone call from NBC New York. And they were like, "We want to bring you to NBC New York for this show. It's going to come out in October." And it was through an interview. We were just talking about the brand. They felt the energy. And again, it's just so nice. Just be you. Just be you, just be you.
Johanna Almstead:
And be proud of it and be excited about it.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
I think it's also interesting because what it always comes down to for you is creating the work and showing it. You keep finding ways. Even after you moved out of New York and you're in Philadelphia, you have found ways to keep creating collections, to have presentations of your collections, to make sure people are seeing it. I think that if people just simmered down and just did the work, which is what you do. You go and you create beautiful collections, and you're not always super strategic about it. Sometimes you're just like, "I need to create because I need to create. This is what I'm inspired to do. I'm going to create a collection. I create it, I show it. I talk to people about it. I'm excited about it."
And it almost inevitably, it almost all the time ends up in the right people's universes. And I think that's a huge lesson too, is just go back to the work that fuels you.
Jeanette Limas:
I think it's magnetic, don't you think?
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah, magnetic.
Jeanette Limas:
I think it is. I think it is. I think people can feel it. The clothes, the color that you're using, the print that you're designing. Even if you're not talking, even if you're not talking, I think people can sense it. And I have learned so much about it this year.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. What would you say is the best part of your job of what you do?
Jeanette Limas:
It's selfish. What I'm going to say.
Johanna Almstead:
That's okay.
Jeanette Limas:
It's selfish.
Johanna Almstead:
You're allowed to be selfish.
Jeanette Limas:
Making collections. Especially going back to my last collection, La Puerta del Sol and the other one, Alma Rosa. I need this collection as therapy. And believe me, my dad and I ... He's my best friend, I told him everything. But I need to do something else with the pain. If there is pain, from pain that I'm going through. I need to turn that pain into gold or into something beautiful. And to me, I am not fully recovered until the collection is done and it's out of my system. And I don't want it anymore. It's already-
Johanna Almstead:
It's like the Exorcist. You have to get it out of you.
Jeanette Limas:
I need to get it out. I need to get it out.
Johanna Almstead:
And do you need pain to fuel a collection?
Jeanette Limas:
No, no, no. The last collection was about that. It was a very. In Spanish we call that [foreign language 00:35:59]. How do we call that in English?
Johanna Almstead:
Deception?
Jeanette Limas:
When somebody let you down.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Disappointment.
Jeanette Limas:
Disappointment. Disappointment. And it was a lot. It was a lot of, "How come this happened? How come I didn't see it happening? How come I didn't see it?" And I needed to make a collection. I told myself years ago, "I don't want to use black. I'm so done with black." But it's funny because that collection has a lot of black, a lot of red and a lot of gold. I said to myself, "If I'm going to do black, I want to have gold buttons of gold thread sewing on the garment." Because it doesn't matter what you're going through, Johanna, the sun will come out. You're going to be better. You're sinking now. You're going to make it. In the moment you don't see it. But you need to keep that idea of like, "Yeah, I'm going through something. Yeah, I'm going to be better." So I didn't want it to do it just in black. I wanted to-
Johanna Almstead:
I love that.
Jeanette Limas:
So everything has a lot of gold in the collection. And it was the hope of the sun will come out. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Johanna Almstead:
It's like to remind yourself to actually weave it into the garment that there's hope. And I think that that's what people don't always understand, people who aren't really into clothes or whatever. It's like you don't realize the magical power that some clothes have. And when they're designed by someone like you, who puts so much thought and so much passion and so much ... There's a whole story behind each garment. And it can really transform you.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, it does. It does. I mean, you do it because you're soul, but also you're hoping that people will read the concept. They'll understand the promise of a new spring in your soul, and hopefully they are going to see this message translated in the collection from the first group to the middle group to the end. That is light and white pieces and gold pieces, and there is no black anymore. There is no red, there is no pain in red. There is just white and gold. It's like heaven. It's a beautiful story. I mean, you're telling stories. Sometimes our minds, sometimes our friends. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about style, personal style, because I feel like everybody can always use a little guidance here. What would be your advice for our listeners, who are just haven't found their mojo or they lost their mojo and need to find a new one? How do you find your personal style? What would you say?
