Sassa Jimenez

Jimenez was born in 1987. Her parents are Philippine advertising agents Abby and Monet Jimenez.[10][11] Her father serves as tourism secretary. Her aunt is Philippine Daily Inquirer’s editor-in-chief, Letty Jimenez Magsanoc.[10] She studied creative writing at the Ateneo de Manila University. Later, she studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California.[12][13] She finished the course in a year and a half and graduated cum laude.[12] She worked as an intern at "Miss Sixty" doing celebrity styling and public relations. She has a design studio and atelier in Makati, a suburb of Manila in the Philippines.

In 2008 Jimenez began showcasing her designs at the Philippine Fashion Week.[13][14] The event is a twice-yearly week-long event which showcases design talent to display the "distinct Filipino creativity to the rest of the world", according to Style Manila, a fashion website.[15] A reporter described her collection as "refreshing and feminine, with classic, clean lines and surprising twists. Her long gowns evoke easy sophistication with a delicate balance of streamlined hems and voluminous details."[10] Another wrote: "Very few established designers would create such a frothy, excessive confection, but in the occasionally bland local fashion industry, Sassa Jimenez is a breath of fresh air."[12] The styles were described as "fun and frothy, with bright pops combined with dark hues—bubblegum pink, aqua, mustard yellow, hot pink and plum mixed with black, gray, bronze and ivory."[12] Some designs were described as "too busy" and others looked like they "could have been purchased off the rack from local retail stores."[12] One outfit was a "black-and-pink dress the model wore featured a balloon skirt and puffed sleeves in a dubious combination of wool and organza".[12] Another liked Jimenez's Tulle skirt.[16] Another described a Jimenez dress as "a great Merry Christmas dress: perfect for drinking yourself silly and having your picture taken getting kissed under the mistletoe."[17]

A reporter wrote "every moment is reciprocated by the swishing of a skirt or a sudden gleam of light from a satin surface", and that the overall look was "polished, sleek, and sexy."[18] Her styles were described as "polished" and "sleek" with a 1940s look.[4][19]

Jimenez described her approach:

My vision is to create pieces that have global relevance. I see myself designing outfits that can be worn by anyone, no matter where they are in the world.

— Sassa Jimenez, 2009.[20]