Jouetie 2012 Spring Collection

For the first time I am left completely in the dark as to the origins, back story and glorious history of a brand that I have chosen to write about on The Secret Hipster, but with a runway show this big, bad and bold I have chosen to rise to the challenge and take the bull by the horns. After all, how bad can it be? You see, Jouetie are a Japanese based brand that have taken inspiration in their Spring 2012 collection from European countries such as England and France. You of course, dear and vigilant reader would have without a doubt figured that one out for yourself by the clever observation and detective work of viewing the big ole banner at the back of the catwalk which features the flag of Great Britain and at the centre of that, two French looking cherubs. There's also the tell-tale sign of iconic bunting attached to flimsy looking plastic parasols. There are many references to some of the most notable and greatest musician pieces to come from England such as The Beatles, Sex Pistols and skate board brand Thrasher. For those wishing to pay tribute to 'Old Glory' there's also a flag of Great Britain torn and punctured using safety pins dressing up an all denim ensemble.

Harajuku style and flair is combined with European influence as well as intuitive wild coloured wigs cut into bobs and distinct pop Japanese style; that entails the use of layering, bright colours as well as mock-up leather. Spiked epaulets and frills are great eclectic touches to what would otherwise be boring cardigans and shirts and channels the popular culture movement of Japanese youths, particularly it's girls. Jouetie's 2012 Spring collection doesn't overdo this wild side though, I find that there is a great balance between quirk as well as references to popular culture and familiar territory. A wide range of prints such as grey English tartan in maxi skirts, shocking lightning bolt printed cardigans and the best of stereotypical French style has been thrown into the mix to make the show such a popular hit on the micro-blogging site Tumblr.

Occasionally a model will prance down the catwalk with a precious French beret sitting atop their pretty little head- I love the use of cliche French style such as horizontal stripes and the iconic hat to move away to new frontiers. Other feminine and frilly touches include tulle skirts that would make any Ballerina blush, lace gloves as well as beaded collar necklaces and collared blouses. In the background of the photograph above you will see the previous model sporting a wig in a shocking shade of cotton candy pink which contrast well with the touch biker black leather. For the outfit above, the use of binary shades black and white creates in the viewers mind the idea of opposites. I like the use of tough looking boots in the style of Doc Martens with silver studs at the bottom and the French beret and lace sash at the top. It really emphasise the influence of the two nation's styles on this collection.

One of my favourite runway photographs included this sassy lass and that gorgeous lightning bolt cardigan. The eclectic buttons and badges on top of her beret really emphasises the vintage-style movement in fashion and the way a person collects things during their life and combines them with the new. You'll often see famous fashion bloggers raiding vintage and second hand shops in the hopes of finding unique, one-of-a-kind pieces and then wearing them with the new. The bold print of 'CIAO!' at the top of this dress and the tulle trail over the skirt of the dress makes the clashing black and white really pop. The subtle addition of a mint coloured green wig as well as the red lipstick reminds us that not everything in our outfits has to match and sometimes when wearing one print with another a greater and more eye-catching effect can be created. 

One of the things that puzzled me most about the presentation of Jouetie's runway collection for Spring 2012 was the choice of models. After having seen the launch of Prada's S/S11 collection in Asia and using exotic looking models from that region, I felt caught off guard when I read this brand came from Japan and not from a European country. With the strong Western flavour and influence, how could something this eclectic and awe-inspiring come from a country whose language I can't decipher? It was mainly heartbreaking that I couldn't navigate the Jouetie home website and find out more about them. Viewing the catwalk photographs from Jouetie's runway show, you would have to be bordering on psychic-gypsy powers to guess its Japanese origins. While I can't yet find an online to stock their glorious clothes and being rendered useless, I guess I'll be enrolling in the nearest Japanese for dummies crash course.

