Introducing Celia Birtwell X Joanie!
This range was created in collaboration with Celia Birtwell, one of the most important textile designers of her generation. Celia is known for feminine, ditsy florals and designs that mix clashing prints in different scales. This limited collection of fourteen ‘70s-inspired dresses and tops features highly coveted prints from the extensive Celia Birtwell archive printed onto luxurious, environmentally-conscious chiffon and silky satin-feel fabric.
Designed with occasion dressing in mind, we want these pieces to be your go-tos, year after year. Nostalgia is a driving force for us here at Joanie, and working with Celia has been a dream come true for the team: featuring timeless silhouettes in some of Celia Birtwell’s most iconic prints, we want you to wear and love these vintage-inspired heirlooms for a lifetime.
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To me, unquestionably, Celia is the queen of ditsy florals. A trailblazing titan of the twin print, expertly smushing together complementary colours and playful prints in varying scales, grounds, and clashing styles, always tastefully. Not understated, but also not ‘too loud’ either, creating a look that is consistently synonymous with vintage style. It’s a ‘pinch me’ moment to bring this collection to life after years of fangirling over her prints.
Celia Birtwell is a National Treasure. Not only are Celia’s prints legendary, but her life, her story, her memories - and the bits of gossip that accompany them - have been such a treat to hear as we’ve worked closely together on the collection. That era - the late ‘60s and early ‘70s - is my Kryptonite, such a bountiful period for art, music, culture, and ultimately fashion that I just can’t resist - it’s THE golden age for me! I often say I was born at the wrong time, and if I had a time machine, it would be my first port of call, hanging around with Hockney, the ‘Stones, the Bond girls, just the coolest of the cool.
Lucy, Brand Manager
Muse of David Hockney and partner of Ossie Clark, Celia Birtwell is and was the most important textile designer of her generation. Described as the face that launched a thousand prints, her major contribution to the world of interiors and fashion gained her international critical acclaim in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Celia drew her inspiration from Romantic and classical sources: Vita Sackville-West’s garden, Leon Bakst’s costumes for the Ballet Russes, Picasso, and Matisse to name a few. Her prints were brought to life by her husband Ossie, who sculpted them into silk chiffon, jersey or crepe de chine collections.
From 1967 to 1973, Celia and Ossie were the toast of the fashion industry, dressing everyone from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Patty Boyd, Twiggy, and Marianne Faithful, as well as members of the British Aristocracy. It was around this time that David Hockney painted “Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy,” a portrait of Celia and Ossie that remains one of the most viewed paintings in the Tate Britain gallery.
Celia has always designed with a desire to amuse herself and her audience, and her innovative, witty style is reflected in her prints: from ditsy florals to geometric checks, her designs have inspired generations of artists and creatives, and her legacy is unmatched.
Celia Birtwell prints are distinctive and bold, with an incredible attention to detail. Her designs are striking and instantly recognisable, evoking the spirit of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with their playful scales, complimentary colours, and idiosyncratic names.
From Little Rock, a chiffon dress featuring an Elvis Presley-inspired check print designed in the early 1970s, to Mystic Daisy, a flared sleeve kaftan featuring one of Celia’s most recognisable designs, and Sunfloral, a sheer angel sleeve blouse made using remnant fabric leftover from the twin print Golden Slumbers Dress, this timeless collection is designed to be worn season after season, year after year.
All fourteen Celia Birtwell X Joanie styles are made using an environmentally-conscious fabric, either LENZING TENCEL™ Modal, Livaeco™ Viscose, or Responsibly Sourced Viscose, and the entire collection is available in UK sizes 8-26.
Celia Birtwell X Joanie: Interview With Celia
To celebrate the launch, Joanie’s Brand Manager, Lucy, sat down with ‘National Treasure’ Celia Birtwell for a cup of (strictly Yorkshire) tea, and to talk through the collection…