If you’ve ever noticed a striking jacket at a local gathering or dinner—elegant, distinctive, and unlike anything in a typical boutique—you may already have seen the work of Blackhawk resident and designer Joi True.
True is the designer behind TrueJoi Couture, a limited-edition jacket collection she designs from her home in Blackhawk. Her pieces are known for distinctive textiles and elegant tailoring. Many feature fabrics sourced from around the world with silhouettes designed to be both flattering and easy to wear.
But the idea didn’t begin as a business. It started with Joi looking for the perfect jacket for herself. “I wanted something comfortable, beautifully made, and expressive,” she explains. “Something you could wear during the day with jeans and then dress up at night. I couldn’t find that combination— so I started designing it.”
That idea of versatility still guides her work. TrueJoi Couture jackets are designed to move seamlessly from daytime to evening—equally at home over denim and boots as they are paired with heels and a dress.
Rooted in Blackhawk
Although Joi moved to Blackhawk in 2019, her connection to the area goes back much further. “It had been my dream to live here since the 1980s, when I was a student at Berkeley,” she says. While house-hunting, she knocked on a neighbor’s door and ended up chatting for nearly half an hour. Before she had even moved in, she was invited to the annual block party.
“That’s when I knew I had found the right street,” she recalls. Today she’s part of the rhythms of neighborhood life—block parties, book club gatherings, and the occasional pickleball game.
The Jacket That Started It All
TrueJoi Couture began during a deeply personal moment in Joi’s life.
Her stepmother, Becky, stayed with her while preparing for cancer surgery. With encouragement from a Fox Creek neighbor who is an oncology nurse practitioner, Becky decided to undergo treatment locally. During those quiet weeks at home, the two turned to creativity. Becky, a lifelong textile artist with extensive garment construction expertise, helped bring Joi’s design ideas to life.
Together they created a jacket—bold, beautiful, and full of meaning.
Soon afterward, Joi wore it to Jason Momoa’s tequila launch event in Danville. A woman admired it so much that she insisted on buying it on the spot.
“She literally bought the jacket right off my back,” Joi says with a laugh.
Months later, the same thing happened again in West Hollywood. “That’s when I realized women really connected with the design,” she says.
A Fabric First Design Philosophy
A love of textiles plays a central role in Joi’s design process. She sources textiles from around the world—Parisian brocades, patterned jacquards, and vibrant cottons often inspire the design itself.
Joi sketches the designs while Becky develops the patterns and oversees construction. Because many of the fabrics are produced in limited quantities, the jackets are made in very small numbers.
“In a world where so much fashion is mass-produced, people appreciate something individual,” Joi says. rings its own character, and each jacket becomes part of that narrative.
A Brand Beginning to Grow
What began as a personal design project has gradually grown into TrueJoi Couture—something Joi continues to build alongside her career.
By day, Joi works as a pharmaceutical lawyer. Evenings and weekends often become creative time—sourcing textiles, refining designs, and developing new pieces.
Her goal is to grow TrueJoi Couture thoughtfully through select boutiques and curated retail platforms that celebrate independent designers.
A Jacket That Holds a Story
Joi’s favorite piece remains the first jacket she and Becky created—a black-and-gold brocade woven with whimsical dragonflies made from fabric sourced from a historic weaving house. For Joi, the jacket represents resilience, creativity, and the beginning of something new.
“Style should be fun and fearless,” she says. “Each piece is unique – like the women who wear it.” If you notice a beautiful jacket around Blackhawk, there’s a good chance it’s TrueJoi Couture. Ask it came from, and you may hear the same answer: “From a neighbor.”
Learn more at www.truejoicouture.com
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010
Photos provided by Joi True