Joynoelle Brings Beauty from Decay in Fungi-Themed Fashion Show

A Look from Joynoëlle’s “Fungi: Beauty from Decay” collection; photo: Lauren Krysti

 

Since founding her line, Joynoëlle, in 2003, Joy Teiken been a consistent presence on the Twin Cities fashion scene. Over the years, she had a stint at a New York York showroom, created a custom jacket for actress Andie MacDowell, and was featured in an issue of WWD, but all the while she’s stayed connected to her local roots. Every spring over the past decade, Teiken has hosted a fashion show featuring her latest couture collection, and she meets with clients at her south Minneapolis boutique and atelier, where she creates her one-of-a-kind pieces.

This Tuesday, she will debut her latest line, a collection of 17 look inspired by the organic shapes of fungi. She got the idea for the concept while going on walks with her dog and noticed mushrooms and lichens everywhere she looked. She was drawn to their colors and textures, and started taking photos of them and collecting fungi-covered branches.

During her research, Teiken realized that fungi survive by decomposing organic material—in essence, that they lived because other things died. (Teiken took her research seriously: She is even having the head of the mycology department at the University of Minnesota speak before her show about the importance of fungi.)

“It’s a bit of a political statement because I felt last year there were a lot of negative things going on—a lot of deaths, and what’s been happening in politics,” she says. “To get through last year’s political season, I had to feel like something good could come from something that was, in my mind, decaying.”

Known for her innovative fabric manipulations and use of textured fabrics, Teiken took on the challenge head-on, creating intricate pieces inspired by mushrooms and lichens that is as beautiful as it is unusual. The collection incorporates natural fabrics, such as silk charmeuse, silk organza, linen, and cheesecloth, as well as bits of upholstery fabrics and trim. Other fabrics she manipulated, such as a piece made up of rows of individual cords that she took apart and reconstructed in a new pattern.

The collection features muted, natural shades—moss green, ivory, pale rose, and pale gold. “I did a lot of tea dying and taking things and soaking them in my cup of coffee that I left overnight to see what would happen.” She also did some hand-painted birch bark patterns, appliques inspired by petri dish mold, plus a bridal gown inspired by the undersides of mushrooms.

Tuesday’s show will be the second time Teiken has shown as Aria, which she considers one of her favorite venues. In 2013, she transformed the historic event space with billowing, sheer fabric and an L-shaped runway, showcasing ready-to-wear and bridal collections. This year, she plans to showcase models on stylized, moss-covered pedestals to give attendees a closer look at the garments following the blink-and-you-miss-it runway show, and give the space an overall nature-inspired, organic feel. For the third year running, Teiken will donate proceeds from the show to cancer awareness nonprofit Kill Kancer in honor of her mother, who died of breast cancer—a fitting tribute, especially for a collection with a life-after-death theme.

Joynoëlle’s Fungi: Beauty from Decay is part of Spring 2017 Fashion Week MN and takes place Tuesday, April 25 at Aria (105 N. First St., Minneapolis) from 6–9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. show, followed by an after party DJ’d by Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland fame. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $50 for runway seating at eventbrite.com

Looks from Joynoëlle’s “Fungi: Beauty from Decay” collection; photo: Lauren Krysti