Jeanette Limas:
I would give them the same advice that Caroline Simonelli .... Going back to her that she gave me in 2011, when I was her student. And then you talk about that, when we start working together. She told me to do a mood board. It can be a paper and just start printing images that describes you. In my case, I love my garden. I have so many roses and beautiful flowers. So when I'm there, I love having a dress with a beautiful hat, with a beautiful scarf. That will be my picture. And then a businesswoman picture, and then me with the husband. A housewife, maybe preparing an amazing meal for me and my friends or my husband. So I think that you need to search deep in you. It's very easy. You just have to sit and without thinking too much, just putting on that wall what you like.
Johanna Almstead:
What resonates with you. What feels good.
Jeanette Limas:
What you like. If you like painting, if you like, I don't know, traveling. You put all of that. You go back and you see what you did, and your answer is right there. You will know the colors that you like because even the pictures that you pick, you pick them because there is a color, there is a feeling. And it's okay if you don't understand, what is that feeling? The only thing that you should know is that you like.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. And then from there, you start seeing what suits you better.
Johanna Almstead:
I think it's such good advice, especially in the world of Instagram and TikTok. I feel like everyone is starting to dress exactly the same because they see it all on Instagram and TikTok, and then they just buy it on TikTok Shop. My niece showed up recently in the American flag sweater, and I was like, "If I see one more American flag sweater this summer, I'm going to lose it on every ..." Coastal summer, whatever, New England summer thing. I mean, it's a beautiful ... Whatever. Ralph Lauren did it best. Everyone's knocking it off. If you're going to buy one, buy the Ralph Lauren one, please because it's the original. I'm like, "Can we just not all do the exact same thing?" And it's like, "Okay, let's go back to who we really are. What do we love?"
Jeanette Limas:
Johanna, but the things that it is hard to do the job, it's easier just to follow whoever you see.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. You're right. People are confident when they just choose what they've seen on somebody that they think is cool.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah, that's true.
Jeanette Limas:
So just let's do the job, people.
Johanna Almstead:
Do the work people. Sit down and do your mood board. And it can't be all the same influencers from Instagram. Look at historical references. Look at photography. Don't just look at freaking TikTok Shop. Please, people. Get inspired. Go to Paris or watch movies about Paris. You don't even have to go to Paris.
Jeanette Limas:
Or just go to a museum. Just go to the museum. If you like opera, go and check the opera. And it doesn't have to be ... I mean, I gave an example of me in the garden, blah, blah, blah. But it can be a beautiful ceramic, that you don't know what it is about that ceramic piece, but there is something about it. Maybe how clean it is, maybe the color, maybe the shades. It's just doing the job. It's hard to look inside and be like, "I need to work on this. This is who I really am." But listen, it's the most liberating thing because then you don't care. You are who you are.
Johanna Almstead:
Right.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
You're not trying to be anybody else, you're just doing what makes you feel good and feel happy and get a good tailor.
Jeanette Limas:
Very important.
Johanna Almstead:
And hem things to the right length, then you'll feel great. So it's interesting to me because you are clearly an artist at heart, to me, I think. But when you were little, you had dreams of being that businesswoman, driving her convertible, and you have been very savvy and very scrappy in building this business. So which part, businessperson or creative person is your true soul? Or do you have both? Is one you're always working on, one more natural to you?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, I always have been clear that I'm like a two person in one.
Johanna Almstead:
Are you a Gemini?
Jeanette Limas:
A Virgo.
Johanna Almstead:
A Virgo. Oh, okay.
Jeanette Limas:
But of course, I am the artist. That's who I really am. But I also understand that you have to do what you have to do. And I learned here, in United States. I didn't know a lot of things about myself until I just move here and people start telling me, "You are like this." I'm like, "I didn't know that." But apparently I'm very ... I don't know how to say that word in English. [foreign language 00:43:07] but it means a person that ... A strategy, the word comes from-
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, strategic.
Jeanette Limas:
Strategic. Thank you. I didn't know that about myself. But it's nice how you listen, people saying things, and then you go home and again, you do your work and you say, "Wait a minute, why did she think that I'm like that." When you want to make it or you want to do something in life, and of course, I don't have any business person behind me. You have to become that businessperson. So it came naturally because it's true, I'm just an artist. That's how I see myself. But I would say that the necessity and the hunger of wanting to be this image that I have in my mind of who I want to become. It just naturally push you to do things and see things that maybe ...