I'm very jealous of the legs on this lovely model, as well as the cute socks in Union Jack print; then there's the curious frills on the shoulders of her blouse topped off with a black collar. I really love shirts with mismatching coloured collars- it's always interesting to wear a jumper over the top and have a shirt/ dress underneath with a completely different pattern to it. Predominately floral dressed with cream coloured collars are my usual favourite. It has been said that Jouetie have taken a cue from the 'fau-vintage' movement without the use of shades of brown and mustard, instead they've been replaced with black, white, leopard and tartan print. In my books, the collection any aspiring punk lover's dream.

The matching of red lipstick and red beret complements the taupe colour of the trench coat covered in black graffiti scrawling and is at the centre of attention for this fabulous photograph. Finally, the look is capped off with one of my favourite unlikely combinations: tough studded black shoes and prissy frilly socks. When I can finally get about and this heat wave ends, I will have to make a journey to get myself some lovely American Apparel socks I've been hanging out for.

Love the little beehive clumping of blond hair and The Beatles printed on to a black shirt- the two styles combined together are very reminiscent of the 1960s. I'm also very glad to see the use of leggings underneath the delicate tulle folds of this sheer maxi dress. It befits the use of instruments such as the drum kit on the right of the model and large Marshall amplifier on the left. Everything about this photograph and the atmosphere evoked is just so right- I can't wait to see what else Jouetie will produce and their other archived collections.

The ruching on the black skirt as well as the seemingly scabby knees of the model is a fresh new take on so much of the vintage inspired clothing coming through, in particular the long and flowing pleated skirts. There's a lot of contrasting texture involved with this single outfit, a crochet collar added to a slogan shirt hiding underneath an updated denim jacket as well as the identifiable silhouette of the structured skirt and little studded leather boots. It's odd the way that from a set of pastel coloured wigs some of them have been styled differently, for example the added curls added to this ginger red colour. I really like the use of colour to each outfit which mainly feature black, white and grey; it's a breathe of fresh air frankly. I love little quirky touches like this added to runway shows.

Love the punk rocker pose and hand on the hip- it's like Japanese school girls have met with 80's rockers in the most fantastic melding.

This is the photograph that drew me in to search for the identity of the brand- the sassy holding of the skirt and swishing it around down the run way as well as the short and succinct phrase on the back of the cardigan in matching font made me go into lust overdrive. Typical that I always want what the heart can't have but I have been inspired to search around for lots of beaded collars to add to singlets and regular shirts to dress them up. As you can plainly tell, the cardigan is my favourite piece from the whole collection. A shame it would be difficult to wear out about town, maybe a best kept secret piece of fashion clothing confined to photographs of outfits or parties with friends at night.

While I have never attempted to stud things myself and starting off with delicate tulle would most certainly be a bad and dangerous idea, I would love to be able to wear something as gorgeous as this baby punk tulle tutu skirt. I know American Apparel made a petticoat skirt with frills and a strong silhouette structure, but I often find that these types of skirts are either a hit or a miss. I love the teaming up with the bold bomber jacket, it draws attention to the studs over the top of the dress and makes it look tough and eclectic rather than girly and feminine.

The Darkness

My long black hair really needs a trim but I always get a little worried about visiting hairdressers and having to bite my tongue if I don't like what they've done and I feel that they've completely massacred my hair. I just wish I could let my hair grown long and free, that it had a nice natural wave to it without having been in a braid for hours and then dipped in the ocean. I've decided what I want to be when I grow up, I would like to be a witch but having reached the age of eighteen I don't think I'll be receiving a letter from Hogwarts to whisk me away. The last few days I've really been loving skulls thanks to Nick Von K's range of jewellery and clamouring to get my hands on some black goods. For example, currently in my web broswer you will find a TR Ensemble dress in black which is a collared maxi dress and reminds me a lot of something Scrooge from a Christmas Carol would wear, a black reproduction cuckoo clock, skull jewellery from Popsie and a black leather wallet from Serpent and the Swan which features a horses head.

