Celia Birtwell x Joanie Clothing Review: An Amazing Sustainable Collection

I’m a huge fan of Celia Birtwell’s iconic, beautiful prints.  If you read here, you may remember that my first post on this blog was about the Celia Birtwell collection at US fashion retailer Express.  Flash forward almost  20  years, and Celia Birtwell’s beautiful prints are back in a new collection from UK retailer Joanie Clothing.   Joanie Clothing has bought the beautiful fashions designed by Ossie Clark, featuring Celia Birtwell’s gorgeous and unique prints back to life in a new sustainably sourced fashion collection called….wait for it…. Celia Birtwell x Joanie Clothing.

My personal favorite from the collection: The Celia Birtwell X Joanie – Bouquet Floral Pussy Bow Peplum Blouse

In my opinion, this is the best reincarnation of Ossie Clark & Celia Birtwell’s 1970’s designs yet!  I’ve already ordered and tried on two pieces from the Celia Birtwell x Joanie Clothing collection.  The quality for price, the durable, sustainable material and of course those prints are simply incredible!  In my opinion, the clothing in this collection is much more durable than previous Celia Birtwell collections from Topshop, Express and UNIQLO.  I should know, as I own pieces from all those collections.  I own both dresses and tops from the Topshop and Express Celia Birtwell collections, and frankly some of the material is rather flimsy and transparent.  The Express blouses are so transparent that a camisole must be worn under them. It’s the same with some of  the Celia Birtwell Topshop collection, the dresses have a rather diaphanous overly with a slip underneath them.  The Celia Birtwell x Joanie Clothing collection fabrication is literally a cut above.  The sustainably sourced materials of Tercel and Livaeco™ Viscose are not transparent.

Celia Birtwell X Joanie – Peachy Pie Ruffle Collar Wrap Dress

“Peachy Pie” and “Golden Slumbers’ are from the same original design but with changes in colour, scale, shape, etc. I needed a name to reflect the changes and came up with “Peachy Pie.”

Celia Birtwell X Joanie – Marie Antoinette Floral Print Bell Sleeve Maxi Dress

I have always been drawn to designing romantic prints, and I think that ‘Marie Antoinette’ fits that bill. I designed it in about 1972, and it has had many iterations since. I think that the colourway and shape that has been used here by Joanie sets the print off to its best.” Celia Birtwell on her ‘Marie Antoinette’ dress in the Joanie collaboration.

The Celia Birtwell collaboration with Joanie Clothing features 14 pieces of apparel featuring Celia Birtwell’s beautiful flower prints and patterns. The collection is affordably priced from £69 to £129 British Pounds or $89 to $169 in US dollars.

                  Jazz Flower Print Sheer Cape Sleeve Pussy Bow Blouse, and the  Candyflower Print Bell Sleeve Midi Dress 

As vintage collectors know, those prices are a fraction of what Celia Birtwell & Ossie Clark’s apparel from the late 60’s and early 70’s sells for on websites like 1st Dibs and eBay.  In the era of the flower power, celebrity models  Patty Boyd, Twiggy, and Marianne Faithful, wore and popularised Celia Birthwell prints & Ossie Clark designs.

I hope a whole new generation of fashionistas and vintage lovers discovers the Celia Birtwell x Joan Clothing collection. The sizing for the collection ranges from US 4 to US 22, offering a range of sizes for women and plus sizes, making it more size inclusive than the original designs were.