I mean, if you don't do it, the brand is not going to move forward. So it's very easy. I go to a place and I see the person that I want to meet. I know I want to meet Johanna, so I know Johanna is my target, and it's happened naturally. It's not that I'm planning too much. It's just like, "Oh, my gosh, I really genuinely want to know who is Johanna because I admire her. She has a brilliant mind. She can see through you, and I want to learn that from her. I want to know who she's and how she got there." So it's always coming from a place of learning.
Johanna Almstead:
Curiosity.
Jeanette Limas:
And I admire this person.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
I think that's huge. Those are two really good things. It's funny, we talk about this on this podcast a lot because it comes up that people's network ends up being such a valuable thing in their lives, and people get cringey about networking. And one of the conclusions we keep coming to through these conversations is, if you show up as your authentic and vulnerable and curious and open self to situations, to events, to people, whatever it is. And just lead with that, lead with your curiosity, lead with your hunger to learn, lead with your admiration for somebody. It's remarkable what will come out of it. Magic, usually.
Jeanette Limas:
I agree. I like magic. I like that word.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. I mean, it's one of the ... I say this all the time. One of the whole impetus for this podcast was these wonderful dinners that I have with people and these extraordinary women that I have in my life, like you and our friends Caggie. All these people. And I always say, I wish the rest of the world could be a fly on the wall, not a fly on the wall. I want them sitting at the table with us because magic happens in those moments. If you're leading with love, respect, admiration, openness and curiosity. That's when the good shit happens.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, all of these masks, but you know what is sad, that ... I mean good and bad too, the more you become that the filter which you pass people through, it gets smaller. The amount of people because-
Johanna Almstead:
Your bullshit tolerance goes down.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, yes.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. I don't think that's a bad thing.
Jeanette Limas:
No, it's not.
Johanna Almstead:
You lose your ability to deal with bullshit and deal with posers and haters or just people who don't have good intentions, I think.
Jeanette Limas:
Exactly.
Johanna Almstead:
I think when you are really showing up in an authentic and open way, it's really clear quickly who doesn't have good intentions for you, and it's really hard to care about them anymore.
Jeanette Limas:
And then life is too busy, short that if I'm going to invest some time on you, come on. We cannot be just playing these games. I don't have time for that.
Johanna Almstead:
Nobody has time for this. I agree.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. So what are some sacrifices you've made to make your dreams come true? Because you are actively making your dreams come true as we speak. So what are some of the hard parts? What are some of the things that you've had to sacrifice?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, definitely my family. One member of my family told me that a lot. Well, I was missing a lot of birthdays, a lot of family gathering.
Johanna Almstead:
Because they're all in the Dominican public, and you're in the US?
Jeanette Limas:
When I was there, I had to work a lot. My sister got married at noon. I arrived to the wedding, maybe 15 minutes before because I was so in tunics to come to New York, and I was delivering these tunics. So life always has been like that. It has been a ... My sister was the one that was supposed to arrive late to her wedding not me, things like that. And then I would say my whole .... I'm 37 now, but my whole 20s was me ... But I think that was me being too much, just taking courses of how to do pattern, how to sew, reading at the museums all the time, going to all the libraries. I wish I relaxed myself maybe a little bit more in my 20s.
Johanna Almstead:
You should give yourself a minute. I know. I didn't give myself a minute in my 20s either. I look back at kids who are in their 20s now, and I'm like, "Just go hang out with your friends. Go travel. Go chill out a little bit." Because I was not chill in my 20s.
Jeanette Limas:
I was not chilling. I was so focused on what I wanted to build. That for me, not working was a ...
Johanna Almstead:
No, I didn't know how. I still am not great at it, so I can't say that I've really fully evolved there. But yeah, it's hard.
Jeanette Limas:
But I would say that those were my sacrifices. At that time when I was with my family, it was that. Then with my husband, was also managing the show, especially when it's Fashion Week. He knows. I have to remind him, Fashion Week is coming. It's going to be just Fashion Week, and I need your support. And he has been amazing, supporting the career. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Of all of your achievements, what is the one you're most proud of?
