Designer, entrepreneur, storyteller
From the earliest moments of her childhood, Mandy Johal professionally called MJ, he knew she was going to create it. She has been sketching design, painting and imagining new worlds, the foundation of a career defined by storytelling, design and thoughtful creative expression.
MJ’s fashion journey began in Vancouver, where she established her academic and creative practices. This is also where she first started trending with MJ (TWMJ) – essentially a passionate project, a tiny space to test ideas and try design and storytelling. She loves seeing concepts from sketches to finished products, an experience that shapes her way of building a brand and designing a collection with intention, personality and uncompromising quality.
Her ambitions soon brought her to London, where she worked through internships and collaborations through her fair, Al and KCD at Harper. These experiences provide a close-up view of how fashion works, from editorial and PR to luxury brands and creative strategies, while highlighting the importance of perspective, collaboration and adaptability.
Guidance plays a crucial role along the way. Nan Richards is a respected figure in the fashion industry, taking a special place in MJ’s journey and continuing to inspire her work. “Let someone believe in your priceless vision when you were young,MJ reflects. “It not only showed me what I wanted to create, but it also showed me that I wanted to be a creative person.”
Even early on, MJ realized that her work was bigger than a separate outfit. She thrives at the intersection of design, storytelling and brand visions, creating experiences that feel personal, cultural and meaningful. Her first hands-on project at London Fashion Week offers an immersive vision of sports: seeing the runway active, understanding the action of PR and watching the designer’s vision unfold in real time.
Find a home in Los Angeles
Moving to Los Angeles to attend FIDM marks another turning point. Los Angeles offers MJ the opportunity to transform her vision into a tangible project and connect with the people and opportunities that shaped her career. “It’s about the people you meet, who are watching and who believe you,” she said.
Los Angeles has cultivated MJ into a multidimensional creative: designers, storytellers and entrepreneurs. The city’s challenges and opportunities taught her the value of resilience, adaptability and meaningful connections. She learned that even without the expected gift, relationships can be created by chance, opening the door and reflecting the heart of her brand philosophy.
Architecture TWMJ: Fashion as Storytelling
MJ’s brand TWMJ is rooted in her philosophy: fashion is a story of experience, sharing and feeling. Each collection reflects her personal experience, life observations, and the energy of a season or moment. Quality and intention are at the heart of each piece, with careful attention to the craftsmanship to ensure that each design has meaning and impact.
Her favorite creations so far are Levin’s Collectionthis line embodies the joy of expressing, emotion and learning to live a full life – defining her work and brand.
In addition to design, MJ also integrates digital strategies, PR and trend forecasting to create an overall experience that appeals to audiences at multiple levels. She truly shares her process, builds real relationships, and designs for impact rather than trends.
One of the most symbolic elements of her brand identity is her Faceless outline logoreversed from her abbreviation “MJ”. It reflects her philosophy that the brand is bigger than herself – attracting others to design and experience fashion as a common story.
“Each collection is like a chapter in a book,” she explains. “Every design contributes to the bigger story I want people to experience.”
Mentoring, collaborating and connecting
The collaboration shapes MJ’s career from the very beginning. Working with Cartier, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and KCD, she improved her skills and gained insight into luxury brands, editorial storytelling and advanced event execution. These experiences reinforce her belief in mentoring and learning from established leaders while also exercising her own path.
Gifts are the core of MJ’s philosophy. Through no expectations (regardless of part of her collection, notes or creative support), MJ builds unexpected connections, thus bringing meaningful opportunities. This practice reflects the nature of TWMJ: through shared experience, generosity, authenticity and storytelling.
MJ intentionally designed, telling stories purposefully, and building a brand with authenticity, creating works that are at the intersection of art and strategy. Her vision positioned her as a contemporary thought leader and a force for rise.
Looking to the future: vision and impact
For MJ, fashion is more than just clothing, it is a medium for connection, inspiration and storytelling. Through guidance, collaboration with leading fashion houses and rooted philosophy about gifts and relationships, MJ continues to shape modern fashion narratives, a collection, a story and a design.
“My goal is to create work that action people, inspire them and have a lasting impact on the industry. Clothes that make people feel positiveMJ said.
As she looks forward to the next collection and ongoing project, MJ continues to blend artistic, intentional design and personal narrative that leaves a mark on the Los Angeles fashion world and the global creative landscape.
TWMJ’s selected works are available for shopping online, allowing people to experience MJ’s design firsthand. www.trendwithmj.com.
Photography: Dana Ferraro, Elisa Crowe