As you can see from the evidence I'm in a black mood at the moment- ironically I should be most thankful for the walls of my house all being white to keep everyone cool on this 40 degree Celsius day. Summer stinks when you can't wear black, at least I have a neat stack of books on my desk of the Sci-Fi genre; Harry Potter is in there as well as some of Terry Pratchett's works. I'm sure I'll make a start on them when I can drag myself away from the computer and air-coniditoned lounge room. Another thing that's bumming my out is that I wanted to use the exercise bike in the garage and watch Doctor Who but its still so hot and hasn't cooled down. The last of my laments is that I think the all-powerful dust buster is losing it's suction and that means I have to touch dust to clean my room, yuck.

The great thing about being a witch is that you get to wear black and wear oodles of silver and occult jewellery, you nearly always have a pet companion, usually a cat but a black and furry rabbit will suffice nicely as well. They get to play with lovely sets of glass vials and bottles as well and send messages using owls. My life is really missing some furry friends and letters delivered by owl at the moment.

Prada S/S11

From the year that was so promising, playful but full of work for me came the gorgeous Prada Spring/Summer 2011 collection which caught my eye with its mesmerising stripes, gorgeous baroque sunglasses as well as wild printed patterns full of streaking water colours in vibrant colours. I loved the presentation of the models, their wavy hair slicked with hair spray as well as perfect side parts and neat little buns on the side. The colours were truly a feast for the eyes and the materials luxurious, especially those devilish fake fur stoles and the real ones too. The sunglasses were like small sculptures and the shoes which came in chunky platform brogues as well as swirly leather patterned high heels made me fall in love all over again.

The collection graced many many magazine covers, and was the toast of the town and the fashion world as far as resort collections were concerned. I myself loved walking around Chadestone shopping centre and peaking into the Prada boutique at the chance of pouring my eyes over the sensational clutches I longed to hold in my hands. A pity the collection was released at the start of Autumn in the southern hemisphere and I was busy and in the midst of my study. I had to time to work feverishly towards earning money for a chance to own a small piece of the collection.

 

At first it didn't appeal to me, but looking back upon it I have grown rather fond of the banana print which came as both a shirt or a skirt for the resort collection. At first it seemed odd amidst the stripes and colour blocking pieces but I now realised that the bold design and stark colours are what make it apart of the collection. There were many gorgeous as well as intriguing patterns in what seem to be painted designs which are thickly outlined with a thick black brush.

One fashion blogger was clever enough to make a paper homage to the large canvas totes of the collection using craft paper, blue, scissors and ingenuity. If I can't have something lovely from a collection, maybe I should follow in her footsteps and aspire to make tiny craft replicas of the pieces and keep them away in a hope chest or something similar. While I may hate the idea at first, who knows? The trend may grown on me. I should have joined my mother on a trip to the library when she offered to scope out craft books but I was in no mood and instead made good use of my time by cleaning my room a little. What I like is the clasp and yellow latch of the bag and the tiny fine liner detail which has cleverly etched out both the stitching as well as the engraved mark of Prada to give the final seal of approval.

 

I went gaga over the pink clutches and the use of stripes throughout the collection. This trio of clutches was what made me aspire towards scouring the Internet and online world for a piece of the action. Even if I had managed to scrap the money together, I dare say I wouldn't have found a use for it nor an occasion to use it. No, it's better I save myself for Deadly Ponies bags which are closer to my price range as well as necklaces in Sterling silver from some of New Zealand's finest brands in the business.

 

My heart is alight by seeing the pink, white and black striped fox fur stole held daintily with the striped dark green and canvas clutch. This is what suckered me into lusting after the fox stoles, the colour and the way they caught the light as well as the soft texture of the fur was to die for, but the clutches were more achievable in the way of price. Still, both pieces seem to have directed me towards canvas bags as well as fox tail charms and woolly key chains. Being eighteen years old it would be remarkable as well as foolish to spend my money on high price pieces from the finest of fashion houses. Instead, I should focus on study as well as operating blogs successfully and having them reflect my personal style.