Jeanette Limas:
If you would have asked me that a year ago, I wouldn't have said this, but now I would say that ... I like who I am.
Johanna Almstead:
That's so beautiful.
Jeanette Limas:
Even though in my life I just see the vision of the brand because I have been wanting this for so long and shaping it and sacrificing so many things for the brand. But at the end of the day, I am happy of the woman I am and the woman that I'm becoming. I like that. I'm happy. I'm happy with my husband and my dog and the house and the garden, and my mom and dad. They're healthy. I am happy with that. It reflects on the clothes.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. That's huge.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
So what's something that you once believed about yourself that you don't believe anymore, that you've outgrown?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, in high school, a teacher said a comment that hurt me a lot. I always have been a little bit slower catching or learning things, but I just saw things differently. I was just different. And that doesn't mean that I was less than smart. It just means that I function differently. I'm more emotional.
Johanna Almstead:
So you used to think you were not smart.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. That's the reason why I was working so hard at Chavon.
Johanna Almstead:
Right.
Jeanette Limas:
You see? Always felt-
Johanna Almstead:
Because you didn't think you were as good as everyone else?
Jeanette Limas:
I felt that I had to catch up. I always felt that I had to catch up, always, and that forced me to work harder. So in the university, I never socialized with anybody because I always felt like, "How am I socializing when I'm behind?" So I have to stay in my room and read and learn and practice. But I guess everything happened for a reason because maybe because I worked so hard, life professionally, has been so organically, like the clothes.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. That's amazing.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
I'm glad you don't think that about yourself anymore. Do you ever take a day off, and what do you do when you take a day off? What's your idea of a perfect day off? Because I know founder life is not easy to take a day off.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. Gosh, Johanna. I would say now it's just ... Well, cooking. I love cooking. The garden. I would say it's the garden. It's just to be looking at the flowers. But you see, when I do it, I do it as a business person.
Johanna Almstead:
So what color is going to be the palette for next season?
Jeanette Limas:
Exactly. You see, you know it. It's like, "Oh, let me take a picture because maybe I can bring this image on a fabric and then I can drape it." But those are my days off.
Johanna Almstead:
Yes. Always looking for inspiration. You're never shutting that part off of your brain. I don't think you can.
Jeanette Limas:
But yeah, anything that has to do with nature, it will be a perfect day off. It would be connected with nature. Water, hiking. Yeah, something like that.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. Okay. We're now at the very fun and silly part of the interview, which is the lightning round of silly questions. You don't have to overthink it, you just have to tell me what first comes to your mind. A lot of them are about food, because I really like to talk about food. That's the only reason why, and I like to make stories about why people choose the food that they do, because I'm a weirdo. Anyway. So favorite comfort food?
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, my god. Mangu, but you don't know that.
Johanna Almstead:
Manga?
Jeanette Limas:
Mangu. It's a Dominican dish.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. How do you spell it? M-A-N-
Jeanette Limas:
M-A-N-G-U. Mangu.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. What is it? Tell me.
Jeanette Limas:
It's plantain. It's like a mashed plantain. And you can also fry the plantain. I cook-
Johanna Almstead:
And do you put anything on it? What does it have on it?
Jeanette Limas:
You cut onions, and then you fry the onions. You can put peppers in there. You can put all of that on top of the mangu, and then you can eat it with either eggs, salami, and fried cheese.
Johanna Almstead:
Fried cheese?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, wow. That sounds really good.
Jeanette Limas:
This is really good.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. I want you to make that for me sometime, please. What is something you're really good at?
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, my God. I like to think dancing. I'm Dominican. Salsa Merengue. Bachata. I love dancing.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, I love that. Okay. What's something you're really bad at?
Jeanette Limas:
Arriving on time.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay.
Jeanette Limas:
I have a husband, that's why he's really good at making sure.
Johanna Almstead:
He's really good at being on time and you suck at it?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah, but he helps me. Like, "Hey, you need to leave now."
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, he's like managing or something for you. I love that. Okay. What's your favorite word?
Jeanette Limas:
Fabulous.
Johanna Almstead:
Fabulous.
Jeanette Limas:
And magic now. Magic.
Johanna Almstead:
Now magic. Yay. Okay. What's your least favorite food, something you are just not into?
