“We like to think of ourselves as a coastal brand,” says Rachel Wilder-Hill, the vintage-obsessed designer behind Joie’s easy, breezy designs—pieces she says balance L.A.’s laid-back bohemian side with a touch of Parisian chic. As the great divide between high fashion and real women remains very present, collections like Joie are becoming more relevant than ever, thanks to their ability to tap into the little comfortable luxuries that women of all ages want to wear, without the forage of vintage shopping nor the conceptual trappings that can often plague runway brands.
“It’s the little details that set us apart,” continues Wilder-Hill, explaining the floral print on a braided silk slip dress. “This motif came from a scrap of wallpaper I found at a Paris flea market and had repainted by our incredible in-house artist.” While Joie began as a jeans brand in 2001, it’s evident that denim has taken a backseat to the expansive range of sundresses, floaty shirting, and peasant blouses that emphasize soft cotton fabrications for Spring—as gauzy voiles, topstitched embroideries, and broderie anglaise details instill a sense of decorative nostalgia in the dolman-sleeve silhouettes cinched with drawstrings, and skinny plaited belts. Some of the prettiest looks within the Spring lineup feature inserts of Victorian-inspired lacework, their delicacy balanced by stonewashed denim or light suede, keeping their historical leanings within Joie’s contemporary, feminine frame.
