There’s nothing we love more than showcasing the work of the talented individuals who create your favourite clothes, so we’re going behind the scenes with Jess, our incredible Print Designer, to learn more about the process of designing some of the prints from the Spring collection!

Dawn O’Porter X Joanie - Sazerac Cabbage Floral Print Midaxi Dress

The Sazerac Dress makes a real statement in this gorgeously bold vintage-inspired cabbage rose print designed by Jess. As with all of the pieces in the DOP X Joanie collections, the design team worked closely with Dawn on the prints, taking inspiration from some of her favourite vintage pieces and eras.

"I love to draw from life," says Jess, "drawing from real objects gives a print design life - at any one point, my studio desk is covered in all sorts of weird and wonderful things to draw from, these cabbages being particularly memorable props!"

Jess worked on the cabbage blooms first, then added in some flowers and foliage to frame them. Decisions about the colour palette came next: "We love green and orange together - could anything be more retro?!"

"The black base is perfect for this time of year, and we knew we wanted green to be our hero colour in this print. The Joanie team worked closely with our factories to recolour the print, trying out different colour levels until we found that perfect bold green hue - it really sings against the black! This dress is magic, the green works on all skin tones, and the print perfectly complements the styling. Oh, and I absolutely love the balloon sleeves!"

Bryce Nighttime Cloud Print V-Neck Midaxi Dress

Colour is probably the most important part of print design, and the whole team works together to pick the perfect palette for every print.

After the initial design process, a print will often go through several stages of recolouring.

"The colour palette can change the whole look and feel of a garment," says Jess, "when picking colours, we consider the season the print will be launching in, the other pieces in our range, how the colours will look across all skin tones, and ultimately how they will make our Joanie Gals feel when they first put on the garment."

"It's often a back-and-forth process between the designers and factories, and we don't stop until we're 100% sure the colours are all working harmoniously and looking fabulous!"

Imala Floral Deckchair Print Short Sleeve Boilersuit

Nothing says Joanie like a retro statement floral, and the inspiration behind Imala’s bold floral deckchair print came from (you guessed it) vintage 1970s deckchairs and sun loungers!

"I drew lots of stylised flowers," says Jess, "I always associate these bold yet simple types of blooms with the ‘70s. The flat colour fill gives the print a real retro feel, and we looked to vintage deckchairs to give us inspiration for scale."

"The colours are typically ‘70s with the mustard, tomato reds, and browns, and then the team added in the mint green to give the print dimension and to make it feel fresh for modern-day wardrobes.

The flowers are slightly oversized, just a little bit larger than you would typically see on clothing, which gives the garment a fun edge - we're always looking for that extra element of fun. When you wear this print, you get a spring in your step, and you can't help but feel more cheerful!"