Jeanette Limas:
Eggplants.
Johanna Almstead:
Eggplants. Really?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Hmm. I like eggplants. Okay. What is your least favorite word?
Jeanette Limas:
Hate. That word hate, hating. I don't think I ever used that. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
It's a strong word.
Jeanette Limas:
It is.
Johanna Almstead:
And there's too much of it these days. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, wow. From Caroline Simonelli again.
Johanna Almstead:
She is like the angel and the ... What is it, main character energy of this podcast today.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. Yes. I mean about life in general, always my dad have so many amazing advice, but in fashion, and I will say I take as a woman, as a human being. She told me, "You don't have to know what you like something. You just have to like it." It's true.
Johanna Almstead:
You don't have to know why you like something. You just have to like it.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. If you like it, you like it. Why do we have to complicate ourselves? I like the puffy sleeve. I don't know why. It just makes me feel feminine, beautiful. I like it. That's it.
Johanna Almstead:
You don't have to explain yourself. You don't have to justify why you like something. I love that advice. Everybody listening, just like what you like. Don't worry about it. I love that. This is going to be a good one. If your personality were a flavor, what would it be?
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, my God. Johanna.
Johanna Almstead:
You are a very complicated one. I think you'll be good.
Jeanette Limas:
No, I would spicy.
Johanna Almstead:
Yes. Any particular spicy? Are we doing chili spice? Are we doing wasabi? Are we doing-
Jeanette Limas:
You know when you do tomato sauce, tomato sauce and you just put a little bit and it's spicy.
Johanna Almstead:
Like red chili flake that you put in?
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, You can do that. And then you-
Johanna Almstead:
Like a fra diavolo?
Jeanette Limas:
Well, not like that, that you cannot eat it. That you will cry. I don't want you to cry.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay, like a spicy red tomato sauce.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
I like it. Okay. That works. Okay, so it's like the Last Supper. You are moving on to the next realm tomorrow, and everyone's going to come to dinner. What are you going to eat tonight for your last meal? You can have as many courses as you want.
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, definitely ... Because I have a long time that I don't eat that. It's another Dominican dish, it's called ... Well, we do it in Dominica, but it's more Puerto Rican. We're fighting about it for six hours, but it's okay. Mofongo, it comes from plantains. Mofongo. Sancocho, which I made before this.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay, and what is that?
Jeanette Limas:
It's a Dominican soup but it's a thick with different meat. Yes. It's very heavy. It's a very heavy soup.
Johanna Almstead:
Like a stew?
Jeanette Limas:
I don't know what a stew means.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, like a heavy soup?
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. Yeah, it's like a heavy soup. And what else? Oh, pastas. I love pastas. Your corn. I would love to try that corn, cheesy pasta that you were talking, you described the other day.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, my God. It was so good.
Jeanette Limas:
I was like, "Whoa, I need to try that." But pasta and I like it creamy. So yeah, a lot of that.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. Are you drinking anything with this meal?
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, I'm going to kill it for you because I'm not going to have a rosé wine. None of that. Chinola, Chinola is like a passion fruit juice. Love it.
Johanna Almstead:
A passion fruit juice.
Jeanette Limas:
It's very nostalgic. Remember, I don't live in my country, so when I have to pick something, I will always go back to those sweet moments. So a lot of Dominican juice, passion fruit juice.
Johanna Almstead:
I love passion fruit juice. I can get down with that. Okay.
Jeanette Limas:
That's a bad mix. All of this food with passion ... But it's okay.
Johanna Almstead:
Pasta, passion fruit juice, mofongo and-
Jeanette Limas:
Pina Colada, by the way? Definitely Pina Colada.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh. Well, that's good. That's a little celebratory. I feel like, that's nice. Way to go out on a high. Now I want one. That sounds really good right now.
Jeanette Limas:
I might make one.
Johanna Almstead:
To celebrate you being done with this podcast. So have you ever had a ... This might not translate for you actually, so I don't know, but have you ever had a moment when you've had to eat your words? Meaning, you said something and you really shouldn't have said it and you needed to take it back?
Jeanette Limas:
I'm sure, but nothing comes to mind. Johanna, I'm sorry.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. That's all right. We can move on.