Prabal Gurung

I only just recently discovered this designer a few days ago and I must admit, I do feel ashamed that I hadn't heard of him before. It makes me feel excited to know that there is always a new designer bringing something new to the world of fashion and fighting for attention. Creativity and design are endless it seems; and some of the pieces from his Spring 2012 collection are just gorgeous! 

I liked the presentation of the models on the runway; that deep magenta lipstick as well as different shades of berry and pink went well with lots of the colours incorporated in the season's collection. The hair presentation was neat and allowed their to be a greater focus on the clothing - sleek down and patted down with a part straight down the middle. 

This was the first time Prabal Gurung released sunglasses as part of a collection too and my mouth is watering. A clever new take on the 1960's cat's eyes frames with different lenses; tinted, reflected and half shade as well as a clear colour; lavender and black. I really want them; they just stand out so much and are beautiful! 

I think I like them more than the baroque sunglasses released as part of the Prada collection last season - and that is saying a lot. The abrupt end of the frame along the nose bridge is unique and in a way it sort of softens the face and frames it, perhaps it was a way to save costs on material but it's very different from a lot of sunglasses on the market and that's what you need against competitors in such a wide market.

There's just so much variation on design in this collection and different fabrics; above there's the cute sheer dress with digital print detail and the dark purple. I like the sleeves and the skirt of the dress; it's got a sort of fairy feel to it with a modern take and it's a little bit seductive as well with the detail over the crouch. The strong lines and vibrant colour make it stand out but the sheer material of the dress softens the looks and makes it feminine.

More strong lines, vibrant purple and now black are incorporated as well with the digital printed designs teamed up what looks like fur? I really wish I could get to a boutique that stocks Prabal Gurung- it's one thing to look at images of pieces from a collection but you can only determine and assume so much about the collection. The texture, detail and quality of stitching unfortunately are indeterminate from the photographs of the runaway.

"Gurung was born in Singapore and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal. He went to St. Xavier's school, a reputed Catholic Jesuit school in Kathmandu, where he finished his high school education. Prabal began his design career in New Delhi, India. While studying at New Delhi’s National Institute of Fashion Technology, he apprenticed at several local production and fashion houses and designed with Manish Arora. In Melbourne and London Gurung assisted stylists for fashion shows and international publications. In 1999 Gurung moved to New York City, where he interned for Donna Karan while attending Parsons School of Design. In his first year he was awarded the “Best Designer” title at the annual Parsons/FIT design competition. His own collection was launched in 2010."

The sheer mesh over the hips as well as the middle band around the waist accentuates the sensuality and curves of the female body- it looks so gorgeous. The darts around the legs are also flashy and show off those long legs. I bet this sort of dress would turn a lot of heads and make the men simply fall head over heels.

Those beautiful sunglasses are really shown off in the glare of a spotlight; it's almost like the bright life-giving sun.

More texture! What looks to be a cape with tassels of fabric reminds me a little of Opening Ceremony for Where the Wild things are. They had some ankle boots with those sorts of pastel colours and tassels as well. You would have to be pretty brave and brash to be able to wear this outfit on the street; probably a little too impractical for my liking.

Working the sunglasses and the devil may care attitude. The detail on the blouse and the matching jacket from this close up is absolutely superb. I love prints and patterns which are symmetrical and the ovals over the breasts hidden by the jacket are saucy but abstract as well. I like the sharp contrast of the aqua blue collar and the strip down the middle which breaks the pattern apart but somehow also intensifies the symmetry. The collars on the sleeve and the matching aqua pants are perfect, I love this outfit to death and I'd love to dress like this. It would make a perfect street style snap with a coffee in hand or a long coat trailing behind with the wind brushing hair across the face without covering it.

I must admit I'm not a fan of halter neck dressed or high boat collars but this dress is so perfect and the lipstick matches the dress perfectly. Such a great outfit and look fresh of the runway.

