Monday February 5, 2007 Jay's World BY NASA MARIA ENTABAN

JAY Lim responds to my question about how he would describe himself with three simple words: "I'm very serious".

But as time goes by and the mood lightens, the brooding urban streetwear designer eases up and even begins cracking jokes.

His girlfriend, business partner and moral supporter Vivian Toh is bubbly and enthusiastic - quite the opposite of the reserved Jay.

When I asked the question, Vivian, 21, chuckled to herself and piped in right after Jay replied.

"Yes, he is. He works very hard and is very focused," she says of the 24-year-old Jay, who works full-time as a media designer for an advertising firm and teaches art class to primary school students on Saturday mornings.

For a little over a year now the duo have run their partnership - JayLimDesign - all by themselves. Jay designs while Vivian promotes his work and manages the financial part of things.

Jay, who graduated from Dasein Academy of Art, has been doing digital design for three years, but only started the business when he met Vivian.

Their meeting and eventual partnership happened through an encounter on an Internet forum. They were introduced through a mutual friend, and later discovered their common interest in art and design.

"It works like this - I leave all the design work to him, and I suggest words to put on the T-shirts. After that we coordinate exhibitions and do the promotional work together," explains Vivian, who just graduated from Stamford College in Petaling Jaya and does freelance writing for magazines.

On the design side, Jay's concept is simplicity.

"Too much artwork makes a piece too complicated - my designs are simple but meaningful at the same time," says Jay, adding that teenagers are the target group as they would be able to relate best to his designs.

He doesn't play with too many intricate designs at one time, and limits his designs to only a handful of colours.

The partners note that while they have no problem selling their T-shirts, people do keep asking why they don’t make more of each design.

JayLimDesign produces limited pieces of each T-shirt, because they want their designs to be more personal, and less commercialised.

"Only a few people in the whole world will have the same shirt," says Jay, adding, "Sometimes I see people on the streets wearing my T-shirts and it's a really good feeling when that happens."

Angel Devil: The Fairy Talesis their latest project: An evil looking boy and girl are the muses for this theme, an idea that is inspired by Japanese cartoons, comics and toys.

Each T-shirt, which are 100% cotton, costs between RM25 and RM40, and they come in sizes small, medium and large.

Jay doesn't only design T-shirts though - his Your Mind Is Your First Enemybrand has a pillow range as well.

"Behind the designs are feelings and emotions. Your Mind Is Your First Enemy is about perceptions of people, pre-conceived ideas. How your own mind can deceive you," explains Vivian.

The duo have participated in many exhibitions, including Lost Memory, Digital Spirit, Beautiful Junk and Rantai, all of which may be unfamiliar to the layman, but among designers, these are exhibitions to look out for.

* Does JayLimDesign inspire you? Are you moved to find out more? Visit www.jaylimdesign.com to check out more of Jay and Vivian's work, or go to Manual Epoch on the 6th floor of Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur to see them for yourself.