Jeanette Limas:
Maybe the ones that I have in mind, I shouldn't say, are too controversial. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
You can be controversial.
Jeanette Limas:
You know what? When people are showing off too much and I want to tell them just to chillax. It's okay. We see you.
Johanna Almstead:
Calm down.
Jeanette Limas:
We see you. You're safe.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
I would say I have those moments that I wish I could, but maybe not my problem, but something like that.
Johanna Almstead:
I have that instinct a lot. One of my really good friends, I always talk to her about things and I'm like, "Everyone just needs to calm down. Calm down, everyone. Settle down." If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, you had to eat it every single day, what would it be?
Jeanette Limas:
Cheese. I love cheese.
Johanna Almstead:
Cheese, okay.
Jeanette Limas:
I love cheese. All cheese. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. Where is your happy place?
Jeanette Limas:
Anywhere my family's around. It's not like my house or my parents' house or the garden. It's anywhere. The people that I love, if they're there, I'm happy.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. What do you wear when you feel like you need to take on the world?
Jeanette Limas:
Wait a minute. I lie. It's the beach. If I can have the beach and my family.
Johanna Almstead:
Your family on the beach.
Jeanette Limas:
My family on the beach. Perfect. Yes.
Johanna Almstead:
All right, I'll take it. You're allowed to revise your answer. So I feel like you have a lot of moments in your life when you do feel like you have to take on the world. When you're coming out for your fashion presentation or you're meeting investors or you're meeting other people, what do you wear? Obviously you're wearing a Jeanette Limas original.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes, I have to. I have to. I don't know. It makes me feel good. I don't know what it is about it. I feel happy in my clothes. I feel the best in my clothes. I feel I can do it all in my clothes, but a beautiful blazer with a draped dress underneath, some fabric manipulation. I would say I have a year and a half. I fell in love with the blazer itself, the shoulder pads. What it does to you. I mean, you sit differently when you have a blazer on. You would say things that you wouldn't say if you had a dress.
Johanna Almstead:
I agree. The blazer gives you power.
Jeanette Limas:
It gives you power.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah, I agree. I love a good blazer. Okay. What's your go-to coping mechanism on a bad day? Because I know you're generally a very positive person. You're very optimistic. What do you do when things start to go sideways and you're having a rough day?
Jeanette Limas:
I cry.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
I cry. That's like a norm. Yeah. I cry for a little bit, not for too long. No, no, no. Wrinkles and stuff. No, we don't want that. So I definitely cry. I freak out for a second, but when I stop, you should fear me.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, you gather your strength and you are unstoppable.
Jeanette Limas:
I even scare myself sometimes when I'm like, "I'm done. And then my dad call like, "I'm sorry I couldn't pick up, but tell me." And I'm like, "No, I'm not there anymore." Johanna. I'm very like that and it scares me. That's why these collections, I make the collections and I'm like ... I couldn't believe I was in that hole or I couldn't believe I was going through that. And collections are like diaries for a designer. If you want to know a designer, you have to study their collection because it doesn't matter what I say. It doesn't matter what I say. It's the action. It's the clothes, it's the color, it's the texture. That's how you're going to know me better.
Johanna Almstead:
It's what comes out of your creation.
Jeanette Limas:
Yes. Because it comes from the deepest part of your soul that you cannot describe with words. That's it. You can't.
Johanna Almstead:
I love that. Oh, who would you invite to a dinner party if you were having a dream dinner party? You could have any guest dead or alive, who would you invite to your party? And they're all going to say yes.
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. Okay, good. Definitely Caroline Simonelli because she was-
Johanna Almstead:
I was going to say, you better invite Caroline Simonelli after this is episode.
Jeanette Limas:
No, but she wouldn't eat her words.
Johanna Almstead:
She would not eat her words.
Jeanette Limas:
No.
Johanna Almstead:
She just said what she said and everyone could live with it.
Jeanette Limas:
Exactly. [inaudible 01:03:01], she's another woman that she doesn't care. She's going to tell you. So her. I invite you and Caggie.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, thank you. I love when I get invited. That's so nice.
Jeanette Limas:
It'll be fun. Who else? Sade Adu. You know the singer
Johanna Almstead:
Of course, I know the singer.
Jeanette Limas:
I love her.