THIS! THIS METALLIC DRESS WITH PLEATS! I am obsessed with pleats at the moment; when Tavi Gevinson featured herself wearing the Prada lips skirt from the Summer/Spring 200 collection I fell in love. It seemed like such a classic, retro and chic and understated. I loved the styling for that season although I must admit at that time I would have only been seven years old! The soft curls on the models... very 1970's. Getting a little off topic here, this dress by Prabal Gurung

This skirt is almost as lovely, but not quite. The tinted fade and progression of the skirt from the deep purple at the hips till a soft hue of pink is beautiful but I'm not sure of what to think about the texture. It looks like it could be a faux leather of some sort in which case the structure would feel heavy and all sorts of horrible noises might spring forth from it. The pleated skirt looks a lot more graceful and feminine, glides off the body and feels light.

Close-up of the tulle flowers on the trail of the amazing dress. The colours are just so perfect; the dark blue, mind green and aqua are an amazing combination that I would have never thought could work so well until I saw this collection. I wanted to have the side profile of the model wearing the dress a lot bigger but the trail gets cut off due to formatting :(
It's so gorgeous though, I love the tulle flowers and the sheer trail. A fairy would wear this on her wedding day.

Better look at the paint-drip effect of the metallic print on the pleated skirt of my favourite dress. So amazing.

Those pants and the jacket, the combination of the two is just magnificent. I would love to wear this to a job interview, the entire outfit and see what the person would think of me. Maybe not the pants but the jacket is so gorgeous. The different hues from the lighting all show vivid and vibrant shades of blue. On the darkened lapel I can see a periwinkle and on the sleeves when it's creased on the elbow I can see a sea green. The imagination to have brought all of these pieces to life is simply incredible.

Matching jacket and pants broken up by the black sheer and sexy frilled blouse. I like it a lot.

Tulle effects at its biggest and best. I don't think I have ever seen a designer have such guts to take on this effect and make it looks attractive and not over the top. The interplay between the colours ( I love the colour from this collection if you can't already tell ) almost looks like a separate piece and a vest at the top of the bodice of the dress but with the continuation of the tulle effect at the bottom and hem of the skirt as well as the tulle ruffles the evidence that this is one piece is clear. The tulle sitting about the models knee is gorgeous. If I could draw I bet I could draw this photograph a million times over in water colour and never get sick of it.

The two tulle creations a variation on the other are different in their use of colour, this one having a more dreamy and sweet colour palette to it. I get instant images of bubblegum ice cream and blueberry vodka cruisers. The symmetry of the printed pattern along the waist of the skirt is lovely; I'm not a big fan of asymmetrical designs. The tulle across the bodice as well as the puffed skirt and the model's pout are perfect. Really love this photograph and the poise and grace of the model combined with the gorgeous dress by Prabal Gurung.

These little sweet detailed sleeves as well as the structure at the top of the dress are so fairy like. The dichotomy between the sheer tulle and the gliding material of the dress make it seem so pure and virginal but again that sexy killer dart over the leg. I can't exactly see whats on the side of the hips of the skirt but the look to be flowers. I'd love to see a full editorial of this dress in a romantic photo shoot. Flower garlands and this dress and a dreamy lo-fi camera vignette effect. I'm too much of a romantic these days; I blame the influence of John Keats and his poems.

Last but certainly not least; my favourite part of a dress but not my favourite dress from Prabal Gurung's Spring/Summer 2012 collection. The top part of the dress with the cut outs and the sleeves cutting between mesh and the digital print are much too heavy. I would have preferred to see the trail of this dress made the centre piece of attention. The paint drip dress with the metallic detail over the pleated skirt was simplistic but still sassy and modern. This is too much, I adore the trail and if I had my own little museum for fashion this would be the pride and joy but it's too much of a show piece and the harness belt as well as the sleeves cheapens it and draws away from it. It seems bad to end on such a sour note for this post but I adore most of the collection; just look at the number of runway shots included with commentary! It was a real joy to write about this collection and gleam it's artistic design but it seems a shame to detract from the beautiful design and execution of the trail of this dress with the busy bodice of the dress.