Johanna Almstead:
I love her too. Can I sit next to her at the table?
Jeanette Limas:
Please.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay, good.
Jeanette Limas:
Just so many people. They're not coming. Juan Luis Guerra is a Dominican singer. He's one of our best, and I get inspired a lot by listening to music. If it's sadness, I'm going to be playing heavy metal. I'm going to be heavy metal all the way. If it's romantic, I will be doing Juan Luis Guerra, but because I'm mostly romantic, Juan Luis.
Johanna Almstead:
Wait, do we want him to sit at the table or do we want him to perform at the dinner?
Jeanette Limas:
I want him to sit and perform.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay, great. We're like, "Hi. Between the first chorus and the second chorus, could you please serenade us?"
Jeanette Limas:
Yeah. Oprah. Oprah Winfrey.
Johanna Almstead:
Oprah. Love her.
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, my God. Lady Diana.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, Lady Di.
Jeanette Limas:
Queen Elizabeth.
Johanna Almstead:
This is turning into a ... Queen Elizabeth. Okay. Yes. This is turning into a really good party.
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, my God. Very interesting.
Johanna Almstead:
Wait, can we sit Queen Elizabeth next to ... Tell me his name again, Juan Luis?
Jeanette Limas:
Juan Luis Guerra.
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah. Can we sit Queen Elizabeth next to him? I feel like that would be a good mix.
Jeanette Limas:
Angelina Jolie, please.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, she's so gorgeous.
Jeanette Limas:
Angelina Jolie. So many people.
Johanna Almstead:
Okay. I like this. You can keep-
Jeanette Limas:
And my father please, and my husband.
Johanna Almstead:
And your father. And your husband. I love it. Well, this has been amazing. I could talk to you for hours. My last question is, what is one thing that you know for sure right now, today, here in this moment?
Jeanette Limas:
That I know for sure?
Johanna Almstead:
Yeah.
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, my gosh. That I want to keep living and keep tasting new food and keep meeting amazing people that will blow my mind. Those people that you meet. And I want to keep this curiosity of wanting to learn more, be better, flying everywhere. Just this thing called life. I love it. I love it. I just love it.
Johanna Almstead:
That's beautiful. I think that's a wonderful thing to know right now, in this moment. Can you please tell people where they can find you on Instagram and website and all those things?
Jeanette Limas:
So on Instagram it's Janette Limas.
Johanna Almstead:
Janette Limas.
Jeanette Limas:
Jeanette Limas. And the website is JanetteLimas.com. That's easy.
Johanna Almstead:
Those are easy. Go check her out. If you're looking for inspiration, if you're looking for excitement, if you're looking for curiosity. Please go check out her website and her Instagram, because you'll see some very, very beautiful things and a very, very beautiful person, who I'm very, very grateful for having spent this time with me. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your story, and sharing your curiosity, and sharing your brilliance.
Jeanette Limas:
Oh, Johanna. Thank you for having me. You know how much I admire you.
Johanna Almstead:
Oh, you're very sweet. Thank you. Oh, my gosh. That was so much fun. I just adore her. I adore her heart. I adore her spirit. I adore her drive and her viewpoint on how she sees the world. I feel lucky to have had this hour with her, and I feel lucky to have had this hour with you. So thank you, thank you, thank you for tuning in and for supporting us.
If you haven't done so already, please subscribe or follow this podcast, that usually makes sure that you actually download each episode. But if you're not downloading each episode, please make sure you do, just press download. Those numbers matter to us. They really matter in how quickly and how fast we can grow. So please do so. And if you can think of someone who you think might benefit from this episode, they might be a little bit inspired. They might be a little provoked. They might just have a really good laugh or need a break from their day, please share it with them.
You can copy the link in the show, wherever you are listening, there's usually a little menu. If you go there, there's a little button that says copy link, and you can paste that link in an email. You can paste it in a text message. You can paste it in your social media or onto LinkedIn. And that would really help us continue to grow this community bit by bit by bit and it's all thanks to you guys that we are multiplying out there. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart and I will catch you on the next one.
This podcast has been created and directed by me, Johanna Almstead. Our producer is Sophy Drouin. Our audio editor is Isabel Robertson, and our brand manager is Mila Buzhna.